Original WGBH-FM signon/off

[iraapple]

I don't know what the official sign-off must say today, but the first time I
ever spoke over the radio was when one of the announcers at the station
where I was "hanging around" gave me the sign-off copy and said, "Go ahead
kid, you read it tonight."

It was simple. I still remember it:

Ladies and Gentlemen, at this time WKIN, Kittanning Pennsylvania concludes
another day of broadcasting.  WKIN operates on an assigned frequency of 1600
kilocycles with a power of 1000 watts as authorized by the Federal
Communications Commission. Until we resume broadcasting at six o'clock
tomorrow morning, we wish you a very pleasant good evening.

Ladies and Gentlemen, our National Anthem.

(Music)

The rest (for me) is history.

Ira Apple



-----Original Message-----
From: boston-radio-interest-bounces@rolinin.BostonRadio.org
[mailto:boston-radio-interest-bounces@rolinin.BostonRadio.org] On Behalf Of
Russ Butler
Sent: Sunday, August 12, 2007 12:01 PM
To: boston-radio-interest@rolinin.bostonradio.org; Russ Butler
Subject: Original WGBH-FM signon/off

In 1951, I read a small announcement in the Globe that a new FM station 
would begin broadcasting on the dial. I immediately volunteered at WGBH 
when they first started with studios in Symphony Hall.  The sign on/off 
was almost just as long and boring then as the TV version described (and 
thanks for the YouTube link with it).

They would itemize each member of the (breath) "Lowell Institute 
Cooperative Broadcasting Council - whose members include..." (then the 
naming of each university and institution in the Council membership)  It 
was organized by six colleges and universities in Boston with the Lowell 
Institute (Ralph Lowell) to provide initial funding to get the first, 
non-commercial FM radio station on the air in Boston.

I remember Alden Stevens announcing the sign on/off with Bill Busick at 
the board in the one large studio om the second floor of Symphony Hall.  
There was also one announce booth that Bill Caveness used exclusively 
for his daily, "Reading Aloud"  program, he reading a book from cover to 
cover (before audio books were on the market)

The sign on/off continued with technical details about the frequency, 
power, the FCC and the transmitter which then was, as Alden read 
"...atop THE Great Blue Hill" ( I had to go to visit, not knowing about 
it as a native Bostonian living in Jamaica Plain then).   However, he 
was corrected by WGBH's GM Hartford Gunn in a memo that :it was not 
'the' Great Blue Hill, Alden!"

Ending with a pleasant "Good night" at about 10 p.m. having signed on at 
5 p.m. for the evening's programming/  Ah, the memories linger on!

Does anyone perhaps have an aircheck of the early WGBH audio in the very 
early 1950's?  I have some other 'gbh air stuff to trade.  Thanks 
(please contact me off line at songbook2@comcast.net)  =Russ Butler