Westwood One Founder Norm Pattiz says W.O. first program was a Motown special, inspired from listening to Los Angeles R/B radio station KGFJ's Motown Marathon

Norm Pattiz

Story by: Talkers Magazine

Video Link of Pattiz's speech: http://www.talkers.com/2011/10/26/wednesday-october-26-2011/

During his special remarks at last week’s historic Los Angeles Regional Talkers Forum,Westwood One founder, and current CEO of Courtside Entertainment Norm Pattiz shared the story of the early days of the ground breaking syndication firm that he started in one office in Westwood back in the late 1970s.

Telling the packed house of talk media professionals that he launched the company with “$10,000 and a working wife,” Pattiz describes how his background as a well-connected former L.A. television sales manager served to bring sponsorships to packaged radio programs — thus shifting the network radio business model from a direct cash to barter system and opening the door to the tremendous growth that followed.

Patiz talks about Westwood One’s first show being an urban radio cross-over Motown special stating, “Being a television guy and not a radio guy, I didn’t know the rules of radio and if you don’t know the rules, you can’t be limited by them.” Pattiz’s speech can be seen exclusively on TALKERS TV. If you are using a mobile device, click here to view the video.