Remembering Bob Bittner
• New England radio fans are saddened by the passing of Bob Bittner, lifetime broadcaster and the owner/operator of the Memories Radio Adult Standards network on five New England radio stations: WBAS-AM-1240/West Yarmouth (Cape Cod), WJIB-AM 740/Boston, and three AM stations servicing the Portland, Maine region: WJTO-AM 730/Bath, WLAM-AM 1470/Lewiston, and WLVP-AM 870/Gorham.
Another local legend, Scott Fybush of NorthEast Radio Watch penned a wonderfully heartfelt, albeit reluctant tribute to his longtime friend, as evidenced by this opening line: “In almost 30 years of writing this column, I have never wanted to write a story less than I do this one: on Friday morning, Bob Bittner, the iconoclastic owner of WJIB (740) in Boston, WJTO (730) in Bath, Maine and several other stations, died at his home in Bath, two weeks short of what would have been his 74th birthday.”
Fybush added, “More than just a unique one-man radio operator, Bob was a good friend, not only to me but to broadcasters all over New England and beyond, all of whom are keenly feeling his loss right now.”
After graduating from the Rochester Institute of Technology in 1969, Bittner remained in the Rochester area, working for WADD-AM/Brockport and later programmed WCMF and WVOR/Rochester. After a stint in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Bittner returned to the mainland at the height of the disco revolution, working as a DJ and PD at WBOS, WNTN and WXKS-AM/Boston. While at WNTN, Bittner began playing his unique brand of offbeat oldies and standards, and later in the ’80s remained with WXKS-AM during its transition to the “Music of Your Life” format. We urge you to take the time to read Fybush’s complete tribute to Bittner.
In addition to his wife Raisa and his beloved radio stations, Bob Bittner leaves behind a community of lifelong radio friends across New England and beyond.
Fybush wonders: “What happens next? In the very short term, the stations are staying on the air, with Bob’s Maine engineer Bob Perry adding an hourly announcement about Bob’s death to the station automation. In the long term, it’s simply too soon to speculate. It’s hard to imagine Bob’s stations without Bob — but those are decisions that will be made later on, as Bob’s radio friends rally around Raisa in her time of need.” Plans for a memorial service are pending.
