Could this be the end of broadcasting as we know it?

[John Francini]

I grew up in Randolph as well! Same time period too. Exact same TV situation as you described. 

Of course, back then, most tv stations signed off late at night. Usually they played some variant of the "Star-Spangled Banner" as their sign-off song.

Except Channel 2. 

They played Andrew Arvin's "Rondo a Go-Go" while talking about the WGBH educational foundation and the various stations they operated.  

I'd make a point of catching their sign-off many a night. 

The song is quite the ear worm.

YouTube has both the bare song and at least one copy of the sign-on/sign-off on line:

Bare song: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=agk8T0lEOhY

WGBH sign-on/off: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VMaZnEnFAyM

John Francini

Sent from my iPad

On Apr 14, 2013, at 18:26, "Peter Q. George" <radiojunkie3@yahoo.com> wrote:

> Back in the day, late 60's and early 70's, We had quite an assortment of TV stations to choose from in Randolph, MA.  All of the Boston VHF's (WGBH/2, WBZ/4, WCVB/5 and WNAC/7) were pretty strong, as were the Providence stations (WJAR/10 and WPRI/12) except 6 (WTEV/New Bedford).  Channel 6 had a lousy signal from Tiverton, RI.  You would always see some form of co-channel interference from WCSH/6 in Portland, ME (sometimes more than others.  The Boston UHF's except for 44 were pretty strong as well.  Channel 44, while it had a pretty good signal, was always weaker than 38 or 56.  Channel 27 in Worcester always had multipath.
> 
> WGBH/2 used to sign-off after 11:00 PM.  There was always some semblance of a signal from WCBS/2 in New York.  On many nights when the trops kicked in, I was actually able to watch the "Late Show" from WCBS/2.  WCBS-TV was one of the early 24/7 stations with movies all night long.   
> 
> WMUR/9 in Manchester, NH was there as well but always had a snowy picture (75 miles away).  WENH/11 in Durham, NH was also pretty strong, considering the 80+ mile trip.  Of course, that was then (analog).... this is now (digital).  I sure miss the E-skips on VHF-lo!  WSB/2 Atlanta, WTHS/WPBT 2 in Miami and WESH/2 in Daytona were frequent visitors when WGBH was off during the day (during the summer months).  Actually got perfect color from WSB during a strong skip back in the 70's.  Got a nice QSL letter from them as well!!! :) 
> 
>  
> Peter Q. George (K1XRB)
> Whitman, Massachusetts
> radiojunkie3@yahoo.com
> ***********************************************************
> 
> 
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: A Joseph Ross <joe@attorneyross.com>
> To: boston-radio-interest@lists.BostonRadio.org
> Cc: 
> Sent: Thursday, April 11, 2013 12:45 AM
> Subject: Re: Could this be the end of broadcasting as we know it?
> 
> On 4/10/2013 11:47 AM, Paul Hopfgarten wrote:
> 
>> And the ocassional skip (WCSH on 6 the most common) and getting WCBS (albeith snow filled) when WGBH signed off back then.
> 
> When my family moved to Bedford, MA in May 1957, we discovered that we could sometimes get WCSH 6 with a faint, snowey signal.  Once that summer we were surprised to find WCSH with a local-quality signal.  But after WHDH-TV 5 came on in November, we couldn't get it any more.
> 
> A few years later I discovered that I could sometimes hear WCSH on my FM radio at the far left side of the dial.
> 
> -- A. Joseph Ross, J.D.| 92 State Street| Suite 700| Boston, MA 02109-2004
> 617.367.0468|Fx:617.507.7856| http://www.attorneyross.com
>