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The news is still so fresh and so shocking to so many that it feels almost like a Band-Aid being mercilessly ripped from the oozing wound that is the changing cultural climate and the economy. But it's official. Broadcasting legend Joey Reynolds, a longtime fixture of the airwaves and an honoree of the Radio Hall Of Fame, not to mention a 2009 MAC Board Of Directors Award winner for his generosity in including interviews with myriad cabaret and jazz artists on his live broadcasts on radio station WOR, has been pinkslipped and asked to hit the road effective April 2nd,not merely from the New York station but the other WOR stations to which he's been syndicated for decades.
The big question, however, is, "Why?"
Why indeed. Well, as journalist Jerry Del Colliano said recently, "It's a whole new phenomenon. Commodity radio. Who needs to hire a live personality when you can rent a station from one of the big program producers?" Additionally, Del Colliano explains, it's because when Citadel Radio (an ABC affiliate) and Premiere Radio forfeited George Noory's nationally syndicated Coast To Coast, in favor of Red Eye Radio with Doug McIntyre. In the process, Clear Channel (which owns Premiere) did some pretty fast negotiations with Rick Buckley at WOR, thereby assuring the continued broadcast of Coast To Coast. This officially made Reynolds, a pioneer in the field who revolutionized his piece of the airwaves with refreshing live commentary, without the banality of callers-in, and virtually unheard-of spotlighting of New York nightlife and it's biggest entertainers, the sacrifical lamb. Equally appalling is WOR's most recent statement to the press, which says, "We love Joey and wish him nothing but the best for his future." Umm...what? What future does he have without WOR? Not that Reynolds doesn't have a chance of getting a job with another station, but for the legions of people who have followed him for decades on WOR and its affiliates, this is the equivalent of watching a wrecking ball bring down a stately hotel.
Reynolds, who was born Joey Pinto in Buffalo, New York, began his career in broadcasting on WKWK in Wheeling, West Virginia. After garnering an instantaneous following there and swiftly moving on to stations in New York City, Los Angeles, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, Cleveland and Hartford, one of his earliest coups upon reaching full-fledged broadcasting stardom was the jingle for his show, recorded by none other than Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons. What set the gentleman apart was his ability to be at times uproariously funny but with a much greater mellow quality than others of the same genre. And as stated earlier, as a devotee of nightlife in New York, Reynolds would always go out of his way to interview the most popular cabaret stars and comedians of the day on the air and give them as much exposure as possible.
And so, the clock ticks down to the dark day of April 2nd, when New York and the rest of the world will lose Joey Reynolds from what was a very special time for radio listeners throughout the country. WOR is reportedly "in talks" to see if there's a way to allow Reynolds to continue elsewhere on the air, but at the time of this writing nothing has been set in stone. One can be sure, however, that this too will pass and he'll come out on top as a survivor like always. And with an army of fans as loyal as they ever were.
The big question, however, is, "Why?"
Why indeed. Well, as journalist Jerry Del Colliano said recently, "It's a whole new phenomenon. Commodity radio. Who needs to hire a live personality when you can rent a station from one of the big program producers?" Additionally, Del Colliano explains, it's because when Citadel Radio (an ABC affiliate) and Premiere Radio forfeited George Noory's nationally syndicated Coast To Coast, in favor of Red Eye Radio with Doug McIntyre. In the process, Clear Channel (which owns Premiere) did some pretty fast negotiations with Rick Buckley at WOR, thereby assuring the continued broadcast of Coast To Coast. This officially made Reynolds, a pioneer in the field who revolutionized his piece of the airwaves with refreshing live commentary, without the banality of callers-in, and virtually unheard-of spotlighting of New York nightlife and it's biggest entertainers, the sacrifical lamb. Equally appalling is WOR's most recent statement to the press, which says, "We love Joey and wish him nothing but the best for his future." Umm...what? What future does he have without WOR? Not that Reynolds doesn't have a chance of getting a job with another station, but for the legions of people who have followed him for decades on WOR and its affiliates, this is the equivalent of watching a wrecking ball bring down a stately hotel.
Reynolds, who was born Joey Pinto in Buffalo, New York, began his career in broadcasting on WKWK in Wheeling, West Virginia. After garnering an instantaneous following there and swiftly moving on to stations in New York City, Los Angeles, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, Cleveland and Hartford, one of his earliest coups upon reaching full-fledged broadcasting stardom was the jingle for his show, recorded by none other than Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons. What set the gentleman apart was his ability to be at times uproariously funny but with a much greater mellow quality than others of the same genre. And as stated earlier, as a devotee of nightlife in New York, Reynolds would always go out of his way to interview the most popular cabaret stars and comedians of the day on the air and give them as much exposure as possible.
And so, the clock ticks down to the dark day of April 2nd, when New York and the rest of the world will lose Joey Reynolds from what was a very special time for radio listeners throughout the country. WOR is reportedly "in talks" to see if there's a way to allow Reynolds to continue elsewhere on the air, but at the time of this writing nothing has been set in stone. One can be sure, however, that this too will pass and he'll come out on top as a survivor like always. And with an army of fans as loyal as they ever were.
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