He’s an icon of the history of Hispanic radio in the U.S., in Puerto Rico, and in Quito, Ecuador, where in the late 1960s he launched “Radio Musical” as the first U.S.-style Top 40 station in Latin America. Now, he’s being honored in recognition of his dedication and commitment to the preservation of broadcast history: WorldRadioHistory.com.
David Gleason will be honored with the inaugural Library of American Broadcasting Foundation’s (LABF) Excellence in Broadcast Preservation Award in recognition of his outstanding dedication and commitment to preserving broadcast history.
The presentation will take place at NAB Show New York on Thursday, October 26, immediately following the panel session entitled “Your Content is King: Preserve It!” Gleason will appear on this panel.
Working on his own time and with his money for the past two decades, Gleason has built a massive online archive of broadcasting and cable trade publications, books, music magazines, technical manuals, directories, yearbooks, company and station publications, programming guides and more. The archive now tops an astounding nine million pages and houses some of the earliest editions of what had been Radio Business Report. Because it is online, the pages are readily available to the public – and searchable.
“There is no stopping him,” said LABF Co-chairs Heidi Raphael and Jack Goodman. “What David has accomplished – virtually single-handedly — is extraordinary. He’s made an unparalleled contribution not only to the history of broadcasting, but to the story of the modern world as reflected and shaped by the media.”
Gleason’s accomplishments are numerous. In 2004, he was a Group Executive Super Session panelist at the NAB Radio Show, representing Univision Radio. He became a part of the Univision family through that company’s acquisition of Hispanic Broadcasting Corp., where he served in roles such as VP/Programming, Support Information Systems. Before that, he served as Heftel Broadcasting’s VP of AM Programming, overseeing spoken word properties en español.
Those roles were gained thanks to pioneering positions including a role in 1976 as VP/GM of WQII “11-Q” in San Juan, Puerto Rico, where in addition to playing Latin Contemporary singles offered a mix of U.S. Top 40 and Disco singles, paving the way for modern-day stations to offer similar programming to the masses.
In 1964, Gleason, using the WIXY-AM in Cleveland hit parade, first gained notice for building “Radio Musical” in Quito, Ecuador. His venture lasted six years; political unrest in the country led to his departure in 1970. With pennies in his pocket, Mooney Broadcasting hired him to run WUNO “Radio Uno” in San Juan. “In 1972, when Mooney bought an AM & FM combo in Birmingham, Alabama, from Taft, I moved to that market to launch one of America’s first independent FM Top 40 stations and an Adult Contemporary AM,” Gleason notes in his biography. He returned to Puerto Rico for the 11Q role in 1975.
Other achievements include the launch of “Z93” in Puerto Rico, a station that today remains an all-Salsa ratings leader, and leading “Salsoul,” a contemporary Salsa brand in Puerto Rico. In Argentina, he was the architect of “Mega 98.3” for Emmis Communications. From 2000-2012, it was a leader for rock en español focused on acts ranging from Soda Stereo to Los Fabulosos Cadillacs.
