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28 Ed Perry changed the South Shore radio landscape when he created 95.9 FM WATD back in the 1970s. At the time, many declared that a radio station in Marshfield would never survive and even tried to block its construction. Forty-three years later, 95.9 FM WATD is going strong and is the Recipient of many regional and national Edward R. Murrow Awards. Last month, WATD received an Edward R. Murrow Award for overall news excellence in New England. Beyond awards and accolades, WATD is local treasure and a beloved source of live and local news and entertainment. In a time when most independent radio stations have been taken over by national corporate conglomerates because of FCC deregulation, WATD has maintained its independence and continues to be a platform and a voice for South Shore residents. Perry is breathing life into independent radio yet again by bringing WMEX 1510-AM back to the airwaves, and by creating WBMS 1460- AM / 101.1 FM. WMEX has a long history: the station was created back in 1934 and had its heyday from the 1950s to the 1980s when it became one of the first radio stations in the country to use a rock-and-roll-dominant pop- music format. In 1958 it hired popular disc jockey Arnie "Woo Woo" Ginsburg, who was consistently rated Boston's top deejay. Heard seven nights a week on his show, Night Train, Ginsburg was known for his collection of sound effects and his ability to create hits: airplay on his show could make a record a national sensation. An unforgettable voice in radio history, Ginsburg passed away on June 26. As WMEX radio personality Bobby Katzen says, "Boston and the world have lost a legend. There will never be another Arnie Ginsburg. Or even close to it." In June 2017, WMEX signed off and went silent. Eight months later, Perry bought WMEX and acquired its FCC license with the intention of reintroducing many of the same tunes and deejays that marked its prime. "We're going to bring back memories," Perry says. Radio T H E S O U T H S H O R E ' S R A D I O S TAT I O N 95.9 FM WATD's Ed Perry is Bringing the Fun Back to Radio With Two More Stations By Erica Ford Ed Perry. Photo by Helen Fulmer - Fulmer Photography