WCSI-AM & FM

[David Sechrest]

From The Billboard, August 23, 1947

Indiana FM Station To Begin Operation

The newest FM station in Indiana, WCSI-FM, has completed construction of its 334 foot broadcasting tower and will start operations shortly upon conclusion of the usual equipment and program tests. The station will operate eight hours daily on 92.7 megacycles, with a power of 31,000 watts. It is owned and operated by Syndicated Theaters, with main offices in Franklin, Indiana.
Staff personnel of the new station include K. O. McLone, commercial manager; Harold M. Arthurs, news editor; Russ Newman, chief engineer; Graeme Zimmer, promotion director, and Ray Dougherty, chief of the artist bureau.

[nancs]

Apr 16, 2010 7:39:48 GMT -5 David Sechrest said:

From The Billboard, August 23, 1947
Indiana FM Station To Begin Operation

The newest FM station in Indiana, WCSI-FM, has completed construction of its 334 foot broadcasting tower and will start operations shortly upon conclusion of the usual equipment and program tests. The station will operate eight hours daily on 92.7 megacycles, with a power of 31,000 watts. It is owned and operated by Syndicated Theaters, with main offices in Franklin, Indiana.
Staff personnel of the new station include K. O. McLone, commercial manager; Harold M. Arthurs, news editor; Russ Newman, chief engineer; Graeme Zimmer, promotion director, and Ray Dougherty, chief of the artist bureau.

Well, that pretty much establishes when Harold Arthurs came to Columbus, I believe via Ohio. Noted it mentions that the station would operate for 8 hours per day----------------my question-----consecutive hours??? Having gone with Harold and my dad in the evening when Harold did a news broadcast, I also know that the station had a booth set up at the county fair in a corner of the building where 4-H projects were on exhibit-----food prep, baking, sewing, and the like..................and that broadcast went on during the day............

Next question, was this the station where you could call in, at night, and make song requests along with 'dedications?' Perhaps that only went on during the weekends--------Friday and/or Saturday nights??? Know the '3 Js' called in numerous requests! ;D

Hmmmmm?

Nanc

[drewmnbc4]

WCSI-AM Circa 1979

5-9:AM Larry Henry
9:AM-1:PM Mike King
1:PM-6:PM Scott McKain
6:PM - Sign-Off Boogie Bob Hawkins

Weekends:

Andy Myers
Paul Kenny
Kim Gatten

[RER]

WCSI Sports Announcers 1952-1953 (58 Years Ago)
Radio AM 1010 and FM 93.7
Columbus Indiana

They called themselves the"WCSI Sports Team," which consisted of Woody Fleming, Bob Westermeier and Julian Piercefield. They called basketball games during the year shown above.

Interesting Backgrounds: Woody Flemming was a CHS science teacher and bulldogs baseball coach. Further, he was an outdoor sportsman. In later years he became the Director of Indiana Natural Resources.

Bob Westermeier was part of the the ownership of the Westermeier Store at the East end of 3rd & California Streets.. He too was an outdoor sportsman.

Julian Piercefield worked at the Indiana Gas & Water Company. During the 1950s he was a high school basketball referee. Some remember him during the 1956 to 1958 time frame.

Note: If anyone has more information about these three former announcers, please come forward.
______________________________

Here Is A Repost Related To WCSI (years 1956 - 1960)

Former Radio Announcer/Program Director Jerry Castor posted this on the boards Nov 20, 2005 (in his own words):

"I came to WCSI Radio in the Spring of 1956 when it was an AM station only. The company was owned by Syndicate Theatres, Inc. which owned the Crump, Mode and Rio theatres in town and the Columbus Drive-In on State Road 31-A north of the city. Syndicate Theatres sold the radio station to current owner White River Broadcasting in, as I recall, 1957.

The new owners applied for and received permission from the FCC to put an FM station on the air so we could stay on at night and broadcast local sports events. FM frequencies are set up as "100.1" "100.3", "100.5" etc. The owners wanted the 101.1 frequency to (as nearly as possible) match the 1010 frequency of the AM station..but101.1 was held by a station in Louisville, KY, so we went on the air as WCSI-FM at 101.5.

In the first year we broadcast Football and Basketball games on FM, I did the play-by-play with CHS Teacher/Athletic Trainer Chuck Richardson as my statistician/color man. Another CHS teacher, Jim Orlosky, succeeded Chuck in this capacity.

In 1960, Sam Simmermaker joined the staff as a weekend employee. I was drafted into the U.S. Army in October of that year, and Sam took over the play-by-play duties, assisted by Sid Thompson.

After my military service, I returned to WCSI in 1962 as Program Director. Sid was hired by a station in Terre Haute not long after that, and I then joined Sam for the sports broadcasting.
Sam was the primary play-by-play announcer, but we alternated duties during multi-game days when tourney time came around. We had great fun and once talked of publishing a guide on "Where to dine when you're following the 'Dogs to out-of-town South Central Conference Games."

Being part of the broadcast team for the Bulldogs' unbeaten 1963/64 season was a never-to-be-forgotten experience that I will always treasure. And to have the privilege of working with a pair of Indiana Basketball legends: Sam Simmermaker and Bill Stearman. I still see Sam about once per year when he comes to my "Columbus Speedway Oldtimers Reunion" at the 4-H Fairgrounds every February..if the Bullfrogs aren't swimming in the State Tournament that day.

I once told Bill Stearman that although I never played basketball for him, I would always think of him as my Coach. Godspeed Bill, and thanks for showing us all that an individual can be successful and a fine human being at the same time. Go Dogs!"


Sources: The 1953 LOG of CHS. A special thank you to Richard for adding addtional information. Also, Jerry Castor's historical information.

[RER]

WCSI Sports Announcers Year 1952 -1953




Source: Picture taken from the 1953 LOG of CHS.

[drewmnbc4]