About WHAM
Good-Very Good chrome (mild scuffing at 3 corners; unfortunate diagonal crease at upper left corner; postally used). Postmarked 13 Jun 1967; card likely produced late ’50s, no later than early 1963.
Back reads, “Rochester Radio City. Home of WHAM–Radio and Television, Rochester Radio City in Humboldt Street is one of the best equipped and most modern radio and television centers in the United States. WHAM is the National Broadcasting Company’s outlet for the Greater Rochester area.”
United States S&H — $1.50 USPS first class up to 5 postcards; 25¢ thereafter. International S&H — $2.00 up to 5 postcards. Always happy to combine shipping when possible. All cards are in archival sleeves; cardboard w/ lot to protect. (Comments and info on items always welcome.)
NBC
How It All Began
Early History of WHAM
WHAM may not have been the first radio station in Rochester NY but it was Rochester’s first successful radio station.
According to Ed Gable’s History of WHAM the Eastman School of Music was the first home enjoyed by the newly created WHAM radio station.
Behind the scenes, Publisher Frank Gannett, local industrialist and philanthropist, George Eastman, the University of Rochester’s Rush Rhees and Alan K. Ross of the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle newspaper were the backers behind the Times Union and Democrat and Chronicle’s application for a license. Ross and Gannett offered their Western Electric Transmitter and related equipment plus their installation at the the school on Gibbs street. In return, the school’s students and faculty would provide the programming. George Eastman was the applicant but the Times Union and Democrat and Chronicle newspapers were to be the owners.
George Eastman selected WHAM for the call sign because he felt its sound carried an impact. Once the transmitter had been installed on the roof of the Eastman School of Music, WHAM officially went on the air on July 11, 1922.
The operation of a radio station became too much for the school and so ownership of WHAM moved from the D&C and T-U to the Stromberg Carlson Telephone Manufacturing Company. In addition to telephones, Stromberg also made high class radio sets. The sales agreement included a provision stating that the Eastman School of Music would continue to provide high class programming. WHAM was now positioned to become a world class radio station in Rochester NY.
Stromberg Carlson purchased five 1,000 watt transmitters and installed them in Victor, NY along with two new 225 foot tall anntennas. Studios and offices were moved to the Sagamore Hotel on East Avenue. Programming was transmitted to the Sagamore over telephone lines.
The first broadcast from the new Sagamore Hotel site was on September 1, 1927.
On November 11, 1928, (the 10th anniversary of the signing of the Armistice which officially ended World War I), WHAM moved to 1150 kc with 5 kw power with a new, clear channel status. No other radio station was allowed to occupy that position. Letters came in from as far away as Los Angeles California confirming that WHAM’s signal could be heard as clearly as their local radio signals.
On September 1, 1929, WHAM’s general manager, William Fay and Stromberg Carlson’s president, Roy McCanne convinced the Federal Radio Commission to increase WHAM’s power to 25 kw citing outstanding programming and increasing hours of service as justification. The FRC agreed and in 1931 WHAM’s engineers started a massive building campaign to get a new Western Electric modified 50 kw transmitter line at Victor, NY.
In 1938 ground was broken for the new 450 foot tower.
On March 29, 1941 WHAM received clear channel status for the entire western hemisphere by virtue of a treaty among the western hemisphere nations.
In 1943, WHFM is born in the Rochester Gas & Electric (R.G.&E.) building.
In December of 1945, ground was broken for Stromberg Carlson’s Rochester Radio City.
A new transmitter site was needed for this more powerful station. It needed to be in swampy ground. In 1947, Brookdale Road in Scottsville, NY became the new, swampy ground location for the WHAM’s Westinghouse transmitter.
WHAM
Rochester Radio City
The “Stromberg Carlson Speaker” was a monthly in-house publicatioon for Stromberg Carlson employees and their families.
Volume VI number 2 dated Saturday, February 7, 1948 introduced the newly completed state-of-the-art building called Rochester Radio City. It was built exclusively to be the new home of WHAM, a 50,000 watt clear channel radio station, as well as the up and coming radio station, WHFM.
Walter Dixon's Professional Life
Walter came into this world, graced with many gifts. Chief among these were a sonorous voice, a remarkable gift for music, and perfect pitch, facts which no doubt have some bearing on his success in a variety of careers.
One of Rochester, NY’s best-known voices, Walter is most remembered for his career in radio, which began in 1946. During his two decades at WHAM, Rochester’s 50,000-watt clear channel station heard throughout 38 states and Canada, Walter built up a loyal following with some of the station’s most popular programs, which he wrote, produced, directed, and narrated.
On-air staff at WHAM circa 1972 from left to right: David A. Sennett, Tom Gallagher, Ed Hasbrouck, Mike Morgan, Walter Dixon, Ed Grimsly, and Tom Badger.
On Air 1961
Most memorably, The Time Between, a late-night show that took its listeners into their own wonderful reveries, and the Justice program for which he twice won the New York State Bar Associations Press Award.
Most memorably, The Time Between, a late-night show that took its listeners into their own wonderful reveries, and the Justice program for which he twice won the New York State Bar Associations Press Award. He was the “Voice of the Rochester Philharmonic” for many years; writing, producing, and narrating for radio and live concerts from the stage of the beautiful Eastman Theater. His green room interviews with such world-renowned artists as Leopold Stokowski, Alec Wilder, Eric Leinsdorf and his good friend, Fred Fennell, to name a few, complemented their live performances.
Voice Of The Philharmaonic
Photo by Lou Ouzer
He was the “Voice of the Rochester Philharmonic” for many years; writing, producing, and narrating for radio and live concerts from the stage of the beautiful Eastman Theater. His green room interviews with such world-renowned artists as Leopold Stokowski, Alec Wilder, Eric Leinsdorf and his good friend, Fred Fennell, to name a few, complemented their live performances.
On Air 1968
On three occasions, the Eastman School of Music turned to him for scripts, narration, and acting in their annual Arranger’s Holiday, performed at the Eastman Theatre. Walter was also a member of the Renaissance-performing group Ars Antiqua, a two-year side adventure that he thoroughly enjoyed. He covered the Formula One races at Watkins Glen, interviewing racing greats such as Stirling Moss and Jackie Stewart. While at WHAM, he served as assistant program director, producer, and sales
Voice Of The Philharmaonic
Photo by Lou Ouzer
He was the “Voice of the Rochester Philharmonic” for many years; writing, producing, and narrating for radio and live concerts from the stage of the beautiful Eastman Theater. His green room interviews with such world-renowned artists as Leopold Stokowski, Alec Wilder, Eric Leinsdorf and his good friend, Fred Fennell, to name a few, complemented their live performances.
On Air 1968
On three occasions, the Eastman School of Music turned to him for scripts, narration, and acting in their annual Arranger’s Holiday, performed at the Eastman Theatre. Walter was also a member of the Renaissance-performing group Ars Antiqua, a two-year side adventure that he thoroughly enjoyed. He covered the Formula One races at Watkins Glen, interviewing racing greats such as Stirling Moss and Jackie Stewart. While at WHAM, he served as assistant program director, producer, and sales
From Webster Post – Click on photo above for complete article
Walter left WHAM in 1979 to start his own company, which provided a number of clients with public relations and advertising services in the audiovisual medium. He especially loved making documentaries, and he made a number of them, most notably, The Horns of Morning, about the history of fox hunting in the Genesee Valley, and Letchworth: Man, Land and Legend, the story of how Letchworth State Park came to be.