Wbax 1965

Hard to believe, I know, but there was a time when Wilkes-Barre was a thriving metropolis with its own radio stations, featuring local talent! WBAX was one of those, and my sister was a fan of (had a big crush on) Dick Whitaker, one of the station's announcers. For her birthday, I recorded his show one hot August 10th, while she was temporarily away as a camp counselor. I had to use my parent's tape recorder, which I did not have permission to use, so this was recorded on the sly. On the tape: The Dick Whitaker show (noon to three), interrupted briefly by some of the Johnny Margis morning show featuring Dick as "the old timer" , recorded a few days later, and then the night time version of "Speak Up" discussing the Watts riots occurring in Los Angeles. Mrs. Whitaker calls in. Lots of memories here.

For your enjoyment and listening pleasure, may I present:

WBAX 1965
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yj4mxZ_dM2o

1240

So much happened here. We know about WARM and WILK. Why doesn't someone do the history of WBAX?

I did a paper for a class at LCCC on the history of broadcasting in the area in 1977, and a copy of it went to the Wyoming Valley Historical society. It can be perused there, and I'm not saying it was a great piece of work, but wBAx is included, for what it is worth. wbax was the 6th commercially licensed am broadcast station in the country. It did not start at 1240, and may have shared time and frequency with other stations shortly thereafter. Before their tower was built in Edwardsville in the 1930s, they ran a hundred watts from a horizontal wire where the Wyoming Valley Mall is now.

interesting audio..dick was the very first talk show host in this area. it all started when he mentioned mickey mantle and roger maris going for the home run record back in the 60s. to bad we dont have that kind of local live talk today. jones evans, johnny margis, clint morse, and others from that era knew radio, and how to present topics on the air.dick did speak up, for just a few hours, and when jim ward saw how well people liked it, he extended it to most of the day. i was proud to be a part of that time in radio.thanks for putting dicks audio on page. dick did the old timer from under the market st. bridge.he was a talented guy. i think his sister still lives in moosic, and his son rick is in washington state. dick came into visit me from utah just before he passed..said he had open heart surgery, and they also found lung cancer shortly after that. he passed away shortly after that. radio was red hot back than.....

Thank you sam. I think you are mentioned in passing in the "old timer" segment when he says, "hold the door open for him, sam" or something along those lines. I was wondering if anyone in that family was left. wasn't Rick the one who had leukemia? I am glad to hear he survived (if he is the one). I'd love for someone in the family to know of this YouTube tape.

im not sure, i tried to reach him after dick passed. dicks sister gave me his address,which i dont have anymore, because rick never replied back to me. carol, dicks ex-wife was in maryland,i believe shes gone too. dick remarried in utah, and had twins, a boy and a girl who must be young adults by now. dick had a sister,and a brother, buck. dont know where they are. last time i heard from dicks sister was shortly after dick passed away. dick was a dear and close friend. hes the one that talked me into broadcasting. hed let me come into the control room at wbax on union st to watch and learn.( of course i had to get him coffee). sorry i dont have any other info on his family. your posts are always interesting, and i enjoy reading them. sam..

In the not-too-distant I will be off this motel WiFi and back in a house with the Verizon DSL, Zenith, and will check out the download then. Up til now here, YouTube stuff has been, at best, awful.

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Back in Eastern Queens, near Kennedy Airport, in the Sixties DXing days, semi-local WGBB on 1240 would sign off every night at 1:00.
WGBB was, of course, they of the Smiling Susquehanna format, kin to WARM, WSBA York, and a couple of others.

http://www.radio-locator.com/cgi-bin/pat?call=WGBB&service=AM&status=L&hours=N

We DXed from near the capital 'V' in the words Valley Stream.

In WGBB's absence, most often, it was WBAX ato[ the frequency. In fact, next to WARM and WEJL (both of which were sometimes daytime catches, incidentally) WBAX was the most consistent station from S/WB to make it out to us.
WILK 980 used to get hammered by WTRY Troy .... and WSCR, WGBI, WICK, WBRE et al were tough catches.

Sometimes I'd get WWCO Waterbury CT under WBAX, but WWCO was * always * under WBAX.

Am looking forward soon to hearing that clip, Zenith, Thanks !

A legendary radio station.

WBAX Radio

Does anyone remember "Ralph Lockwood" on WBAX radio ?Uncle ralphie came down here to the susquehanna valley
in York and WSBA910 when it was owned by Susquehanna. ( Same as WARM )

JackDaily said:

Does anyone remember "Ralph Lockwood" on WBAX radio ?Uncle ralphie came down here to the susquehanna valley
in York and WSBA910 when it was owned by Susquehanna. ( Same as WARM )

Click to expand...

yep, didnt he use to say " hows your bird"? i thought he was very talented.

I was the last broadcaster on air at WBAX Station was basically being run by the owner MR Franks son in law at the time who was not a radio man for reasons I personally or no one else at the stations WYOS was the FM ownership decided to pull the plug on it I worked during the week in sales and on the weekends on air to augment my income on New years eve at midnight 1993 the station went off air the last hour I played a few airchecks from former announcers I had found on old carts laying around the production room some carts where 25 years old as a tribute to all that came before me

Not certain if you are checking this string but I’m interested to know if you still have those old carts?