Sam Altdoerffer, Sr.

Inducted 1996
Born:  March 30, 1926, Lancaster, Pa.  

In 1946, after serving with the U.S. Navy during World War II, Sam Altdoerffer joined the Peoples Broadcasting Company, founded by his father, Frank Altdoerffer.  The Altdoerffer father-and-son team put WLAN-AM on the air in August 1946, and the station remained a family operation for fifty years.  

Altdoerffer worked in all departments at WLAN, including sales, engineering, finance, and programming, before settling into the general manager position.  With his background in economics, he complemented the engineering expertise of his father.  

In 1948, Altdoerffer and his father moved the AM station from daytime status to a full-time station, covering local events as well as broadcasting network programs.   They also built WLAN-FM in 1948 at a time when there were few FM receivers.  Together, the Altdoerffers developed WLAN-AM/FM into two of the most popular stations in the area.   

The Peoples Broadcasting Company continued its expansion in 1948 with the building of WKOP in Binghamton, N.Y.  In 1965, the Altdoerffers launched Peoples Cablevision, one of two cable applications in the Lancaster area.  They sold this business in 1979. 

Around that time, Altdoerffer's sons entered the family radio business.  There were now three generations of Altdoerffers working in broadcasting, unprecedented in Pennsylvania. In 1985, Altdoerffer added Oneida Communications to the family operation with the purchase of WRUN-WKGW in Utica, N.Y.   

Altdoerffer continued the work begun by his father in developing and operating the first radio station for the blind in Pennsylvania.  The station, which continues operation today, broadcasts news and other informational programming for the blind over a subcarrier authorization of WLAN-FM. 

Altdoerffer served on the Board of Directors of the Lancaster County Association for the Blind from 1991-1994.  Altdoerffer was joint board chairman of the Pennsylvania Association of Broadcasters in 1964.  

He was president of the Board of Directors of the Pennsylvania AP Broadcasters Association in 1963.  He was named 1987 PAB Broadcaster of the Year.  Altdoerffer's business activities included membership on the Board of Directors of the Conestoga Savings & Loan, including a term as chairman of the Board. He also served on the Board of the Harris Savings Bank.  He was a director and president of the Rotary Club of Lancaster and president of the Donegal Society.   

Altdoerffer retired as chairman of the Board of Peoples Broadcasting Company in 1996.