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WRCV History?

C

cambridge

Guest
I saw an acetate on an online auction, for an old transcription from a Philly station called WRCV. The listing said something about the station had become KYW. I didn't know that this was the same station. Does anyone know the history of this station.
 
KYW 1060 (formerly WRCV)

KYW originated in Chicago in 1921(which explains why it starts with a "K" ), and moved to Philadelphia in 1934. In 1941, KYW moved from 1020 to 1060 on the dial as an NBC Radio Affilliate. In January 1956, Westinghouse and NBC swapped their broadcast properties in Philadelphia and Cleveland.
Cleveland received the KYW calls, while Philly picked the WRCV calls.
Westinghouse later cried foul to the FCC about strong-armed tactics that NBC used to force the Cleveland-Philadelphia swap. NBC supposedly threatened to yank its network affiliation if Westinghouse didn't agree to the swap.
So, the FCC made NBC reverse the swap. In June 1965, WRCV became KYW once again. KYW then became an all-news station on September 21, 1965.
 
And 1100-KYW, Cleveland, a 50,000 watt top 40 station, became WKYC, at that time.

KYW 1060 (formerly WRCV)
>
> KYW originated in Chicago in 1921(which explains why it
> starts with a "K" ), and moved to Philadelphia in 1934. In
> 1941, KYW moved from 1020 to 1060 on the dial as an NBC
> Radio Affilliate. In January 1956, Westinghouse and NBC
> swapped their broadcast properties in Philadelphia and
> Cleveland.
> Cleveland received the KYW calls, while Philly picked the
> WRCV calls.
> Westinghouse later cried foul to the FCC about strong-armed
> tactics that NBC used to force the Cleveland-Philadelphia
> swap. NBC supposedly threatened to yank its network
> affiliation if Westinghouse didn't agree to the swap.
> So, the FCC made NBC reverse the swap. In June 1965, WRCV
> became KYW once again. KYW then became an all-news station
> on September 21, 1965.
>
 
Thanks for the info. When did radio stop using those transcription discs?





> KYW 1060 (formerly WRCV)
>
> KYW originated in Chicago in 1921(which explains why it
> starts with a "K" ), and moved to Philadelphia in 1934. In
> 1941, KYW moved from 1020 to 1060 on the dial as an NBC
> Radio Affilliate. In January 1956, Westinghouse and NBC
> swapped their broadcast properties in Philadelphia and
> Cleveland.
> Cleveland received the KYW calls, while Philly picked the
> WRCV calls.
> Westinghouse later cried foul to the FCC about strong-armed
> tactics that NBC used to force the Cleveland-Philadelphia
> swap. NBC supposedly threatened to yank its network
> affiliation if Westinghouse didn't agree to the swap.
> So, the FCC made NBC reverse the swap. In June 1965, WRCV
> became KYW once again. KYW then became an all-news station
> on September 21, 1965.
>
 
Most stations stopped using them in the late 1950's as the reel-to-reel gained in popularity and the cart machine arrived. However, some public service programs, particularly of a reigious nature, continued to use them into the 70's for programs ranging from one minute to 15 minutes. One of the more commonly aired programs, "The Sacred Heart Broadcast" continued to use transcriptions into the early 90's, when they finally changed to cd's. That program, by the way, ended at the end of 2005.


> Thanks for the info. When did radio stop using those
> transcription discs?
>
>
>
>
>
> > KYW 1060 (formerly WRCV)
> >
> > KYW originated in Chicago in 1921(which explains why it
> > starts with a "K" ), and moved to Philadelphia in 1934. In
>
> > 1941, KYW moved from 1020 to 1060 on the dial as an NBC
> > Radio Affilliate. In January 1956, Westinghouse and NBC
> > swapped their broadcast properties in Philadelphia and
> > Cleveland.
> > Cleveland received the KYW calls, while Philly picked the
> > WRCV calls.
> > Westinghouse later cried foul to the FCC about
> strong-armed
> > tactics that NBC used to force the Cleveland-Philadelphia
> > swap. NBC supposedly threatened to yank its network
> > affiliation if Westinghouse didn't agree to the swap.
> > So, the FCC made NBC reverse the swap. In June 1965, WRCV
>
> > became KYW once again. KYW then became an all-news
> station
> > on September 21, 1965.
> >
>
 
No it does not explain why it starts with a "K." Stations in Chicago start with a "W." KYW was assigned its call letters before the Commerce Department began the practice of assigning W and K calls to stations East and West of the Missippi, respectively. KYW and other stations (like KDKA which was never anywhere but Pittsburgh) were "grandfathered in."

KYW and many other stations changed their frequencies in 1941 due to a wholesale reallocation of frequency assignments under the Havana Treaty.
WCAU was on 1170
WPEN on 1500
WHAT on 1310
WDAS on 1370

NBC demonstrated its incompetence as an operator of radio stations by running WRCV into the ground with a big band format. Group W took the Cleveland station to number one with an adult Full Service Top 40 format. And then took KYW to number one with all news. Later, in New York, NBC has Imus and Howard Stern on one radio station. GE bought the company and got out of radio claiming it could not make money in radio. Why NBC could not run a radio station is clearly illustrated in Howard Stern's movie Private Parts.
 
I think I have some syndicated commercial shows (ABC/Westwood One) that were still pressed on vinyl at least as late as 1990, perhaps later.

Were any stations still using a lathe and acetates past the '50s?



> Most stations stopped using them in the late 1950's as the
> reel-to-reel gained in popularity and the cart machine
> arrived. However, some public service programs, particularly
> of a reigious nature, continued to use them into the 70's
> for programs ranging from one minute to 15 minutes. One of
> the more commonly aired programs, "The Sacred Heart
> Broadcast" continued to use transcriptions into the early
> 90's, when they finally changed to cd's. That program, by
> the way, ended at the end of 2005.
>
>
> > Thanks for the info. When did radio stop using those
> > transcription discs?
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > > KYW 1060 (formerly WRCV)
> > >
> > > KYW originated in Chicago in 1921(which explains why it
> > > starts with a "K" ), and moved to Philadelphia in 1934.
> In
> >
> > > 1941, KYW moved from 1020 to 1060 on the dial as an NBC
> > > Radio Affilliate. In January 1956, Westinghouse and NBC
> > > swapped their broadcast properties in Philadelphia and
> > > Cleveland.
> > > Cleveland received the KYW calls, while Philly picked
> the
> > > WRCV calls.
> > > Westinghouse later cried foul to the FCC about
> > strong-armed
> > > tactics that NBC used to force the
> Cleveland-Philadelphia
> > > swap. NBC supposedly threatened to yank its network
> > > affiliation if Westinghouse didn't agree to the swap.
> > > So, the FCC made NBC reverse the swap. In June 1965,
> WRCV
> >
> > > became KYW once again. KYW then became an all-news
> > station
> > > on September 21, 1965.
> > >
> >
>
 
Ah, thanks for the reminder. I also have Westwood One shows from the early 90's.

I doubt any stations were still using a lathe in the 60's, but I do not know that for a fact, of course.

I remember reading in Popular Electronics back in the 60's of a guy who used that equipment to record the Metropolitan Opera off the radio each Saturday during the opera season. I also had a lathe and could still buy blanks from Allied Radio (bought later by Radio Shack). All of that has long since disapeared. And no, I did NOT record opera!

> I think I have some syndicated commercial shows
> (ABC/Westwood One) that were still pressed on vinyl at least
> as late as 1990, perhaps later.
>
> Were any stations still using a lathe and acetates past the
> '50s?
>
>
>
> > Most stations stopped using them in the late 1950's as the
>
> > reel-to-reel gained in popularity and the cart machine
> > arrived. However, some public service programs,
> particularly
> > of a reigious nature, continued to use them into the 70's
> > for programs ranging from one minute to 15 minutes. One
> of
> > the more commonly aired programs, "The Sacred Heart
> > Broadcast" continued to use transcriptions into the early
> > 90's, when they finally changed to cd's. That program, by
>
> > the way, ended at the end of 2005.
> >
> >
> > > Thanks for the info. When did radio stop using those
> > > transcription discs?
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > > KYW 1060 (formerly WRCV)
> > > >
> > > > KYW originated in Chicago in 1921(which explains why
> it
> > > > starts with a "K" ), and moved to Philadelphia in
> 1934.
> > In
> > >
> > > > 1941, KYW moved from 1020 to 1060 on the dial as an
> NBC
> > > > Radio Affilliate. In January 1956, Westinghouse and
> NBC
> > > > swapped their broadcast properties in Philadelphia and
>
> > > > Cleveland.
> > > > Cleveland received the KYW calls, while Philly picked
> > the
> > > > WRCV calls.
> > > > Westinghouse later cried foul to the FCC about
> > > strong-armed
> > > > tactics that NBC used to force the
> > Cleveland-Philadelphia
> > > > swap. NBC supposedly threatened to yank its network
> > > > affiliation if Westinghouse didn't agree to the swap.
> > > > So, the FCC made NBC reverse the swap. In June 1965,
> > WRCV
> > >
> > > > became KYW once again. KYW then became an all-news
> > > station
> > > > on September 21, 1965.
> > > >
> > >
> >
>
 
Transcription discs

> I think I have some syndicated commercial shows
> (ABC/Westwood One) that were still pressed on vinyl at least
> as late as 1990, perhaps later.

Just a bit later. It wasn't until CD duplication and mass production became economically feasible that most syndicated shows that used vinyl switched to them.

I remember playing "Doctor Demento" off of vinyl as late as 1991 at WSBU. By the time I next had to deal with a syndicated show that didn't come over the bird ("Harmon & Evans Weekly Top 40" at WBNJ) in 1994, CD's were the order of the day.

I still have a few "Doctor Demento" vinyl records from around 1988, discovered when I was cleaning out boxes of stuff I hadn't ever bothered to unpack from college.
<P ID="signature">______________
The Pab Sungenis Project - http://www.lowbudgetradio.com</P>
 
Hy Lit on WRCV

In 1957, Hy Lit began as air talent on WRCV. Hy was hired away from WHAT 1340 radio, to take his growing "Rock & Roll kingdom" show to the 10:30-2:00am time slot, on WRCV 1060. NBC at the time also required Hy to do an additional show called Sinatra and friends, from 5:30-6:30 pm, under the name Johnny Dollar. All this to compliment the NBC red network feeds and news top & bottom of every hour. Ironicly, Sinatra and friends was a success, as well as the Rock & Roll kingdom, which was primarily doo-wop & soul (known as race music at the time). In the true spirit of NBC, the big wigs from N.Y. traveled to Philadelphia to see why this local phenom was so popular,in Philadelphia and as far away as Boston late at night, where Rock & Roll was banned.(Sky wave on the 50,000 watt 1060kc B-1 clear status channel actually worked when the ground system was maintained). NBC, not quite up to date on the growing trends, concluded that the Rock & Roll kingdom should add some Sinatra & friends. It just so happens that WIBG had called Hy, day's earlier, requesting his presence.
 
Re: Hy Lit on WRCV

> In 1957, Hy Lit began as air talent on WRCV. Hy was hired
> away from WHAT 1340 radio, to take his growing "Rock & Roll
> kingdom" show to the 10:30-2:00am time slot, on WRCV 1060.
> NBC at the time also required Hy to do an additional show
> called Sinatra and friends, from 5:30-6:30 pm, under the
> name Johnny Dollar. All this to compliment the NBC red
> network feeds and news top & bottom of every hour. Ironicly,
> Sinatra and friends was a success, as well as the Rock &
> Roll kingdom, which was primarily doo-wop & soul (known as
> race music at the time). In the true spirit of NBC, the big
> wigs from N.Y. traveled to Philadelphia to see why this
> local phenom was so popular,in Philadelphia and as far away
> as Boston late at night, where Rock & Roll was banned.(Sky
> wave on the 50,000 watt 1060kc B-1 clear status channel
> actually worked when the ground system was maintained). NBC,
> not quite up to date on the growing trends, concluded that
> the Rock & Roll kingdom should add some Sinatra & friends.
> It just so happens that WIBG had called Hy, day's earlier,
> requesting his presence.

How many years was Hy gone from WIBBAGE or Philly radio when he left for the west coast. Then what were the years when he came back and stayed.
Another thing I noticed is the lack of airchecks of his big days on the air at Wibbage on the aircheck sites. You'll see his days at WOGL, or his brief stay at WIFI, but how come no Wibbage, especially from the british invasion or 50's era?
>
 
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