History of Broadcasting in Harrisburg Told Through Photographs

July 11, 2011 - PRLog -- The newest addition to Arcadia Publishing’s popular Images of America series is Harrisburg Broadcasting from local author Timothy P. Portzline. The book boasts more than 200 vintage images and memories of days gone by.

In 1922, the first radio station in Harrisburg, WBAK, was owned by the Pennsylvania State Police. By 1925, three more stations were added to the local lineup. By 1953, Harrisburg had two television stations within the city limits--WHP-TV and WTPA. WKBO was the city's Top 40 leader in the 1970s. In 1985, album rocker FM104 became WINK 104, skyrocketing almost overnight into one of the highest-rated stations in Harrisburg history.

Throughout the decades, names like Dick Redmond, Ed K. Smith, Ron Drake, Mac McCauley, Pete Wambach, Mike Ross, and countless others have emerged as part of Harrisburg's long, unique broadcasting history. The author hopes that the book will “preserve a unique aspect of local and American history, and that readers will gain a deeper appreciation of the evolution of radio and television in the Harrisburg area.”

Highlights of Harrisburg Broadcasting:
•   The majority of the images used were contributed by local broadcasters.
•   The book recalls how area broadcasters played a major role in several national news stories, including the nuclear accident at Three Mile Island and State Treasurer Budd Dwyer’s final press conference.
•   There are approximately 100 radio and television personalities covering nine decades included in the book.
•   The book identifies landmarks associated with local broadcasting, including the State Theater on Locust Street, the Rio Theater on Walnut Street, and Fort Washington in Lemoyne.

Available at area bookstores, independent retailers, and online retailers, or through Arcadia Publishing at www.arcadiapublishing.com or
(888)-313-2665.

# # #

With more than 6,000 local history titles published to date, Arcadia Publishing is the leading publisher of local and regional history in the United States. Widely recognized sepia books feature hundreds of vintage historical images.