Airwaves of New York: A drama of AM radio at its best and worst

Rating:

AIRWAVES OF NEW YORK: Illustrated Histories of 156 Am Stations in the Metropolitan Area, 1921-1996

This is a wonderful, compelling read that entertains with interesting trivia (What New York station was the first to play the Beatles? Hint: It was also the first radio station to advertise condoms!) while it exposes obscure but intriguing historical events such as the Brooklyn radio fight of 1936-38 when no less than five Brooklyn radio stations, competing for access to a single radio frequency allocation, refused to relinquish the frequency on a schedule and, instead, resorted to broadcasting their programs simultaneously, in reckless disregard of their listening audience.

The authors have done the impossible: they have compiled an enormous number of fascinating details about the people, the programs, the events, and the ebb and flow of the political forces that forged the profile of the New York metropolitan area's AM radio broadcast band.

The book is a rewarding trip up and down the radio dial.

One of the most important books on the history of radio

Rating:

There are probably a dozen or so books that I've read and re-read cover to cover in one siting. I am adding Kanze and Sulek's to that pile, making it a super baker's dozen. It's a solid, well written text, highlighted with great pictures and memorabilia about radio's AM history in metro #1. My only regret for the radio historian is that there isn't one for all the other major metro areas like Chicago, Los Angeles, Dallas. I look forward to their FM version. Gotta have it. Bob Donnelly

Montclair NJ

New York AM radio is alive once again in this nice pictorial

Rating:

Growing up in New York City, I lived the New York AM radio experience. My era was 1010 WINS with "Murray the K" and Jack Lacy. Occasionally I would dial up to Peter Tripp on WMGM-1050 or down to the "sweatshirt station", WMCA (Yeah-yeah). As I moved through adolescence music began to disappear from New York AM. Soon all we had left was WABC-Musicradio 77. That too would eventually go to radio heaven.

Bill Jaker's fantastic compilation takes us behind the New York radio scene. It puts faces to the voices of the disk jockeys who woke us up each day. Those who sat next to us on the beach blanket at Coney Island on a warm summer afternoon, and to the ones who rocked us to sleep each night. They all come back to life once again thanks to Bill Jaker and his friends.

But that's not all. You'll learn all about the storied history of the #1 radio market in the world. All the great radio stations of the 50's and 60's, and about stations you never even heard of. If you ever turned on a radio in New York, waited patiently for the tubes to glow and wondered who are these guys who keep playing the music I love, this book is for you. Despite what others say, you can go back in time, and this book will take you there. Enjoy! I did.