710 WOR/New York Celebrates 100 Years On-The-Air

RADIO ONLINE | Thursday, February 17, 2022 | 12:57pm CT

WOR/New York

iHeartMedia's legendary Talk outlet WOR-AM/New York will celebrate the 100th anniversary of its first day of broadcast on February 22. To mark the anniversary, the station will share on-air and online historical and momentous moments from WOR's rich history. On February 22, Len Berman and Michael Riedel in the Morning will kick off the tribute by interviewing on-air hosts from WOR's history to share memories of their time at the station.

WOR will also air audio of historic moments and invite listeners to call in with their favorite WOR recollections. Additionally, on February 23rd, the Empire State Building will light up in the colors of the station's logo beginning at 5:40pm to honor this momentous occasion.

"For over 100 years, 710 WOR continues to remain one of the most trusted New York media brands and has kept generations of listeners informed with the latest stories and breaking news," said President iHeartMedia Multiplatform Group - New York Bernie Weiss.

"A station broadcasting for over a century is truly incredible," said WOR Program Director Tom Cuddy. "710 WOR has a strong connection with the communities we serve, and as the media landscape continues to evolve, it's exciting to see our reach has continued to grow as WOR listeners adopt streaming on smart devices and the iHeartRadio app."

WOR was initially started to sell radios and other merchandise at Bamberger's department store in Newark, NJ, and quickly evolved into a news and talk station in New York and is the only station remaining in New York City approved by the FCC to retain a three-letter call sign.

Countless notable politicians and public figures have appeared on WOR during its 100-year history, including Presidents Franklin D. Roosevelt and Ronald Reagan, Albert Einstein, Harry Houdini, Charlie Chaplin, Roy Rogers, Nelson Rockefeller, Coretta King, Mayor Ed Koch, Governor George Pataki, First Ladies Rosalyn Carter and Barbara Bush, and radio legends Dick Clark and Casey Kasem. Former Mayor Michael Bloomberg made weekly one-hour appearances, and former New York Governor David Paterson hosted a daily afternoon-drive show.

Other celebrity hosts include Joan Rivers, who hosted an evening talk show on WOR in the late 90s. WOR was also the flagship station for Larry King's national overnight radio program and the first major radio station to feature three generations of one family as morning show hosts. The Gambling family hosted the morning show on WOR for more than 80 years ("Rambling with Gambling" starting in 1925 and then "The John Gambling Show" beginning in 2008).