Beverly Times 1976 article about "new" station, WMWM Salem State

[raccoonradio]

Courtesy of Jim Murphy, WMWM alum who's had a long career in broadcasting (WLYN-FM, WDLW,
Ch 25, Great American Country, Jones Radio Country), here's an article from the Beverly Times
dated April 7, 1976 about Salem State's radio station which was about to take the airwaves
(actual first air date was 4/26/76, I believe).

This is a 1 MB picture file--you will probably have to hit the "zoom" button on your brower to
see it better.

http://wmwm.250free.com/WMWM_040776.jpg

A mighty 10 watts! It was due to go on air 4/20/76 but an equipment problem (freq wasn't
totally centered on 91.7) delayed it a week or so. At the time it was the North Shore's
first non-commercial station.

----

"The three commercial radio stations on the North Shore--WESX, WMLO, and WLYN--
are doing a good job of serving the area," Murphy said. "But we hope to offer some
kind of alternative." Musically WMWM-FM will feature "mostly rock and roll, veering
away from the Top 40...We can play whatever kind of music we want...jazz,
some rhythm and blues, maybe even some classical.'"

(Note: yours truly has been with WMWM for all but the first 4 years of its 31 year existence...)

 

[raccoonradio]

And whatever happened to Jim Murphy? Jim tells me "it looks like I was one of the few that pursued Broadcasting as a career after WMWM. I joined WLYN-FM fulltime in the summer of 1976, P/T'ed at WNTN, and soon was hired as program director (and later general manager) of WMLO. I programmed WDLW for 5 years beginning in 1979, worked p/t at WSSH and booth announced at Channel 25 during the same period, and moved up the coast to program WOKQ in 1984. KFKF/Kansas City, KNIX/Phoenix, ABC Radio Networks, Greater Media/Boston ( WKLB ), Great American Country television and Jones Radio Networks all followed."

The article mentions WMWM was part of the ABC FM network. I do remember that. We used to air the
news broadcasts (something like :40 past the hour) and had to put public service announcements on
during the ad break. I think we had some kind of phone hookup via WLYN for that but I could be wrong.

 

[Eli Polonsky]

I wish I could get a better signal on WMWM around greater Boston. I listened to bits and pieces of the weekend blues and 50's doo-wop/R&B shows as it faded in and out as I drove.

 

[raccoonradio]

True--but go to http://www.wmwmsalem.com and you can download podcasts (or hear on your computer)
that I put up of Sat Night Rent Party (Doug Edwards; the show after Uncle Henry's), my own Juke Joint
show, and some Tracks of the Town shows (March 18 with yours truly producing and doing some announcing,
and April 1 with Joe Vig taking part)

 

[raccoonradio]

How WMWM got its call letters

And Jim Murphy writes about how WMWM got their call letters.
Did you know back then there was no computer database at the FCC
for looking up call letters to see if they were taken?

http://wmwm.250free.com/calls.html