RADIO’S INNOVATIVE: DR. RUTH | SEXUALLY SPEAKING

Radio’s Most Innovative: “Sexually Speaking” with Dr. Ruth Westheimer

FRED JACOBS | MARCH 27, 2015

We’ve been showcasing innovators here in this space since last August, without a single sexual reference – until now. Sexually Speaking, featuring the most unlikely radio talent of all time – Dr. Ruth Westheimer – took on historic mores and standards in radio broadcasting – and turned them on their side. The story behind this innovative concept is an amazing example of risk-taking and being in-sync with a changing America.

It was the dawn of the ‘80s – and a new era in American sexual freedom. And of course none of that was on the radio. In September of 1980, WYNY, an Adult Contemporary station in New York City made the move, launching a 15-minute pre-recorded segment that aired on Sunday nights after midnight.

They called it “Sexually Speaking” featuring a German immigrant who had lived in Switzerland, Israel, and France before coming to the United States in 1956. Dr. Ruth Westheimer did not have a classic radio voice, but she had the expertise, the candor, and a disarming personality that made her a radio star. In a truthful, direct, and entertaining way, she truthfully answered blunt and honest questions about sex and sexuality that WYNY listeners called in.

It was compelling radio. I remember being in a bar in New York City one night when Sexually Speaking came on. The bartender tuned in WYNY and patrons listened to Dr. Ruth like it was an important Yankees game.

MCRFB NOTE: For the rest of this Jacoblog article by Fred Jacobs (March 27, 2015), please GO HERE.

LINKED TO JACOBSMEDIABLOG.COM FROM MOTOR CITY RADIO FLASHBACKS

‘Sexually Speaking’ w/ Dr. Ruth Westheimer was heard in Detroit on WNIC-FM 100.3 in the 1980s and 1990s.

A MCRFB ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

A special THANK YOU also goes out to Fred Jacobs for granting, as was requested by Motor City Radio Flashbacks permission to print in part, portions of his March 27 article above, “Radio’s Most Innovative: ‘Sexually Speaking’ With Dr. Ruth Westheimer.”

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RADIO’S INNOVATIVE: ALAN ALMOND’S ‘PILLOW TALK’

Radio’s Most Innovative: WNIC’s “Pillow Talk” with Alan Almond

FRED JACOBS | FEBRUARY 13, 2015

Those of you who have been following our innovation series know that we’ve been bouncing around between today’s hot new innovations in radio broadcasting to the amazing inventions and experiments from the past that turned out to be highly successful.

Some of our innovations and the people behind them are familiar to you, but hopefully, there’s been a surprise or two along the way. I’m thinking that this week’s “Radio’s Most Innovative” honoree, WNIC’s Pillow Talk evening show starring Alan Almond, is one that many people don’t know about. And because it’s Valentine’s Day weekend, it is only appropriate to shine the innovation light on one of the most romantic, intimate radio shows of all time.

But Pillow Talk wasn’t just about love songs and candlelight. It is a great object lesson in risk-taking, boldness, trust, serendipity, teamwork, and what has always made radio a special medium: theater of the mind.

Because the origins of Pillow Talk date back to the late ‘70s, I gathered a group of the key WNIC cast members from that era to piece together the story.

MCRFB NOTE: For the rest of this Jacoblog article by Fred Jacobs (February 15, 2015), please GO HERE.

L-R: Ed Christian, Lorraine Golden, Mary Bennett, Jim Harper & Alan Almond (?)

LINK TO JACOBSMEDIABLOG.COM FROM MOTOR CITY RADIO FLASHBACKS

A MCRFB ACKNOWLEDGEMENT: Special thanks goes out to Dick Kernen, of Specs Howard School of Media Arts, for his personal recommendation, referral, and kind comments conveyed sharing this splendid WNIC-related article/link with Motor City Radio Flashbacks. February 19, 2015.

A special THANK YOU also goes out to Fred Jacobs for granting, as was requested by Motor City Radio Flashbacks permission to print in part, portions of his February 13 article above, “Radio’s Most Innovative: WNIC’s ‘Pillow Talk’ With Alan Almond.”