590 MIGHTY MEMORY #361

WARM’S 5 TOWERS OF POWER 

One of the biggest facts of WARM, The Mighty 590 successes in the 60s and 70s was the power it used to reach a very large section of Pennsylvania and beyond. It was referred to often as the five towers of power and gave WARM coverage in Wyoming County and above, into southern New York state and even parts of Jersey. That did not happen overnight though. 
The application for an increase in power was sent to the FCC in 1949 and was approved. Shortly thereafter WARM started work on a project that would make it the most powerful radio station in the area. The GM and owner at the time was Martin Memolo and his foresight and reinvestment in his station laid the foundation for the mega success of the WARM we all know and remember. 
Here is the article from February 2nd, 1950. 

FCC PERMITS WARM TO BOOST POWER USAGE 

Station To Operate With 5,000 Watts; Plans Expansion 

The Federal Communications Commission at Washington granted the request of Radio Station WARM to increase its power from m 250 watts to 5,000 watts both day and night. The FCC at the same time allowed the station to change its position on the dial from 1400 to 590. 
The order yesterday makes final the proposed decision of March 29th, 1949. It is effective at once. 
The grant involved denial of a competing application by Station WBAX of Wilkes Barre to change from 1240 kilocycles to 590 kilocycles and to increase power from 250 watts to one kilowatt. 
With the receipt of the order the Union Broadcasting Company owners of the station announced plans for a $250,000 expansion program. The firm will build a transmitter house with living quarters for transmitter engineers and five steel towers, each 450 feet high in the vicinity of Falls, Wyoming County. 
It is hoped to have the building completed by June 19th which is the 10th anniversary of the station. 
The step up in power will make WARM the most powerful radio station in Northeastern Pennsylvania. According to FCC estimates, the station will be heard in an area of 8,031 square miles embracing a population of 1, 061, 962. 
It is estimated that the area will be bounded on the Northwest by Ithaca, Elmira, and Binghamton New York; on the Northeast by Narrowsburg, New York and on the Southwest by Schuylkill Haven and the Southeast by Doylestown. 
Studios of WARM are in the Bowman Building occupying two floors. With the changeover it is contemplated that an additional floor will be used and the personnel increased. The transmitter is on the O’Neill Highway in Dunmore. 
Martin f. Memolo is President and General Manager of the broadcasting company. 

 NEW TRANSMITTER HOUSE 

This is an architect’s drawing of the $250,000 transmitter house to be erected near Falls, Wyoming County by Radio Station WARM. It will have five steel towers, each 400 feet high as well as living quarters for transmitter engineers. The building is part of the expansion plan coincidental with the step up in power from 250 watts to 5,000 watts.