Atlanta Radio Time Warp

This page features notes on the programming of Atlanta radio from the past. Material will be added as it is collected. The notes are divided by years.

• 1968 I have been criticized by someone for saying that Mr. Elmo Ellis was forced to retire from WSB radio. I stand by my comments. According to the Atlanta newspapers at that time, Mr. Ellis attempted to convert WSB-AM to a late-night country music format for truckers on interstate I-85. Not long after that, the Atlanta newspapers reported that Mr. Ellis had been forced to retire. His retirement marked the end of local, full-service radio in Atlanta. He was "Mr. Radio" in Atlanta for many years. Atlanta no longer has a commercial radio station that can be described as "local full-service." Non-commercial WABE-FM seems to be the closest successor to the "full-service" legacy that Mr. Ellis was a part of.

For those interested in vintage radio, point your web browser to the Reel Radio Repository, where you can find vintage airchecks of top-40 stations. The cite features a Dec. '67 aircheck of Gary Granger on WQXI, a '65 aircheck of the Tiger Twins on WQXI, a '68 aircheck of Pat Hughes on WQXI, and a '60 aircheck of Bill Drake (of Drake-Chenault fame) on WAKE.

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