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May 20, 2022 9:44 am  #1


Another New Book Promises To Trace The History Of Buffalo Radio

This is different from the Steve Cichon book highlighted here two years ago. I'm not entirely sure how it differs - the last one was filled with a ton of pics and some copy around them, but didn't tell a lot of actual stories about what happened behind the scenes. 

Will this one be any different? Hard to tell because it hasn't been released yet. It's called "Images of America: Memories of Buffalo Radio," and it's written by Martin Biniasz, a veteran of the city's radio and TV stations, including stints at WJJL-AM, WBEN-AM, WKBW-TV and WNED-TV. He' s also one of the founders of the Buffalo Broadcasters' Assn.

I'm not sure if this tome has more stories or more pics, but here's the description from the vendor, Arcadia Publishing:

"Buffalo’s longest operating station, WGR, signed on the air in May 1922 and was soon followed by WEBR (1924), WKBW (1926), and WBEN (1930), among others. Over the decades, the city has been home to a number of legendary announcers, including Clint Buehlman and Billy Keaton and sports broadcasters Ralph Hubble, Bill Mazer, Van Miller, and Stan Barron, as well as beloved talk show hosts like John Otto and pioneer rock and roll DJs like George “Hound Dog” Lorenz.

"Buffalo became a breeding ground for network radio stars, including Howdy Doody’s “Buffalo” Bob Smith, comedian Foster Brooks, NBC Tonight Show host Jack Paar, and Fran Striker, the creator of The Lone Ranger.

"Top 40 personalities like Joey Reynolds, Dick Biondi, Tommy Shannon, and Danny Neaverth ruled the airwaves with excitement and spontaneity during the 1960s."


As usual with these things, I have no idea if this will be made available in Canada or how to get it, and a call to the publisher led me to a woman who sounded completely clueless about whether the book can be shipped to Canada. I'm guessing no one from here has ever called them. 

We should know more soon for those interested. It's scheduled to be released as a paperback on July 18, still a few months way. It's also a bit pricey: $23.99 U.S.