Fw: WGBH-TV/WGBX-TV Sign-off(s)

["Russ Butler" <oldradio@earthlink.net>]

<<<Peter George wrote: Originally, WGBH had a
> loose confederation of colleges and universities
> making up "The Lowell Institute Co-Operative
> Broadcasting Council".  Mr. Pierce would give a brief
> history of the station and would eventually read the
> names of the Lowell Institute members with a
> harpsichord selection as the musical background with a
> colorful calydoscope of lights with the Lowell
> Institute logo inside of the lights. >>>>

When WGBH-FM went on the air from studios in
Symphony Hall, William ("Bill") Pierce and Alden Stevens
were the original station announcers, Hartford N. Gunn was
the GM.  The lengthy Lowell Institude Cooperative
Broadcasting Council member list was read in tact to
begin the broadcast day at 5 p.m. and again at 11 p.m. 
sign-off.  "Reading Aloud" was the first program each
weekday afternoon, a book was read chapter-by-chapter by
Bill Caverness (sp?) and not just for sightless folks either.
(Bill Pierce became the voice of the Boston Symphony,
Alden Stevens later managed a radio announcer's school.)

During concert broadcasts then, WGBH hung a mic in the 
reception gallery at Symphony Hall to pick up the ambiance 
of the audience intermission conversation and cocktails so the 
listeners at home would feel a part of the event.  Nothing was 
ever said during the 20-minute intermissions by announcers.