QUESTION

[davideduardo]

Very interesting, David! I still vividly recall when WTFM's studios and transmitter were on the LIE in Queens. I think the transmitter moved to the WTC about 1973.

I remember the LIE building. When i saw it in '79 it was badly in need of maintenance. I also did due diligence on the transmitter site, including a look at the directional antenna on the roof.

IIRC, WTFM was NYC's first FM station to broadcast in stereo.

I remember a magazine article in Broadcast Engineering or similar where there were photos of the albums being handled by studio engineers who wore gloves!

 

[TimeIsTight]

I think the transmitter moved to the WTC about 1973. I remember a nightclub in that building called "Broadcasters Inn".

IIRC, going way back to the early to mid 60s the Broadcasters Inn was a restaurant where you could watch the the broadcasters run the radio station through a large glass window as you ate your dinner.

I also remember that picture of the LPs being, impressively, handled with white gloved hands by the studio technicians.

In the early 60s, WTFM did broadcast from the tower at that location, but before moving to the World Trade Center WTFM joined WPAT-FM in transmitting from the Chrysler Building for a number of years. I don't know when WTFM moved to the WTC, but WPAT was still using the Chrysler Building when I worked there in the late 70s. The WPAT chief engineer had some real concerns about multipath problems from one tower at the WTC and was willing to wait to be on the other. I think WTFM's directional antenna was on the South Tower, and most, or all, other stations used the main mast on the North Tower.
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One last remembrance on Greater Media and WQMR, New Brunswick. Early on, Greater Media may have just wanted to park the WQMR call letters. Reading the FM article David linked to, I was reminded that WQMR had been the call letters of an AM station in Silver Spring, MD that Greater Media owned. It was paired with otherwise Beautiful Music formatted WGAY-FM in DC, simulcasting part of the day, and then, I think, the AM became WGAY-AM and the WQMR call letters were moved to New Brunswick. That DC area AM is now WFED, which provides programming aimed at federal employees.

 

[TheBigA]

I don't know when WTFM moved to the WTC,

IIRC WTFM was the very first radio station with its tower on WTC. And they had an ad campaign built around it.

 

[TheBigA]

It was paired with otherwise Beautiful Music formatted WGAY-FM in DC, simulcasting part of the day, and then, I think, the AM became WGAY-AM and the WQMR call letters were moved to New Brunswick.

I don't know about that. WGAY was originally owned by Connie B. Gay, who gave the station those call letters. That was before it was sold to Greater Media.

 

[TimeIsTight]

It was paired with otherwise Beautiful Music formatted WGAY-FM in DC, simulcasting part of the day, and then, I think, the AM became WGAY-AM and the WQMR call letters were moved to New Brunswick.

I don't know about that. WGAY was originally owned by Connie B. Gay, who gave the station those call letters. That was before it was sold to Greater Media.

From the linked to article in Broadcasting July 31, 1967 "WGAY (FM) Washington duplicates its daytime AM affliate, WQMR Silver Springs, Md., 100%. In separate programming the rest of the 24-hour period, the WGAY format remains the same----instrumental clusters of sweet music."

 

[davideduardo]

I don't know about that. WGAY was originally owned by Connie B. Gay, who gave the station those call letters. That was before it was sold to Greater Media.

Connie B. Gay is an inductee in the Country Music Hall of Fame in Nashville for his work as an artist representative and promoter; he even had a syndicated country TV show in the Mid-Atlantic states.

WGAY went on the air on 1050, added FM in the mid-50's, and the FM was silent in the late 50's to return in about 1959.

The FM was always WGAY. The AM spent some years from '61 to '72 as WQMR.

Interestingly, in the early 50's Mr. Gay's manager in DC was John Kluge, who went on to found Metromedia in about 1955.

 

[TheBigA]

From the linked to article in Broadcasting July 31, 1967 "WGAY (FM) Washington duplicates its daytime AM affliate, WQMR Silver Springs, Md., 100%. In separate programming the rest of the 24-hour period, the WGAY format remains the same----instrumental clusters of sweet music."

However, in 1967, the station was not owned by Greater Media. They didn't buy the station until 1984.

 

[TimeIsTight]

However, in 1967, the station was not owned by Greater Media. They didn't buy the station until 1984.

You're right. So, Greater Media didn't "move" the WQMR call letters to New Brunswick. It grabbed them when they became available sometime around 1972.

 

[radioguy39nj]

I remember the LIE building. When i saw it in '79 it was badly in need of maintenance. I also did due diligence on the transmitter site, including a look at the directional antenna on the roof.

I haven't been in Queens in quite a long time. Any idea what's at the site of WTFM LIE building these days?

One other reminiscence of NY's long-gone easy listening FMs: Every Christmas Eve and Day, they were the place to go to for traditional Christmas music. WTFM was part of this, but IMHO, the all-time champ was WPAT-FM's "The Spirit of Christmas". WPAT-FM was the background for many a holiday dinner in the NY area, including my own.

 

[DanStrassberg]

That DC area AM is now WFED, which provides programming aimed at federal employees.

1050 in Silver Spring was, indeed, once WFED but it hasn't been for a couple of years. The WFED calls and programming are now on 1500AM, ex-WTOP (AM).

 

[Ai4i]

An interesting article...

A very interesting article, thanks.