Radio Legend Johnny Donovan Retires from WABC/NY

RADIO ONLINE | Wednesday, May 20, 2015

77 WABC Radio has announced the retirement of radio industry legend Johnny Donovan from daily radio announcing and production directorship. With a voice that has reverberated throughout the industry, Donovan has inspired countless voice-over artists and radio announcers to pursue their goals within the media and entertainment industry.

Donovan has been a part of the WABC Radio story since 1972 and served the station in many capacities during his 43-year tenure. He was a music disc jockey during the influential WABC MusicRadio era and a decade later in 1982, WABC moved from Music Radio to Talk Radio and Donovan continued as staff announcer and Production Director. He has held this position for over 30 years, creating hundreds of radio specials and contributing his voice to thousands of commercials. During this time, Donovan worked with some of the most respected managers, programmers, and broadcasters in the Talk Radio genre.

A Poughkeepsie, New York native, Donovan was a radio enthusiast from an early age, with an amateur radio station K2KOQ in his basement. He became a DJ on WHVW in nearby Hyde Park, after helping build the station in 1963. He went on to work at radio stations in Kingston (WBAZ) and Binghamton (WENE), New York, with a stop at Atlantic City, New Jersey's WMID. In 1968, Donovan arrived in New York City as an overnight music host on WOR-FM. Four years later, Donovan brought his talent to the AM band and WABC.

Mike McVay, Senior Vice President, Content and Programming for Cumulus Media said: "Johnny Donovan was THE sound of 77 WABC. He joins the ranks of legends like Don Pardo, Ed McMahon and Ernie Anderson. His production and imaging skills are legendary. He will be missed at WABC, but more than that, he will be missed in our industry."

Donovan will continue to be heard in various formats going forward. First, as the show voice for The Rush Limbaugh Show, a position that he has held since 1988, and also within his own successful voice-over business.