Larry Josephson
Encyclopedia
Larry Josephson is an award winning public radio producer. Since 1965 he has worked in the field of public broadcasting as a producer, host, station manager, engineer, teacher, writer and consultant. His first show at listener-supported radio station WBAI
in New York was influential in developing the free-form radio style
of the 1960s and 70s.
and attended Hamilton High School
. He once claimed his High School major was "existential calisthenics." He attended the University of California at Berkeley where he received a BA in Linguistics with a minor in Mathematics. He was a Systems Analyst and Programmer at IBM
from 1962 to 1966.
– a listener-supported radio station in New York City
. By 1966 he was the host of In the Beginning, the "grumpy" morning program. His unique mix of phone calls, politics, alternative culture, cranky humor, interviews, personal confessions and music while he sipped coffee and ate bagels led him to become one of the stations most popular personalities. His morning shows, like those of late night's Bob Fass
and Steve Post
, became the archetypes of the station's free-form style, which became the precursor to much of the alternative FM radio programming which started in the 1960s and 70s. Audience members would wake up to whatever caught Josephson's fancy each day. For example, after the release of The Beatles
' "Lady Madonna
" in March 1968, Josephson liked the song so much that he played it over and over for two hours.
Josephson became the Assistant Manager of WBAI, and oversaw the design and construction of the station when it moved to a new location in 1971. He was the General Manager of the station from 1974 until 1976. In the beginning continued until 1972. Another of Josephson's shows Bourgeois Liberation ran on WBAI from 1979 to 1984.
. The show, was later nominated for three Grammy Awards after it was released on cassettes. In 1984 Josephson produced Bob & Ray: A Night of Two Stars at Carnegie Hall
in New York City. Both performances were sold out, and an audio cassette produced from the performance was nominated for a Grammy.
. With funding from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting
and the National Endowment for the Arts
, he co-produced the Airlie Seminars on the Art of Radio four times between 1977 and 1983. He is also the editor of Telling the Story, NPR's Guide to Journalism. published in 1981. He has also served as a consultant to the Corporation for Public Broadcasting
, National Public Radio, the Carnegie Commission on the Future of Public Broadcasting, NTIA and individual public radio stations.
WBAI
WBAI, a part of the Pacifica Radio Network, is a non-commercial, listener-supported radio station, broadcasting at 99.5 FM in New York City.Its programming is leftist/progressive, and a mixture of political news and opinion from a leftist perspective, tinged with aspects of its complex and varied...
in New York was influential in developing the free-form radio style
Freeform (radio format)
Freeform, or freeform radio, is a radio station programming format in which the disc jockey is given total control over what music to play, regardless of music genre or commercial interests. Freeform radio stands in contrast to most commercial radio stations, in which DJs have little or no...
of the 1960s and 70s.
Early life
Josephson grew up in Culver City in Southern CaliforniaCalifornia
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
and attended Hamilton High School
Hamilton High School
Hamilton High School may refer to:* Alexander Hamilton High School in Los Angeles, California* Alexander Hamilton Jr./Sr. High School in Elmsford, New York* Alexander Hamilton High School in Milwaukee, Wisconsin...
. He once claimed his High School major was "existential calisthenics." He attended the University of California at Berkeley where he received a BA in Linguistics with a minor in Mathematics. He was a Systems Analyst and Programmer at IBM
IBM
International Business Machines Corporation or IBM is an American multinational technology and consulting corporation headquartered in Armonk, New York, United States. IBM manufactures and sells computer hardware and software, and it offers infrastructure, hosting and consulting services in areas...
from 1962 to 1966.
WBAI
Unhappy with his lonely life as an engineer in a cubicle at IBM, he volunteered at WBAIWBAI
WBAI, a part of the Pacifica Radio Network, is a non-commercial, listener-supported radio station, broadcasting at 99.5 FM in New York City.Its programming is leftist/progressive, and a mixture of political news and opinion from a leftist perspective, tinged with aspects of its complex and varied...
– a listener-supported radio station in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. By 1966 he was the host of In the Beginning, the "grumpy" morning program. His unique mix of phone calls, politics, alternative culture, cranky humor, interviews, personal confessions and music while he sipped coffee and ate bagels led him to become one of the stations most popular personalities. His morning shows, like those of late night's Bob Fass
Bob Fass
Bob Fass is an American radio personality and pioneer of free-form radio, who has broadcast in the New York region for 40 years....
and Steve Post
Steve Post
Steve Post is an American freeform radio artist, author of Playing in the FM Band .In 2006 he celebrated his 25th anniversary as program host on WNYC, New York City's principal NPR affiliate station. For 20 years he was host of WNYC 93.9's Morning Music program...
, became the archetypes of the station's free-form style, which became the precursor to much of the alternative FM radio programming which started in the 1960s and 70s. Audience members would wake up to whatever caught Josephson's fancy each day. For example, after the release of The Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
' "Lady Madonna
Lady Madonna
"Lady Madonna" is a song by The Beatles, primarily written by Paul McCartney . In March 1968, it was released as a single, backed with "The Inner Light." The song was recorded on 3 and 6 February 1968 before the Beatles left for India...
" in March 1968, Josephson liked the song so much that he played it over and over for two hours.
Josephson became the Assistant Manager of WBAI, and oversaw the design and construction of the station when it moved to a new location in 1971. He was the General Manager of the station from 1974 until 1976. In the beginning continued until 1972. Another of Josephson's shows Bourgeois Liberation ran on WBAI from 1979 to 1984.
Bob & Ray
Josephson worked to revive the careers of Bob & Ray. He developed and produced 26 half hour public radio shows called Classic Bob & Ray which surveyed their entire career. He also developed and produced The Bob and Ray Public Radio Show from 1981 until 1986. This show was broadcast on 250 stations and received several awards including a Peabody awardPeabody Award
The George Foster Peabody Awards recognize distinguished and meritorious public service by radio and television stations, networks, producing organizations and individuals. In 1939, the National Association of Broadcasters formed a committee to recognize outstanding achievement in radio broadcasting...
. The show, was later nominated for three Grammy Awards after it was released on cassettes. In 1984 Josephson produced Bob & Ray: A Night of Two Stars at Carnegie Hall
Carnegie Hall
Carnegie Hall is a concert venue in Midtown Manhattan in New York City, United States, located at 881 Seventh Avenue, occupying the east stretch of Seventh Avenue between West 56th Street and West 57th Street, two blocks south of Central Park....
in New York City. Both performances were sold out, and an audio cassette produced from the performance was nominated for a Grammy.
Teaching, seminars, consulting and writing
Josephson taught radio production at NYU and The New SchoolThe New School
The New School is a university in New York City, located mostly in Greenwich Village. From its founding in 1919 by progressive New York academics, and for most of its history, the university was known as the New School for Social Research. Between 1997 and 2005 it was known as New School University...
. With funding from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting
Corporation for Public Broadcasting
The Corporation for Public Broadcasting is a non-profit corporation created by an act of the United States Congress, funded by the United States’ federal government to promote public broadcasting...
and the National Endowment for the Arts
National Endowment for the Arts
The National Endowment for the Arts is an independent agency of the United States federal government that offers support and funding for projects exhibiting artistic excellence. It was created by an act of the U.S. Congress in 1965 as an independent agency of the federal government. Its current...
, he co-produced the Airlie Seminars on the Art of Radio four times between 1977 and 1983. He is also the editor of Telling the Story, NPR's Guide to Journalism. published in 1981. He has also served as a consultant to the Corporation for Public Broadcasting
Corporation for Public Broadcasting
The Corporation for Public Broadcasting is a non-profit corporation created by an act of the United States Congress, funded by the United States’ federal government to promote public broadcasting...
, National Public Radio, the Carnegie Commission on the Future of Public Broadcasting, NTIA and individual public radio stations.
Radio productions
- In the Beginning -- WBAIWBAIWBAI, a part of the Pacifica Radio Network, is a non-commercial, listener-supported radio station, broadcasting at 99.5 FM in New York City.Its programming is leftist/progressive, and a mixture of political news and opinion from a leftist perspective, tinged with aspects of its complex and varied...
1966-1972 - The Colgate Human Comedy Hour -- KPFAKPFAKPFA is a listener-funded progressive talk radio and music radio station located in Berkeley, California, broadcasting to the San Francisco Bay Area. KPFA airs public news, public affairs, talk, and music programming. The station signed on-the-air April 15 1949, as the first Pacifica Station...
1972-73 - The Little People or Think Big-- KPFA a documentary about a visit to a dwarf convention. Received an Armstrong AwardArmstrong awardThere are several Armstrong awards, named after different people called Armstrong.* Louis Armstrong award* Edwin Howard Armstrong award...
. - Bourgeois Liberation -- WBAI 1979-1984
- Classic Bob & Ray
- The Bob and Ray Public Radio Show -- 1981-1986
- Modern Times -- KCRWKCRWKCRW is a public radio station broadcasting from the campus of Santa Monica College in Santa Monica, California, carrying a mix of National Public Radio news, talk radio and freeform music format. The general manager of KCRW is Jennifer Ferro...
, WNYCWNYCWNYC is a set of call letters shared by a pair of co-owned, non-profit, public radio stations located in New York City.WNYC broadcasts on the AM band at 820 kHz, and WNYC-FM is at 93.9 MHz. Both stations are members of National Public Radio and carry distinct, but similar news/talk programs...
, APRAPR- In the context of organizations :*Agrarian Party of Russia, a left-wing political party in Russia*Alabama Public Radio*American Public Radio, now Public Radio International*Asia-Pacific Scout Region...
& American Public Radio 1988-93 - BRIDGES: A Liberal/Conservative Dialogue -- CPBCPB-Organizations:* The Campbell Soup Company* The Corporation for Public Broadcasting, a publicly-funded non-profit corporation in the United States* Campbell Brothers, an Australian soap manufacturer...
1994-1999. - Bloomsday on Broadway (with Isaiah Sheffer) -- live marathon readings of James JoyceJames JoyceJames Augustine Aloysius Joyce was an Irish novelist and poet, considered to be one of the most influential writers in the modernist avant-garde of the early 20th century...
's UlyssesUlysses (novel)Ulysses is a novel by the Irish author James Joyce. It was first serialised in parts in the American journal The Little Review from March 1918 to December 1920, and then published in its entirety by Sylvia Beach on 2 February 1922, in Paris. One of the most important works of Modernist literature,...
. 1981-91. - What Is Judaism? 1999-
- Only in America -- a 6 hour history of Jewish-Americans
External links
- RadioArt.org – a division of the Radio Foundation, Inc., a not-for-profit radio production company founded by Larry Josephson