WNOZ Public Service Radio

-->

 Since I was tired of only limited frequency AM radio playing show tunes, bluegrass, or big band music I came up with an idea for a new type of radio station. WNOZ Public Service Radio would be a radio station without any commercials.

Now this was before NPR and all the other public techniques of presenting music or news, but the idea of a commercial-free radio supported by the local area and programmed by the local listeners.

It wouldn’t be difficult. Get a frequency that is not used and a method for transmission (plus all the paperwork from the FCC) and start programming. My idea was just to start small, like a college radio station, with a limited broadcast area around an area of town that was young, affluent, and progressive in their musical taste.

I even had advertising planned. Teaser flyers would be placed all over the broadcast area before the first sound was broadcasted. And the theme was “Who Noz?”  The main graphic would be a 1940’s box radio, the mascot would be a teddy bear with the theme song being “Teddy Bear Picnic”.

Of course it was a pipe dream but in my high school mind I even planned certain shows and formats. Every day would be a “theme”. The themes, like "water", "love", "war", "cars", "girls", "space", etc., would be presented the week before to all the listeners so they have a chance to call in request.

“The Great American Music Theater” is a mix of live and pre-recorded. “The Ha-Ha Hotel” takes the local comedians to do live in the studio or recorded at local venues. “Disco Bagger” a daily soap opera about a guy who works in a grocery store and dances to the music in his head. “Jaws 27” is the continuing story of why we don’t go into the water. “Radio Rick” is the story of a struggling everyman who can make it as a stand up comedian. “Tunnel Guard”, the fascinating tale of those uniformed men and women who walk the rails in the dark tunnels making sure the traffic continues to flow. Another soap opera, “The Crowd Thickens” presents new characters every week living to find each others problems, give bad advice and eat. “Roots of Music” would take one genre of music and explore where and how it was developed.

And every hour would be news, sports, weather, gossip, reviews, and reports on interesting subjects. In the morning the soothing music will wake you up then help you plan with events of the day. Music reviews will fill the later morning before news at noon. The history of “Roots of Music” followed by “Music System Review” covering the latest tech innovations and techniques.

Any show that gets positive responses will be replayed in “Encore”.

Of course I never furthered the dream. I could not get a sponsor or financing and my friends lost interest but today it would make a great iPod list. Who Wnoz?