….and most assuredly, there will never be another! The reference is to WNEW 11-3-0 in New York which was the radio home to some supremely talented air personalities, aided and abetted by a stellar news operation!
Those voices that appeared between the records belonged to a fraternity of personalities who had one tradition: To offer amusing chatter and incisive comments about the records they played.
At the same time, those news broadcasters (some of whom still write for this website), did their level-best through sharp editing and impeccable writing to keep the New York metropolitan area informed up to the minute!
Sadly, that all came to an abrupt end thirty-two years ago on December 11, 1992 and was only amplified by the Nor’easter walloping New York, New Jersey and Connecticut at the time.
As I have said before and meant sincerely, the heavens were weeping for what we will always recall as the Big W!
Article contributed by Bob Gibson
WNEW-AM on-air roster (partial) originally posted 12/10/2012
–MCP–
December 11, 1992 – A sad day in the NY tri-state area, as WNEW last crossed the airwaves. WNEW was an extraordinary station and the memory resonates deeply with its listeners. For this reason, we are able to flip the sad to glad as I share with you a listener memory, sent in by Mr. Kevin Haynes.
My Mom had the kitchen radio tuned to WNEW morning, noon and night for my entire childhood, from toddlerhood in Brooklyn to getting ready for school on Long Island in the mid-1960s and beyond.
I fondly remember Klavin & Finch, William B. Williams, Ted Brown (my favorite!) and sportscaster Chip Cipolla, who once told a hilarious story about getting a piece of fan mail addressed to Gypsy Polo.
To this day, I still recall a couple of the station promos as well as the jingles for Chicken Delight and Robert Hall (“School bells ringing/children singing/It’s back to Robert Hall again…”)
I recorded WNEW’s final two hours to preserve the memories, bid adieu to a New York institution and share the fond farewell with Mom.
–End–
Mr. Haynes, Kevin, donated a digitized version of his long held cassette of the last two-hours of programming, saying,
“…I’m delighted to give it a new, loving home.”
Thank you Mr. Haynes, for your contribution.
This website cannot accommodate the size of those files, so, here are a few cuts from each of the 1 hour recordings.
If you are interested in hearing them in their entirety send your request to editor@wnew1130.com.
Cassette 1. Dec 12, 1992 Mark Simone and guests 6:00 pm – 7:00 pm
Lena Horne
Jim Lowe
Sinatra
Cassette 2. Dec 12, 1992 Mark Simone and guests 7:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Ted Brown
Tony Monte & John Pizzarelli, Jr sign off / Jingles
Jim Harlan
Final on-air words and song, including some jingles
