Boston AM dial 50 years ago

[A Joseph Ross]

On 11/22/2013 7:58 PM, Mark Connelly wrote:

> Metro-Boston AM Radio 1963
>
> WEEI - 590
> talk, CBS news, drama shows such as "Yours Truly Johnny Dollar" and 
> "Suspense"
> 5 kW day and night, two-tower DA Medford, MA same as present WEZE

Johnny Dollar was the last of the old radio dramas, and it did its last 
show in September 1962.  Suspense had already left the air by then.  But 
WEEI did still carry Arthur Godfrey and, I believe, Art Linkletter's 
House Party.

> WEZE - 1260
> easy-listening Muzak and vocals, NBC news and talk including weekend 
> "Monitor"
> 5 kW day and night, three-tower DA Milton-Quincy line, MA same as 
> present WMKI

WEZE had largely dropped Monitor by then, except for news.

> WCRB - 1330
> classical music ("Concert Radio Boston")
> 5 kW day and night, three-tower DA Waltham, MA near Brandeis U., about 
> 5 miles north of present WRCA Newton site which is now co-located with 
> 1600.

WCRB used to cut its power at night and may also have had a different 
pattern.  I learned about the night power cut when I called the station 
to try to understand why I couldn't hear them at night on AM.

> WMEX - 1510
> Top 40 music (famous DJ's include Melvin X, Arnie Ginsberg), talk 
> (Jerry Williams)

That was Melvin X. Melvin.  And let's not forget Fenway and Dan Donovan.

> WBOS - 1600
> Ethnic programs including Kamelakis Hour (Greek), Kenny Mayer Sunday 
> night comedy show
> 5 kW day and night, two-tower DA Newton, MA.  The Sawmill Road site is 
> still used but with a different tower configuration, more power, and 
> co-location of 1200 and 1330.

By 1963, WBOS was running "Music Theater" during the daytime and late at 
night.  This was a beautiful music format, almost as eclectic as 
present-day WJIB, but with fewer vocals.  There was news on the hour, 
headlines on the half hour, and commercial breaks on the quarter-hour.  
They ran ethnic programs from about 7:00 to 10:00 PM and all day Sunday 
until about 10:00 PM.  WBOS-FM ran Music Theater for the entire 
broadcast day, simulcasting when Music Theater was on AM.

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