Beatlemania, mobster shootings and more incredible moments from WABC radio’s 100-year history
nypost.coma series of hourlong radio documentaries on the history of the station. It was there that Howard Cosell launched his legendary broadcasting career with a Little League baseball show; radio host Curtis Sliwa angered the mob and was shot up in a cab as retribution; and conservative commentators launched their careers with pull-no-punches talk.
But, just over 15 years ago, things were looking down when Disney sold the station to Citadel in 2006, WABC creative director Chris Libertini explained.The following year, the station changed hands once more, this time to Cumulus, which gutted WABC and fired the entire news department, according Libertini.
By the late 2010s, WABC was at risk of becoming a repeater for either a Russian or Korean radio station before local businessman John Catsimatidis and his wife Margo acquired it for $12.5M in 2020.“We believe in live radio,” Catsimatidis told The Post, noting that “music radio, talk radio and news” are all part of today’s mix.
To broaden the station’s focus on national politics, he rehired Cousin Brucie — “He was 86 years old, but I gave him a 30-year contract,” Catsimatidis joked — and brought on additional weekend music hosts such as Deana Martin (daughter of Dean) and Joe Piscopo.Below, a look at some of the station’s most memorable moments in its 100 years of broadcasting here in NYC.The Beatles first invaded the United States airwaves in 1963.
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