The Broadcast Pioneers of Philadelphia

(Left to right) Harry Bickardt, maybe Allan Hotlen and Jay Strassberg
WIP Radio
Monday, June 9, 1969

(Click on the photo to see a larger version)

Harry Bickardt was an engineer at WIP Radio. He has beeen identified by Broadcast Pioneers member Bill McCloskey who worked at the station between 1961 and 1968 or so.

Jay Strassberg
WIP Radio
Monday, June 9, 1969

All three pictures date from Monday. June 9, 1969. At the mike in all three photos is Jay A. Strassberg, a long time hand at WRCV and KYW radio.

We are not sure exactly how Jay ended up at WIP radio, but Jay's daughter, Miryam Roddy sent us this news release issued by Temple University in 1965. The paper was found in Jay's personal belongings. It says:

The establishment of a WIP Graduate Assistantship in Communications at Temple University has been jointly announced by Dr. Millard E. Gladfelter, University president, and David C. Croninger, vice president of Metromedia and general manager of WIP.

Under the agreement, an outstanding candidate for the Master of Arts degree in communications at Temple will be provided with a $600 payment toward his tuition and will receive a $2,400 annual stipend to cover his living expenses for the ten-month academic year. The assistantship is renewable for one year. In return, the student will work an average of 20 hours per week in the WIP news department in a professional capacity. He will also have the opportunity to work full-time in the news department during the two summer months when classes are not in session.

Ken Schuster has identified the person standing in the top photo as Broadcast Pioneers member Allan Hotlen. We contacted Allan and asked for confirmation. Allan said, probably but thought it could also be Broadcast Pioneers member Tom Moran. We then continued our investigation by getting hold of Broadcast Pioneers member Tom Moran. Tom said it wasn't either him or Allan.

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