4 The Compass May, 2000
“Successfest 2000” One To Remember
By Danielle Virgil explaining the challenge, brought WRVS $238 away from community and its needs."
Staff Reporter WRVS started its initiative the WJSU. During his interview with Ms.
For the first time in its his- week prior to SuccessFest 2000 The trash talking, but not the Kim Pierce, Public Affairs
tory, WRVS was in a listener by sending letters to all of its type athletes do, between Director for WRVS, Hicks
showdown competition with member subscribers asking for WRVS and WJSU helped the helped pitch by supporting
another radio station, WJSU in renewal of their membership listeners get involved in the bat- SuccessFest. "^ou are letting
Jackson, Mississippi to see pledges. They followed up tie between the two radio everyone know that this pro-
which station could raise with phone calls. stations. gram is important to not only
$25,000 first and claim the title "Now more than ever, "As a loyal member, WRVS Elizabeth City but Nation
of the region's best jazz radio WRVS is depending on mem- recognized that you share in wide," he said,
station. bers like you to come through our pride, commitment and There were a host of guest
^^WgII you could imagine my for the station by listening to professionalism and therefore^ pitchers present for the fund-
surprise when their General Successfest Listener Showdown we are confident that you will raiser. Lenora Mackey,
Manager, Larry McAdoo, in 2000 April 9 through April 16 not allow us to play second fid- President and CEO of the
recent conversation mentioned and making a pledge during die to WJSU," Mrs. Thorpe RCCDC, Mr. PR White, PiAlic
that their station was indeed our on-air fund-raiser to insure said. Relations Officer for Elizabeth
the Southern Region's Best Jazz WRVS'victory." the letter read. A live remote at the River City Pasquotank County
Radio Station and challenged Pizza Hut, Lil Caesar's, City Community Development Schools, Barbina Houston
the listeners of WRVS, Jazzy Domino's, Hardees, Winn Corporation Youth building by Black, Head of Alumm
89.9 to prove him wrong in a Dixie, Food Lion, Shannon's Ms. Kimberly Pierce changed Relations for ECSU and ECSU s
listener showdown," said Mrs. Catering, Coca Cola and Pepsi the scene of Successfest on Chancellor, Dr. Mickey L.
Thorpe, General Manager of all teamed up to show sut^ort Tuesday, April 11 by taking Burnim, all served as guest
WRVS-FM 89.9 for Successfest and WRVS by SuccessFest out doors and into pitchers.
The challenge was set forth donating food and drinks to tel- the community. The station On Day 5, Thursday April
by Larry McAdoo, the General ephone operators who put in received pledges from many 13, WRVS reached $25,000 in
Manager of WJSU in Jackson, long hours of work. The fund- community members and the pledges but only 15 minutes
Mississippi, as a new unique raiser also included a number remote gave WRVS a chance to after WJSU had phoned in and
idea to help the two public of guests in the WRVS station show some of the listeners in announced the news that they
radio stations raise money. The who helped pitch to the com- the community the importance had hit the mark first,
idea originated with four other munity the importance of meet- of its use. The title, the "Southern
radio stations in New Jersey, irig the challenge. Larry Wednesday, the PowerPoint Region s Best Jazz Radio
Houston, California and McAdoo called every day at 30 program aired as the program Station" went to WJSU. WRVS,
Atlanta. Mr. McAdoo took this minutes after the hour to check to have pitching for SuccessFest however, set a precedent
idea to Mrs. Thorpe back in with Mrs. Thorpe. On April 10, incorporated in its show, amount of financial support by
February and asked her to WRVS was behind by almost Reggie Hicks, the Executive receiving $30,000 with this
accept his challenge. $3,000 but on Tuesday caught Producer of PowerPoint, says a Listener Showdown in the
The challenge accepted, up and was only a few nundred National Public Radio Program course of 6 days, the largest
WRVS and Mrs. Thorpe went to dollars away. The heat was on discussing issues that are amount of money raised by the
work. They sent letters to their and both stations felt the pres- important to the African- radio station in all of the years
merribers and distributed pub- sure. On Wednesday, WRVS American Community help sta- that it has been on the air.
lie service announcements raised a total of $22, 312 which tions get involved with the
Greg Sampson, Still on the “Vibe”
By Jemayne King Mr. Sampson hosted the back before the show would ly black colleges and tradition-
Sports Editor Morning show for seven years begin." ally white institutions. Greg
According to John Dunne, before moving to the afternoon Greg Sampson's first radio Sampson thinks that it doesn't
"No man is an island," mean- drive shift within the new Jazz experience came when he was matter what type of institution
ing that it is almost impossible format at WRVS 89.9 ECSU. just seven years old. "I had the a prospective on-air personali-
for one to make it through life Among his many duties, Mr. opportunity to visit a radio ty attends. "Both types of
alone. If this adage holds true, Sampson's main title is pro- station when I was a little boy. schools are fine" said
then Greg Sampson Lange is duction manager at WRVS. I jumped straight in to the Sampson. "What really mat-
the proprietor of Fantasy Mr. Sampson grew up in announcers lap and fell in love ters most is hands on
Island^ making the dreams of Watts, California, during both with the microphone and with experience."
students young and old come of the riots that occurred in the radio." When asked about the Greg Sampson credits his suc-
true on a daily basis. Mr. late sixties and early seventies, changing face of radio Mr. cess in radio to careful plan-
Sampson is the quintessential Growing up, Mr. Sampson's Sampson said that the new ning and not being afraid to
essence of a radio personality favorite activities included technology is making radio take a chance. Sampson
because he has seen and attending the James Bond more advanced, but less com- modeled himself after many
experienced so much in the movies that featured Sean plicated. "The worst day in different and diverse personal-
field of radio and broadcast- Connery and watching the radio is better than the best ities. "I have a lot of respect for
ing. Since arriving here at original series The Wild Wild day on any other job" said Rick Dees, but I patterned
Elizabeth City State University West. "I used to run to the Sampson. "There is absolutely myself after the Nationally
in 1993, Mr. Sampson has been corner store five minutes nothing negative about my job, syndicated on-air personality
the indispensable lich pen that before the show came on to it's all good." Frankie Crocker." This year
has held the many aspects of buy chips for the show," said Today in radio there are Sampson celebrates 25 years in
the WRVS operation together. Sampson. "I would always be aspirants from both historical- radio.