KYW-AM Tower 1

Is it possible for a radio station’s call letters to have their own odyssey? The KYW-AM Tower 1, standing tall in Lafayette Hill, whispers a tale of just such a journey. KYW began its life in 1921, not here in Philadelphia, but in the bustling city of Chicago. It was one of the nation’s earliest broadcasting stations, a brainchild of Westinghouse and Commonwealth Edison. Imagine the thrill of those first broadcasts, carrying the soaring voices of the Chicago Opera Company across the airwaves. KYW-AM, however, was destined for a more complex story than most radio stations. The Federal Radio Commission’s reshuffling of frequencies in 1928 sent KYW to 1020 kHz. This created a coverage nightmare, leaving parts of Chicago in a radio dead zone. After years of battling for a clear signal, KYW made a dramatic move in 1934, relocating its entire operation to Philadelphia. The KYW-AM Tower 1, we see today, became its new home, broadcasting from Whitemarsh Township. The move also marked a shift in network affiliation, from NBC Blue to NBC Red. The station settled into its new city, even establishing a grand studio on Walnut Street in 1938. But the story doesn’t end there. KYW-AM was traded to NBC in 1955, changing its call letters to WRCV. A decade later, after a legal battle over the original trade, Westinghouse won back the station and the familiar KYW call letters returned. And with their return came another transformation. KYW-AM adopted the innovative all-news format, a bold move in 1965 that ultimately cemented its place as a Philadelphia institution. So, as you stand before the KYW-AM Tower 1, remember, you’re not just looking at a communication tower. You’re witnessing a symbol of broadcasting resilience, a testament to a station that truly moved around, both physically and across the dial, to find its voice and its home here in Philadelphia.