[BC] FM History

[Rich Wood]

------ At 12:43 PM 11/26/2010, Donna Halper wrote: -------

>It was the Buckminster Hotel in Kenmore Square.  I've visited several
>times but found no trace of any old Yankee network equipment.

I'm not sure there was any Yankee Network equipment. WNAC carried and 
originated it and, I believe, the news departments were the same. 
 From memory, I believe the network was only news. Probably the only 
equipment dedicated to Yankee was the interface with the phone company.

WOR and Mutual were much the same for news. WOR also produced much of 
Mutual's entertainment programming at 1440 Broadway. I once visited 
the second floor, I think, where those shows were produced. Some 
equipment had been removed but the place looked like a neutron bomb 
hit it. Everything in place, just no people. The same was true of the 
RKO General headquarters on the 25th floor. Desks were still in place 
and file drawers were full. I had access to it and regret that I 
didn't explore more. There was a wealth of information just sitting there.

  When I was at Emerson, Ted Phillips (head of the Broadcasting 
Department) asked if I'd be willing to help dismantle the old WNAC 
transmitter. It occupied two floors and had fencing as its cabinet. 
If you were dumb enough to risk it you could walk through it. It was 
water cooled. The largest transformers and the water pumps were 
downstairs feeding distilled water via ceramic pipes directly to the plates.

I was excited to get involved but hauling it away would have cost too 
much and taken too long. We also had no place to store it.

>I've long hoped to find the files from WNAC back in the Shepard
>days, but they too seem to have vanished, except for an occasional
>piece that somebody saved and donated to my collection

You might ask Herb Squire. He rescued most of WOR's history and I 
wouldn't be surprised to find he did the same for the Yankee Network. 
Not sure but worth a try.

Rich