WHAM @ 100: An Oral History: Recent Episodes
NewsRadio WHAM 1180 (WHAM-AM)
Radio station WHAM-AM in Rochester, New York, celebrates its 100th Birthday in 2022. Host, Joe Lomonaco, marks this milestone with a weekly series that includes rare and never before heard archive recordings, new interviews with former, and current, WHAM staff, and stories about what WHAM means to the community it continues to serve. New episodes drop every Wednesday with bonus episodes, from time to time, on Sundays.
Former WHAM DJ and General Sales Manager Dan Guilfoyle passed away on June 5, 2023.
To honor our friend an colleague, we share with you the last music show Dan hosted on WHAM - March 2, 1991
Danny loved music and this is the best way we know to celebrate his life.
We've spent the past year looking back on the people, stories and sounds of WHAM's past.
We conclude the series with a look at our present - and peer into the future - with iHeart Radio Chairman and CEO, Bob Pittman
Merry Christmas to all who celebrate!
A special holiday treat with this OPEN LINE show - with Jack Slattery and George Haefner - not heard since it was originally aired on Christmas Day in 1972.
In radio, one group of people have the task of saying station call letters dozens of times a day. They're known as signature voices. And it's a very select group of performers and producers who take on the task of marketing a radio station to its own audience. From how they sound to the attitude behind their performances, signature voices have long been part of radio's sonic landscape. We'll tip the cap to 2 of those signature voice performers from WHAM's past and introduce you to Vistor Lisle - the man behind WHAM's current signature sound.
This never before heard demo version of a 4-part sketch written for the WHAM Holiday Show in December 2018.
Catching up with 2 of WHAM's alumni - one who had a full career in the military before becoming one of WHAM's "oldest rookies" - and another who knew getting the story was what she wanted to do ever since she was in high school. WHAM stories from Gary Tschaepe and Kelly Short (Badger)
A little Christmas snack for this week's bonus. Not sure why they were singing, but some of your favorite WHAM personalities belted out songs of the season in 1995. See how many voices you can identify.
She was with WHAM for only a year - and now she talks sports nationwide. Amy Lawrence fills us in on her start in radio and the path that brought her all the way to New York City.
From the WHAM Holiday Show - broadcast live from the Dryden Theater at the George Eastman House Museum - a re-creation of San Freberg's CHRISTMAS DRAGNET - featuring Don Alhart, Andrea Holland, Jack Garner and Joe Lomonaco.
Though he was only with WHAM for about a decade, he left his mark - with music, sports and a generosity of spirit. A tribute to the late Bill Givens featuring excerpts from his Saturday Night Dance Party shows, some rare Amerks play by play, and interviews with Bill's widow, Connie, and from Rochester native Ken Meyer, who's broadcasting career was launched thanks to Bill Givens.
In this week’s bonus, a montage of WHAM’s DJs, news anchors and talk hosts – collected by a long time WHAM fan. And many thanks to Bill Dulmage for saving so much of our history and surprising us with it for our 100th anniversary. Included in this episode:
Johnny Canton, Dave Laird, Bill Masters, Mark Giardina, Mike Ivers, Bill Anthony, Steve Best, Steve Reynolds, Charlie Greer, Chris Summers, Tom George, Ed Ferland, Jay Martin, Dave Kyaza, Chet Walker, Jeff Howlett, Rick Peters and Steve Reuben.
Radio needs big personalities. But it also needs the people working off mic and behind the scenes to keep those big personalities sounding their best. Mike DiGiorgio and Bob Kern do their best work out of the spotlight. Hear how their skills and talents kept WHAM sounding, and running, the way it did.
Later this month, we'll be doing a tribute to one time WHAM Program Director, sports reporter and host Bill Givens. In this bonus episode, we hear the man himself as he, and WHAM's Walter Dixon, in an excerpt from WHAM's 50th Anniversary broadcast of July 11th 1972. Special thanks to the Lavery Library at St. John Fisher University for the audio in this episode.
Continuing the roundtable talk with the newer members of the WHAM team. In this episode, Christina Lynne, Matt Wilson and the newest co-anchor of the WHAM 5 o'clock News Hour, Joe Lasky.
77 years ago this month, ground was broken on a new home for WHAM radio. An engineering marvel that took a decade to plan and 2 years to build. Presented for the first time, the groundbreaking ceremony from November 10, 1945 as well as a description of the building from a souvenir program of the era.
Who will be there to carry on the mission of WHAM - and radio as a whole - when those of us who are closer to the finish line finally cross it? The Next Generation of broadcasters will, hopefully, step in, step up and keep it all going. This week, PART 1 of a roundtable discussion with Pam Allen (Rapp), Sam Schrier and Melody Emm.
The Howard W. Coles collection, The Voice of Howard Coles Audio Recordings. Courtesy of the RMSC, Rochester, NY
Five Minutes with Howard Coles” was a five minute show produced by Mr. Coles and aired on WHAM every Sunday from 6:45pm to 6:50pm. “Five Minutes with Howard Coles ran from about 1969 to 1975 and discussed Black history and heritage.
In this bonus episode, a few samples of those features.
For over 60 years, he self-published a newspaper serving the black community of Rochester. He was also Rochester's first black broadcaster - a career that lasted nearly 40 years. And his weekly feature - 5 Minutes With Howard Coles - aired on WHAM in the 60s and 70s. Former TV meteorologist Richard McCollough and Howard's daughter, Joan Coles Howard, tell us about the journalist and broadcaster who broke color barriers and documented the history of the black community in Rochester.
Howard W. Coles collection, The Voice of Howard Coles Audio Recordings. Courtesy of the RMSC, Rochester, NY
More from John DiTullio - picking up the story where we left off in the last episode. John has arrived in Rochester to be part of the debut of Fox 31 TV, doing a job similar to one he had in Erie, PA. From here, John talks about getting back into radio and getting the call to become part of the WHAM/WHTK team.
A voice for radio. What does that really mean? And what ingredients does a great radio voice have that goes deeper than the sound a person has when they speak? A great radio voice is distinctive but also has great personality and storytelling ability to back it up. Joan Brandenburg and John DiTullio are examples of broadcasters with unexpected sounds and brilliant abilities - not to mention wonderful stories about how they got to WHAM.
On our last episode, Jim Salmon talked about how he and John Carr were called the Grossman's How To Partners when a local home improvement chain sponsored the Home Repair Clinic. From June 29, 1991, here's what it sounded like with host, Allan Harris, John Carr and Jim Salmon.
As they say - if it ain't broke - don't fix it. When it comes to WHAM's weekend line up, the winning formula has been to stick with what works. And for over 30 years, that's been the WHAM Home Repair Clinic. Jim Salmon tells us how the show got started and how he's built a brand that may, one day, become WHAM's longest running show.
Researching this podcast has offered a series of discoveries about friends and colleagues - some I didn't know worked at WHAM - and others I forgot how we met. Both will be covered in this episode as we hear from Kevin Gillan, Rob Linton and vintage sound from Mark Cronin.
Broadcasting live from the site of a new event was not commonplace in radio's early days. Often times, reporters would go to a site, with what passed for portable recording equipment, describe an event with words and sounds, and then bring back a transcription disc recording to be broadcast at a later time. Such was the case with this report, filed by WHAM commentator and reporter Al Sisson, from the christening and launching of a tanker ship that bore the name of Rochester. The recording was made on January 29th, 1943, in Chester, Pennsylvania.
The business of radio. Not the sexiest of highest profile part of the industry. But essential. And for WHAM's last local ownership - The Lincoln Group - it was an opportunity to not only generate revenue but to innovate how the business of selling radio was done. 2 of the Lincoln Group's key players take us behind the scenes and spell out the philosophy that turned WHAM into a ratings and revenue powerhouse.
A feature piece from our most recent guest, Dan Minchen, who DJ'd and did news for WHAM in the mid to late 1970s. This is the final installment of a series done in honor of America's bicentennial. Originally aired in the summer of 1976.
Many of the people who've passed through WHAM over the years have a list of cities worked in and station call letters. But Dan Minchen has them all beat. At least when it comes to how far away from his first job his second radio assignment was. Meet this Buffalo native who joined the WHAM family in the 1970s.
Wrapping up a salute to Mort Nusbaum with another of the shows he helped create and host for WHAM. You Can Be A Star aired in the late 1940s and early 50s before transitioning to television.
Back in a time when there were only 3 radio stations in Rochester, a college student named Mort Nusbaum hosted his first show on WHAM. That was 1935. Over the following decades, Mort would make a mark on radio, television and as a private entrepreneur. This interview, done for WPXN 1280AM by Dick Judge, is provided by the Rochester Radio Collection of St. John Fisher University and Media Transfer Service.
A staple of WHAM's daily program line-up was the game or quiz show. Cinderella Weekend was one of those shows. Women contestants would compete on the daily shows for a chance to return each Friday and try and win the weekly grand prize package. Mort Nusbaum is the host. The show originated from the WHAM studios at Rochester Radio City on Humbolt Street.
Barry Vee has always been on the radio. At least it seems that way. Over a career that's lasted nearly 50 years (and is still going), he's done just about every job there is to do at WHAM. And Barry continues to be the glue that holds our lineup together. In this episode he talks about how he got his first job in the business and what radio has meant to him.
Some rarely heard bits from the early years of the Rush Limbaugh Show. These "fake commercials" were often only heard by us at the station. A few of Rush's favorites from 1992.
For some, a passion will burn hot and fast - then fade - leaving room for something new. That's the best way to describe former WHAM sports reporters and talk show hosts Brad Davies and Dan Moriarty. Both love watching and talking about games and players. Both found radio to be the perfect outlet to have those conversations. But both would, eventually, leave the industry for other passions.
WHAM celebrates 100 years in 2022. Another community resource is also celebrating a century of service to Rochester this year. A special conversation with Bob Russell, President and CEO of the Rochester Hearing and Speech Center.
WHAM has long been a place were radio pros have wanted to work. In this episode, we'll hear how 2 veteran broadcasters - Todd Hallidy and Bud Lowell - came to be in the WHAM newsroom.
Continuing our conversation with WHAM's midday talk show host Bob Lonsberry. We pick up where we left off, in 1995, after Bob was given the chance to go from being the regular "fill in guy" to the ACTUAL guy who's been carrying on the conversations important to Rochester ever since.
Some seemingly minor decisions can have long lasting impacts. For Bob Lonsberry, there were 2 such decisions he had to make. And how he chose to make those decisions started him on a path that lead him to WHAM. In the first part of our conversation, Bob shares how he found his way to radio, journalism and, eventually, to Rochester.
More from Bob Matthews in this week's bonus episode. A few samples of his commentaries and some off the cuff sports stories - told only the way Bob can.
Bob Matthews didn't grow up fascinated with the radio. He didn't scan around the dial trying to pick up stations from great distances. He didn't listen to baseball games on the radio very much, if at all. But for 3 and a half decades, Bob found a home on the radio talking sports and created a community of characters and fans who stuck with him - win or lose.
This one’s for the Boy Scouts – past and present
And thanks to St. John Fisher Rochester Radio Archive and Media Transfer Service of East Rochester
This is an example of a show made by the Otetiana Council of the Boy Scouts – the council covered the City of Rochester and Monroe County
Not sure the air date – but since the Otetiana Council wasn’t formed until spring of 1943, this may have aired in the mid to late 40s
The show was called SMOKE SIGNALS ON THE AIR – the main speaker – Reverend Cannon Arthur R Culthrie – Cannon Missioner of the Episcopal Diocese of Rochester and Director of St. Thomas Episcopal Church.
The business of radio is a constant balancing act – juggling ratings – revenue – egos – and the countless other issues that come up in the course of a broadcast day.
It takes a special kind of person to manage all the aspects of a radio station and keep it all going.
We call them Market Managers.
In this episode, we'll introduce you to 2 of them - Kevin LeGrett and Bob Morgan - whose careers intersected - first with WHAM's competition - and then in the corner office of iHeart Radio Rochester.
It's wonderful, and rare, to find complete recordings of shows from WHAM's earliest days. This is one of the regular music programs featured on the station - performed live by a studio orchestra. We believe this program originally aired in either 1936 or '37. Norbert Klem lead the WHAM Orchestra with Melody Lane.
One of the voices regularly heard on WHAM belonged to someone the audience never formally met. Georganne John was responsible for writing, producing and lending her voice to thousands and thousands of commercials during her 13 years at WHAM. In this episode, we'll learn about how Georganne's got to Rochester and what she loves about the medium of sound.
Weekends on WHAM have long been the place where specialty shows have found a home. When Mike Cidoni was WHAM's Entertainment Reporter and Critic in the early 1980's, he co-created a show that combined all the things he loved - entertainment, broadcasting and music. The show was called SOUNDTRACK. Mike talks a bit about the show and we hear a sample of what audiences were treated to on Sunday mornings.
Before Bill Klein became WHAM's Entertainment Critic and reporter, Mike Cidoni had that role with the station. In this episode, Mike talks about his love for the entertainment industry - how his childhood dream of becoming an entertainment reporter came true - and the work he did to get there. Plus, Mike shares memories of the guy we called The Klein, who passed away in 2004.
In Case You Missed It - some highlights from the Bob Lonsberry Show - Monday, July 11th - WHAM DAY.
Catching up with more of WHAM's reporters. Both born and raised in the Rochester area. Both spent time in television news. And both now have careers in public and media relations. Brendan O'Riordan and Tor Constantino tell us what they love about radio and how their paths led to the WHAM newsroom.
Dee Alexander credits Larry King as an influence on her interviewing style. Dee shares a story about the "king of late night radio" along with this interview she did with Larry from 1987. Jim Aroune has been a fan of the Buffalo Bills since he was a kid and he spent a year trying to get an interview with former player O.J. Simpson. In 1989, he got it and you'll hear the entire conversation - being shared for the first time since it was recorded.
Dee Alexander and Jim Aroune became fixtures of the Rochester media landscape AFTER they spent time at WHAM. But, no matter how long or short the tenure may be, once part of the WHAM family...always part of the WHAM family. Hear how both of them found their ways to the 1180 spot on the dial.
Have a WHAM memory to share? Want to know more about your favorite personality? Drop me a note: joe@wham1180.com
The 4th and final hour of WHAM's 70th anniversary show from July 1992. Hosts Allan Harris and Jack Slattery welcome Bob Meteor, Shelia McGrath, Jeff Howlett, Ann Rogers and Anne Keefe.
We're getting closer to WHAM DAY - July 11th - marking the official 100th birthday. This week, hour 3 of the 70th anniversary show from 1992. Allan Harris and Jack Slattery host with guests including Ray Laws, David A. Sennett, Rich Funke, Bill Lowe, Jack Murphy and Walter Dixon.
Continuing the countdown to the official 100th birthday (7/11/22) with the 2nd hour of the 70th Anniversary Show - originally broadcast on July 9, 1992. With hosts, Allan Harris and Jack Slattery, guests include Homer Bliss, Louise Wilson, Ed Ferland, Jack Palvino, Norbert Klem, Art Kelly, Tom Badger, Doc & Katy Abraham and Foster Brooks.
The next few episodes will be a little longer than most. As we get closer to the official 100th birthday on July 11th, we go back into the archives to the 70th anniversary in 1992. A 4 hour show was broadcast celebrating the station and the voices that brought it to life. We'll feature an hour of that show per episode over the next few. In this first hour, guests include Chet Walker and Tara Howard, Van Miller, Ross Weller and Inez Quinn. Originally broadcast July 9, 1992
From the archives - 1977 - a special newscast featuring our most recent guest, Mike Morgan, and others from the WHAM staff.
He's a bass voiced ex-Marine and the most senior member of the WHAM family. This week, stories from Mike Morgan on the power of journalism, covering the Attica Prison uprising and singing the news.
Following up the last episode with some of the long form reporting done for WHAM by Jenifer Whitten and Darryl Tardy.
Jenifer Whitten (1990 - 1993) and Darryl Tardy ('93 - '96) had a passion for journalism. And neither of them were considering scratching their journalistic itches in radio - until they started working in radio.
Over the past few weeks, we've heard from the WHAM "weekenders". Saturday and Sunday are where the specialty shows fall in the program lineup. And, once upon a time, on Saturday mornings, in between The Green Thumb and Lighten Up With Liz, was The WHAM Car Show with The Sofia Brothers. This is the final Car Show from July 29, 2006.
Some of the more memorable members of the WHAM were only on the air a few minutes a day. Liz Bonis was one of them. WHAM's Health and Medical Reporter launched her now 30 year career at WHAM radio and still tries to make every story she tells entertaining, engaging and informative.
Koz (Warren Kozireski) and Boomer (Kurt Schenk) - guests on our last episode - both served as producer for legendary WHAM personality Jack Slattery. Jack retired after more than 40 years on the air on June 30th, 1988. Koz was behind the scenes running the show and Jack was surrounded by his family as he opened the mic one last time.
Better known by their nicknames, Warren Kozireski and Kurt Schenk share more than a few things in common when you look at their broadcasting pasts. Both had on air roles with the station and were also part of the behind the scenes crew at WHAM - show producers - making talent sound great.
Radio is the ORIGINAL social media. Not only can an audience immerse themselves in a story, in real time, they can interact with a story and the community at large. Politicians have long sought after WHAM and our audience. In April of 1992, presidential candidate Bill Clinton was interviewed by WHAM afternoon talk host Jack Kinnicutt. Then, WHAM listeners got the chance to "sound off" about what they heard from the man who would go on to be the nation's 43rd President.
Big stories can, sometimes, happen on a football field. Or a baseball diamond. Or a golf course. And WHAM was there to cover those stories. It's how we earned the title of Sports Leader. But sports coverage didn't just happen on game days. It was a part of the every day. In this episode, Steve Hausmann and Mike Schopp talk about their love for radio and their time at WHAM.
When a major, local story breaks, listeners have long known to tune to WHAM for coverage and updates throughout the day. And when a story was big enough to command national attention, network news organizations and syndicated talk shows turned to the reporters at WHAM to provide context and perspectives on these stories. One such story was a series of mail bombings that happened in the Rochester region in December of 1993.
They've spent most (if not all) of their careers in front of a camera. But they cut their news teeth in radio. And worked their butts off to build their careers. Stories in this episode from Doug Emblidge and Seth Voorhees.
Continuing the tribute to WHAM's longest running program - The Green Thumb with Doc and Katy Abraham. Thanks to WHAM listener, Bill Dulmage, we hear another complete show - this one from June 27th, 1998.
The longest running show in WHAM's history was The Green Thumb - a half hour, weekly gardening show - hosted by George "Doc" and Katy Abraham. An over 50 year run ended in the early 2000's. Allan Harris and Jack Slattery talked with Doc and Katy for the 70th anniversary in 1992. We also have a complete show from June of 1999 - near the end of the show's run.
Former WHAM News Director, Randy Gorbman, looking back on Rochester's Race Riots. This series originally aired in July of 1994 and was recognized for excellence by the Associated Press.
WHAM has been known as Rochester's News Leader. And the News Leader's "news leader" is the News Director. Randy Gorbman held that title twice - once in the mid 90's and again in the late 90's through the early 2010's. With a voracious appetite for consuming and reporting, calling Randy a "news junkie" is a vast understatement.
Game shows have been part of WHAM's programming since the very early days. The last, regularly scheduled game show, done before a live audience, was The WHAM Sports Trivia Challenge. The show aired during football season and was the lead up to coverage of Monday Night Football. The show was originally called THE SPORTS NUTS. This show is from October of 1990.
Even though he was never "officially" part of the regular lineup, Gary Smith's reporting, sportscasting and hosting were woven into the fabric of WHAM. With a career that started in the late 1950's, Gary has been a part of Rochester's radio landscape for over 60 years.
From the WHAM Archives: August, 1952. Club 86 in Geneva was, in its day, a hot spot for some of the best jazz musicians in the country. Innovative jazz pianist, composer and band leader, Stan Kenton, brought his weekly NBC radio show - A Concert in Miniature - to the club on August 5th, 1952. Sharing an excerpt from that show as well as an interview with Stan, and vocalist Kay Brown, that aired the following day.
One thing WHAM has always had is an incredible depth of talent. Especially in the newsroom. With stories to cover and deadlines to meet, it's all too easy to gloss over the levels of experience some of our staff members had. So on this episode, we take a deeper dive into the careers of Brad Cupples and Brad Smith - two examples of WHAM's commitment to hiring the best in the business.
Comedian Gilbert Gottfried passed away on April 12th after a long illness. A small tribute to the voice that made him famous.
WHAM has been fortunate to have had several outstanding journalists in our newsroom. In this episode, we feature 2 of them. Shari Smith spent nearly 25 years with WHAM. Shelly Tripp only 3. Both of them made lasting contributions to the WHAM team. Both wanted to be journalists. And both got drawn in to the medium of radio as a place they wanted to be and to tell stories.
A little of this and a little of that. What would listeners in the mid to late 1940's have heard when they turned on WHAM? Programs like the samples shared in this week's bonus episode.
In our most recent BONUS episode we heard a sample of one of the many programs WHAM's Director of Women's Programming, Ann Rogers, did for the station. Today, with the help of Jeff Rolick, we hear from Ann herself - detailing her start in radio and some of her memories about working for WHAM radio and television.
Jeff recorded this interview in the fall of 1970 when he was a student at SUNY Geneseo and my sincere thanks to him for sharing the sound.
From the archives in 1951, WHAM's Director of Women's Programming, Ann Rogers, hosts a show for the League of Women Voters
There’s a great deal of work that happens in the background to keep a radio station running. The people who talk into a microphone get all the attention. But the Chief Engineer makes sure every word spoken makes it from the studio to the transmitter to our listeners. And they do it without much if any recognition. This episode salutes 2 of our engineers – Randy Orbaker and Mike Hanna - the pros who do twice as much work to make the broadcast day seem effortless.
Picking up from where we left off on Wednesday, this week's BONUS episode has more of the series of featurettes done for WHAM in the late 1950's by silent film star Louise Brooks, who lived in Rochester from the mid 50's until her death in 1985.
NOTE: this episode has been updated with new information provided by Thomas Gladysz, Director of the Louise Brooks Society.
The original plan for this episode was to introduce you to the people who make every broadcast day possible - the Chief Engineer. But, as is the case with daily operations of a radio station, the unexpected can happen at any moment. And it did with my planned interviewee. So, it's not what I planned but a great substitution. From the archives, circa the late 1950s, the first installment of a series of features on Hollywood scandals, written and performed by silent film star Louise Brooks.
In the last episode, Beverly Morgan shared some stories of her path to radio – first with WVOR and then WHAM.
In my conversation with her, we got to talking about her husband of 20 years, Dick Tobias.
And Beverly gives a peek behind the curtain at the man she calls the love of her life. Plus, we hear some of Dick's reporting from the early 1980's featuring Rochester's "humble hero" Gary Biekirk.
Not everyone who ends up on the radio had grand plans to be on the air. Beverly Morgan was a teacher, in Massachusetts and Rochester, before using the airwaves to help her contribute to the women’s rights movement of the late 60’s. But her brush with broadcasting took hold and it sparked an unintended career on the air.
Have a WHAM memory to share? E-mail joe@wham1180.com. I’d love to hear, and share your stories.
We heard from 2 broadcasters who pivoted into politics in our last episode. This week we turn to the presidential campaign of 1960. Presented in its entirety, a campaign rally at the Rochester War Memorial with candidate, Senator John F. Kennedy
There are plenty of people who’ve come through WHAM over the years whose careers went on to a 2nd act. More than a few moved over to television. Some to public relations. And others to politics. Maggie Brooks and Rich Funke both spent time in the WHAM newsroom and both would later have career 3rd acts in government. Maggie and Rich reminisce about their times at WHAM and how their respective careers in broadcasting prepared them for public service.
Have a WHAM memory to share? E-mail joe@wham1180.com. I’d love to hear, and share your stories.
In our last episode – we heard sounds from March 4th , 1991 – the day of the ice Storm that paralyzed the Rochester region – and some perspectives on the storm from WHAM’s meteorologist at the time – Kevin Williams
Today – some more stories from Kevin I think you’ll enjoy
March 4th 1991. The Rochester area woke up to an ice storm. It took out trees, power lines and crippled the area for days. And when Rochester needed information on the storm and clean up – and a place to talk about what was happening in their neighborhoods and homes – they turned to WHAM. The Ice Storm and its aftermath forever changed the sound of WHAM and made the station a vital part of thousands of people’s daily lives. We’ll hear sound from The WHAM Morning News from day the storm hit and some perspectives on the storm from former WHAM meteorologist Kevin Williams.
Do you have a WHAM story or memory to share? E-mail me: joe@wham1180.com
Some WHAM audio snapshots. The Station Composite. A tool, used mainly by sales account executives, to help clients not based in Rochester gain a better understanding of WHAM's sound and program lineup. And also a look back at what WHAM was before a major event would change the mission and sound of the station forever (a hint at the next new episode)
WHAM’s current audience might not remember that, up until the Ice Storm of 1991, the station still played music. Though mostly on the weekends. And the last guy to host one of those show was Dan Guilfoyle. Dan tells us how his lifelong love of music led him into radio. Brian Simek and his Boy Scout Troup used to take over a radio station once a week. Those days “playing around” in the studio took him to a career in radio, television and public relations.
Do you have a WHAM story or memory to share? E-mail me: joe@wham1180.com
With baseball's pitchers and catchers NOT reporting this past week, we go back to 1938 in this bonus episode to hear what WHAM was doing to cover the Rochester Red Wings. A short sports promo for training camp updates that would air on the station that year.
He was a reporter and a news anchor, but most people remember Allan Harris as the night-time talk show host. The guy on the radio you could just talk with. About anything. Allan shares stories on the road that led him to Rochester and the love for radio that keeps him in the business, and on the air, to this day.
We’ll also hear the story of how newlyweds used WHAM to feel closer together, even though they were separated by hundreds of miles.
Do you have a WHAM story or memory to share? E-mail me: joe@wham1180.com
With truckers being in the news recently, this week’s BONUS episode is about them – and a DJ that spent a career talking directly to that community.
From the late 1990’s, WHAM’s Bob Lonsberry talks with The Truckin’ Bozo.
Last week, it was Glenn and another Glenn. This week – a couple of Bobs. Bob Scott came to WHAM in the 1970’s as a DJ and did some managerial work for us, too. Bob Longo has always had a passion for news. He reported and anchored for WHAM in the early 90’s. I missed working with Bob Longo by just a week. Bob Scott – I never knew he was part of the WHAM air staff. But, when you dig into the history of a place, you start to hear all kinds of stories.
Do you have a WHAM story or memory to share? E-mail me: joe@wham1180.com
More from Jack Slattery and George Haefner this week, and their daily show OPEN LINE. This clip from our 50th anniversary year in 1972. Jack and George talk with WHAM station manager, program director and announcer Bill Fay.
A pair of Glenn’s. Garman and Lambertz.
Same first name – but two very different paths into the industry – and different roles during their respective times at WHAM.
One Glenn could have found a career in politics or in education – the other studied speech and theology before beginning a career in radio. One Glenn bounced around to a few colleges before, eventually, leaving school to pursue a passion for the industry. The other graduated, hopscotched across the country and back before coming to Rochester.
This week's bonus episode goes back to our 50th anniversary in 1972. The show was called OPEN LINE and it was hosted by 2 of WHAM's most iconic personalities, George Haefner and Jack Slattery. In this clip, Jack and George interview 2 former members of the WHAM staff, Tom Murray and Art Kelly, who were both with the station in the early days of radio.
The job of the street reporter. Get the story. Get it right. And get a new one every hour. It’s a high-pressure job but one that Dave McKinley and Susan Ashline did exceptionally well for WHAM. So, what does it take to find compelling stories and get them on the air fast? Dave and Susan share their perspectives on reporting, finding sources and what made the news so important to them.
Without a Prayer: The Death of Lucas Leonard and How One Church Became a Cult: Ashline, Susan: 9781643130729: Amazon.com: Books
Since he was part of our last episode, I wanted to share something I uncovered while combing through the boxes of old tapes we still have at the radio station. I came across a series of news pieces Bill Lowe did in 1995. Enjoy hearing from an exceptional storyteller.
Not sure how it is in other businesses, but radio people are known for telling great stories of how they got hired, and fired, and any number of adventures they experienced in between. This week, we’ll hear how 2 of WHAM’s reporters and anchors would up behind our microphones. First, Tom Badger tells us how he walked into a job at WHAM (quite literally). Then, Bill Lowe will guide us through the journey that brought him to Rochester.
One of WHAM's most popular programs was a serialized drama - True Stories of the New York State Police. The weekly show was taken from actual case files. Recordings of the show have, unfortunately, been lost to time. This BONUS EPISODE was performed in February of 1982, using the original script from a show that first aired in July of 1949, near the end of the program's 15 year run. Special thanks to Jeff Rolick for providing the audio.
Radio was a brand-new medium when WHAM signed on in 1922. With nothing to compare it to, the task of “making it all work” fell to a pioneer of radio broadcasting, Bill Fay. In this episode, we’ll hear excerpts from an interview Bill did in 1970 with stories of WHAM’s early years.
Then we’ll talk with Jack Palvino, the last local owner/manager to leave a mark on WHAM’s programming and sound.
Jack Palvino’s book – ON THE AIR – is out of print – but some copies can be found on Amazon:
On The Air: JackPalvino: 9789941905469: Amazon.com: Books
On the debut episode of this podcast series, I was only able to feature a portion of my conversation with Scott Fybush about the history of radio in Rochester. So in this BONUS EPISODE, here is the entire talk I had with Scott where he discusses the larger landscape of the local industry from the earliest days to our modern era.
All great stories have to start somewhere. Radio historian Scott Fybush leads us through the foundation of WHAM and its early years on the air. Scott details the players involved in Rochester radio’s foundation and how WHAM quickly rose to a position of prominence.
Did George Eastman come up with the idea for using WHAM as the station call letters? Or was is just luck of the draw? Seems like the station was in the right place at the right time to get its signature name (myth debunked!)
https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DOC-338239A1.pdf
To see more from Scott Fybush:
www.fybush.com
Beginning January 5th, host Joe Lomonaco kicks off a year long celebration of WHAM's 100th birthday. Subscribe now to WHAM @ 100: An Oral History. New episodes drop every Wednesday.