WMBR (formerly WMIT) history and current events

[Shawn Mamros]

WMIT was used only when it was a carrier-current campus-only station, so the call letters didn't have to be registered with and assigned by the FCC.  When the station started looking into obtaining a broadcast license in the mid-to-late 1950s (a process that took until 1961 to fulfill), it was quickly discovered that there was already a station with those calls in North Carolina (near Mount Mitchell, which is why those calls were chosen there).  So a different set of calls would have to be found, and someone (don't think it's known who it was) thought of the term "Technology Broadcasting System", and this resulted in a call sign that happened to not yet be assigned - WTBS.  This would prove to be a lucky choice some 20 years later, but that's a whole other story. :-)

-Shawn
________________________________________
From: Boston-Radio-Interest <boston-radio-interest-bounces@lists.BostonRadio.org> on behalf of A Joseph Ross <joe@attorneyross.com>
Sent: Tuesday, January 4, 2022 11:54 PM
To: boston-radio-interest@lists.BostonRadio.org
Subject: Re: WMBR (formerly WMIT) history and current events

I didn't know the station was once WMIT.  I always wondered why it
wasn't WMIT.

On 1/4/2022 9:48 PM, Tim Gordon wrote:
> I just happened upon this article the same week I learned that my father
> had been involved with the engineering/technical side of WMIT in the early
> 50's. Maybe someone else on this list might find it interesting, also.
> --Tim
>
> https://alum.mit.edu/slice/steady-beat-student-alumni-collaboration-sustains-campus-radio-station

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