Re: Some WBUR history

["A. Joseph Ross" <lawyer@attorneyross.com>]

On 20 Jan 2002 at 14:15, Aaron 'Bishop' Read wrote:

> I have a Boston Univ. yearbook photocopy of a "promo" for WBUR that claims
> it was the first non-commercial FM in Boston, not WERS.  Not surprising
> they'd try and claim that.  From my research in many, many yearbooks and
> old BU newspaper clippings, WBUR went on the air in March, 1950.   Funny
> thing is, from the clippings I've read - WBUR was really a farce of a
> radio station for many, many years.  If it actually wasn't, then a lot of
> folks in print media decided to portray it as one.   All the way up until
> 1973 or so, when Jane Christo came on board, and really turned thing
> around in 1976 with the construction of the BU-LAW tower and a power
> increase to 50kW.
 
The Law tower, originally shared with the School of Education, was built 
in the early 60s.  I don't know when WBUR's transmitter was moved there, 
but the building was there when I was in law school in the late 60s.

I remember listening to WBUR in the late 50s.  At the time it was very 
similar to WERS, in that it was a laboratory for students learning 
broadcasting.  The two stations were similar in programming (mostly 
classical music) and hours (sign on at 2 PM during the school year, 5 PM 
in the summer).  I believe that WBUR may have had slightly more variety 
in those days and more news.  Both were fairly competent radio stations, 
though I do remember a newscaster on WBUR in the late 50s break up into 
uncontrolled laughter for some reason.  Given some of the things I later 
saw people do at WMUA to make the on-air person break up, I can well 
understand it now.

-- 
A. Joseph Ross, J.D.                           617.367.0468
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