Hospital radio goes Public

Radio stations were founded by unexpected organizations in many unexpected places. Here's one that grew and prospered. In this case the owner, Albany Medical Center was the source of the call letters WAMC. The WAMC Northeast Public Radio Network, and it's Performing Arts Studio, a venue in Albany all have their genus in the same place.

In 1955 Albany Medical Center received a small grant from the Rockefeller Foundation to broadcast two-way radio conferences among physicians. This clearly gave them the radio bug as the pilot program of six hospitals grew to 24 in less than 2 years. By 1958 they'd started their own FM radio station WAMC on 90.3 FM as a classical music outlet.

Albany Medical Center continued on as a ACGME accredited medical school. Its influence on programming was clearest in the early days when brodcasts included health information and lectures from visiting professors. But in 1962, a hint of their later politicking they carried first live hearing from Washington, D.C. on programming practices.

In 1970 when the NPR was founded in 1970, WAMC became one of their first 90 charter stations. but things were growing quickly, the hospitcal could not contain everythign that WAMC was bustling to become. In 1981, financial pressure peaked and the hospital divested the station. The FCC license was transferred to a non-profit, tax-exempt entity, WAMC, Inc. It's five incorporators included then CEO Alan S. Chartock, the State University of New York and New York State government.

WAMC has grown into a network of fourteen stations serving portions of seven New England and Middle Atlantic States. They have been an aggressive station that's expanded their network for 2 decades, highlights including the 1989 purchase of WBBS in 1989 (now WAMQ) and in 1995 WAMC outbid SUNY Plattsburgh for 91.9 WCFE (now WCEL) Coverage Map here.

Soon they'll be on 99.3 in Oneonta I hear. Sadly this will kill the local repeater of the somewhat obscure WDHI oldies Network. But as many radiomen will tell you, in this buisness it's grow or die. A lesson you should take into this falls NCE auction.

The Long Road Home

I drove south From Albany yesterday. I bought bags of Jada Red and Ginger Gold Apples, and a bag of Apple Cider Doughnuts and started south on Route 90. It was warm out, but there were big clouds on the horizon and the breeze was cool. I ate warm apples and hung my arm out the window until the sun went down.
http://www.jerzyboyz.com/gingergold.htm
http://www.nyapplecountry.com/redrome.htm

I listened mostly to 90.3 WAMC in the Albany area switching to a couple affiliates as if got weaker. As I got nearer to 287 South, I could hear a fantastic rock program on WVKR 91.3 Poughkeepsie, and I heard the LOST & FOUND OLDIES SHOW with Sam Tallerico. It was outstanding. Tons of Rockabilly and pre-Beatles garage rock/pop. Fantastic. Then Jazz junction on 88.1 WDIY in Allentown, A classic hardcore program on 90.3 WXLV out of Lehigh Carbon Community College.
http://www.wamc.org/
http://www.wvkr.org/
http://www.wdiyfm.org/
http://www.wxlvfm.com/

WFMU was clear through some of this time but that particular program wasn't grabbing me.

Across most of New Jersey I listened to 89.7 WDVR. They play a mix of Americana, Folk, Triple-A and old Country. They never come off slick or trite; always straddling that middle ground of genuine provincial hominess, never parodying themselves. ...And that Jimmie Rodgers-style country yodel station ID is ABSOLUTELY KILLER . Long live the Country Store.
www.wdvrfm.com