Ed Bench- 2004
Anyone who worked with Ed Bench describes him as the best radio engineer they’ve ever known.
He served as chief engineer for KSTL, KATZ and KCFM and as an independent contractor for Heritage Media and Clear Channel. Ed Bench was responsible for developing the market’s first stereophonic broadcasts at KCFM, whose initial stereo broadcast was coordinated to begin at the same time as those at WSYR (Syracuse) and WEFM (Chicago), midnight, June 1, 1961.
He received the first Type Approval for a stereo broadcasting system issued by the FCC on January 2, 1961 and operated the first multi-station circular polarized panel antenna in the nation. During his work building KCFM, Bench developed many of the testing techniques that are still being used to test stereo broadcast systems.
He has been honored with lifetime memberships in the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers and the Society of Broadcast Engineers.