New York Radio
New York radio keeps the mind more curious, the heart more open and the spirit more joyful through excellent audio programming. The station is rooted in the city’s rich history of courageous conversation and innovative storytelling, while pushing for the next level of excellence. Its mission is to make the world a better place by making a difference in people’s lives through news and culture that challenges ideas, nourishes the soul and elevates conversations.
WNPR’s programming reaches the hearts of many New Yorkers, with its diverse blend of talk, music and news. The station is often ranked as the most listened-to radio station in the country, and its hosts are nationally recognized voices. In addition to its morning shows, WNPR produces award-winning documentaries and features. It is also the only radio station in the nation that has won a National Edward R. Murrow Award for Outstanding Continuing Coverage of a Public Issue, in both 2014 and 2018.
WKTU is one of the most popular music stations in New York City. The channel primarily features soft adult contemporary and hot adult contemporary, but also offers a variety of other formats. In addition to hosting well-known personalities, the station is known for its afternoon drive and evening shows. The station is based in Manhattan, but it has studios throughout the metropolitan area.
In the beginning, radio broadcasting was forbidden by law, as officials believed newspapers were sufficient to keep people informed. However, the 1920s saw a boom in radio broadcasting. Several new stations appeared, including the first city-owned and operated radio station, WNYC. It began broadcasting in 1924. The airwaves were awash in music, news, dramatic readings and sports events. Orson Welles’ War of the Worlds broadcast in 1938 caused hysteria as people believed aliens had invaded the Earth.
As television grew in popularity, radio could have become obsolete, but rock and roll revived the medium. Celebrity disc jockeys became stars, and recording companies embraced the genre. The stations began to play more music than ever before. AM stations, like WABC, hired top West Coast talent to create an easy listening format that was successful in the era of AM car radios and home stereos. FM radio jumped on the bandwagon, and stations like WOR-FM capitalized by playing hip rock music.
As a result of this success, WOR-FM quickly rose to the top of the ratings in Greater New York. The new format appealed to the college crowd, which favored this genre of music. In the midst of all this growth, the WOR-FM team made a mistake in 1966. The station’s parent company, RKO, hoped to increase profits by hiring a serious top 40 program director from the west coast. The station’s presentation became slick, and the playlist was short. Disc jockeys like Murray the K, Rosko and Scotty were replaced with more up-tempo jocks. Despite this setback, WOR-FM became the top station in NYC by 1968. Its success inspired other cities to begin launching their own hip FM formats. new york radio
