Frequently Asked Questions About 1370 Connection

What was 1370 Connection?

It was a two-hour daily call-in conversation and interview program hosted by Bob Smith.  We have replaced that program with a new program: Connections with Evan Dawson.  We saw 1370 Connection and we still see Connections with Evan Dawson as a way to facilitate YOUR direct connection with the issues and newsmakers that touch your life, as well as the trends that shape our present and future. We do it with live interviews that give you the chance to ask questions and exchange ideas with people in the news, and people who can help you solve practical problems we all face not to mention giving you an opportunity to share your viewpoint with the whole community.

How did the show get started, and when?

1370 Connection began Labor Day week of 1987, its basic format and concept developed by former WXXI radio division VP Mark Boardman, and was originally heard starting at 10 AM on weekdays. The first six months of the program’s history saw numerous changes in host and production team. On March 16, 1988, Bob Smith joined WXXI as permanent host and producer of 1370 Connection, and has been continuously associated with the program and with WXXI-AM 1370 since that date. 

What are some of the highlights of 1370 Connection’s years on the air?

In 1989, we took 1370 Connection to Russia for two weeks at the time of the historical milestone of that country’s first competitive elections in over 70 years. Since then we’ve hosted the famous (like Hillary Clinton, Rudolph Giuliani and Mario Cuomo), the notorious (like S&L scandal central figure Charles Keating) and the icons of American literature and popular culture (from Philip Roth to B.B. King), not to mention the people from your own community who make the decisions that affect your life daily. The program moved to its noon to 2 PM timeslot in the fall of 1996 and the audience for its live first run each day had grown over 50% since that time. In the fall of 2001, WXXI-AM added a 9 PM nightly replay to enable us to offer the program to more people on different daily schedules.

Do you furnish show copies or transcripts?

We regret that we currently do not have the facilities and staff to provide written transcripts of 1370 Connection programs. Audio copies of past shows are available on CD for $20.00 (check, money order or charge, payable to WXXI). Along with your advance payment, please send a note specifying which date and hour of the show you want. We will send you your CD copy of the program, post-paid, as soon as possible.