WCOP circa 1961 aircheck

[Doug Drown]

I used to listen to WCOP-FM (which simulcast the AM) in the mid- and
late-'60s from my home in Ashburnham.  If memory serves, the station had a
pop/easy listening format, and was an NBC affiliate, WEZE having left NBC at
that point.  The station was owned by Plough, Inc. (yes, THAT Plough, the
pharmaceutical company, which owned several major-market stations).  It had
a great sound.  I suspect that even though it had a 5,000-watt signal, as
compared with WBZ, WNAC and WHDH, it wasn't considered an "also-ran."  After
all, in the early '60s, there weren't that many stations in the city.  (WMEX
was only a 5-kw'er at the time, and it certainly wasn't an "also-ran"!)
That having been said, however, we couldn't get the AM signal very well out
in the Gardner-Fitchburg area.  Pretty directional, I would guess.  The same
was true with 'MEX.

Am I wrong in thinking that 'COP (or one of its many successors) was a
country station for a while?

Doug


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Joseph Pappalardo" <joepappalardo2001@yahoo.com>
To: <boston-radio-interest@rolinin.bostonradio.org>
Sent: Sunday, March 13, 2005 2:22 AM
Subject: WCOP circa 1961 aircheck


>
>
> I caught the aircheck of Pat Patterson (aka, "Fat Pat" and "Mr's
Patterson's
> oldest and heaviest child"!) on WCOP in 1961 on the Northeast Airchecks
web
> site:
>
>  http://northeastairchecks.com/
>
> Just curious....what years would have been WCOP's most sucessful years.
>
> I recall that in the late 70's 1150AM went thru numerous format
> changes...(Anyone remember WACQ?)
>
> Right now when I listen to 1150AM in downtown Boston at night, I can
> sometimes hear another station battling it in the background...and this is
> in downtown Boston!)
>
> Was the signal always bad?
>
> I suppose the call letters 'COP had to do with COPley Square?
>
> Did they ever have a studio there?
>
> I was suprised not to hear any network newcasts on that 1961 aircheck.  I
> would have thought that a station like WCOP would have been dependent on a
> network.
>
> HAs WCOP always been thought of as an "also ran"?  Did the public always
> think of this station as a 'second rate' effort?
>
> With all that, I was suprised how good this aircheck was!  Pretty
> entertaining for 1961!  I can't imagine that WNAC was doing anything much
> better in 1961.  What was NAC, HDH and BZ Doing in '61?)
>
> And if you haven't listened to the aircheck you might enjoy it at:
>
> http://northeastairchecks.com/
>
> It's about 18 minutes....
>
> JP
>
>
>