Dzien dobry! That means good day! It will be a good day for the thousands of fans who were left in the dark…….and quiet when all of the sudden, one day….their favorite radio show “Polka Melodies” with Tom Sanocki was just gone. That seems to be the order of business in smaller media markets anymore. Radio has become what it shouldn’t be in my opinion. Yes, I have a very clear and sometimes what’s considered an “old school” opinion of the importance and relevance of local media. Media in a small community like Muskegon should be a connector, instead of some lifeless box telling you to shop at big box stores, click on websites and try to win national contest you really don’t have a chance at. Local radio specifically…..it should be a sounding board, a community spark and a place to be familiar. While we don’t have a signal or a tower, we’ve moved all of that into online…..if you give us one or two clicks, we’ll give you what’s missing. Including 63 years of a heritage radio show…. Polka Melodies.
Tom Sanocki took over the show 30 years ago. Now, I thought of myself as a bit of a radio historian in West Michigan, but until I sat down to welcome Tom today, I had NO idea that it went on 30 years before he got it! Holy moly! That’s an awful lot of polka! Not only has the show endured, it’s grown. The friendly fellowship and the core group of people of Polish Heritage in West Michigan have not only supported the show, but they have helped it sprout a festival held in Muskegon on Labor Day Weekend annually that’s provided a pretty big party for a lot of beer lovers, polka dancers and those who enjoy the deep and robust flavors of polish food!
We visit with Tom today at his home, which is filled with antique radios, and catch up on the show, the festival and his career and life in the Polka business. It’s much more than him playing some songs. He knows most of the band leaders and mands that are being played and if that’s not impressive enough, his knowledge of his audience is that of a pastor and his congregation. That in and of itself is one of the greatest and most important things about local radio, the relationship built between the show and the audience. As we saw with the cancellation of Polka Melodies on a small AM radio station in Muskegon…..that cancellation made by someone looking at a spread sheet somewhere…. that’s not local media.
It’s a new era for a legendary show and staple programming for the West Michigan airwaves. No more listening on AM radio that’s limited on sound and strength. Tom bringing the show to truly local platforms that offer global reach is a huge partnership and major accomplishment for both Polka Melodies and The Muskegon Channel as well as the GR Channel which will be running this show weekly as well. Both the Muskegon Channel and the GR Channel offer news that’s kinda not what you might find elsewhere. We are positive. Helpful and community minded. We don’t resort to gore or strife. We share stories of people and places that make us all better. We thank you for coming our way to enjoy your favorite music and we welcome you to enjoy the rest of our programming for West Michigan. If you are looking for great classic rock and classic hits mixed on the radio, Muskegon Channel Radio Plays it all when Polka Melodies isn’t on. Enjoy the best fun music from the 60’s&70’s up till now! Muskegonchannelradio.com
