For the first time since August 1967, radio listeners awoke Monday with news station WCBS 880 no longer on the dial.
The 24-hour news outlet signed off after midnight and will now operate as an ESPN affiliate covering sports. That leaves 1010 WINS as New York City’s only major radio outlet strictly covering news all day and night.
“I’m Wayne Cabot, and for the final time, this, is WCBS, New York,” were the final words beamed from the Hudson Square station by the 36-year broadcasting veteran after John Lennon’s “Imagine” played.
NJ.Com said Cabot implored users to find a new radio station they can trust and “use it, support it” as an act of patriotism. The farewell was recorded Friday, according to Newsday.
Audacy owns the AM station, but ESPN New York will control its content. The station’s new call letters are WHSQ. It will continue to carry Mets games.
Traffic reporter Tom Kaminski thanked listeners for the nearly 36 years he spent reporting from a helicopter and dropping Bruce Springsteen references.
“All I can say is thank you,” he posted online. “It’s been a privilege to try and get you from point A to point B as quickly as possible.”
The Writers Guild of America (WGA) reported earlier this month that nearly two-dozen union writers lost their jobs when WCBS went silent.
“This is a giant loss for New York City and the news industry at large,” the WGA said in a statement.
Audacy, which owned WCBS, also owns 1010 WINS. That outlet is expended to continue covering local and national events, politics, weather, traffic, crime and everything else in its current purview on its AM and FM stations.