WMCA

WMCA, 570 AM, is a radio station in New York City, most known for its "Good Guys" Top 40 era in the 1960s. It is currently owned by Salem Communications and plays a Christian radio format. Its three-tower transmitter site (easily visible from the northbound New Jersey Turnpike) is located on the Hackensack River, in Kearny, New Jersey.

Early years

WMCA first went on the air on February 1, 1925, broadcasting from the McAlpin Hotel, from which its call letters derive.And not, as is sometimes thought, from the Music Corporation of America (now known as NBC Universal for non-music businesses, and Universal Music Group in the music industry), which has never owned this station. In 1928 it moved to the 570 kHz frequency.

Through its early decades WMCA had a varied programming history, playing music, hosting dramas, and broadcasting New York Giants baseball games. In 1943, it was acquired by the Straus family when previous owner Edward J. Noble acquired the Blue Network and its O&O stations from NBC.

In 1945, host Barry Gray began dropping music and adding talk with celebrities and later call-in listeners; he is thus sometimes considered "The Father of Talk Radio", and his show lasted on WMCA through several decades and format changes.

WMCA began playing rock music in the late 1950s with a Top 40 format. Among its disc jockey staff were future legends Scott Muni and Murray "the K" Kaufman.

Good Guys era

In 1960,...
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