Bill-O'-Notes® » Radio

WCAP Radio Days 1984

Bill O'Neill — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 17:47:37 +0000

Here’s a classic [proving that 'classic' does not necessarily confer 'talent'] aircheck from December 5, 1984 at WCAP (980 Lowell). It’s unedited so you can hear lots of pops from when the “skimmer” aircheck tape deck turned on and off. Skimmer only record whenever the mic was on and goes into ‘pause’ mode when the mic it turned off. I worked at WCAP for many years. Even when working elsewhere, with few exceptions, I held down radio shifts at WCAP from around 1981 until 2000. Darlene McCarthy, the news anchor on this audio, is now the weekend news anchor for 7 NBC (WHDH TV Boston). Darlene has been a very successful news anchor for many years. During that time at WCAP Darlene and I shared the 6 pm. to midnight shift; I was the music guy and Darlene did top of hour news throughout the evening. It was clear, during her time at WCAP, that Darlene would go very far and she was a pleasure to work with. Download audio file (Bill_ONeill_on_WCAP_980_Lowell_1984.mp3)

Howard Johnson: Under the Orange Roof

Bill O'Neill — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 00:51:37 +0000

I was checking out this HoJo memorabilia site today – it’s at America’s Landmark: Under the Orange Roof. The site mentions that the Lake George, NY Howard Johnson may have opened for its last “season” this summer as it is up for sale. I discovered this 1957 radio jingle for Howard Johnson. Download audio file (Howard_Johnson_1957_Jingle.mp3) Check it out!

Bill-O’-Spot Reel

Bill O'Neill — Sun, 25 Jul 2010 03:21:51 +0000

Here are some selected audio things from, I think, 1995 to 1997. Commercials, stagers, promos, mostly at WCAP (980 Lowell).

WHDH Radio Aircheck

Bill O'Neill — Sun, 25 Jul 2010 01:31:47 +0000

Just dug up this telescoped aircheck from a day just prior to Father’s Day in 1987. Download audio file (Bill_ONeill_on_WHDH_850_Boston_June_1987.mp3) WHDH is no longer with us – it went away when 590 WEEI owners purchased WHDH, deleted the heritage Boston station and planted WEEI at 850, a much more powerful signal, where Sportsradio 850 WEEI still resides to this day. The WHDH call letters still reside in Boston on Channel 7. The days of “Full-Service Adult Contemporary (A/C)” radio are all but gone, but WHDH and WBZ (1030 Boston) were prolific radio leaders in listenership and billing with the format that met it’s peak in the 70s and 80s. I was certainly blessed to have had even a relatively brief opportunity to take the format out for a spin.

WSSH Boston Radioactive Memories

Bill O'Neill — Sat, 24 Jul 2010 04:59:44 +0000

Lost and found. I just dug through a bunch of audio tapes tonight that I didn’t even know that I had saved. I had assumed the tapes were lost in our 2000 move to Vermont. Mostly airchecks from my radio days at WCAP (980 Lowell), the former WSSH (99.5 Boston), and former WHDH (850 Boston). The one I’ve got running now is a March 14, 1987 aircheck from WSSH. It’s ‘scoped’ from 7PM to 1AM which means that the tape only recorded whenever I keyed the microphone and then went into ‘pause’ mode whenever I turned off the mic. So, you get my voice talking into and out of a music set. Download audio file (Bill_ONeill_on_WSSH_Boston_March_1987.mp3) I now notice how often I mentioned that a certain song was “on compact disc.” That’s because the technology was just getting going. In fact, most of the songs you hear were played on “cart” which was a tape cartridge that resembled an 8-Track tape. (Ask an old guy if that still eludes….) Time had a way. I forgot how much I really enjoyed working at WSSH. Like WHDH, it’s no longer a radio station! ”Wish, ninety-NINE point five, WSSH” was based in Lowell, Mass. Continue reading →

Shoreham Loses Historic Structure

Bill O'Neill — Sun, 11 Apr 2010 15:01:38 +0000

Newton Academy in Shoreham was destroyed by fire during the evening of April 7th, apparently due to a lightning strike to a gas furnace in the Shoreham Preschool section of the town’s multi-use building. Shorewell Clinic medical offices in the building were also destroyed along with years of medical records. Some artifacts from the Historical Society were salvaged. No injuries in battling the fire with mutual aide from Vergennes, Addison, Bridport, Cornwall and other towns. The building’s 200th anniversary was to be celebrated this summer. Newton Academy served as the town’s high school until 1967. Recently a 250K new roof was installed. Tough loss for the small town of 1,200. Here is my report for Farm Fresh Radio 102.9 in Burlington — Download audio file (Newton Academy Fire.mp3)

Sounds from the Champlain Bridge demolition

Bill O'Neill — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 05:43:03 +0000

Download audio file (Champlain-Bridge-Reaction_1.mp3)

Man In the Bridge

Bill O'Neill — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 03:57:43 +0000

What's In a Motive?

Bill O'Neill — Fri, 06 Jul 2007 17:32:03 +0000

What is it about crime news stories where speculation regarding motive plays such a central role? Just scanning some news stories of the day, particularly in television news, there seems to be this pressing urgency to get to the WHY of the story before exhausting key elements. News organizations must devote more time and expertise in satisfactorily reporting the Who, the What, the Where & the When before earning the right to go deeper into the story and to seek the Why. Apologists for perpetrators of violent crime waste no time proffering excuses for the heinous act. Likewise, the media who highlight a basis for evil actions over the necessity to identify the next stop for the wheels of justice simply full-monty their liberal bias every time.

American Idol

Bill O'Neill — Thu, 18 Jan 2007 17:09:20 +0000

There has been a lot of discussion about the unfortunate treatment by the America Idol judges to the ‘cattle parade’ of contestants. Thirty five million people bear witness to what seems to be a rash of misdirected private citizens all vying for a drink at the trough of success, fame and fortune. Long before reality TV, there was reality (talk) radio. I considered callers to any talk show I was hosting over the years as a guest. Even if things went bad, as it were, I was the host and they were my guest, not fodder. I consistently felt somewhat responsible for that person who would now be off of the phone, left to deal with whatever was going on, now alone. (I know that sounds a bit over-ripe, but….) Likewise, broadcasters (remember those?) need to remember that the cattle parades that line up for reality TV are invited guests. And how we treat our guests says more about us than other measures of success or power.

Open Sores

Bill O'Neill — Mon, 16 Oct 2006 17:07:56 +0000

Today’s Lowell Sun www.lowellsun.com is reporting that “Radio personality” Christopher Lydon’s $12,500 monthly contract for his four (4) one hour shows per week, Open Source, which is produced entirely at WGBH, is being dropped by UMass Lowell at the end of the year. The SUN story notes that the $150,000 per year that Bay State taxpayers sent to Lydon did not include payroll and state benefits provided to four of his staff including his producer, Mary McGrath. Although the Lydon hour aired daily on WUML (91.5 Lowell) it originated and was distributed via WGBH radio in Boston to around 30 other stations. Throughout the contract, Lydon had no involvement with WUML at UMass Lowell. File under: Nice work if you can get it.

WCAP Radio’s 55th Birthday & Reunion Bash Live Broadcast

Bill O'Neill — Mon, 15 May 2006 15:46:48 +0000

Event: WCAP Radio’s 55th Birthday & Reunion Bash Live Broadcast When: Saturday Evening, JUNE 10th from 6- 10 pm Where: Gary’s Ice Cream, 127 Merrimack, Street, Downtown Lowell Hosts: Bill O’Neill and Gary Francis Featuring Live Appearances by WCAP Alumni: Joe Corcoran, Dave Faneuf, Mary Blake, Bill Smith, Doug Barker, Chuck Jenest, Mark Adams, Joe Abrams, Gordon Hamilton, Don & Anita Hill, Fred Faust, along with Congressman Marty Meehan, State Senator Steve Panagiatakos, Lowell Mayor Bill Martin, and a host of others.