C
Casablance
Guest
Twenty years ago this September WMRE embarked on a great experiment to go back to its roots. WMRE which had in its last incarnation adopted a "memories" music format drove the station into bankruptcy under incompetent ownership.
As a final gasp 1510 went back to its roots as a local talk station. For those who do not have a history of the dial position 1510 was the home of WMEX and the number one talk station in the late 1950's with the likes of Jerry Williams and Arnie Woo Woo Ginsburg.
Under the unlikely direction of the infamous Jack Roberts, late of WRKO, they turned WMRE back to talk. They were even in the very same "historic" building attached to Fenway Park where WMEX was located. They even had much of the same 'MEX equipment including a studio organ.
As might be expected, Jack Roberts broke all the rules of radio. Particularly, he encouraged all on-air talent to mention the call letters of other stations in the market. He did not believe in that fraudulent argument that the average listener is too stupid to know what station he is tuned to and if you mention another station the listener will get confused.
They had array on-air talent including Bob Cusack as News Director, Hilary Stevens and the very talented and sadly late Marsha Masters in the morning.
Much credit has to be given to Tony Pepper who in addition to having his own 2-6 talk show was our guide, support and coach during those "interesting" days...or was it "daze." Unlike much of the undercurrent talk about Tony he was both a team leader and team player a good friend and a nice guy whose ego was always in check.
With no night time signal the evening shift was more than a challenge. The signal had deteriorated even from the old MEX days but it was a great experience for this poster and new ground was broken in areas that WRKO and WBZ had not gone.
A real jewel in the overnight was Bob Katzen. When no one else could make the phones ring Bob could with his great sense of fun, timing and on-air game shows. As you may know, Bob Katzen was one of the original "Governors" on with Jerry Williams in the 80's and he runs one of the State House news services. Why WBZ has not picked up Bob for the overnight or some other station is a mystery to me. Bob is a contemporary Larry Glick.
Well, WMRE was an experience. I am sure I left out many other talents who were there as WMRE headed into Chapter 11 and never came out
Any other "alums" of WMRE should add their thoughts.
As a final gasp 1510 went back to its roots as a local talk station. For those who do not have a history of the dial position 1510 was the home of WMEX and the number one talk station in the late 1950's with the likes of Jerry Williams and Arnie Woo Woo Ginsburg.
Under the unlikely direction of the infamous Jack Roberts, late of WRKO, they turned WMRE back to talk. They were even in the very same "historic" building attached to Fenway Park where WMEX was located. They even had much of the same 'MEX equipment including a studio organ.
As might be expected, Jack Roberts broke all the rules of radio. Particularly, he encouraged all on-air talent to mention the call letters of other stations in the market. He did not believe in that fraudulent argument that the average listener is too stupid to know what station he is tuned to and if you mention another station the listener will get confused.
They had array on-air talent including Bob Cusack as News Director, Hilary Stevens and the very talented and sadly late Marsha Masters in the morning.
Much credit has to be given to Tony Pepper who in addition to having his own 2-6 talk show was our guide, support and coach during those "interesting" days...or was it "daze." Unlike much of the undercurrent talk about Tony he was both a team leader and team player a good friend and a nice guy whose ego was always in check.
With no night time signal the evening shift was more than a challenge. The signal had deteriorated even from the old MEX days but it was a great experience for this poster and new ground was broken in areas that WRKO and WBZ had not gone.
A real jewel in the overnight was Bob Katzen. When no one else could make the phones ring Bob could with his great sense of fun, timing and on-air game shows. As you may know, Bob Katzen was one of the original "Governors" on with Jerry Williams in the 80's and he runs one of the State House news services. Why WBZ has not picked up Bob for the overnight or some other station is a mystery to me. Bob is a contemporary Larry Glick.
Well, WMRE was an experience. I am sure I left out many other talents who were there as WMRE headed into Chapter 11 and never came out
Any other "alums" of WMRE should add their thoughts.
. Some people (in the business) called the new 1510 "WMRE.....Just a memory of what it used to be". Oh, well.