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Waterbury 1590 History (was WFNW 1380 ...)

B

Bill-in-CT

Sometimes it's best to start a new topic.

To answer Bub's questions about W1XBS/WBRY/WTBY/WQQW...

Danny Stiles bought WBRY in 1967 and sold it almost two years later. The ownership rule was three years then, but Mr. Stiles got an exemption from the FCC and went back to being a successful announcer in NJ and NY.

Bud Paxon, who later founded the Home Shopping Network, bought the station and changed the calls to WTBY for the official abbreviation of Waterbury and probably for the name of his company, Trend Broadcasting. Paxon sold the station in 1972 during the recession of the early 70s that resulted in the loss of his Jamestown, NY independent UHF station on Channel 26. WTBY in 1971, according to the then sales manager that I met years later, was going to move to Straits Turnpike in Middlebury before the bottom fell out, then WWCO moved into that building.

The new owner in 1972 renamed the station WQQW after a Washington, DC classical station that had given up the calls years earlier.

WBRY's move to Boyden Street....it was done is several phases. The station move out of its two original floors on Grand Street in the early 60s, moved the offices to West Main Street and added studios to the front of the transmitter building. The offices were moved to the hill a few years later.

The bomb shelter (a real bomb shelter that had wall paneling) was in the transmitter building and was used as an office. I remember the station doing remotes for a bomb shelter company at a department store parking lot in the early 60s, so I assume the shelter was a trade.
 
Great information, John!

> The 1948 CT State Registry lists a WBRY-FM, owned by the 102.5 Republician American, on 102.5 MHz with 10,200 watts but we're not sure if this station was ever built.

WBRY-FM was never built, but the Boyden Street hill would have been a great place for an FM transmitter.
 
Back in 1952, WBRY aired a 6-part docudrama series on the history of Waterbury called "Place Without Trees," which is what "Mattatuck" stood for. The program was required listening as a homework assignment for students in the Waterbury public school system. The entire program was rebroadcast on WBRY in 1964. In 1994, 30 years after the rebroadcast, I purchased a cassette copy of the entire program when it was on sale at the old Howland-Hughes store in downtown but I gave away the tapes several years ago. As far as I know, there is a guy out there who worked in Waterbury radio for over 40 years who still has the recordings but I'm not sure if it's the actual acetate discs from 1952 or the remastered 1964 version on reel-to-reel.

Bill1820 said:
Sometimes it's best to start a new topic.

To answer Bub's questions about W1XBS/WBRY/WTBY/WQQW...
Click to expand...

You're right. I put that in the old thread just to get the scent off of MarcB's crusade to save WNTY/WXCT from itself. Information you've provided is excellent! Good Stuff!
 
Hey Bill,
What finally happened to WQQW? I moved to Florida a few years before the bottom dropped out, but I recall that they were doing quite well when I left. Jay Clarke was doing a midday talk show—it was “Talk of the Town” on WATR but “Talk of the Times” on QQ. Ed Flynn was also there. They had a giant billboard at Exchange Place, and, if I heard and remember correctly, ‘QQ was the top local station in one of the last Waterbury books.
I remember that 1992 was a tough year in Connecticut, and of course, the owners of the station were involved in the scandal with Security Savings and Load…but what caused the station to go dark?
Also, I’m surprised to hear about QQ moving to Straits Turnpike. (I loved that building) I clearly recall WWCO on Bank Street, but I have no memory of QQ being anywhere but Boyden Street. I assume Boyden Street was designed to be no more than a transmitter site. Is that correct.
Mike
 
mikedow said:
...and, if I heard and remember correctly, ‘QQ was the top local station in one of the last Waterbury books.
Click to expand...
As recently as 1990-91, Waterbury was the 8th largest radio market in New England. The last book, they were national market #180. Today, it's a rimshot market.
 
mikedow said:
Hey Bill,
Also, I’m surprised to hear about QQ moving to Straits Turnpike. (I loved that building) I clearly recall WWCO on Bank Street, but I have no memory of QQ being anywhere but Boyden Street. I assume Boyden Street was designed to be no more than a transmitter site. Is that correct.
Mike
Click to expand...

WQQW was never on Straits Tnpk. I said that WTBY planned to move to Straits Tnpk in the early 70s, according to a sales manager. The plan was canceled because of the recession and the loss of the company's UHF station in upstate New York. WWCO then moved into the Straits Tnpk building.

1590's Boyden Street building was meant to be just a transmitter site, and one wall was built around a 5k RCA transmitter in the late 40s. A wing with three studios and a bomb shelter were added in the front in the 60s.
 
It’s been a long time, but I cannot remember a bomb shelter. From the small studio, you could see the transmitter through the glass to your left. A news booth faced the studio. I know I’m leaving something out because I don’t remember where the Production Room was. There were a couple of smoke filled offices in the front of the building. Everything else operated out of a trailer that was parked next door. This was true from about 1974 until about 1983.

I recall the station sold the tower site because the land value was greater than what they were using it for. I look at Google Earth but I could not place were the station was. It looks as though there is a wide street and housing there. Is that correct?

As for the Straits Turnpike building, I remember WWCO’s move from Bank Street. I always assumed the building was built to be a bank, but it seemed to be a strange location at that time for a bank. Except for the WV dealership and the gas station next door, there was no commercial activity from the Carvel in Oakville all the way to Naugatuck.

Mike
 
mikedow said:
It’s been a long time, but I cannot remember a bomb shelter...Everything else operated out of a trailer that was parked next door. This was true from about 1974 until about 1983...I recall the station sold the tower site because the land value was greater than what they were using it for. I look at Google Earth but I could not place were the station was. It looks as though there is a wide street and housing there. Is that correct?
Click to expand...

There were three rooms in front that were originally used as studios, later used as offices, then used as studios. The entrance to the bomb shelter was in the last room on the left as you entered the building. Maybe they didn't use the bomb shelter as an office after they moved offices to the trailer.

The first station in "Coal Miner's Daughter" looks a little the outside of the old 1590 building.

Google Earth shows the street correctly because the city widened it about 10 years ago. There are no signs of a transmitter site or even a driveway today. The station was across the street from an Italian club.

mikedow said:
As for the Straits Turnpike building, I remember WWCO’s move from Bank Street. I always assumed the building was built to be a bank, but it seemed to be a strange location at that time for a bank. Except for the WV dealership and the gas station next door, there was no commercial activity from the Carvel in Oakville all the way to Naugatuck.
Click to expand...

A lot has changed since you've left Connecticut. Lots of businesses on Straits Turnpike now, including a Stop and Shop about a 1/2 mile north of the old CO building.
 
Bill1820 said:
A lot has changed since you've left Connecticut. Lots of businesses on Straits Turnpike now, including a Stop and Shop about a 1/2 mile north of the old CO building.
Click to expand...

Waterbury has changed a lot. In 96 a new mall opened on Union Street where an old brass factory was once located. The old mall on Wolcott Street (Naugatuck Valley Mall) was ripped down and a huge new shopping center was built in its place stores include another Stop & Shop (there's a total of 3 in Waterbury), Bob's Clothing (relocating from elsewhere along 69), Walmart, and numerous smaller stores and restaurants. The plaza across the street was revamped in 03 when Price Chopper opened. PC closed in 08 due to slumping sales. Shoprite bought out PC's lease and relocated their store from further up 69. It was win-win-win for Shoprite. A competitor closed. They got a bigger and better store. And the rent in their new location is cheaper. Bernie's relocated into the old Caldor along with a gym. The old Bradlees is now a Target. Kohl's built a store right off of the Exit 25 ramp on I-84 in the vacinity of East Main. The Old Sheraton on East Main became the CT Grand Hotel. Now it's a completely revamped Holiday Inn and home to CoCo Keys Water Resort. Most of everything on 69 is thriving - except for KMART. (Big Shocker there. The whole company has been in the toilet since they got married to Sears in 05).
 
All of those businesses were there when I first started at WWCO (the first time) in 1980. The supermarket was then a Pic Wic (remember those?), but all of the car dealers were there. I'm referring back to when the station first went to Straits Turnpike. Does anybody know if it was a bank?

Now, bring this back to 1590, what finally happened? Weren't they successful the last few years? Didn't WWCO join them on South Main Street before moving to the Red Bull Inn?
 
mikedow said:
Now, bring this back to 1590, what finally happened? Weren't they successful the last few years? Didn't WWCO join them on South Main Street before moving to the Red Bull Inn?
Click to expand...

Whether 1590 was successful or not with the MOYL reel-to-reel format is conjecture/anyone's guess. Yes, WWCO did share space with 'QQ on South Main briefly before the move to the Red Bull. The production room at the Red Bull was in the bathroom. Acoustics must have been good. The Red Bull at one time - around 1965 or 1966 - served as temporary dorms for Post Junior College students until the first dorm got built on the school property on Country Club Road adjacent to Straits Turnpike.
 
WQQW made money in the seventies even as a ratings cellar dweller. In 1979 all 4 Waterbury AMs were some shade of adult contemporary. I once heard ONJ's "Hopelessly Devoted to You" on all 4 stations at once. QQ had a figure 8 signal pattern, more toward Thomaston/Torrington and New Haven while nulling out to the west and east on I-84 day and night. With WATR's built-in upper demos, WWCO's Top 40 heritage and a strong push from Naugatuck's WNVR, WQQW at the end of the dial lost in that head to head battle big time in the Waterbury ratings, with a .3 share 12-plus. When they changed to standards, the increase was dramatic: 5.6, tying WWCO 12-plus. It was an older audience, but a sizeable one. Like many AMs, they tinkered with it and added some talk, since that music format wasn't appealing to sponsors wanting anyone wanting an audience under 55. I wouldn't think the addition of WATR's Jay Clark would usher in a youth movement, though!
 
>I'm referring back to when the station first went to Straits Turnpike. Does anybody know if it was a bank?

It was a new building when WWCO AM-FM moved in. It was never a bank. I was told that the building was suppose to be the first one in an office park called Commerce Campus. In fact, WWCO-FM mentioned its address as 104 Commerce Campus.

>The production room at the Red Bull was in the bathroom.

Believe it or not, yes. They took out the toilet and sink and made shelves over the tub. Two rooms were for offices with the production room in one of the bathrooms. The on-air studio was a third room.

>WQQW made money in the seventies even as a ratings cellar dweller.

But not until Marshal Pite bought the station in 1974.

BTW - Here's a 1988 tour of WWCO on YouTube -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p55irB9iUlk
 
WQQW may not have been a ratings winner, but they were a small business that delivered for other small businesses. A lot of 60 second reads over music beds for local stores like Waterville Lumber and Full of Baloney. Today, those businesses have been replaced by Home Depot and Subway, and big corporations are much too efficient to consider advertising on a WQQW-like station.

I drove through Waterbury last year after almost twenty years away, and I saw a city that looked a lot like the sprawl of South Florida. I guess that’s an improvement over what I moved away from, but I was surprised that West Main Street looked as anonymous as Florida’s Military Trail.

When I was in radio, I believed that the business needed to be a lot more efficient. I believed radio should use the television model of network programming and cater to niche formats like all-Sports. Most of what I hoped for came to pass. Bigger, better, and cheaper.
I guess I should be careful of what I wish for.

Mike
 
Wasn't this station at one time the radio home of the Waterbury Class-AA Eastern League baseball teams? I'm thinking the Waterbury Dodgers, Giants or Pirates. Or maybe Indians.
 
The did the Waterbury Dodger games in 1974. Baseball had been gone for a few years and the new local owners did a great job of marketing the team. I was twelve, and it was the first time I ever appreciated good marketing.
 
mikedow said:
The did the Waterbury Dodger games in 1974. Baseball had been gone for a few years and the new local owners did a great job of marketing the team. I was twelve, and it was the first time I ever appreciated good marketing.
Click to expand...

I came to Connecticut in 1981 and don't remember any of the Waterbury franchise's games ever being on radio, right up until the franchise left town in 1986.

I'm looking at a 1983 Waterbury Reds program right now, and there's an ad for WATR boasting that it's the home of Yankees baseball, and an ad for WTXX (Ch. 20) boasting that it carries New York Mets weekend games. There are even ads for WQQW, WLAD and WADS (featuring its midday lineup of Father John, "Psychic" Ronnie Gann, "Luvable" Ed Smith, and two hours of Swap Shop), but none claim to be the radio home of the Reds.
 
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