In keeping with recent features concerning Canton's WHBC/1480, NEO Airchecks presents a 1973 recording of "Viewpoint", an evening talk show that ran on the station for more than thirty years. We were made aware of this aircheck by Tim Lones at Cleveland Classic Media, and decided to share it with our readers, too. Don Cirelli, who recorded the broadcast as a teen, posted the aircheck on YouTube. While it's incomplete and the dialogue is occasionally obscured by off-mic remarks made by Don's family (Don indicates that he was using a hand held cassette recorder), it offers a glimpse into an otherwise forgotten night in Canton. Jim Roberts, a longtime WHBC personality and regular host of the program, is heard handling the calls. More than once he is forced to hang up on a prankster. Some things never change.
"Viewpoint" was launched by personality Tom Morrison circa 1966. He would continue to host the program until his departure from WHBC in 1970.(Morrison can still be heard hosting "The Reed Musicale" every Sunday morning.) "Viewpoint", which aired weeknights at 11:30, had several other hosts over the years, including Bob Gilligan, Gene Dylan and newsman Bob Bishop. Current 1480 morning show co-host Pam Cook was among its final hosts prior to the the show's termination in the late 1990's.
I'd have to check the source again, but I believe Jim Roberts also played the station "Santa Claus" in the early 1950's..
ReplyDeleteOne of the "Viewpoint" hosts was current WKBN/570 afternoon drive star Ron Verb. I think he still had the extra vowel in his name in Canton, his radio stop between starting as a teenage host (evenings/weekends) at WHLO/640 Akron and ending up in evenings, then afternoons, at WKBN.
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