| Bob
Alexander . . . was the Rock of Harrisburg's creator.
Bob came to WKBO from WVAM
in Altoona and replaced Larry Hall as WKBO's program director.
Bob's
work as program director was widely admired . . .
| Former WKBO personality
John Summers said Bob was "probably one of the most clever, creative
people I’ve ever met. Apart from his strong on-air personality and
production abilities, he was an absolute genius at promotion. He
came up with ideas that really caught people’s attention. Some were
original, others recycled, but they always sounded big." |
Nobody
taught the 'basics' better than Bob Alexander . . .
| Former WKBO personality
Rick Shockley said, "It’s been many years since I worked in Harrisburg,
PA for “Alexander in the Morning”, my very first P.D. but I can tell you
I have been amazed to hear talent in some very large markets who obviously
never got the lessons in the basics I was fortunate enough to have had
“pounded” into me by this radio genius. To this day, the guys I worked
with in the 70’s at WKBO will tell you they felt “blessed” that they went
to “basics drill camp” under Alexander. Many of his air personalities from
this medium sized market ended up in markets like, Boston and Philadelphia
because we were blessed with some talent and learned great fundamentals
when we were cutting our teeth as “jocks”. " "Yes, Alexander had very clear
ideas on what he wanted his jocks to say and how to say them. I can remember
a simple note posted on the console right next to the “mic”. Alexander
was also a stickler on call letter delivery. It was not WKAYBEEOH..it was
W-K-B-O! Each letter enunciated distinctly in a manner that would, if it
could be seen ,resemble torture-one drip on the forehead at a time." |
WKBO's
promotions were creative . . .
| From John Summers. "WKBO’s
first major promotion was giving away a shiny new 1972 Ford Mustang.
There were three “Oldies” in the trunk. Listeners were put on the
air hourly during the daytime and had to guess the three songs by title
and artist. It took all summer but a lady from Middletown finally
did it. They also gave away a swimming pool by having people guess,
in a kind of a “hi-lo” manner, how many teaspoonfuls of water it would
take to fill the pool. Alexander had a physics professor figure it
out! We rarely did call-in-to-wins; he always gave everything an
imaginative twist." |
Bob Alexander is a western Pennsylvania
native, raised in Beaver Falls. After starting out in radio at WBBW
in Youngstown Ohio. He spent time in the US Army and continued his
radio career in a couple of other Ohio towns before moving on to WVAM in
Altoona. From WVAM it was off to Pittsburgh in 1968 where he worked at
KQV
as Franklin
B Forbes. After Pittsburgh it was back to Altoona and WVAM as Tom Foolery.
In 1972, the call came from WKBO, and a new chapter for Bob. Alexander
in the Morning and the Rock of Harrisburg.
After WKBO, Alexander spent
time at WFEC, WCMB and WHP before leaving radio. Bob is retired from the
Dauphin County Adult Probation and Parole Department. He is now the part-time
Orientation Officer with Keystone Correctional Services in Harrisburg.
Cick
here to see Bob's 1972 Personality Profile |
