Americana: Singlehanded Victory

Since 1967 Simon Geller, now 58, has put in 85 hours a week running an FM radio station in Gloucester, Mass., spinning the records, answering the phone, writing the ads, maintaining the transmitter—all by himself. His annual earnings from the station have never topped $5,000. Last year a group of local businessmen and politicians asked the Federal Communications Commission to transfer Geller’s license to them, claiming that his all-classical-music format was “not responsive to the needs of the community.” They proposed to replace it with dinner music and public service programs.

During a three-day hearing, 37 listeners testified for Geller, only two for his opponents. Last week FCC Administrative Judge John H. Conlin praised Geller for his “selfless dedication and highly personalized style” and renewed his license for three years. Battle over, Geller hopes that advertising will pick up. Says he: “It’s taken ten years of starving before the big national advertisers realized I was here, but they’re starting to wake up.” Score another one for the little guy.