A mention of National Radio Day on WNYC this morning set me to thinking about local radio as well as my favorite public radio stations. How many remember WERA at 1590 AM? The station had studios at 120 West Seventh Street, now used by the gospel station, WKMB 1070 AM. My favorites include WBAI, 99.5 FM where the late Plainfielder Pepsi Charles was once a programmer, and WNYC, 93.9 FM, where author interviews often send me to the Plainfield Public Library for books to read.WERA under the ownership of Henry Behre was a real community station for decades. Many will recall Barbara Ballard's interviews, Rich Phoenix's mellifluous voice and those snow day announcements, among many other memories. I used to tune in to WKMB for former Mayor Richard L. Taylor's show and sometimes for Laurence Rice's interviews, especially around campaign time. An early Plaintalker post also described Bro. Arthur Bailey III's radio show on WKMB. (Some links may no longer work.)
Radio has been my favorite medium since my school days back in the 1940s, when the the Lone Ranger and Jack Armstrong, All-American Boy aired along with madly popular comedy and variety shows. Today I like public radio the best for listening at all hours, including the free-form overnight offerings on WBAI, particularly Radio Unnameable with Bob Fass.
My daughter Audrey sent me an IPod for Christmas last year which befuddled me so much that I sent it back to her in Seattle. Just this week she sent it back to me for another try. This shiny device, smaller than a saltine cracker, has her favorite radio station on it, KEXP, which I have listened to online. I am now adding my East Coast favorites but will keep KEXP and maybe add KUOW, a public radio station in Seattle, for when I visit the Northwest.
The best thing about radio, in my opinion, is its portability. The world of ideas is right there for me while I am out in the yard or meandering around Plainfield. Three cheers for National Radio Day!
--Bernice
as the Buggles put it....
ReplyDeleteI heard you on the wireless back in Fifty Two
Lying awake intent at tuning in on you.
If I was young it didn't stop you coming through.
Oh-a oh
They took the credit for your second symphony.
Rewritten by machine and new technology,
and now I understand the problems you can see.
Oh-a oh
I met your children
Oh-a oh
What did you tell them?
Video killed the radio star.
Video killed the radio star.
Bernice,
ReplyDeleteYou bring back a lot of memories about listening to the radio. Tom Mix. Straight Arrow, Dick Tracy, Mr Keane,Tracer of Lost Persons. The Cities Service Band of America. I could continue. We had quite the imagination in those days visualizing the action as it came through the radio. Being young, we thought it was real!
Today, it is Public radio. It's the only source I've found other than satellite radio for music from the 30s -40s with Jonathon Schwartz on WNYC. Another contemporary favorite was Bob and Ray whom we don't hear any more. I guess it's "old-fashioned"?
WERA Where are you when we need you !!
ReplyDelete