Midnight, August 31, 2000 -- 1050 WEVD goes off the air in NYC.
This was an oasis of progressive talk radio in New York City. The station was owned by The Forward, a Jewish media company. It was created in 1927 to honor Eugene V. Debs.
Sure, it struggled but it was mighty. You know who called in more than you'd expect? Seniors. They finally had a platform where their opinions mattered. They'd talk local issues. They remembered Joe McCarthy. They had experience in a multitude of changes in the WH and Congress. And hosts would welcome them like family. Even listeners knew who they were.
And great interviews. Bill Mazer would have columnists like Michael Tomasky, Lars Erik Nelson, Marie Cocco, Michael Isikoff, and more. Sam Greenfield would excel at interviews as well including many authors.
When it was announced that The Forward was selling WEVD to ABC/Disney, I grieved. It was more than losing a dependable radio station. I knew it was the beginning of the end of progressive talk radio, not only in NYC, but the country. I wished I were wrong. Sure, there was Air America. And it was good while it lasted. There was WWRL with some local programming. But it too was sold.
Yeah, there's WNYC (NPR affiliate and flagship station) and WBAI. Not the same.
There hasn't been a day that I haven't wished for WEVD to be back on the air, but I know it won't happen. It was a kiosk. It was a community. Sigh . . . . .
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