History

NYSBA Book

Serving Their Communities: 50 Years of the New York State Broadcasters

In 2005 NYSBA commissioned a book, “Serving Their Communities: 50 Years of the New York State Broadcasters,” to commemorate its many achievements during its first 50 years, as well as providing historical collage of broadcasting throughout the great State of New York.

To order a copy of the book, please contact Fordham University Press, www.fordhampress.com or 718-817-4795.

Below, the Foreward of “Serving Their Communities: 50 Years of the New York State Broadcasters” is provide as a synopsis of the book:

It has been an exciting journey and a rare privilege to research and assemble the remarkable story of the New York State Broadcasters Association. It is not merely a commercial trade organization as much as it is a brotherhood and sisterhood of dedicated public servants.

In recording its history, I found it difficult not to appreciate NYSBA as a microcosm of the entire American broadcasting industry from coast to coast., Unlocking its respect and admiration for the past provides keys to its future and the industry its members it serves so nobly.

In an attempt to map the cavernous history of NYSBA, this 50th anniversary book provides a mosaic drawn from the amazing individual stories of over 100 New York broadcasters and industry insiders, spoken in their own words. They share their experiences as members of NYSBA, how they served their own disparate communities, and the unique challenges they overcame to build and develop radio and television broadcasting in the Empire State.

It would be impossible to record each and every story mined from the archives of this great association or the collective memories of its founders and participants. There are too many to count, one better than the next. It has been our intention, then, only to hold up a mirror to the Association, reflecting the work and dedication of these enlightened broadcasters and to chronicle their contributions in markets large and small, from radio and television, as well as to offer perspectives from both owners and corporate executives.

The stories found within these pages are not unlike the ones overheard at the NYSBA Annual Meetings or Executive Conferences over the last 50 years, when Empire State broadcasters gathered together to share ideas and offer support to their colleagues. Hopefully their triumphs and trials will unlock your own personal memories to be shared with a colleague or better yet, to inspire the next generation of New York broadcasters.

Stephen Warley
2005