Herb Jepko’s birthday would have been 20/March, he passed away in the 80’s; he was a major innovator in media history as the first to mass programme to the overnight audience, the first to use direct marketing and the first to syndicate his programming, eventually being heard throughout North America. The details of the rise and fall of Herb Jepko and the Nitecaps radio phenomenon is well documented elsewhere, the Wikipedia article is concise, no need to repeat it here.

The format of the Nitecaps was open line with only 2 rules, no politics and no organized religion. The community of listeners eventually spanned the continent with local clubs, national conventions, newsletters, charitable works. The show was so popular that participants were restricted to 5 minutes once every 2 weeks.

I can’t completely explain the appeal of this movement, but I believe that it is about being anonymous yet having a voice. Something about this is good for the participants and interesting to the audience. Check media and Internet out today and you will find endless examples of this sort of thing; but the negativity and more surrounding them is distressing.

Today you will still find the remnants of the Nitecaps community. Like me, they were teenagers when Herb was at the top of his game; we were part of the overnight community of the retired, the chronically ill, farmers getting ready for their day, cross country truckers, and anyone else that just liked being up at night. Herb Jepko did more than just find us; he was a force for good in the world and we need more of him today.