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Welcome to the Radio Timeline.com website!
Our 19th year online with over 700,000 visitors since 1999.
This website is dedicated to the history of radio stations from the 1950’s to the late 1980’s. We exhibit scoped radio station airchecks, music surveys, promotions, interesting radio articles, tribute pages and more. The site has been updating since 1999.
THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING THE SITE FOR THE LAST 19 YEARS !
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The Radio Timeline.com Facebook Group Page began November 26, 2016. There are over 700 members and growing weekly. The WDHF-WMET Chicago Facebook Group Page began April 4, 2017 with over 120 members. Thanks for being a part of radio history.
WFBL was the first broadcast station to sign on the air in the Syracuse market in 1922. WSYR 570 followed in 1924. WAGE 620 (now WHEN) 1934, WOLF 1490 1940, WNDR 1260 in 1946 and WSEN 1050 in 1959.
Billboard Article June 1979..
WFBL AM 1390 Syracuse, Hot Hits Composite with Todd Parker, Don Rossi, Tommy Mack and Tony Oscar Davis, November 14-15, 1980 (28:33) Last day of Mike Joseph’s Hot Hits Format in Syracuse. Todd Parker almost said CAU-FM, listen @ 1:09 minutes. Todd’s next hot hits gig was 98 WCAU-FM Philadelphia. WLS Chicago’s Larry Lujack and Tommy Edwards doing a butter spot @ 20:40 minutes. My original recording.
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WSYR-FM 94 Rock Promo on WFBL @ 8:20 minutes
WFBL AM 1390 Syracuse, Hot Hits, Dave Laird, September 1979 (11:55) The first few months of the new Hot Hits format. Thanks to Dave Laird for this aircheck.
WFBL AM 1390 Syracuse, Super Radio 14FBL, Skip Clark, May 1979 (12:02) The last week of Music Radio 14FBL before the change to Mike Joseph’s Hot Hits format. My original recording.
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This was WFBL’s Transmitter & Studios on Old Collamer Road South next to Interstate 90 Thruway Exit 35. The building and towers were torn down in the late 1980’s when the station went dark. The new transmitter site was moved (and still is off) Wetzel Road in Liverpool, NY. WFBL signed back on the air in 1990 with it’s new owners simulcasting WKFM Album Rock 104.7.
If you are familiar with the Syracuse area, next photo is a 1959 aerial view of WFBL with Thruway Exit 35 to the left. Carrier Air Conditioning Plant below and to the left is to be the new Howard Johnson’s Motor Lodge at Carrier Traffic Circle. The property where WFBL was are now hotels and eating establishments.
The original WFBL Studios on 433 Warren Street from 1922 to the early 1950’s until the station moved to Old Collamer Road in East Syracuse.
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KGB AM 1360 San Diego, Bobby Ocean, April 12, 1972 (28:21)
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KGB AM 1360 San Diego, Christopher Kane to Mark Richards, June 1971 (10:33) Chris Kane was a legend in California Radio. One month after this aircheck Mark Richards moved on to The Big 8 CKLW.
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From November 1969..
Scott Morgan on AM 1190 KEZY Anaheim
KEZY AM 1190 Anaheim, Scott Morgan, November 4, 1969 (12:29)
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Radio Timeline.com Presents a WOLF Syracuse ‘Big 15’ Weekend..
WOLF was a broadcast pioneer since 1940 in the Syracuse market. WOLF formats varied from radio shows like Fibber McGee and Molly, Fred Allen and Radio Game Shows in the 1940’s and 1950’s. In the 1960’s WOLF ran country and pop formats. In January 1969 they dropped their country format to start the very successful Bill Drake Top 40 format carried on many U.S. and Canadian Stations.
There were many well known WOLF announcers like Dick Clark (American Bandstand- Dick’s father owned 1150 WRUN Utica), Fred Winston (KQV/WLS/WCFL), Windy Craig (WNDR/WTKO), Dale Dorman (WRKO/WVBF/WXKS/WODS), Rick Gary (WRKO/WMEX), Don Bombard a.k.a. Bob Shannon (WCBS-FM), Don Bayley (College Professor teaching Radio/ABC Radio Networks), Dusty Rhodes (WSAI), Jeff Laurence (WTKO/WHEN/WDAE/WQAM/WQSR/ Audio Production-Voice Over company), Howie Castle (Radio Caroline/WNDR/WSYR-FM/WIFE), Bob Reynolds a.k.a. Bob Brown (Fire 14 WFBL/Hot Hits 96 WHYT/ The Dinosaur in Syracuse WFBL). ..and the hits just keep on comin!
Studios @ 401 W. Kirkpatrick Street, Syracuse.. 1974
WOLF AM 1490 Syracuse, Big John Allen, January 1969 (13:26) The start of the Bill Drake Radio Format in Syracuse. Many thanks to former WOLF announcer Don Bayley for this classic! The other local Syracuse stations did not know of the format switch to the Drake Radio Format.
WOLF AM 1490 Syracuse, Howie Castle/Don Bombard, Nov. 28, 1969 (36:56) The first 11 months of the Bill Drake Radio Format. Howie also worked at 1260 WNDR and Radio Caroline prior to 1969. You can tell by the choice of British Hits he played. Newsman Richard G. Flakel a.k.a. Rick Gary is doing 20-20 News. Hear it @ 5:10 minutes.
WOLF AM 1490 Syracuse, Ron White a.k.a. Pete McKay, May 1970 (5:39) The month of the Kent State University, Ohio Shooting.
WOLF AM 1490 Syracuse, Howie Castle, Top 100 of 1972 (31:42) My Original Recording
WOLF AM 1490 Syracuse, Jeff Laurence, October 1974 (7:49) @ 00:53 hear Fred Winston WOLF ID.
WOLF AM 1490 Syracuse, Bob Reynolds a.k.a. Bob Brown, Nov. 1978 (8:24) My Original Recording
WOLF AM 1490 Syracuse, The Last 20 Minutes of WOLF as a Top 40 Rocker, July 12, 1981 (12:32) Sad..
1969.. The first two months of the successful Bill Drake Format in Syracuse..
Here’s a recent Drone video of WOLF Syracuse. Station owner Craig Fox, who started WAQX 95.3 in 1978 has FM Translators and a TV station on the main tower. There has always been a second tower giving WOLF a northerly null protecting 1490 CFRC Kingston, Ontario. According to my 1975 Howard W. Sams AM Station Guide, CKRC was only 100 watts.
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Radio Timeline.com and the Facebook group pages are flashing back 40 years ago to Labor Day Weekend 1978 with Classic Top 40 from 95 1/2 WMET Chicago beginning with Craig Roberts, Bill Brannigan & ending with American Top 40 dated September 2, 1978 followed by Gary Price. I originally recorded these airchecks and waited to post them for the 40th anniversary, enjoy!
PIONEER QX-949 Receiver
WMET FM 95 1/2 Chicago, Craig Roberts, September 3, 1978 (20:14) My Original Recording.
WMET FM 95 1/2 Chicago, Bill Brannigan, September 3-4, 1978 (20:56) My Original Recording.
WMET FM 95 1/2 Chicago, Partial American Top 40 Countdown to Gary Price (22:53) My Original Recording.
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WSDM FM 97.9 Chicago (1976) *** WLS AM 890 Chicago (1984)
WAVZ AM 1300 New Haven (1974) *** WSYR-FM 94.5 Syracuse (1981) *** WLS AM 890 Chicago (1980)
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