Many of the US’s earliest commercial radio stations are celebrating their 90th anniversary of broadcasting this year. I’ve seen announcements for WOR, WGY, and a few others.
It is fun to go back and look at the old pictures of those stations during the golden age of AM radio. If nothing else, it reminds us of what used to be and will likely never be seen again. Stations like WGY employed hundreds of people in their hay day; actors, musicians, announcers, news people, salespeople, support staff, engineers, etc. These days, WGY likely employs less than ten, certainly not more than twenty directly.
There are a few stations bucking that trend, but very few.
So here is to what once was and happy birthday to the hollowed-out shells of their former selves.
I would be curious to know which stations are bucking the trend of reducing their staff of announcers,news people,etc. Probably too many for you to list,I bet! I just wonder if WOWO AM 1190 in Ft. Wayne,In. is one of them. That station started about 1925,or so!
@Dewey, I don’t get WOWO anymore, since they downgraded their night time signal. That is the type station I am thinking of, however, independent.