My lifelong go-to radio station turned 100 years old this week, first aired on April 10, 1924.
Ronald “Dutch” Reagan was the first sports director for WHO.
On December 7, 1941, mother heard the announcement about the attack on Pearl Harbor over WHO. Family members regularly tuned in for news about the war.
Herb Plambeck’s nasal voice is the first I remember from WHO Radio, from the 1950s and probably before. Dad always listened to the farm show at noon, which was Plambeck’s expertise. Plambeck was also the host of the 1948 National Plowing Match north of Dexter, highlighted with a major address by President Harry Truman. WHO was a sponsor of the plowing match.
We were there, among the estimated throng of 100,000 sweltering folks gathered in the field that day. Dad perched me on his shoulders so I could catch a glimpse of the man on the platform. I barely remember it.
When sis Gloria and I were grade schoolers, we listened to Jack Shelley when it snowed hard, hoping for a “snow day” from school. WHO voices from my childhood include Ev Hickman and Jim Zabel. Other favorite personalities from the past: Keith Kirkpatrick, Lee Kline, Mark Pearson, Captain Jack, Jan Michaelson, Van and Patti, Van and Connie, Van and Bonnie (yes, three co-hosts over the years).
The station includes news, sports, talk radio, entertainment, a farm show, plus national broadcasts. But the main draw for me is its local personalities: Jeff Angelo, Simon Conway, musician Dave Bohl, Bob Quinn (who has a house made from a grain bin), newswoman Sue Danielson, even two who run the boards–photographer Margaret Kisper and Drake student JD Snover.
During the most recent decade, I’ve enjoyed listing to Our American Stories With Lee Habeeb over WHO-Radio and recording a dozen or so stories for them.
As the Leora books have been published, WHO Radio hosts have been gracious to interview me about each one: Maxwell Schaeffer on the Saturday show, Van Harden, Emery Songer, Max & Amy in the Morning, and, most recently, Simon Conway!
Here’s a terrific overview of the radio station by Iowa History Journal publisher, Michael Swanger, in the March/April issue.
You might enjoy this slim history of the station, Iowa’s WHO Radio: The Voice of the Middle West by Jeff Stein.
This reminds me of hearing radio broadcasts in Knoxville during breakfast before going to school (or to work with Daddy in the summer months). Knox County was still rural at that time, and they still had farm reports, which Daddy, being at first a dairy farmer, listened to closely. But when he became a brick mason, he was listening primarily for the weather reports so he could plan his work days.
The “noon” farm show has expanded to 90 minutes, beginning at 11 a.m. WHO’s “Big Show” also sponsor yearly tractor rides, complete with overnights!
Thanks for sharing the intriguing information about WHO Radio Station. I’ll try to find 1040 on our radio. I also found the image of your father nostalgia triggering. We had kitchen cabinets like that-but we never had a giant wooden spoon and fork! Everybody Loves Raymond made light of them on an episode. Thank you for sharing, Joy! 🙂
My husband sent the giant spoon and fork home from Vietnam, or his R&R in Bankok. We used to have them as well. ha Those were Mom’s prized Youngstown cupboards: https://joynealkidney.com/2022/04/13/moms-youngstown-kitchen/
I have my mom’s spoon and fork sitting in my basement waiting to be hung. We recently had to sell my parents’ house, and when I came across the spoon and fork from my childhood, I had to grab them.
Were they from when someone in the family served overseas? I hope ours are still in the basement somewhere!
This post makes me smile. I had a brief career in the business but have had a lifelong love affair with radio. xx
What fun! Fibromyalgia makes watching TV so uncomfortable that I only listen to the radio these days. (Although I do admit to watching Caitlyn Clark and the Iowa girls play a couple of times.)
What great memories you have, Joy, and how wonderful for the hosts to interview you about your books. That’s amazing! And I love the photo of your dad listening to the radio and reading the newspaper. Thanks for sharing. ❤️
Sounds like you’ve made a lifelong friend. I don’t listen to radio, but I can see from your story how it can be an integral part of life.
Fibromyalgia makes watching TV difficult, so I don’t (unless Caitlyn Clark and the Iowa women are playing), and WHO has been here, it seems, forever!
We loved watching Caitlyn and the Iowa team play, Joy, and we were so sad when they lost the championship! My husband prefers college basketball over professional, so here’s our motto: we interrupt life to bring you March Madness. 🙂
Wow! Caitlyn has changed women’s sports, especially basketball, forever! She’s from West Des Moines, where we live.
It doesn’t seem possible that radio has been around for 100+ years! I remember listening for snow day announcements when I was in school. They were very few and far between. It pretty much had to be blizzard conditions.
Now days you get the news on social media, or even phonecalls for families who sign up.
No morning paper hitting the porch!