more WNAC / WLAW / WVDA

[Donna Halper <dlh@donnahalper.com>]

Okay, here is what the Boston Post (which was still fairly reliable-- Howard
Fitzpatrick was an excellent radio reporter) said it all meant.  This may or
may not clarify things on which stations descended from which stations-- the
more I re-read each explanation, the more complex it all looks.  I'm amazed
they were able to pull it off...  This article is from 17 June 1953:

"In the first major switch of Boston radio frequencies in 20 years, WNAC
today will move to 680 kilocycles with 50,000 watts, the former WLAW spot on
the dial. WLAW left the air last night.  WVDA, a new station, will take over
WNAC's old frequency of 1260 kilocycles.

[L]isteners seeking WNAC, the Yankee Network and Mutual Broadcasting
programs can now hear them on 680 kilocycles with greater power.  Some of
the former WLAW features and the network programs of the American
Broadcasting Company from now on may be picked up by dialing WVDA on 1260
kilocycles.

This realignment of local radio frequencies was brought about by the recent
purchase [by] General Teleradio, owners and operators of WNAC and the Yankee
Network, of WLAW, the Boston/Lawrence 50,000 watt station formerly owned by
Irving E. Rogers.  At the same time, Teleradio sold their Boston outlet,
WNAC, to Victor Diehm Associates Inc., controllers of radio stations in
Hazelton, Allentown, and Bloomsburg, Penn., and WIDE in Biddeford, Maine.

Approval of the deal by the Federal Communications Commission was officially
granted yesterday, giving the parties involved only a matter of hours to
swap facilities and commence operation this morning.

In a statement released last night, Linus Travers, executive vice-president
of the Yankee Network said, 'The Yankee Network announced today the formal
completion of the purchase of Station WLAW, Boston and Lawrence.  Effective
June 17th, all WNAC, Yankee Network and MBS programs will be heard on the
new frequency, 680 kilocycles, with 50,000 watts from Burlington.'

All operations of WNAC will be beamed from the 50,000 watt transmitting
plant of WLAW in Burlington, with studio facilities at the present Yankee
Network headquarters, 21 Brookline Ave., in Kenmore Square.

The new station, WVDA, an abbreviation of the owner's name, will operate
from the old studios of WLAW in the Hotel Bradford, Boston, with
transmitting facilities in North Quincy, on the Milton line, site of WNAC's
former 5,000 watt transmitter...  The Yankee Network TV station on channel 7
is not involved in the transaction and will continue as usual from its
location on the Medford/ Malden line."          

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End of boston-radio-interest-digest V1 #103
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