Re: more exciting Boston radio dates

[Rob Landry <umar@wcrb.com>]

On Mon, 5 May 1997, Donna Halper wrote:

> WBMS (1090 kHz) went on the air from studios on Court Street, opposite City
> Hall Annex, on 24 November 1946.  It pledged to devote the majority of its
> broadcast day to classical music. [By May of 1950, it was announced in the
> Trades that WBMS was changing its format because, according to VP & GM
> George Lasker, not enough people appreciated good music, and of those who
> did listen, they resented the airing of commercials...]     

I'm told that at least some, if not all, of the WBMS music library
migrated to WCRB, which also hired at least one of the former WBMS staff
(Richard L. Kaye).  Ted Jones, WCRB's owner, saw in WBMS's failure an
opportunity to make something of his station, which was then a little
known 500-watt daytimer.

WCRB was not a classical station originally; Dave MacNeill tells me they
did high school football games, among other things.  The changeover to
classical occurred gradually in 1951 and 1952.  Why WCRB survived, while
WBMS, Concert Network, and other classical stations failed, is something
I'd very much like to know. 


Rob Landry
umar@wcrb.com

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