R.I.P.: Influential Radio Broadcaster J Albert Dame

J. Albert Dame

J. Albert Dame died June 5 in Phoenixville Hospital near Philadelphia.

He was 85-years-of-age, according to pennlive.com.

Mr.  Dame was involved in the broadcasting business for 59 years, 28 of those in Harrisburg PA, and is remembered as a pioneer with a passion for radio.

RJ Harris, Program director and morning host on WHP 580 AM, said Dame used an airplane for traffic reports "to make WKBO (1230 AM)  sound bigger and better than anybody else. And, in fact, created the traffic industry that we have now."

Dame also put money in the news in the Top 40 market.

"It was WKBO that broke the story of Three Mile Island. That's how influential that news department was at the time," Harris said.

Aside from his radio business acumen, Harris said Dame "was a true force but he was also a quiet and gentle guy."

Dame got his start in radio at a young age.

"You know how some of us are lucky when we grow up and know what we want to do, there is a story that he wrote when he was 14 in school that talks about working in a radio station was his dream. So at a very young age it was something that just motivated him, caught his fancy and it became his life long passion," said Dame's son, John.

Al Dame started at WACB in Kittanning where he grew up.

In 1950 he began work as a sales person for Laurel Radio group. In 1955 he graduated from Penn State University with a bachelor's degree in theater and speech. In the early 1960s he became general manager of the group that included WMAJ/State College; WJCM/Sebring, Fla.; WCPA/Clearfield; WDAD/Indiana; WAKU/Latrobe; and WNCC/Barnesboro.

In 1967 he left and became general manager of WEEP AM/FM in Pittsburgh – the first radio station to broadcast a country format in Pittsburgh, according to John Dame.

In 1968, Al Dame formed a partnership with Michael Rea of Pittsburgh to form Endorea Corp. to operate WRSC/WQWK in State College. WQWK, John Dame said, was the first album rock radio station in Pennsylvania.

In 1971 they acquired WKBO in Harrisburg as Harrea Corp. WKBO became "the Rock of Harrisburg and soars to dominant position in Harrisburg through the '70s and early '80s." Harrea then bought WRHY in York and sold WRSC/WQWK.

In 1980, John Dame said, his father formed Dame Media and purchased WKBO and WRHY as sole owner. At that point, John Dame joined his father in the business.

John Dame said he believes his father was drawn to the radio business because, "It was a very exciting industry, lots of creative people. He was a theater and speech major so it kind of fit into that performing side of things as well as the business side. It ticked all the boxes for him in terms of being entertainment as well as community involvement."

Tom Benson of Orlando, Fla., worked as program director of Dame Media for a dozen years.

"J. Albert Dame was one of the three most important men in my life. He taught us how to put the 'show' into the business of radio and was cherished as a boss. At the pinnacle of his long career as a broadcaster, he owned 21 radio stations in five Pennsylvania and New York markets.

Broadcasting has lost a true 'radio man' and the world has lost a gentle man," Benson said.

From 1980 on, Dame formed three limited partnerships and purchased radio stations. In the '90s, Dame acquisitions included WRVV 97.3 FM  The River, WRBT 949.9 FM. WHP 580 AM and WWKL KOOL 99.3 FM.  Dame Media also owned stations in Williamsport PA, Johnstown PA, Albany NY and Utica NY.

In 1999 Dame Media Inc. was sold to Clear Channel Communications in a stock swap valued at $85 million, according to John Dame. Al Dame in 2000 formed Dame Broadcasting with acquisitions in Hagerstown, Md., Chambersburg, State College and Johnstown, all of which were sold in 2005.

In 2004, Al Dame was inducted into the Pennsylvania Association of Broadcasters Hall of Fame.