The 1967 Templar

What It Said About WRTI

The following is republished from the 1967 edition of the Templar, the Temple University Yearbook, who gave us their kind permission to use the material.


This year WRTI radio station attempted to provide its listeners with new types of programs which were not offered by other stations. Among its new productions were rebroadcasts of BBC and Radio Moscow productions. A discussion program concerning vital issues and usually featuring university students was another new aspect of WRTI's programming. The return of radio drama was an attempt to revive memories of the early days of radio. As part of another program---records were played from the 1920's.

WRTI-AM, serving only those who live on campus, offered programs designed especially to fit the dorm students' interests. Similar programs on the FM station were aimed at reaching the masses of Temple students who live in all parts of the city. Such programs included concerts, game shows, discussion and disc jockey shows.

Although many broadcasters are not journalism majors, WRTI acts as a training center for those students interested in the radio field.

A few comments and memories from Gerry Wilkinson....
***The reference to the BBC and Radio Moscow broadcasts referred to Mike Biel"s presentation of "The World Tonight." The BBC was broadcast live from London at 7 pm. That's why the show started at 6:59 pm. Following the World Service of BBC came news from Radio Moscow which was taped at 6 pm. Then the local newscaster (You know, the one who referred to columnist Drew Pearson as Communist Drew Pearson...) read a local summary from UPI. You remember Mike running down the stairs at Thomas Hall with that portable shortwave radio.

***The reference to radio drama was "Playhouse 90.1." The program started in the fall of 1966 (along with Retrospect, a weekly documentary program.) In January of 1967, the shows were turned over to me. In the first semester, Playhouse 90.1 was mainly classroom presentations with Retrospect coming mostly from Mike Biel's record collection. When I took over the shows, they became original presentations. How I had the time, I have no idea. You remember, you would be walking down the hall, and I would drag you into the studio, hand you a script.... In September, 1967, Playhouse 90.1 started another season with more original programs. Reruns were being aired under the name "Garden State Playhouse" on WGLS-FM, the Glassboro Sate university radio station. At the same time, a second drama series, Thru the Mist began its weekly broadcasts, which ended up (I believe) between Party Time and Broadside on Saturday night. I wanted to the program to be called "Wild, Weird and Wonderful" hosted by Dr. Wonderful. The Wild & Weird referred to the type of radio (it was like Twilight Zone but on radio). Rick Bayha nixed the idea but finally allowed the program on as "Thru the Mist" hosted by Bruce Smallwood. If you remember, part way thru that season Bruce took sick and missed several weeks of school. Well, who would be the new host... You know who!! Dr. Wonderful (Ed Sciaky). The Good Doctor (or in this case, the Bad Doctor) was, supposedly, holding Bruce Smallwood for ransom (a thousand bottle caps---I forget why) and Dr. Wonderful broadcast his random demands each week on the show. When Bruce returned to school, Dr. Wonderful released him and things went back to normal... Bayha never found out until after the last show was aired. He came into Master Control (you remember that gray drawer rack by the door) looking for something and started to open drawers. Biel, Sciaky and I yelled "Don't" but he did anyhow. He sure was surprised to find these bottle caps sent in by ??? (listeners?). One box had almost 700 beer caps in it...items from a frat party?? I still have no idea where those caps came from. Well, someone told Rick (I think it was the Kentucky Rat ph.d). He just laughed, walked out of the room shaking his head in disbelief. In the second half of that year, January 1968, Retrospect expanded to one hour which featured ten one-hour documentaries about the Second World War. I still remember tons of stuff about WWII. Don't get me started about August 23, 1939. That's the date of the non-aggression pact between Germany and the Soviet Union. But that's another story....

***I don't remember any game show....

***Non-journalism students...what about R-T-F majors. Were we chopped liver??

***WRTI acts as.... That has sure changed, hasn't it. Read Jerry Klein's letter to Dr. Blenheim in 1978. I wholeheartedly agree 100% with his opinion.

An e-mail from Mike Biel to Gerry Wilkinson....You gave as good an explanation of my international program as I could have. Yo did forget to mention that they were also referring to The Record Shelf for the program with records from the 20s. I had forgotten EVERYTHING about Into the Mist and Wild Weird & Wonderful, and still don't remember the bottle caps at all. I don't think I was the snitch. But you know, that format sounds a bit like Mystery Science Theatre 3000.

This is the WRTI OLD GANG Web Site!