[75] The format change became permanent on March 4, 1991; concurrently, WBZ began promoting itself as "Boston's News Station",[72] positioning the station as the primary competitor for all-news station WEEI (590 AM, now WEZE). Spencer is smooth, genuine and seems to really military -- an indication of his big heart and high ethics. Deb Lawler celebrates 35 years on WBZ NewsRadio 1030 News is breaking that WBZ Newsradio's owner, IHeartMedia, has let a number of long-time on-air employees go. Advertisements do not influence one else. [13] It is an affiliate of CBS News Radio, as well as NBC News Radio, ABC News Radio, and AP Radio for national and international news as well as some features. and Michael Holley, WEEI, sportsradio 850 Boston -- The veteran broadcaster David Brudnoy (the epitome of a radio hall of famer). WBZ is heavily involved in charitable work, including its annual Christmastime fund drive for the Boston Children's Hospital, which it does along with TV station WBZ-TV. humorous and conversing as if she was in your living room, Quill, Carl DeSuze. (Among his on-air colleagues at WROW was Bruce Bradleythe two would meet again seven years later in Boston, when both were working at WBZ.). Former WBZ radio personality Bob Raleigh passed away this past weekend. The station expanded into television on June 9, 1948, when WBZ-TV (channel 4) first signed on as an NBC television affiliate. a few current personalities that might have been hall of famers Also in March, David Brudnoy celebrates his 25th anniversary in radio. Like other major-market network-affiliated radio stations of the time, WBZ also broadcast a few hours of local programming, including Vaudeville-like musical performances from Max Zides, Tom Currier, and others, during those hours when NBC was not feeding programs to affiliates. She anchored the noon and 5 PM newscasts and later launched a weekend talk show called "Defying Age." Steve Leveille. Robby Prior to joining the Channel 4 news team, Hauser previously worked as the morning news anchor for News 12 Connecticut. Music was also programmed during the day on weekends. and Reservations He also has an attitude, which can be heard on his "LaPierre the articles and points-of-view on VisitingNewEngland.com, unless While he will no longer do morning sports on WBZ, he continues as a play-by-play announcer for the Patriots. Lowell event! [65] Later in the year, a schedule shuffle ended Carl DeSuze's run on the morning show (which was taken over by Dave Maynard), and he was moved to middays; the overnight show was then taken over by Bob Raleigh,[49] who had been WBZ's midday host since June 1976. for many years at Magic 106.7, David Allen Boucher could probably great on WEEI. knowledge of music makes him a local legend. (mail that I just sent to WBZ's e-mail address) I am a former WBZ (LeVeille, Brudnoy, Raleigh, Sullivan, Rea) listener. The Texan native, who fought cancer twice, covered the news for CBS Boston for 41 years. What he really loved was radio: he especially enjoyed listening to great on-air personalities like WNEWs William B. Williams. What's the point Sarandis is as much a sports expert as Stephen Its been an honor to share my take with WBZ listeners for the past 30 years, he tweeted. Dick became one of the first Boston deejays to champion local bands like Orpheus, Beacon Street Union, and Ultimate Spinach. WBZ would have used 500,000 watts transmitting from Provincetown, Massachusetts, to reach all of New England during the day. the fact that it will make you tire. as a career choice -- he is a household name in the Boston area from a slightly different and somewhat twisted perspective. By September 1959, Dick had left WIBC, taking his Summertime show to another Indianapolis radio station, WISH. he honed his craft and really started to come into his own in She came to WBZ from Seattle to anchor the noon news, eventually becoming half of the nation's first all-female anchor team with Gail Harris in 1977. [19][29] Efforts were soon made to change WBZA to a synchronous repeater, transmitting on the same frequency as WBZ, 900kHz, but the process proved difficult, as the two transmitters often interfered with each other, even in Boston. Inspired by the 1964 murder of Kitty Genovese, whose life might have been saved if her neighbors, who witnessed her being attacked, had called the police, rather than saying they didnt want to get involved, he started NAG (Nightlighters Against Gutlessness) and he invited his listeners to always carry a dime with them. Thanks also to everyone at WBZ for their encouragement and patience, I wish you all the best, Keller added. Copyright [151] The merger was approved on November 9, 2017, and was consummated on November 17. of a cross between a wacky top 40 disc jockey and an entertainer With that in mind, let's take a look at Nowlin's relationship with his audience He returned to Boston and got hired by WMEX in late May 1969. [35] The shortwave transmitters soon began carrying government-provided programming (a service that ultimately evolved into the Voice of America) that would remain the shortwave station's primary function until leaving the air permanently in 1953. Swartley, still dynamic at the age of 102, served as WBZs general manager during the 1940s and was, later, the General Manager of WBZ-TV. And people loved his midnight storiesa feature where he would read a short story to his audience; among his favorites was anything by Edgar Allen Poe. 2005, VisitingNewEngland.com. never quite fit the mold, having been employed as a car salesman [74] WBZ has, from time to time, played music on special occasions even after the change to news/talk; the station still offered 24 hours of Christmas music beginning on Christmas Eve through 1995, and it carried the audio of the Boston Pops' Fourth of July concert and fireworks display from 2003[76] through 2016; additionally, WBZ, along with sister stations WODS (103.3 FM, now WBGB) and WZLX (100.7 FM), carried the Beatles Let It Be Naked album premiere on November 13, 2003. spell on the most uptight corporate yuppies needing to unwind. Ambrose was a great historian, and that depth of knowledge comes of jokes without punchlines and high school losers taking their Howie Carr: What's so urgent in Holbrook, Mr. Speaker? callers (when compared to the loud morning and afternoon shows His Nightlight show was more than just music: it had interesting features, some with a serious message, and others very light-hearted. radio jock and helping those in need have made Hill a local legend [19], Following the opening of the Boston studio, WBZ expanded its news programming via a partnership with the Boston Herald and Traveler newspapers,[19] and carried pro and college sports broadcasts, including Boston Bruins hockey, Boston Braves baseball, and Harvard Crimson football. Authentic. a staple at Magic 106.7 for three decades -- he can cast a sandman opposite of the morning show crew. it, Glenn Ordway is one of the best sports radio personalities Anybody know anything about this? But on the serious side, he spoke out against people who did nothing when they saw a crime being committed. Hard work at several (WBZ-TV). It was quite a time. We'd like to see more of his political His writing skills have no doubt translated ", It should be noted that Adams New England Travel Articles | New England Dining Favorites and Hidden Gems There are [120], Meanwhile, evening host Paul Sullivan was fighting a brain tumor, which was discovered on November 22, 2004shortly before Brudnoy's death. sound effects on his "Sports Snooze" segments (rugby, September 2001: When the tragic events of September 11th occur, WBZ provides non-stop reporting, and the war on terror becomes a much-discussed topic on Davids show. Humorous, glib and self-effacing, he's has great Hank Morse brings traffic reporting to WBZ radio personalities caught up in iHeartMedia layoffs Read full article Get 6 Months of Unlimited Access for $1 BANKING Citigroup female employees make 27 percent less than men Get Innovation. In the 1980s, WBZ began to cut back on its music programming; for instance, an expanded afternoon news block was launched on December 2, 1985. After a successful stint for Carl Stevens, the well-respected WBZ radio personality, delicately suggested radio might not be her thing due to her voice and lively attitude. Ed Walsh Photo: WBZ Archive Photo June 28, 2007: Paul Sullivan does his last show for WBZ Radio. My sympathies and prayers go out to all of Bills family and friends.. -- an inland His mother hoped he would be a lawyer, which he briefly considered, before deciding the study of law was not for him. Increased competition in the top 40 format first from WMEX, which had programmed a top 40 format since 1957, then from WRKO, which adopted the format in 1967 led WBZ to shift its music programming to adult contemporary in 1969, playing several songs an hour between 6 and 9 a.m. (though it was not unheard of for Carl DeSuze to play only one, if any, song an hour during his show), 10 to 12 songs an hour between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m., and 4 to 6 songs an hour between 4 and 7 p.m. At night, WBZ programmed talk shows, with such hosts as Guy Mainella, a pioneer in sports talk. https://t.co/E6pjknEw3f, Anchor Paula Ebben noted Shields took a bite out of life., He was my friend, but truly - he was everyones friend. [30] Meanwhile, a combination of WBZ's growth and continued difficulties with the WBZA signal led the station to move its Boston studio to the Statler Hotel (now the Boston Park Plaza) on June 1, 1927,[29] and activate a new WBZA transmitter on June 9. -- Loren (Owens) and Wally (Brine, [96] Bob Lobel (by now WBZ-TV's sports director) and Upton Bell returned to the station on May 17, 1997, for a Sunday night sports show (with Calling All Sports moving to Saturdays). Matt Siegel Cant even think of him without a smile, Ebben said in a tweet. | Scenic New England Photo [114], When Viacom split into two companies on December 31, 2005, Infinity became part of the new CBS Corporation and reverted to the CBS Radio name. English language which results in great puns, jokes and other Listen to more episodes. you laugh? -- Carlo doesn't sound like your I had the pleasure of working with Bill in the mid-/late 2000s. A usually reliable person who posts occasionally to the Boston Radio Interest e-mail list reports that yesterday (12/19/2011) at 3:30PM, former WBZ (AM) AM-drive anchor, Ed Walsh--or someone who sounded just like him--was heard anchoring WBZ's afternoon news coverage. For nearly a year, while the technology was being perfected, WBZA shifted between the two transmitting frequencies, before finally going to full-time synchronous operation in June 1926. knowledgeable alternative music base. Bill was a legend at WBZ, reporting for the station for more than 41 years before retiring in September 2021. and Wally --WROR-FM, 105.7, Boston, Mass. Mike Morin Jon Keller, a WBZ radio political analyst for three decades, said Wednesday morning's commentary was his last on the radio station. the nay sayers spout! Elliot, who has been a CBS daytime anchor for about a year, had first shocked his own bosses on Friday, when he made an emotional farewell announcement to viewers without letting network executives. in his sleep. [33] (Some programs continued to originate from the WBZA Springfield studios at the Hotel Kimball. Salty Brine) have been around more than 20 years and know radio [50] In the fall of 1969, WBZ regained the radio rights to the Boston Bruins[50] (which it had lost in 1951), and also began carrying Boston Celtics basketball. The audience responded so favorably that he released his first book of poetry in April 1970 and subsequently issued a series of Lovin Touch books. Most sources. @wbz will always miss his laughter in the newsroom. If you were listening to Boston radio in the mid-1960s, chances are you remember WBZ's Dick Summer, and his unique brand of personality radio. the top of their profession and who carry the spirit of the great Hear exclusive interviews with WGAN personalities discussing their memories of WGAN from our 70th annivesary. [29][31] With this change the station also began running commercials for the first time. [52][53], WBZ re-established an FM station on December 15, 1957, transmitting from the brand new WBZ-TV tower in Needham, operating at 106.7 MHz. WBZ also broadcast the United States Football League's Boston Breakers during the 1983 season (its lone season in Boston). [51], WBZ became an affiliate of ABC Radio on January 1, 1980;[49] ABC was the descendant of the Blue Network, which WBZ had dropped 38 years earlier. WBZ's inaugural program on September 19 was a remote broadcast originating from the Eastern States Exposition in West Springfield. WODS-FM Oldies 103.3, Boston --Not the out-of-control wacky radio Jay McQuaide wins an Edward R. Murrow Award, and David Brudnoy is named Best Talk Show Host by the Improper Bostonian magazine. WBZ NewsRadio, a pioneering voice in the early days of radio and a fixture in the Boston media landscape, is marking . Bill was an incredible journalist and storyteller who also made us laugh along the way, WBZ President and General Manager Justin Draper said in a statement. @wbz will always miss his laughter in the newsroom. 19561985: becoming a full-service powerhouse, 2017present; end of Westinghouse heritage and sale to iHeartMedia, The "Form 761" station application requested the call letters KDKS be assigned "if possible", however, that call sign had already been issued to a ship named, Walter Gordon. 781-834-4002 The WBMS Programming Lineup Sundays: 9:00 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. - The Story Behind Her . with him on the radio, watch out -- he can get unpleasant and Ed Walsh retired after four years as morning news anchor on November 30, 2010;[134] Rod Fritz then took over as interim anchor (with Gary LaPierre guest anchoring for a week in early December),[135] with Joe Mathieu, formerly of Sirius XM Radio's P.O.T.U.S. Roll Hall of Fame, and is, by, all accounts, a truly nice guy show host. [19] Despite being housed in Springfield's top hotel, the station's location in a mid-sized city rendered it somewhat difficult to attract top-flight artists. On the fun side were his characters, like Irving the Venus Fly Trap or Theopolous Q. Waterhouse; his Girl Watcher and Boy Watcher Club; his comedic campaign to have the sandwich renamed the shrewsbury, since, supposedly, it was the Duke of Shrewsbury rather than the Earl of Sandwich who invented the popular food item. [6] WBZ's studios and offices are located on Cabot Road in the Boston suburb of Medford, and its transmitter site is in Hull, Massachusetts. Can the dogs of Chernobyl teach us new tricks on survival? In contrast the Hull site featured a highly conductive salt water path to the city. in his new time slot -- a true bonus for radio listeners from A Texas boy who embraced New England, and LOVED telling stories here. [80] On September 28 the station became an all-news station from 5 a.m.7 p.m.[81] following the end of the two midday talk shows hosted by Tom Bergeron, who had moved to middays following the launch of the morning news block[82] (the noon hour, which separated the Bergeron shifts, was already occupied by a news program); the station's nighttime programming continued to be filled by David Brudnoy and Bob Raleigh's talk shows. Previously Westinghouse had financed its stations through the profits from radio receiver sales. [115] That same day, WBZ dropped Paul Harvey after the station's contract to carry his broadcasts expired (however, despite coming under the CBS Radio banner once more, the station still maintains an affiliation with ABC News Radio);[116] in addition, the station dropped Looking at the Law, a legal advice show hosted by Neil Chayet, after its January 8, 2006, broadcast in favor of brokered financial programs. Stephanos transformed herself from a public radio washout into Boston's most glamorous and stunning anchor. 2003: In the run-up to the Iraq War, WBZ makes good use of its affiliation with both CBS and ABC, going live to cover such events as Colin Powells speech to the United Nations. pro, having been on WCRB-FM for many years. for granted and bring us all the silly jokes, bad puns and great thrilled to announce Robyn Hitchcock, Weezer and Tori Amos songs. Kudos to Magic 106.7 for hiring great radio personalities and the 1960s and 1970s, but today he sounds better than most. By some interpretations, this made WBZ America's first broadcasting station,[21] and in 1923 the Department of Commerce, referring to WBZ, stated that "The first broadcasting license was issued in September, 1921". [147] By the end of 2017, the staff included Deb Lawler and Josh Binswanger as morning anchors; Mary Blake and Rod Fritz as midday anchors; Jeff Brown and Laurie Kirby as afternoon anchors; and Dan Rea and Bradley Jay as nighttime talk show hosts. too predictable and standardized, take a look at the rest of We certainly are, as the station's fresh format and great personalities A great, logical successor to the very popular He doesn't have a great sense of humor on-air and if you disagree He had most recently been working in Washington, D.C.His first day is May 16th. and visitors should find appealing (with some personalities from Yikes. WBZ (1030 AM) is a Class A clear channel radio station licensed to Boston, Massachusetts. [41] He remained at the station until 1985. WMJX FM 106.7, Magic 106.7 Boston -- The man with the happy voice has google_ad_client = "pub-0542617997214413"; If you were listening to Boston radio in the mid-1960s, chances are you remember WBZs Dick Summer, and his unique brand of personality radio. [121] After undergoing several surgeries over the next two and a half years, Sullivan announced on June 21, 2007, that he would step down from the evening talk show,[122] with his final show, led by Jordan Rich, airing on June 28;[120] he died on September 9. Working overnights, a shift some station managers still considered unimportant, Dick proved there was a large and loyal audience just waiting to be entertained, and he made them part of his radio family. [19] WBZ's Bruins broadcasts, which began in early December 1924, made it the first Boston station to broadcast a professional hockey game; the first play-by-play announcer for the hockey broadcasts was local sportswriter Frank Ryan. well to the microphone.