Frank Hogan, a Broadcast Pioneer

Frank J. Hogan
2004

Broadcast Pioneers member Frank Hogan caught the radio bug early in life. Only in high school, Frank seized the opportunity to "hang with the big boys" at Philadelphia's heritage rock station WIBG. Keenly curious, Frank wanted to learn everything about the radio biz. This led to another opportunity as record hop disc jockey at such memorable 1960's Philly dances as St. Hillary's, Jardel and Sunday Nights at the Concord Ballroom.

With a strong interest in the technical and production side of radio, Frank enrolled at Philadelphia Wireless Technical Institute to study electronics technology. In 1972, Frank was hired as chief engineer at WYSP. Only one year later, he was hired by WPBS as assistant chief and on-air announcer. Quickly advancing to chief engineer, Frank was instrumental in the WFIL organization purchasing WPBS, and converting the station to WUSL-FM.

He moved to the legendary WFIL-AM as production engineer, while also maintaining the technical aspects of the station and filling on-air shifts during "oldies" shows.

Frank's technical talents preceded him when in 1977 he was contacted by Rowan University (then Glassboro State College) to design and build new radio studios for WGLS-FM as part of the University's growing communication program. This began a lifelong commitment with higher education and radio. After the build, Frank continued the relationship with Rowan University as an adjunct professor, writing and teaching radio courses, as well helping to create the radio component of its Radio-TV-Film major, while continuing to work full-time in Philadelphia radio.

Frank pursued further technical education earning an Electronics Technology degree from the Cleveland Institute of Technology. He has been a member of the Society of Broadcast Engineers since 1972, and is certified as Professional Broadcast Engineer, the highest certification available.

Frank left Philadelphia and WFIL in 1986 to take on a start up radio station, WTYO-AM in Hammonton, New Jersey, as vice president and general manager.

There he crafted a successful smaller market radio station until 1991 when Rowan University created a general manager position for WGLS. The University was looking for a full-time, experienced professional to oversee the student staff, lend real-world experience and take the station to greater heights.

Under Frank's leadership WGLS has become recognized as one of the premiere college stations in the nation, winning more that 112 national awards including College Station of the Year. In addition to his regular duties, Frank coordinated, again, the relocation of WGLS studios to newer modern facilities, new broadcast training facilities and an increase in signal power.

Frank continues to teach courses in advanced radio production and co-authored the WGLS Training Manual, which has been cited by the National Association of College Broadcasters as a model for other college station manuals. In addition to his work at Rowan University, Frank serves as adjunct professor and broadcast engineering consultant to Cabrini College and Villanova University both in suburban Philadelphia.

With over 30 years experience in the broadcasting field, Frank had been accepted as a member, and was subsequently elected to a two-year term as the 37th president of the Broadcast Pioneers of Philadelphia. After that, he served one year as our Chairman of the Board.

Frank continues to impart his vast knowledge of the broadcasting field with college students, sharing the past, teaching the present, and transitioning into the future of radio.

Frank lives in Washington Township, New Jersey, with his wife, Alisa, and youngest son, Sean. His oldest son, Fran, a restaurateur, lives in Philadelphia. Daughter, Kate, a graphic designer, is completing a degree at Pratt Institute in New York.

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