R.I.P.: Bob Bittner, E-Z King of AM Radio In Cambridge, MA

Bob Bittner

Bob Bittner, longtime local radio personality and owner of WJIB 740 AM in Cambridge, died on Friday.

Ben Ewen-Campen, Somerville City Council President, tweeted the news on Friday night. "I'm heartbroken to learn that Bob Bittner passed away. He ran the indescribably great local radio station WJIB AM740, "The Memories Station." What a beautiful life bringing this wonderful music into our homes, never playing ads, and reading his own PSAs. Thank you, Bob," Ewen-Campen tweeted.  

Bittner also owned four other ad-free stations that were located on Cape Cod and in Maine.

WJIB, which was a part of "The Memories Stations" Bittner owned, played music from the 1930s through 1960s. 

Bittner was the owner and sole employee of WJIB. The station doesn't play any commercials and relied on non-deductible donations from listeners.

While WJIB runs no spot advertising during the week, its evening and weekend programming was made up in part by paid leased-time shows. In addition to the usual religious broadcasts on weekends, WJIB has carried college sports, Chinese-language programming, student-produced shows from the Massachusetts College of Communications, Radio France International's morning show.