Frankie Crocker - Media 1 Broadcasting

Occupation: DJ, VJ, Radio Programmer, TV Host, Actor
Known For: Revolutionizing Black radio and popularizing urban contemporary music.

Early Days: Began his career in Buffalo at WUFO 1080 AM, a soul music station.
New York Entry: Worked at WWRL (soul) and WMCA (Top 40) in NYC by 1969.
WBLS Legacy:
- Joined 107.5 WBLS as Program Director and host.
- Turned it into NYC’s #1 station in the late 1970s.
- Coined the term “urban contemporary”—a format combining soul, disco, reggae, pop, and more.
- Known for flamboyant showmanship and signature outro song, “Moody’s Mood for Love” by King Pleasure.
- Famous for stunts, including entering Studio 54 on a white horse.
Innovation:
- Created “Hollywood Live,” a satellite-enabled call-in radio show using toll-free numbers.
- Helped popularize artists like Madonna, Blondie, Grace Jones, The Clash, Bob Marley, and Manu Dibango.
- Gave NYC hits like “Love is the Message” (MFSB) and “Ain’t No Stoppin’ Us Now” (McFadden & Whitehead).
Other Stations: Programmed for KUTE 101.9 FM in L.A., introducing a “Disco and More” format.

TV Hosting:
- One of VH-1’s original VJs.
- Hosted Solid Gold (syndicated) and Friday Night Videos (NBC).
- Frequent MC at the historic Apollo Theater in Harlem.
Acting: Appeared in 5 films, including:
- Cleopatra Jones (1973)
- Five on the Black Hand Side (1973)
- Darktown Strutters (1975)

Payola Scandal (1976):
- Indicted in a federal investigation; WBLS fired him.
- Charges were eventually dropped.
- Returned to WBLS in 1979; later left radio in 1985 for VH-1.
Legal Troubles:
- Accused in 1983 of assaulting Carmela Pope—charges dropped.
- Linked romantically and as a suspect in the unsolved 1977 murder of actress Christa Helm (never charged).

Led a group called The Heart & Soul Orchestra (no discography details provided here).
Key figure in breaking multiple genres and artists to American urban audiences.