Early WLYN/WNBP/WOTW history

[Scott Fybush <scott@fybush.com>]

Following up on the questions Donna Halper and Ed Brouder have raised about 
the mentions in the Archives' WLYN history of Theodore Feinstein and the 
Puritan Broadcast Group, I finally had a few minutes to raid the shelves of 
old Broadcasting Yearbooks, and here's what it says under "Group Ownership" 
in the 1961-62 Yearbook issue (p. B-222):

"Theodore Feinstein Stations - WLYN-AM-FM Lynn and WNBP Newburyport, Mass.; 
WOTW-AM-FM Nashua, N.H.; WTSA Brattleboro, Vt."

The relevant listings from the pages of the BY:

(p. B-81):

LYNN, Essex County

WLYN (December 1947): 1360 kc, 1 kw-D. 156 Broad St. Phone Lynn 5-6200. 
Puritan Broadcast Service Inc. See Theodore Feinstein Stations in "Group 
Ownership."

Reps. Walker-Rawalt, Kettell-Carter (New England.)

Theodore Feinstein, owner; Harry Goodwin, gen mgr; Steve Smith, prog dir; 
Edw. Glowick, news dir; Dick Ward, chief engr.

[this is followed by the listing for WUPY(FM), 105.3, at 23 Central Ave.]

(then, on p. B-82):

NEWBURYPORT, Essex County

WNBP (March 10, 1958): 1470 kc; 500 w-D. Traffic Circle. Phone Homestead 
2-6654. Tri-City Broadcasting Corp. (original owner). See Theodore 
Feinstein Stations in "Group Ownership."

Network Puritan.

Theodore Feinstein, pres; J. Thomas Mathers, gen mgr & coml mgr; Mary 
Mackensie, asst mgr; Ed Steward, prog mgr.

(then, on p. B-104):

NASHUA, Hillsborough County

WOTW (September 1947): 900 kc; 1 kw-D. Lund Rd. Phone Tuxedo 2-2781. 
Gateway Broadcasting Corp. (acquired station February 1958). See Theodore 
Feinstein Stations in "Group Ownership."

Network Puritan. Rep Walker-Rawalt.

Theodore Feinstein, pres.; Robert Trow, gen mgr; Richard Corbin, prog djir 
[sic]; Chris Nikitas, news dir; Harold Davis, chief engr.

WOTW-FM (September 1947): 106.3 mc; 1 kw. Same address and licensee as WOTW 
(above).

[this is followed by the WSMN listing -- good heavens, Frank Teas was the 
program director and Ed Lecius was news director way back then...no sign of 
Maury Parent yet, though!]

(and finally, on p. B-174):

BRATTLEBORO, Windham County

[WKVT's listing, then...]

WTSA (April 19, 1950): 1450 kc, 250 w (CP 1 kw-D, 250 w-N). Pulney Rd [sic] 
Phone Alpine 4-4567. Tri-State Area Broadcasting Corp. (acquired station 
October 1953). See Theodore Feinstein Stations in "Group Ownership."

Reps. Walker-Rawalt, Kettell-Carter (New England.)

Theodore Feinstein, pres.; Phillips G. Terhune, gen & coml mgr; Ed Ellis, 
prog dir; Wm. B. Dewhirst, news dir; Leslie Le Blanc, chief engr.

---

So...that's where that information came from. The last BY I have prior to 
1961-62 is 1944, so that's no help. The next one I have is 1967, and that 
lists Feinstein as president of both WLYN and WNBP; alas, the New Hampshire 
page has been ripped out, so I can't say who owned WOTW at that point. 
There's no Feinstein listing in "Group Ownership" in that issue.

---

By 1968's Yearbook:

(p. B-103)

NASHUA (603) Hillsborough county

WOTW Sept. 1947: 900 kc; 1 kw-D. Lund Road. 889-4900. Eastminster Bcstg 
Corp. (acq 3-64).

Rep.: Queen. Spec progs: Fr 5 hrs, Pol 3 1/2 hrs, Greek 3 1/2 hrs, C&W 6 
hrs, all wkly.

Herbert Miller, pres; Maury Parent [THERE he is -- SF], gen & coml mgr; Wm. 
Heizer, prog dir; S. Bronstein, prom mgr; Richard Powers, news dir; Charles 
Avia, chief engr.

WOTW-FM Sept. 1957: 106.3 mc; 1 kw. Ant. 195 ft. Prog sep from WOTW.

---

The answer then, at least judging by BY, is that Feinstein had WOTW AM-FM 
from 1958 until early 1964. Ed's book has the 1964 sale mentioned on p. 47 
("In January 1964, WOTW AM/FM was sold to a group of local business 
associates including William McKean, Samuel Bronstein..."), but the 1958 
sale to Feinstein doesn't appear, at least in my quick scan of my copy.

Donna? Ed? I await further enlightenment...

Historically yours,

-s