CHOO Radio Recollections

An on line scrapbook of images & text for former staff and listeners alike

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(RIGHT) An unusual novelty AM radio shaped like a giant old fashioned radio microphone which is pre-tuned to 1390. Listeners had no choice except listen to CHOO! It is made of a cream coloured hard plastic called Bakelite with engraved red lettering and a gold coloured metal grill back and front. It has tubes inside that light up when it is on and a "ground" wire. Remember those? The plug on its base is for an earphone although it has a built in speaker. Label reads, "MIKE-RADIO. Universal Publicizers Inc., 919 No. Michigan Ave. Chicago, Ill. 60611. Patent No. 171,636. Reg. U. S. Pat. Off. No. 611,342. Canadian Reg. No. 139/20337". Any guesses as to its age? The official records say CHOO started in 1967 so perhaps it dates from then. There's another photo of its "flipside" on the next page...

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If you have a radio history-related website and choose to provide a link to us, we will be happy to link back to your site! E mail details on the bottom of page one.

(LEFT) A beautiful bone china CHOO mug, made in England, circa mid 1980s. "Durhams Voice By Choice" was a popular catch phrase and slogan used informally on promotional material as well as on air for years.

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(BELOW) Who is that scrawny young pisher? Why, that's ME! Your CHOO Radio Recollections webguy! On air in the CHOO control room in 1979 as "John Richards" working holidays, weekends, sick days etc. as a "swing" announcer - my first paid radio gig ever. Note the 45 rpm records, the reel to reel tape machine, the old dial phone, the McMartin [?] board, and the carts and cart machine to run commercials. Just above my head you can see the window to the news booth. What you can't see is that unforgetable yellow shag rug that covered all the walls, providing both some sort of sound proofing and a lot of laughs even to this day.

Hey! If I can share such embarrassing photos, so can you! Don't send any files yet, just send me an e mail to get in touch. E mail address on INDEX PAGE. All the best from "John Richards".