Bernie Dittman

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Bernard Sidney Dittman (September 3, 1927 – October 25, 2006) was the longtime owner, president, and general manager of

Top-40 radio stations in the United States.[1][2]

Career

Born in

Mobile Register was selling its country music station WABB. He seized the opportunity in 1959 and shortly after arriving in Mobile a year later, the station began broadcasting Top-40 music.[1] The format was such a success in the 1960s that WABB added a new FM simulcast in 1973.[2]
Dittman and his staff encouraged drivers in a series of on-air promotions to install low-cost FM radio receivers. WABB-FM eventually continued the Top-40 format after the AM station switched to a news/talk format.

Personal life

Dittman's service to his fellow man extended beyond FM radio receivers. Since he came to Mobile, the WABB Community Club Awards Program of Greater of Mobile has provided thousands of dollars in financial awards to local organization. The station's longtime sponsorship of the Greater Gulf State Fair in Mobile began in 1965, along with the long-running High Striker game, a charitable promotion at the entrance to the fair's Midway. For years Dittman was seen operating the game himself. The

GMAC Bowl received financial support from Dittman and WABB through the years. Since WABB was the Emergency Broadcast System primary station for Mobile, Dittman and his radio staff kept residents informed during severe weather, especially during, and after hurricanes. Dittman had three daughters, Betsy, Stephanie, and Marsha with his wife Judith (Judy) Dittman. His wife Judith (Judy) passed away in August of 2022.[citation needed
]

Awards and honors

Dittman received numerous awards[citation needed] of recognition for his professional and public service over the years. In 2005, he was named Broadcaster of the Year by the Alabama Broadcasters Association.[1][3]

Death

In October 2006, Dittman had a stroke and was placed in a hospital. On the night of October 25, he died at the age of 79 following an illness that had begun just the week before.

Chicago, Illinois to Mobile,[5] fulfilling the promise Bernie Dittman had of never selling out in an age when a single corporation can own multiple stations and radio stations are mostly automated.[citation needed
]

In 2012 the Dittman Family sold WABB-FM to

K-LOVE, on March 1, 2012,[6] and soon after adopted the callsign WLVM. (EMF would trade WLVM to Cumulus Media that July, and became WABD, re-adopting the CHR
format and many elements of WABB-FM's past identity.) The EMF sale excludes WABB AM, which the Dittman family has chosen to retain for the time being.

Bernie Dittman's favorite song was The Beatles' Strawberry Fields Forever; the staff of WABB-FM played the song several times throughout the station's final day on-air as a public tribute to Dittman. It was also WABB-FM's penultimate song, the last having been the station's first, Stuck Inside of Mobile with the Memphis Blues Again by Bob Dylan.[7]


References

  1. ^ a b c d "Bernie Dittman Passes Away". Radio Monitor. 2006-10-26.
  2. ^ a b "People: Radio". Media Life. Archived from the original on 2011-05-20. Retrieved 2008-08-02. Dittman owned WABB-AM since 1959, adding WABB-FM in 1973.
  3. ^ "ABA Broadcaster of the Year". Alabama Broadcasters Association. Retrieved 2008-08-01.
  4. ^ "WABB's Dittman Dead At 79". Radio Ink. Archived from the original on 2007-09-27. Retrieved 2008-08-02.
  5. ^ Holbert, Rob (2006-11-08). "Media Frenzy". Lagniappe Mobile. Archived from the original on 2008-07-05. Retrieved 2008-08-02.
  6. ^ "WABB-FM Agrees to be Purchased by Educational Media Foundation" from WABB (February 17, 2012)
  7. ^ "Final Hour Of 97.5 WABB" from Airchexx.com (March 1, 2012)

External links

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