Lou’s View – Nov. 20, 2014
WBPZ
by Lou Bernard
A historic moment happened in Lock Haven on August 22, 2014. It happened because I couldn’t get a babysitter.
I’d gotten a call from the local AM radio station, WBPZ. I’m on their morning show, usually, every other Friday morning to talk about local history. Someone had cancelled out for one of my off-weeks, and they called me to see if I could fill in. (I think they usually call me first, mostly because I have no life.) I agreed to show up, and do the show.
Which left me with the concern of my recently-adopted son, Paul Matthew. He was two months old at the time, so I couldn’t very well leave him at home while I was on the radio, even if I let him listen. My daughter Tiffany has been our usual go-to babysitter, but I didn’t think it was fair to spring this on her on short notice like this.
So I stuck Paul in his stroller, and took him along.
I told Paul all about the radio station on the way down, as I pushed him in the stroller. I don’t know how much of this history he absorbed, but he’s my kid—I have to start somewhere. (“You think you’re going out with your friends? Not until you list me all of the Lock Haven mayors in order.”)
WBPZ first came on the air sixty-seven years ago, on February 20, 1947. (I assume some people had radios already back then.) At the time, it was up at the top of Bellefonte Avenue—It later moved down to Main Street where it is now.
Harris Lipez, who had gotten some experience working at Williamsport’s WRAK in 1933, was the first announcer. Lipez began his career at WBPZ as an announcer and assistant secretary, and in two years was promoted to general manager. (No, I’m not really good enough to have all this memorized. I found a 25-year anniversary program from 1972 that lists a lot of the history—More on that later.)
In addition to Lipez, the original officers included President Donald Welch, Vice-Presidents Harry Shaffer and Tom Caprio, Director W.T. Piper Junior, Treasurer Paul Breon, Secretary A.H. Lipez, and Directors John Turner and Gurney Wagner.
In the 1972 anniversary program, it says,”Improvements in recent years include the addition of FM at a frequency of 92.1 and a decision to broadcast around the clock, 24 hours a day on both AM and FM. Expanded live sports coverage, an up-to-date musical format, top flight staff members, and improved public service programs have all served to increase the WBPZ role in the local community.”
When I walked in with Paul, the guys at the station were really cool about it. It’s not every media appearance that you could get away with bringing your baby to. They all passed Paul around while I got coffee.
And the show began.
Paul started off in his stroller, and when he began to get cranky, I just picked him up and held him as we talked about local history. He made a few noises into the microphone, and then fell asleep during the commercial. Which I’d probably do myself, if they didn’t give me coffee.
Which was the historic event—On August 22, 2014, my two-month-old son became the youngest person ever to be on the air on WBPZ.
As far as we know, anyway. And frankly, if anyone has ever rushed their baby straight from the delivery room to the radio station, I’m not sure if I want to know the story behind it.
So that’s the story about how my son became the youngest voice locally on the air. It’s a story that I’m sure he’ll hear repeatedly growing up, to his dismay. “Yes, Dad, I know I was on the radio as a baby. You told me that. Can I just go out and play now?”
