Rock Radio Scrapbook
FROM THE ARCHIVES...
Talent:
JIM SANTELLA
Station: WGRF Buffalo, N.Y.
Date: April 6, 1998
Time: 6:19
Known as the "Father of Buffalo Progressive Radio", Jim Santella has been a mainstay in Buffalo radio, TV and theatre for more than 30 years.
The Santella legend began at WYSL-FM 103.3 in 1969. By 1970, the calls had changed to WPHD.
WYSL-WPHD had a split personality in the late '60s and early '70s. By day, it was Top 40, a simulcast of WYSL-AM. By night, it was progressive rock in the finest tradition - album cuts, themed sets and interesting rap as provided by Santella among others. By 1971, the simulcasting was gone, and WPHD became a full-time AOR station. Santella himself left by 1974 and went on to enjoy a varied career in radio, TV and theatre.
Santella is one of those rare announcers who really connects with his audience, and has done so at stations like WEBR (jazz), 97 Rock and WUWU (AOR) and his current on-air home, National Public Radio's WBFO. He does a blues show there every Saturday.
Santella is also the film and theatre editor for "Nightlife" magazine and also does "Theatre Talk" for NPR's Morning Edition. He is also camera man/floor manager for Buffalo's PBS station WNED-TV.
In 1998, Santella was doing a weekly late-night show called "Radiation Theatre" for WGRF (97 Rock).Listen to a portion of it here.
(The Dale R. Patterson Collection)