The station continued to broadcast shows with the local area audience in mind. Leon J. Alaire broadcast La Foyer Canadien every Saturday and Sunday, reaching the area’s large French-Canadian population. On Saturdays, a local insurance company sponsored the Irish Music program.
Other ethnic-themed music shows included:
Polish Polka Radio Show, hosted by Sophie “Zosia” Midura, a Polish songstress
The Italian Hour, hosted by Albert Colognori
Your Sunday Morning polka Parade, hosted by Chet & Mary Lou Dragon
The annual Kulurama Concert, which started in 1967, was broadcast over the airwaves. A production of Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf, directed by Holyoke High School’s Speech & Drama teacher, Peter Kinney, featured WREB radio broadcaster, Barbara Heisler. Ms. Heisler had performed in several local stage productions.
WREB aired local high school football in 1967 and for several years thereafter. This was the era of Saturday-afternoon football games, which have since largely moved to weekday evenings. Wayne Denis was the broadcaster, and a Holyoke Transcript ad indicated he would announce the “play by play, in verbal color.”
Remote broadcasts expanded to the summertime recreational area of Crystal Park in Bondsville, featuring a Sunday live Polka show. Fundraising efforts were also held for Chicopee’s Sunshine Village.
During income tax filing season, Holyoke Community College professors, Kenneth Gauthier and Joseph Mauri, were interviewed and answered listeners’ questions. There were also interviews with those who challenged the constitutionality of the federal income tax, including single filers paying a higher tax rate than joint filers.
Joseph Alfano, the longtime General Manager, moved the studios, production area, and offices to the third floor of 233 High Street, opposite City Hall. The August 1972 expansion was needed to gain additional space for all phases of the operation.
This period of the station’s history would be remiss if it did not mention the hiring of talk show host, Tracy Cole. For years, he occupied the 10 AM to 2 PM time slot with his program, which drew a large audience. One could describe him as a provocateur on the airwaves.
In late 1973, WREB hired South Hadley High School student Judy Van Handle to host an afternoon sports talk show. From this review, it appears that WREB management provided several high school students with opportunities to pursue their passion for broadcasting at an early age.
The station held its first annual sports banquet in 1973 to recognize local high school athletes for their achievements.
In 1974, an audience rating service proclaimed WREB number one in listenership in Holyoke, South Hadley, Chicopee and Southampton.
Citations:
Newspapers.com (paid subscription): Citations: Holyoke (Massachusetts) Transcript & Transcript-Telegram; Springfield (Massachusetts) Republican; publication dates and pages are shown.
Ancestry.com (paid subscription): Price & Lee Holyoke, Massachusetts, City Directories
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