Hartford Radio

Images of America: Connecticut

by John Ramsey

Radio broadcasting has been an integral part of the history of Hartford since the early part of the 20th century. WDRC was the state’s first station (1923), and they helped pioneer FM radio technology in the early 1940s. Many Hartford residents learned about the end of World War II via radio, and the medium played a key role in keeping people informed during the floods of 1938 and 1955, the Cuban Missile Crisis, and the great Northeast Blackout of 1965. Surprisingly, Hartford, the capital of “the land of steady habits,” saw two stations break from the pack to help bring the British Invasion to the state in the early 1960s. And thousands of schoolchildren eagerly listened to WTIC’s legendary Bob Steele on wintery mornings as they excitedly awaited school closing announcements. Hartford Radio offers a glimpse into the history of the area’s broadcast stations and the people who ran them.

128 pages, Paperback

First published February 6, 2012

Reviews

[wendy · Rating 4 out of 5]

having been a radio junkie growing up & a hartford disc jockey for a while this is fantastic. i just wish the later decades were covered as in depth as the earlier years.

[Hilda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic history of Hartford radio by a good friend and co-worker of mine :)
A true zealot and authority on the topic.