that horrible BEEP

[Doug Drown]

Some of the two-tone messages are often heard on programs originating from
Westwood One.  They're a holdover from WW1's ownership of the Mutual
Broadcasting System, which used them for decades.  Then there's the CBS
"chirp", which the network uses one second prior to the TOH "bong" as well
as a segue into commercials during its newscasts.  That's been in use for
many years too.  In fact, I can remember hearing it at the top of the
hour --- despite no hourly newscast --- on WEEI-FM and, later, WODS, long
before the Westinghouse takeover.  That usage has since been discontinued on
the O&Os.

-Doug



----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Bob Nelson" <raccoonradio@mail.com>
To: "Doug Drown" <revdoug1@verizon.net>; "Bob Nelson"
<raccoonradio@mail.com>; "Donna Halper" <dlh@donnahalper.com>;
<boston-radio-interest@rolinin.bostonradio.org>
Sent: Saturday, January 19, 2008 8:18 AM
Subject: Re: that horrible BEEP


Well, I meant the blip heard when they went to a commercial (network radio
news)--which also could
be a series of two two-tone messages (musical notes, approximately:
E-C...D-B...
But yes there is the TOH "bong" before the network radio news on CBS...
the "ding" I referred to was on TV, especially in prime time.

Example, from 1970s:
Saturday 9 pm (IIRC)
--Slide for Ch 7 Boston
--Ding!
--Start of theme song for "Maude"