The Broadcast Pioneers of Philadelphia

Kae Williams & Lois Timbers
WDAS Radio
1968

This picture was taken in 1968 at WDAS Radio. This was the AM station's air studio. It was approx. 12 feet by 25 feet. On its right was the FM studio with a hallway leading to offices on the left. Straight ahead was a small news announce booth with the master control next to it.

At that time (1968), the engineering staff controlled the level with the disc jockeys controlling with simple switches what was or was not put on the air. The gray metal box in the lower left side of the photograph was a "home brew" switching device which gave the DJs some control over what went out over the air.

In 1971, both AM & FM received new consoles and they were run by the disc jockeys. The main production studio which had a small console since 1967 was replaced in 1973 with a state of the art console installed by the people at Frankford Sound Studio. Its individual fader & switching configuration was designed by Broadcast Pioneers member Gerry Wilkinson, who was Operations Manager of WDAS AM & FM from 1970 until 1980. It was said that WDAS's production facilities at that time was one of the top ones on the entire east coast. The woman in the picture was Lois Timbers, Traffic Manager for both AM & FM.

The e-mail address of the Broadcast Pioneers of Philadelphia is pioneers@broadcastpioneers.com