Special Report-Atlanta Radio 1948

[Art Sutton]

I just obtained a copy of the August 2, 1948 issue of Broadcasting Magazine which was THE industry trade journal of the time. It has a special report(17 pages including ads) on the Atlanta radio market with photos of staff, history of existing stations, ads of stations, etc. Fascinating if you're into radio history from 60 years ago, almost to the day.

There are ads for WCON and WAGA which no longer exist. It lists 9 radio stations! WSB, WGST, WATL(1380), WAGA(590), WBGE(1340), WCON(550), WEAS(1010), WQXI and WERD(860) If anyone wants a copy, for $5, which would cover postage, time for someone in our office to copy, copy paper, etc., we will be glad to send you a copy.

Send $5 to (sounds like a PI ad)

Georgia-Carolina Radiocasting
Attn: Art Sutton
P O Drawer E
Toccoa, GA 30577

I am mailing a copy to the Georgia Radio Hall of Fame.

 

[trusty]

.........so they can put it on their website and we can save the 5 bux..

Nah, just kidding - thanks for the offer!

I believe, in 1948, the northern atl city limits were close to Peachtree-Battle and you made a "trip" to Decatur.
All 9 stations had no signal problems then.

 

[RadioDoogie]

I have a stack of 1920s magazines that list us with only two stations. WSB on 860KC "The Voice of the South" belonging to NBC and WGST 650KC "Georgia School of Technology" belonging to CBS. So that is what WGST stood for! I've got an old radio buff at my work that brings a stack of these to work every night in mint condition. The mags have all of the latest radios of that time. Pretty cool stuff.

 

[DashRiprock]

What does it say about Neal Boortz?

 

[trusty]

I have a stack of 1920s magazines that list us with only two stations. WSB on 860KC "The Voice of the South" belonging to NBC and WGST 650KC "Georgia School of Technology" belonging to CBS. So that is what WGST stood for! I've got an old radio buff at my work that brings a stack of these to work every night in mint condition. The mags have all of the latest radios of that time. Pretty cool stuff.

Good Lord, Man!. Get a scanner and start your own website!

Now you know why a lot of us are ao ticked off at what Clear Channel has done to WGST. They didn't respect the station's heritage. Old Broadcasting Yearbooks show that GST signed on the air 2 days after WSB in 1922 (I believe it was WGN or something like that - the Constitution's station before it was donated to Ga. Tech .

 

[jabba17]

I have a stack of 1920s magazines that list us with only two stations. WSB on 860KC "The Voice of the South" belonging to NBC and WGST 650KC "Georgia School of Technology" belonging to CBS. So that is what WGST stood for! I've got an old radio buff at my work that brings a stack of these to work every night in mint condition. The mags have all of the latest radios of that time. Pretty cool stuff.

Good Lord, Man!. Get a scanner and start your own website!

Now you know why a lot of us are ao ticked off at what Clear Channel has done to WGST. They didn't respect the station's heritage. Old Broadcasting Yearbooks show that GST signed on the air 2 days after WSB in 1922 (I believe it was WGN or something like that - the Constitution's station before it was donated to Ga. Tech .

Wikipedia has a good article on the early history of WGST: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WGST . The original calls were WGM, not WGN (you're thinking of Chicago).

The Atlanta CONstipation later started WCON on 550 after giving WGM/WGST to Tech. When Cox bought the Constipation, they had to get rid of one of their radio stations, and of course it was WCON and not Wisbee. Someone else picked up the license for Gainesville, and started WGGA (now WDUN) on 550.

 

[RTibbs]

So Steve McCaoy didn't start broadcasting until sometime after 1948????

 

[trusty]

The original calls were WGM, not WGN (you're thinking of Chicago).

Nah...just not thinking - finger slippage.

The Atlanta CONstipation later started WCON on 550 after giving WGM/WGST to Tech. When Cox bought the Constipation, they had to get rid of one of their radio stations, and of course it was WCON and not Wisbee. Someone else picked up the license for Gainesville, and started WGGA (now WDUN) on 550.

I was under the impression that the first Gainesville station on 550 was WDUN - then WGGA - then back to WDUN.
??? ???

 

[RadioDoogie]

I correct myself from earlier...WSB was on 740KC and WGST was on 860KC.

 

[trusty]

I have a stack of 1920s magazines...

What does it say about Neal Boortz?

Not much.. he was only 15 at the time...