WSB Radio records

Collection

Identifier: M004

Staff Only
Not requestable

Scope and Content of the Records

The records contain correspondence, memos, scrapbooks, news clippings, publicity materials, program log books, scripts, radio engineering lesson plans, contracts, licenses, photographs, sound recordings, moving image recordings, transcripts, and artifacts relating to the early history of WSB Radio, to WSB performers, programs, awards, and sponsored events (such as news workshops and career conferences for students), and to WSB-FM and WSB-TV.

The sound recordings in the collection include examples of musical, dramatic and general interest programming from circa 1944 through circa 1984; news programming; and political speeches from 1946 and 1948, generated by the heated gubernatorial and congressional races of those years. The political speeches include campaign addresses by Eugene Talmadge, Herman Talmadge, James Carmichael, E.D. Rivers, Helen Douglas Mankin, James C. Davis, Ellis Arnall, M.E. Thompson and others.

Dates

Creation: 1920-1985
Creation: Majority of material found within 1960 - 1980

Creator

WSB (Radio station : Atlanta, Ga.) (Organization)

Restrictions on access

Collection is open for research use.

Terms Governing Use and Reproduction

Georgia State University is the owner of the physical collection and makes reproductions available for research, subject to the copyright law of the United States and item condition. Georgia State University may or may not own the rights to materials in the collection. It is the researcher's responsibility to verify copyright ownership and obtain permission from the copyright holder before publication, reproduction, or display of the materials beyond what is reasonable under copyright law. Researchers may quote selections from the collection under the fair use provision of copyright law.

The artifacts are stored offsite. Allow at least 2 working days for retrieval.

History of WSB Radio

WSB ("Welcome South, Brother") Radio, the first radio station to broadcast in the city of Atlanta, was "born" on March 15, 1922, when it went on the air for the first time at a power of 100 watts. The station was originally owned by The Atlanta Journal and broadcast from a makeshift studio on the fifth floor of The Journal building on Forsyth Street in downtown Atlanta. In 1925 the station moved to more spacious quarters on the top floor of the Biltmore Hotel, where it remained for the next thirty years. Both The Journal and WSB were purchased by Governor James M. Cox of Ohio in 1939; WSB is still a property of Cox Broadcasting Corporation, which was formed when Cox operations reorganized in 1964. From late 1955 until 1998, the offices and studios of WSB Radio (and WSB TV) were located at White Columns on Peachtree Street. In June 1998, WSB Radio moved into new facilities at the intersection of Beverly Road and Peachtree Street, taking with it four columns from White Columns and placing the historic columns in the rear garden of the new buildings.

Hailed as the "Voice of the South," WSB Radio was an innovative pioneer in radio. With its many breakthrough practices, from being the first radio station to use a slogan to broadcasting a Spanish translation of "Voice of America" programs to Cuba during the Cuban Missile Crisis, WSB always remained cutting edge and more importantly, relevant. Its presence continues to be felt in the city of Atlanta, throughout the nation, and worldwide.

Further information on the history of WSB Radio can be found in Welcome South Brother, the book prepared for the station's 50th anniversary, and in the "History" files in this collection.

Extent

24 Linear Feet (in 52 boxes)

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Abstract:

WSB Radio was first radio station to broadcast in the city of Atlanta, on March 15, 1922. With its many breakthrough practices, from being the first radio station to use a slogan to broadcasting a Spanish translation of "Voice of America" programs to Cuba during the Cuban Missile Crisis, WSB always remained cutting edge and more importantly, relevant. The records, 1920-1985, contain correspondence, memos, scrapbooks, news clippings, publicity materials, program log books, scripts, radio engineering lesson plans, contracts, licenses, photographs, slides, sound recordings, moving image recordings, transcripts, and artifacts relating to the early history of WSB Radio, to WSB performers, programs, awards, and sponsored events (such as news workshops and career conferences for students), and to WSB-FM and WSB-TV.

Organization of the Records

Organized into 6 series:

Series I: Office Files
- Subseries A: Elmo Ellis files
- Subseries B: General Office files
Series II: Publicity
- Subseries A: Promotion Department files
- Subseries B: Publications and news clippings
Series III: Log Books
Series IV: Scripts
- Subseries A: WSB Scripts
- Subseries B: Meet the Artist Scripts
Series V: WSB Radio Engineering Lesson Plans
Series VI: Audiovisual Materials and Artifacts
- Subseries A: Photographs
  - Sub-subseries 1: WSB History and Facilities
  - Sub-subseries 2: WSB Employees and Performers
  - Sub-subseries 3: WSB Awards, Events, and Promotions
- Subseries B: Sound Recordings
  - Sub-subseries 1: Transcripts
  - Sub-subseries 2: Recordings
- Subseries C: Films
- Subseries D: Artifacts

Off-Site Storage

The artifacts are stored offsite. Allow at least 2 working days for retrieval.

Acquisition Information

Donated by WSB Radio, 1984.

Related Materials

Related materials in other repositories:

Multiple collections of WSB materials are available at the Atlanta History Center
WSB-TV records are housed in the Walter J. Brown Media Archives, University of Georgia.
WSB-TV and WSB records, circa 1968-1980 are held at the Hargrett Rare Book and Manuscript Library, University of Georgia.
WSB records and Elmo Ellis papers are available at the Manuscript, Archives, Rare Book Library, Emory University.