We begin the all-new Tom Lacko collection with this sales demo tape of WFFM Pittsburgh. Cut from a monaural studio reel (or cart), this tape gives a comprehensive look at the WFFM broadcast day, circa 1980.
For those who never actually worked in radio, a tape like this is something salespeople could take to prospective advertisers to give them an idea of what the station sounded like. Most radio stations that were well programmed made an official demo for the sales department – or, sometimes it was good enough to win a trade magazine award (can anyone say GAVIN?)
Listen to WFFM and see if this wasn’t a station you would have listened to.
The station is known today as WRRK – “Bob-FM” (apparently Jack’s brother…)
Our image voice at WFFM was David George who, sadly, passed away in 2011.
George Hart, who worked middays at WFFM, and at KQV early in his career, passed away March 29, 1993.
FM 97 was such a great station… but the studios were a DUMP. Now, the place where the studios were, is an empty lot. At the time, I was one of the participants in the Studio 97 program. Like I said, the station was great. Management… not so much.
FM 97’s studios were on Braddock Ave in Braddock, PA., near the Edgar Thompson steel mill. The building was– literally, a former Studabaker or Packard car dealership. Studios and offices were on the 2nd floor. We all parked in the former service area.
Speaking of FM97. Anyone know the whereabouts of either Jan Patton or Jeff Walker, both of which you’ll find on this aircheck? Thanks.