590 MIGHTY MEMORY #139

WARM NEWS PROMO 

(Photo: 590 Forever archives)

Talk about a time warp. WARM Radio always promoted everything it did including the news. This promo though stirs up a type of cultural time warp. Terry McNulty and  Ken Curtis who used to be overnights were doing news. Jeff Lubar was The Washington reporter courtesy of UPI. 
But the one that stands out is Kitch Loftus who turned into one of the most accomplished news reporters in the market was dubbed as "The News Girl". Loftus later went on to work with her husband the late Anthony Mussari on award winning documentaries called "Windsor Park Stories". 
But here is that promo.  

590 MIGHTY MEMORY #140

THE START OF EDUCATIONAL TV AND HOW WARM WAS INVOLVED

We all take WVIA TV and FM for granted. Many in our community think it's always been there. But every great broadcast entity begins with a seed of an idea. That idea spawned by Marywood College at the time grew into public broadcasting. 
In 1955 Marywood offered a 13 week course via television. It was a History of Drama class.  This ad illustrates just how "The world via TV" started. 
Years later WVIA, in 1966 brought Education and Entertainment via TV. 
Later on the radio too. 
Integral in its start was of course WARM TV. Channel 16. Later WVIA started at Marywood with the help of equipment from WNEP. Thanks to our good friend Joe Klapatch for finding this ad.

590 MIGHTY MEMORY #141

"KEVIN JORDAN, WARM NEWS" 

(Photo: 590 Forever archives)

Kevin Jordan came to WARM at the ripe old age of 19. He was a hard hitting newsman, loved his work, and had an authoritative voice that WARM Radio listeners loved to listen to in the mid 1970s. 
Jordan later went on to working with Luzerne County and in private business before his death but during his time at WARM, Kevin Jordan was a "must listen to" broadcaster. 
Here's a very brief audio snippet of him on The Mighty 590, WARM.

590 MIGHTY MEMORY #142

"TERRY McNULTY WARM NEWS"

Mrs. 590 Forever, the late Terry McNulty and the late Mary Carrano. (Photo: 590 Forever archives)

He was known as "The Big Fella" when he did weekends at WARM, then when he did 9 to noon and ultimately taking over the WARM morning shift after Harry West departed, TBF was the moniker that stuck. He was also known for his serialization of a fictional Wilkes Barre Area (Goose Island) couple Pushy and Reba Bosco as well as his "Pineapple Feature" where locals were included in the joke to pass the can of pineapple around for just a taste.
But McNulty was an accomplished newsman. As a matter of fact, he was one of the first news people on the scene at Sheppton's Mine Disaster in 1963.  To WARMland he announced the shooting and death of John F. Kennedy. McNulty went from on air personality to newsman because he was so versatile. 
From 1978 here is a classic Terry McNulty newscast on The Mighty 590. 

590 MIGHTY MEMORY #143

WARM GROWTH PAINS 

WARM had such an aura about them through the years that its status in the community was elevated to near broadcast canonization. But WARM was a business like any other operating in Northeastern Pennsylvania. There were times as this Scranton Tribune article from 1955 showed that at some point there were some steps backward in order to regroup and move forward. From our good friend Joe Klapatach. 

590 MIGHTY MEMORY #144

GEORGE GILBERT 

NOON 'TIL 3, IT WAS DOUBLE G 

George Gilbert was the main stay of The Mighty 590. Gilbert was there almost from the first day. Gilbert was working at WIBG in Philly when WARM came a calling in the late 50s. His on air career spanned the 60s, 70s, the 80s and even the early 90s on WARM. He was the voice WARMlanders knew. 
It was Gilbert as Program Director who spearheaded the many promotions WARM ran. He later did a stint in Williamsport, worked a year or two in sales and then returned to the airwaves in the 1990 when he and Ron Allen did a return to WARMland music show back to back. Just like the old days. 
But Gilbert is best remembered for those early, upbeat broadcasts that made the Double G show a must hear affair in this market. Here's a sample.

590 MIGHTY MEMORY #145

THE DON STEVENS SHOW & SUPERIOR SONIC SOUND 

Don Stevens had the voice that was made for WARM Rafio. Stevens was the 9am to noon  guy for many years on The Mighty 590. He also served for many years as an Operations Manager of WARM.
Stevens also did news cutaways on WBRE TV and was known as The Esso Newsman. After leaving Warm in the mid 60s he joined WSCR.
Afterwards, Stevens worked for the government in the Navy Department.
Stevens had two catch phrases, at 10:30 every morning midway through his shift after the news, he loudly proclaimed "We're halfway home!"
Stevens also sang "Welcome To My World" during his show.  Here's a clip from one of his broadcasts.

590 MIGHTY MEMORY #146

WARM AND TURKEY DAY FOOTBALL

Do you remember when Thanksgiving was the day for high school football rivalries? Games were played on Turkey Day for high school athletes. Dinner could wait as the kids played their hearts out. 
Now in the age of helicopter parents and kids sitting behind computers, playing on the gridiron is a far distant memory on Turkey Day. 
But back in the 50s kids played ball and people came to see them.
Those who didn't could hear the games on WARM Radio. 
Even that 3pm game in the dead of winter. 
That we will never see again. 
Thanks to our friend Joe Klapatch for providing this ad from Thanksgiving mid 1950s. 

590 MIGHTY MEMORY #147

KIM MARTIN 

He was a known radio name in the Wilkes Barre/Scranton market. For years he did the morning show on WEJL AM, 630 on the dial. Then he moved to WARM first at mid days, then the mornings before he moved on to WIBG in Philadelphia as McClintock. 
Here's audio from this brief  time on The Mighty 590. 

590 MIGHTY MEMORY #148

WARM AND THE AD FROM 1955

Check out this radio ad for WARM Radio, January 1955. This was for WARM TV and 590 AM.