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MAL BELLAIRS HAS PASSED AWAY. A BROADCAST PIONEER, BELLAIRS, OF WOODSTOCK, ILLINOIS SPENT MUCH OF HIS BROADCASTING CAREER AT WBBM-AM FROM 1955 TO 1969 BEFORE THE STATION BECAME ALL NEWS. IN 1969, HE MOVED HIS FAMILY TO MCHENRY COUNTY AND PURCHASED AN AM STATION, WCLR (Crystal Lake Radio) AND BEGAN BROADCASTING. A FEW YEARS LATER HE STARTED AN FM STATION IN WOODSTOCK, WXRD-FM, THE CROSSROADS. WXRD HAD A NUMBER OF CALL LETTER CHANGES OVER THE YEARS FINALLY BECOMING WZSR-FM, STAR 105.5 IN 1991, THE CURRENT CALL LETTERS. RECENTLY MAL RECEIVED THE NATIONAL RADIO HALL OF FAME'S REGIONAL PIONEER BROADCASTER AWARD IN PEORIA. IN FAILING HEALTH AND MOSTLY GETTING AROUND IN A WHEELCHAIR, BELLAIRS GOT UP ON STAGE, ACCEPTED THE AWARD STANDING UP AND ADDRESSED THE CROWD OF BROADCASTERS FOR THE FINAL TIME. YOU MAY REMEMBER MAL FROM HIS STEADY DIET OF COMMERCIALS, "HI NEIGHBORS, THIS IS MAL BELLAIRS FOR WHITE FENCE FARM." OR YOU MAY REMEMBER HIS MARATHON CHRISTMAS PROGRAMS FROM AROUND THE WORLD EVERY YEAR WHERE HE'D TRACE THE HISTORY OF CHRISTMAS MUSIC. THE POPULARITY OF THE CHRISTMAS PROGRAMS WAS INCREDIBLE. MAL SAID LONG AGO THAT THE NORTHWEST SUBURBS AND FOX VALLEY WOULD GROW INCREDIBLY AND THE STATIONS HE OWNED WOULD SOMEDAY HAVE VERY LARGE LISTENERSHIP FROM ALL THOSE SUBURBANITES. HE LIVED LONG ENOUGH TO SEE A POPULATION EXPLOSION AND A TREMENDOUS INCREASE IN LISTENERSHIP IN THE SUBURBS. MAL BELLAIRS, DEAD AT THE AGE OF 91, ONE OF THE GREATEST BROADCASTERS IN THE HISTORY OF RADIO.
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Lisa Allen
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