other than the famous late-night shows, wlac followed a fairly conventional news/talk and popular music format in the daytime until the early 1970s, when new management attempted to program a top 40 format, competing against ratings leader wmak (now defunct) for the nashville-area teenage audience. this move in particular is believed to have prompted richbourg and nobles to retire, as they had no interest in conforming to a predetermined, pop-oriented playlist arranged by an outside consultant.