Historic Memphis Broadcasting

Originally, Crystal Radios were the simplest type of radio receiver.  They could be handmade with a few inexpensive parts, like an antenna wire, tuning coil of copper wire, crystal detector and earphones.  They produced rather weak sound and could only pick up stations within a limited range.  They were the first widely used type of radio receiver and the main type used during the wireless telegraphy era.  They were the major driving force in the introduction of radio to the public, contribution to the development of radio as an entertainment medium until 1920.  After that, crystal sets were superseded by the first amplifying receivers using vacuum tubes and crystals  became obsolete for commercial use.

WMC is one of the few surviving radio stations in the U.S. to use its original call letters.  The station's first broadcast was January 19, 1923.   The transmitter and tower were on the top floor of the old Commercial Appeal building.  Although Memphis was segregated, early programs featured late night concerts from blues singers.  Bessie Smith performed at WMC in October of 1923.  In 1927 WMC gave Memphis and the mid-south its first network programs when the station affiliated with NBC.  In the 1930s, WMC was still owned by The Commercial Appeal and carried the NBC Radio Red Network.  A transmitter building and tower were constructed on Highway 70.  That tower is now gone, but the art-deco building is still there.  In 1931, new studios were dedicated at the Hotel Gayoso.  Comedian Milton Berle was master of ceremonies.  WMC also broadcast a number of country and western artists from the old Goodwyn Institute Building.  Weatherman Dave came to WMC in 1977 and stayed for 30 years.   In 1973 WMC became the first 24 hour full-time country station in Memphis.  By 1989 it switched to News/Talk.  Today, it is the city's oldest radio station and presently programs a sports format.  WMC spawned the TV station WMCT.

 WREC signed on for the first time on September 22, 1922 as KFNG.  It was owned by electrical engineer and radio dealer Hoyt Wooten and operated from his father's home in Coldwater, Mississippi.  In 1925, he moved the station to Whitehaven and changed its call letters to WREC.  In 1929 WREC moved to studios in the basement of the Peabody Hotel, where it remained for over 40 years.  WREC became well known as a major factor in local radio, featuring  popular shows and personalities.  Sam Phillips began his disc jockey career at WREC.  In 1955, the station was granted the right to operate a TV station and on December 31, 1955, WREC-TV began operation as a CBS affiliate.  Wooten sold his stations to Cowles Communications in 1963.   In 1971, the call letters of WREC-TV changed to WREG-TV. 

1926 to 1930.  Commercial radio became solidly established and networks were developed.  Programs were now sponsored by national advertisers.   The 1940s included World War II and imposed as many hardships on broadcasters as it did upon those engaged in other occupations.  On the other hand, revenues for both network and stations were greater than in the prewar period.  1941 to 1945 was the big money-making time for American radio.

1945 to 1952 saw an enormous increase in the total number of radio stations, the erection of 108 TV stations - and the beginnings of a shift in importance from radio to television - especially on the network level.

 WMPS  Radio Center was built in 1947 as the home of radio station WMPS.   It became a major part of Memphis music history  and 's noted for shaping the popular culture of Memphis and the country for over 50 years.  It was primarily a country-western station and shaped the early careers of Kay Starr and Eddie Arnold.   Disc jockey Bob Neal of WHBQ became Elvis' second manager.  Rick Dees began his career at WMPS in 1974 and quickly established it as number 1 for the two years he was there.  He was fired for "conflict of interest".   In 1985 the Radio Center building became the home of station WDIA.  The building has recently been renovated and is now apartments and condos named "Radio Center Flats".  It was added to the National Register in 1983.  

WDIA went on the air in June 1947 from small studios on Union Avenue.  The owners, John R. Pepper and E. R. "Bert" Ferguson were white and the format was a mix of country and western and light pop.  The station didn't do well.  Nat D. Williams, a syndicated columnist and high school teacher, started "Tan Town Jubilee in October 1948.  It was the first program in the U.S. to specifically target black-listeners.  WDIA soon became the number 2 station in Memphis.  Shortly afterwards the station made a switch to all-black programming and became the city's top station.  In 1954 they were licensed to increase power to 50,000 watts and with this powerful signal, were able to reach 10% of the African-American population in the United States.  Many music legends got their start at WDIA, including B. B. King and Rufus Thomas.  Isaac Hayes was a regular on the station's Big Star Talent Show.  Elvis Presley was greatly influenced by the station.  The station's public face was African-American, but the offices were a model for integration.  The station's first female African-American disc jockey was Willa Monroe, who hosted a program for homemakers.  WDIA's impact was enormous, not just in Memphis but in the whole USA.  In 1985 WDIA moved to Radio Center - the former home of WMPS.  This building has recently been renovated and is now apartments and condos named "Radio Center Flats".  Clear Channel Communications bought WDIA in 1996.

WHBQ  became famous in the 1950s for playing rhythm and blues.  Its legend was made by Dewey Phillips, a disc jockey who played rhythm and blues music on his 1949-56 night-time show "Red, Hot and Blue", which was broadcast from the mezzanine of the Chisca Hotel.  In 1954, Phillips played a recording of "That's Alright Mama", marking the first time an Elvis recording was played on the air.  And Elvis' first radio interview was also conducted in the hotel by Phillips.  For many years WHBQ was owned by RKO and was like a tryout for young, aspiring DJs like Rick Dees and Wink Martindale.  They worked there in hopes of being moved to bigger markets like Boston, New York, and Los Angeles.  Jack Parnell helped usher in the rock and roll era on WHBQ with his deep resonant voice - frequently referred to as "the voice of God".  In 1960, WHBQ became "Boss Radio" .  By the 1970s, they could no longer compete with the FM stations.  In 1988, RKO sold the station to Flinn Broadcasting.  Today the focus has shifted from music to sports.

WHBQ-TV began operation on September 27, 1953.  It was originally a CBS affiliate but lost that when WREC-TV signed on.  WHBQ-TV then took the ABC affiliation full time.  It is Memphis' second oldest television station, and the only one that has never changed its call letters or channel location.   It began as WNBR.  Today, it is affiliated with the Fox Network.

Credits

The Historic-Memphis website does not intentionally post copyrighted photos and material without permission or credit.  On occasion a "non-credited" photo might possibly be posted because we were unable to find a name to give credit.  Because of the nature of our non-commercial, non-profit, educational website, we strongly believe that these photos would be considered "Fair Use.  We have certainly made no monetary gain, although those using this website for historic or Genealogy research have certainly profited.  If by chance, we have posted your copyrighted photo, please contact us, and we'll remove it immediately, or we'll add your credit if that's your choice.  In the past, we have found that many photographers volunteer to have their works included on these pages and we'll  also do that if you contact us with a photo that fits a particular page. 

The "Historic-Memphis" website would like to acknowledge and thank the following for their contributions which helped make this website possible:  Memphis Public Library, Memphis University Library, Memphis Law Library, Memphis Commercial Appeal, Memphis Press Scimitar, Shelby County Register of Deeds, Memphis City Schools, Memphis Business Men's Club, Memphis Chamber of Commerce, Memphis City Park Commission, Memphis Film Commission, Carnival Memphis, Memphis Historical Railroad Page, Memphis Heritage Inc, Beale Street Historic District, Cobblestone Historic District, Memphis Historic Districts, Vance Lauderdale Family Archives, Tennessee State Archives, Library of Congress, Kemmons Wilson Family, Richard S. Brashier, Lee Askew, George Whitworth, Woody Savage and many individuals whose assistance is acknowledged on the pages of their contributions.  Special thanks to Memphis Realtor, Joe Spake, for giving us carte blanche access to his outstanding collection of contemporary Memphis photos.

We do not have high definition  copies of the photos on these pages.  If anyone wishes to secure high definition photos,  you'll have to contact the photographer  or the collector.  (To avoid any possibility of contributing to SPAM, we do not maintain a file of email addresses for anyone who contacts us).

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