WJIB sign on

[Sid Schweiger]

>>WTAG-FM was purchased by Knight Quality from the Telegram & Gazette around 
1966 and became WSRS ("Worcester's Stereo Radio Station"), the first 
"beautiful music" station in central New England.   It was a shortsighted, 
and exceedingly dumb, move on the part of the T&G, as it didn't take long 
for WSRS to become a big hit.<<

The T&G was only acting in character.  They also gave up WTAG-TV, channel 5 (yes, channel 5 was originally allocated to Worcester, not Boston).  When I was WSRS's CE in the 1980s, I came across the original blueprint for the building.  The lettering over the entrance said "WTAG-TV."  I got the rest of the story from a few of the old-timers who worked there at the time.  No wonder the building was built like it was...huge rooms with high ceilings and a three-bay garage.  There wouldn't have been any reason to build a radio station like that.

IIRC the management of the T&G were convinced that TV and FM weren't going anywhere (which is why they got out of WTAG-TV and WTAG-FM), and I also recall that as late as my tour at WSRS they still believed it.  I remember well one T&G executive stating that "FM radio is not a factor in this market," even as WSRS was cleaning their clock ratings-wise.


Sid Schweiger
IT Manager, Entercom New England
20 Guest St / 3d Floor
Brighton MA  02135-2040