i92 - Rock of the 80's

It wasn't my imagination. There really was, for a few months when I was 14, a commercial radio station that played new wave pop during the day, and punk rock music late at night once-a-week. What was the name of that show? ...Dead Kennedys, Black Flag, Sex Pistols.... I remember sneaking my radio to bed and listening to it next to my pillow. This was around the same time as that seminal Black Flag/Meat Puppets show in Harrisburg. I think I first heard about it from those nighttime DJs and it looks like we might have Rodney on the ROQ to thank for that:

...When WCAU FM debuted their "Hot Hits" format in 1981, they grabbed most of the teen audience from WIFI. In response, WIFI briefly attempted an adult contemporary format in 1982 but it failed almost immediately due to stiff competition and a diluted audience.... In early 1983, the station called in consultant Rick Carroll who had transformed Los Angeles' KROQ into a Southern California ratings success. With much fanfare and press coverage, Carroll attempted to replicate his "Rock of the 80's" New Wave format in Philadelphia by dramatically changing the station's sound and bringing in DJs such as Mel Toxic and Lee Paris. The station was referred to as "i92."... - Philly Radio Archives 

If you're still in the Philly area, the traffic report will sound familiar:


And it looks like this guy from Pensauken was pretty excited about that station too. Settle in for a little DaveTV:


"The Rock" was gone in less than 6-months. It turned into WXTU, country radio, where it remains to this day.