WSLM Salem,IN

[BobOnTheJob]

After reading Hipporadio's take on WCTT Corbin,KY, it brought back memories of WSLM. In addition to the Tick Tock Tick Tock, it's 12 O'Clock jingle that plays with the appropriate time each hour, my favorite "event" was when the news was being read around 9PM in the days after President Reagan was shot. It's worth noting that at this time, WSLM was 50KW on 98.9 & placed a very listenable signal over Louisville,KY. The news begins with a national story, then a local story, then a sports story, then something about weather in Kansas...it was obvious that the guy picked up a pile of stories & started reading. About 1 minute into the newscast, the phone started ringing in the background. Anyone who's heard WSLM's swap shop knows that the phone ringing in the background is standard operating procedure. Well...after about 5 minutes of ringing, the newscaster says "excuse me ladies & gentlemen, but I need to take this call". With microphone on, the gent tells the caller that he's in the middle of a newscast & asks the caller to call back in 10 minutes. The caller wasn't in that frame of mind and the newscaster was heard to say 'let me understand this...you want to comment on a news story within my newscast...tell me what you want to say'. After about 30 seconds of yes, ok, I understand, the caller is placed on the air & with elloquence that at least equalled the newscaster declared that "if we don't kill the guy who shot the Mr Reagan, then we may as well declare open season on presidents". The newscaster then thanked the caller for his commentary & proceeded with another sports story, another local story, etc... No need to say that I'm not making this up...as good as I am, I am incapable of making up this caliber of material.

If you've never been to WSLM, it's "Must See Radio". I have personally witnessed chickens in the AM control room...some left the room when I entered, some didn't. The FM console has bandaids on the remote start switches so the broken buttons will stay in place, there's probably still a tarp over the AM transmitter to save it from the leaky roof and about 1/3 of the record collection is 78 rpm...and it was still in the studio last I was there. And take note of the 1970's station wagon in the parking lot that is used as file storage space...And if you venture inside the building, stroll down "Seg-Way" to the restrooms..."Studio He" & "Studio She"

As was mentioned in the WCTT thread, and as I kinda quote...this station is so bad, it's delightful. My daily prayer is that He will grant me just 1 more day of listening to WSLM AM 1220 FM 97.9...and hearing the sign off that concludes with "The Broadcaster's Prayer".

 

[ChiefEngineer]

The station is still run the same way.

This is where WKRP got some of their material.

Don dropped decoy ducks from his airplane over downtown Salem. Had to replace many business windows and car windows as a result of falling decoys.

Chickens can be seen from the road but tours are given regularly.

With the last post the comment "ringing in the background" doesn't do justice. This is a 1952 Indiana Bell rotary phone with the distinctive and LOUD manual ringer. (No soft electronic noise that might be background.) Louder than the announcer. Apparently very NEAR the mic.

Call in shows are a hoot because the things that go on aren't staged and the announcers are serious in their mission to maintain high broadcast standards...of the 1920's. This is a time machine to prehistoric radio.

Might note they now have a Low Power TV station. I really need a tape of this...

 

[hipporadio]

Now there’s a humorous blast-from-the-past, Bob! Well... ‘Maybe NOT just from the past, as I suspect little has changed at “Tick-Tock Twelve-Twenty”. Just as XM [is—was] “Beyond FM”, WSLM treks a bit beyond even “Great 68” WCTT [or is it the other way-around?]. Nevertheless, BOTH hold a well-earned residence in the “delightfully-bad” radio Hall of Fame!

I can’t attempt the formatic details of WSLM as I did [intricately] with WCTT on the Kentucky Board – I have “enjoyed” very-little on 1220 from Salem over the past decade. In fact, the last time I heard them was back in 1998 when I was traveling down I-65 to Louisville. I recall their infamous ringing control room telephone [even when goats weren’t being traded] AND their play of an ancient WW2-era fight song [obviously at 78rpm] with the lyrical refrains: “Praise the Lord ‘n pass the ammunition, boys”. I have no idea WHO sang it, but my [now] seventy-something parents were well-acquainted with that ditty back in the day.

I can recall hearing a very-humorous aircheck owned by a friend in St Louis radio a few years back involving Tick-Tock and a “clash of the titans” on the 1220 frequency from the mid-90s. This tape featured the late Big Dave Bailey—formerly of the VERY-NOTORIOUS KGMO Cape Girardeau, MO. God rest his soul – he was easily 300lbs and sported a “growler” presentation that circa-70s WKLO would have loved. He was doing wake-up duty on gold-formatted 1220 KGIR. It was October [MO was on the usual advanced time—IN was not]. It was 7AM in Limbaugh-Land, and Bailey was belching-out good-morning greetings over the intro of The Spinner’s “I’ll Be Around”. Just as he was about to deliver a time-check, the KGIR transmitter decided to pull a five-second “coffee break” during a thunder storm. What immediately took his place, was the critical-hours-assisted 5kw WSLM signal and their famous: “Tick-Tock Tick-Tock – It’s seven o’clock.” A dazed and confused Bailey must have heard Mother Nature’s mischief in his air monitor. When his own signal returned [with microphone still open], he exclaimed: “What the Hell was THAT?!!”

Now... Are we ready to move-on to another “interesting” Indiana station-in-waiting for Hall of Fame membership? ...How about 106.1 WOCH North Vernon circa-early/mid 70s? Remember that 50kw FM ERP that required about A DOZEN bays mounted on the “Ole Shorty” AM 1460 tower out on U.S. 50 west of town? What a great excuse for a marshmallow roast

 

[MacOConnor]

I was travelling back to Indiana from Texas last night listening to WGBF-AM broadacst the Old Oaken Bucket game when they abruptly left it to air the Evansville Reitz HS game. WSLM 1220 came to the rescue. It was remarkable that I was able to receive them on I-270 on the Illinois side of St. Louis. Went into the Collinsville White Castle to get dinner and came out and the game was over, no post game show, I didn't know who won, they were covering a live gosple event in New Albany.

 

[skippertthomas]

Yep! 'GBF had their "Convergence Network with ABC-25, On-Line and at 1280"....IU/PU was a close one with IU winning on a late 3 pointer, after PU came back to tie it... But, In Evansville, Reitz and Mater Dei can out sell College Football 4 to 1 in sponsorships.. Thus the big Semi-State Game made the air and on-line.. Reitz won on a last minute score and stopped Cathedral on their "Hail Mary" pass with no time left, when the Catherdral kid caught the ball with his knee down on the two yard line, before falling forward into the end zone for the apparent win... But, I was happy he was "Two yards short, and nothing left on the clock!" Of course, I am a Reitz Grad.... Dubb-ya-Esss-El-Emmm! Oh, the PU/IU clash was on two other local AM's in the Evansville Market... ;D

 

[MightyFrenchman]

After reading Hipporadio's take on WCTT Corbin,KY, it brought back memories of WSLM. Anyone who's heard WSLM's swap shop knows that the phone ringing in the background is standard operating procedure.

I started in radio back in the 70s when it was generally held that everyone had to start out at a station like the one you describe in Salem, Indiana. I started at one in Southern Illinois. You get some experience and you get some laughs. Part of my job was hosting the trade program "Trade Winds" on Saturday morning. One Saturday a woman with a completely serious, calm voice called in to say she wanted to trade her husband for a good milk goat. After which she gave her phone number. (At least she says it was her phone number.)

 

[Flying-Dutchman]

If you like bluegrass music, you will love this siation! It's one of the only stations of it's kind.

 

[BobOnTheJob]

Now there’s a humorous blast-from-the-past, Bob! Well... ‘Maybe NOT just from the past, as I suspect little has changed at “Tick-Tock Twelve-Twenty”. Just as XM [is—was] “Beyond FM”, WSLM treks a bit beyond even “Great 68” WCTT [or is it the other way-around?]. Nevertheless, BOTH hold a well-earned residence in the “delightfully-bad” radio Hall of Fame!

I can’t attempt the formatic details of WSLM as I did [intricately] with WCTT on the Kentucky Board – I have “enjoyed” very-little on 1220 from Salem over the past decade. In fact, the last time I heard them was back in 1998 when I was traveling down I-65 to Louisville. I recall their infamous ringing control room telephone [even when goats weren’t being traded] AND their play of an ancient WW2-era fight song [obviously at 78rpm] with the lyrical refrains: “Praise the Lord ‘n pass the ammunition, boys”. I have no idea WHO sang it, but my [now] seventy-something parents were well-acquainted with that ditty back in the day.

I can recall hearing a very-humorous aircheck owned by a friend in St Louis radio a few years back involving Tick-Tock and a “clash of the titans” on the 1220 frequency from the mid-90s. This tape featured the late Big Dave Bailey—formerly of the VERY-NOTORIOUS KGMO Cape Girardeau, MO. God rest his soul – he was easily 300lbs and sported a “growler” presentation that circa-70s WKLO would have loved. He was doing wake-up duty on gold-formatted 1220 KGIR. It was October [MO was on the usual advanced time—IN was not]. It was 7AM in Limbaugh-Land, and Bailey was belching-out good-morning greetings over the intro of The Spinner’s “I’ll Be Around”. Just as he was about to deliver a time-check, the KGIR transmitter decided to pull a five-second “coffee break” during a thunder storm. What immediately took his place, was the critical-hours-assisted 5kw WSLM signal and their famous: “Tick-Tock Tick-Tock – It’s seven o’clock.” A dazed and confused Bailey must have heard Mother Nature’s mischief in his air monitor. When his own signal returned [with microphone still open], he exclaimed: “What the Hell was THAT?!!”

Now... Are we ready to move-on to another “interesting” Indiana station-in-waiting for Hall of Fame membership? ...How about 106.1 WOCH North Vernon circa-early/mid 70s? Remember that 50kw FM ERP that required about A DOZEN bays mounted on the “Ole Shorty” AM 1460 tower out on U.S. 50 west of town? What a great excuse for a marshmallow roast

LORD that story from MO on 1220 was one of the funniest things I've read in a long time. Good to hear that WSLM was spreading it's good cheer across the Mississippi River!

Speaking of the WOCH 106.1 tower in North Vernon...what we had here Ladies & Gentlemen was a flimsy tower well under 200' sporting a host of bays to acheive 50KW...50KW which didn't really go very far, but which resulted in the Columbus Republic running a story with the headline "North Vernon A Hotspot of Radiation?" or something quite similar. By the time that article hit the streets, the move to their current 50KW/full height site was a work in progress. Good timing I'd say. That tower still serves Oldies Radio 1460 WJCP which features an identical airchain to WIFE 1580 Connersville.

 

[hipporadio]

...That tower still serves Oldies Radio 1460 WJCP which features an identical airchain to WIFE 1580 Connersville.

Oh my goodness! ...TWO, EXCEPTIONAL-sounding music-based AMs—in the same state I can’t recall another [state] with more than ONE – IF, one exists at all. You certainly can’t look to Indy these days for stellar AM audio quality. Considering market rank, when the most-listenable AM in town [from an audio quality standpoint] features music selections dominated by Tubas and Accordions—‘ya know you have a slight problem there Maynard

 

[hipporadio]

Speaking of the WOCH 106.1 tower in North Vernon...what we had here Ladies & Gentlemen was a flimsy tower well under 200' sporting a host of bays to acheive 50KW...50KW which didn't really go very far, but which resulted in the Columbus Republic running a story with the headline "North Vernon A Hotspot of Radiation?"...

There are NBA stars that could reach-up and slam-dunk the ball thru the bottom bay on that old FM antenna system! Imagine hogs grazing in the field adjacent to the former WOCH-FM tower... A good ‘ole-fashioned slow-motion BBQ... VHF-assisted pulled-pork sandwiches... MMMMMMMM - YUMMY

 

[IndyDan]

All great stories and had me chuckling. I remember back when I was a kid in the mid 60's and had some relatives living down in Campbellsburg, which is not too far from Salem. We would usually go down to visit for a week in the summer when it was 90 degrees in the shade...no one there had heard of air conditioning or, for the most part, paved roads in the suburbs of these wonderful towns. My great uncle owned a small cafe in town where a lot of the locals would eat lunch every day. I can remember hearing WSLM playing there and how everyone thought it was such a great station. On our way there and back, we would go by "radio ridge" as we passed through Salem and as hard as I tried, I could never get my parents to stop so I could visit the station. When I went back down that way a couple of years ago for some hiking at Spring Mill, I listened and it still sounded the same way as I remembered it 40 years ago. Back when the FM was on 98.9, I could receive it here in Indy with a good antenna, and the format seemed to be southern gospel at the time.
I found a photo taken of "Texas Ed", one of the WSLM personalities sitting in the control room.
From what little I could see of the board, I would be afraid to touch it...carts piled everywhere and stacks of junk on one of the turntables. I think Bob was right....it is "must see" radio...there are probably some better arranged landfills.
Here's the link for that great studio shot..sorry, no chickens!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/7305404@N06/591888178/

 

[BobOnTheJob]

All great stories and had me chuckling. I remember back when I was a kid in the mid 60's and had some relatives living down in Campbellsburg, which is not too far from Salem. We would usually go down to visit for a week in the summer when it was 90 degrees in the shade...no one there had heard of air conditioning or, for the most part, paved roads in the suburbs of these wonderful towns. My great uncle owned a small cafe in town where a lot of the locals would eat lunch every day. I can remember hearing WSLM playing there and how everyone thought it was such a great station. On our way there and back, we would go by "radio ridge" as we passed through Salem and as hard as I tried, I could never get my parents to stop so I could visit the station. When I went back down that way a couple of years ago for some hiking at Spring Mill, I listened and it still sounded the same way as I remembered it 40 years ago. Back when the FM was on 98.9, I could receive it here in Indy with a good antenna, and the format seemed to be southern gospel at the time.
I found a photo taken of "Texas Ed", one of the WSLM personalities sitting in the control room.
From what little I could see of the board, I would be afraid to touch it...carts piled everywhere and stacks of junk on one of the turntables. I think Bob was right....it is "must see" radio...there are probably some better arranged landfills.
Here's the link for that great studio shot..sorry, no chickens!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/7305404@N06/591888178/

That picture is perfect! It's worth a thousand words...and maybe a chicken or goat on Swap Shop!

 

[IndyDan]

That picture is perfect! It's worth a thousand words...and maybe a chicken or goat on Swap Shop!

I figured you of all people would appreciate the picture, Bob, because the place appears to be truly an engineering marvel. That's got to be a really scary under those countertops. It's obvious no expense was spared during construction as evidenced by the custom studio furniture and what appears to be a top-notch air chain. I think maybe BOTH a chicken and a goat.

 

[hipporadio]

I AM SO BUMMED OUT! I just visited flicker.com for a peek at the WSLM “nerve center”... Did anyone notice their iconic 1952 Indiana Bell rotary telephone with the genuine metal-bell ringer is AWOL? This is TRAGIC! ...1490 WKBV Richmond never “recovered” after losing theirs. This calls for a concerted effort on eBay – authenticity MUST be restored, Ladies and Gentlemen!

Is that the tell-tail far-left side of a CBS Volumax and its companion Audimax 400-series I see below the patch-bay in the rack on the right? Great to see that Tick-Tock Twelve-Twenty was state-of-the-art... About FORTY years ago! They must be excited about all their new equipment on the sagging shelves beside Texas Ed... ‘Like the boom-box from the local WallyWorld with the display sticker still attached. I’ll bet it serves triple duty – as a dual cassette player for Sunday-morning broadcasts; a CD player to air their latest library enhancement—“Malt Shop Memories” from Time-Life Music; and a “100-watt” replacement studio monitor amp... The one in their adhesive tape dispenser—I mean CONSOLE, probably went “further-SOUTH then Louisville” YEARS AGO ;D

 

[radiorob2.0]

I AM SO BUMMED OUT! I just visited flicker.com for a peek at the WSLM “nerve center”... Did anyone notice their iconic 1952 Indiana Bell rotary telephone with the genuine metal-bell ringer is AWOL? This is TRAGIC! ...1490 WKBV Richmond never “recovered” after losing theirs. This calls for a concerted effort on eBay – authenticity MUST be restored, Ladies and Gentlemen!

Is that the tell-tail far-left side of a CBS Volumax and its companion Audimax 400-series I see below the patch-bay in the rack on the right? Great to see that Tick-Tock Twelve-Twenty was state-of-the-art... About FORTY years ago! They must be excited about all their new equipment on the sagging shelves beside Texas Ed... ‘Like the boom-box from the local WallyWorld with the display sticker still attached. I’ll bet it serves triple duty – as a dual cassette player for Sunday-morning broadcasts; a CD player to air their latest library enhancement—“Malt Shop Memories” from Time-Life Music; and a “100-watt” replacement studio monitor amp... The one in their adhesive tape dispenser—I mean CONSOLE, probably went “further-SOUTH then Louisville” YEARS AGO ;D

The 1952 Indiana Bell rotary phone has been replaced by a Northern Telecom phone so did they did spend money on a phone system. Judging by the red ring below the windscreen I'm guessing it's an Audio-Technica microphone found in the electronic section of your neighborhood box store.

 

[RDO]

Is that an iPod right in front of the "board". At least they've entered the digital world.

 

[BobOnTheJob]

If one picture is worth a goat and a chicken, I think 32 of them would at least rate a used warshing machine, an '81 Vega and an elongated turlet seat...enjoy! http://bobandtanya.myphotoalbum.com/view_album.php?set_albumName=album49

 

[media1170]

OK,Bob, so much for the photoshopped pictures, how about the real pictures of the station.

Nomination as a radio historic site is in order. The last locally owned, operated and live radio station in America.

 

[IndyDan]

Is that an iPod right in front of the "board". At least they've entered the digital world.

That is Texas Ed's IPOD....He keeps his tunes stored on it for his daily gospel show on the FM side.

 

[IndyDan]

If one picture is worth a goat and a chicken, I think 32 of them would at least rate a used warshing machine, an '81 Vega and an elongated turlet seat...enjoy!

Heck with that stuff, Bob...All I want is a pair of those fancy curtains I saw in the lobby/reception area/file storage room.
Thanks for the link, though...I about choked on my coffee when I saw some of those pics. And not a fire extinguisher in site...truly amazing.