The Broadcast Pioneers of Philadelphia

WFIL Radio Advertisement
February 1935
(Click on the picture to see a larger version)

This is a print ad that WFIL Radio ran in early 1935. By the way, this is how the ad ran. It is NOT a negative image. As it says: WFIL is the merger of WLIT and WFI, two of Philadelphia's pioneer stations. The two combined in Janury of 1935.

WLIT was originally WDAR. They changed the call to WLIT in 1925. That station was owned by Lit Brothers Department Store. WFI was owned by Strawbridge & Clothier. Until their merger, the two stations shared the 560 khz frequency. We DO mean share. Here's a broadcast schedule for Tuesday, June 28, 1932.

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560 khz

6:45 am - Health Exercises (WFI)
8 am - Gene & Glenn (WFI)
8:15 am - Morning Devotion (WFI)
8:30 am - Cheerio (WFI)
9 am - Women's House Hour (WLIT)
9:15 am - Democratic Convention Highlights, Mrs. J. Borden Harriman (WLIT)
9:30 am - Northern Liberty Hospital (WLIT)
9:40 am - The Marmola Program (WLIT)
9:45 am - Our Daily Food (WFI)
10 am - Market Report (WFI)
10:05 am - The Banjoleers (WFI)
10:15 am - Souvenirs of Melody (WFI)
10:30 am - Hillbilly Songs (WFI)
10:45 am - Breen and de Rose (WFI)
11 am - Dr. Ella Oppenheimer (WLIT)
11:15 am - Household Institute (WLIT)
11:30 am - Gorham's Orchestra (WLIT)
12 noon - Home Circle (WLIT)
12:15 pm - Noonday Religious Service (WLIT)
12:30 pm - Charlie Kerr's Orchestra (WLIT)
1 pm - News (WFI)
1:15 pm - Recital by George Vail (WFI)
1:30 pm - Studio recital (WFI)
1:45 pm - Market Report (WFI)
2 pm - Marimba Melodies (WLIT)
2:15 pm - Ada Bower, reader (WLIT)
2:30 pm - Edward Bandis, pianist (WLIT)
2:45 pm - Woman's Hospital Program (WLIT)
3 pm - To be announced (WFI)
3:15 pm - Contemporary Art (WFI)
3:30 pm - Woman's Radio Review (WFI)
4 pm - Junior Theater (WFI)
4:15 pm - Evelyn Oliver, soprano (WFI)
4:30 pm - Virginia Allen, contralto (WLIT)
4:45 pm - Jack Abrams, pianist (WLIT)
4:55 pm - Time Signal (WLIT)
5 pm - Gertrude Bilby, messo soprano (WLIT)
5:15 pm - Skippy (WLIT)
5:30 pm - Pirate Club (WLIT)
5:45 pm - Jack Kemf, pianist (WLIT)
5:50 pm - Sports Summary, baseball scores (WLIT)
6 pm - Sports Flashes & scores (WFI)
6:15 pm - Time Signal (WFI)
6:30 pm - Melody Briefs (WFI)
6:45 pm - Back of the News (WFI)
7 pm - Book Review (WFI)
7:15 pm - American Air Transportation, Colonel Harry Blee, Department of Commerce, speaker (WFI)
7:30 pm - Ray Perkins (WFI)
7:45 pm - The Goldbergs (WFI)
8 pm - Sanderson & Crumit (WFI)
8:30 pm - Mary & Bob (WFI)
9 pm - Alden Edkins, bass baritone (WFI)
9:30 pm - Ed Wynn and band (WFI)
10 pm - Dance Hour (WFI)
11 pm - Russ Columbo's Orchestra (WFI)
11:15 pm - Democratic Convention Roundup (WFI)
11:30 pm - New Yorker Orchestra (WFI)

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