Johnny has also proven to be a shrewd judge of character. Case in point, in the series finale, "Up And Down The Dial", the latest ratings book lists Johnny as the #1 morning DJ in the Cincinnati market with the station itself now at #6 overall. But Mrs. Carlson suddenly decides to change the station's format from Top 40 to an all-news format. Slightly inebriated from the office party, Johnny confronts Mrs. Carlson at her home, at which point she admits to Johnny that WKRP was meant to be a liability to her business empire for tax write-off purposes; the surprise format change was meant to undo the station's unexpected affluence. Incredulous at her hypocrisy and callous manipulation ("You are telling your own son that you want him to be the general manager of the number one station in the market, and you'd be happier if it was sixteenth! How do you think he’d feel if he knew?”), Johnny threatens blackmail by telling Mr. Carlson her true intentions behind the format change, but Mrs. Carlson undercuts Johnny and instead tells Arthur that WKRP can keep the rock format.