A Journey Into Radio

Mr. Dave Archard was the speaker this past week at the Rotary Club of Ponte Vedra Beach Sunset's weekly meeting.

Dave Archard was born in 1936 in Rochester, New York. He graduated from the Bergen County school district in 1954 and, after training at Broadcast Coaching Associates in New York City, began his career as staff announcer for WMYB in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. In the late fifties, he introduced the exciting Top 40 sound to the west coast of Florida from powerful WALT, Tampa, achieving record breaking audience ratings in both Hooper and Pulse surveys. He moved with his growing family to WFUN in Miami where he excelled as a copywriter and production director. Settling in Daytona Beach in the seventies, Archard handled broadcast duties at several stations in the market including sales and operations for number one easy-listening WWLV (FM). Now retired, he resides with his wife in Florida.

Dave relived with the members the era of radio when mysteries and comedy shows filled living rooms from radios that were more four-legged cabinets.  He also described what happened as the Golden Age of Radio waned at the beginning of Rock 'n' Roll, and FM.  He even described more recent changes that brought about Talk Radio, all sports/news channels, and today's satellite driven market.

Check out his website and book at:  http://www.davearchard.com/index.html