Long Island Radio History AM Stations

This Site Is Currently Under Re-Construction.
Please check back frequently for updates!

This is a work in progress. Many people have been consulted to try and make this site as accurate as possible. Some information may be slightly inaccurate as contact has been lost with many others who lived this history. Please feel free to contact me if you know of any mistakes herein. Information followed by a question mark (?) still needs to be confirmed. Please send an e-mail to the above update link. We answer all correspondence and would be happy to make the updates and corrections. Credit to those who have contributed can be found at the end of the FM page.

The stations are set-up as follows: AM first, then FM, then stations that have gone dark (there are some surprises!)

If the station has a link, it will be highlighted and will take you to that specific station's current website.

Share-time situations are indicated as *s/t W???*. Some licensed educational stations began as carrier current stations. These stations are listed by the year they signed on as a carrier current, followed by the mode and band, then by the year and band they were eventually licensed to. A station that went on in 1950 as a carrier current on the AM band, but later was licensed in 1959 as an FM would look like this: (1950 CC-AM/1959 FM).

***NEW*** We've added another section for translators, outlets which, by law, can only relay the programming of a fully licensed station. All of the translators on Long Island (on-the-air and proposed) relay (or will relay) stations that originate programming from Connecticut (more on that below). When and if LPFM stations happen (and there are two stations proposed that have made the cut... one in Central Islip, the other in Ridge), they will be listed in the FM section by frequency (since LPFM stations originate their own programming).

Awarded to Islip after a long battle, WBIC went on in 1960 as 'Big Signal Radio'. The first format was Top-40, then MOR with Lee Murphy as PD (later of WINS fame). Mitch Lebe (News Radio WCBS 880) also worked there back while it was still WBIC. Other formats included Beautiful Music, Top 40 and a religious format from the 1980's through the early 90's. In the mid 1960's, WBIC dropped it's calls in favor of WLIX.

The tower fell on March 28, 1969 because of teenaged vandals (one teenager was killed). At the time of the accident, the news article had the station listed as WLIX. According to WLIX alumni Bob L. Goodman (75/76) and Steve Dunlop, the studios were located in a model home at 2960 Sunrise Highway, just across from the original Islip Speedway. WLIX moved it's studio and offices above the old Sunset Drug Store on Main Street in Bay Shore in 1978, just a couple of years before Sunrise Highway was widened. The building was eventually torn down to make way for new service roads. Other noted LI jocks that worked here were Ted David (news 1969), Steve Dunlop, Bill Andres, Kevin Jeffries, Roger Alan Wade, Joe Manno (1975 to 78), and Warren Green.

Rich Bartholomew is one of our nation's top voice over talents, who also came from WLIX's early broadcast days, and currently owns his own professional voice talent company based out of Charleston South Carolina. Rich's voice-overs have been featured on national cable channels such as: TNT, The Weather Channel, and HGTV. You've probably also heard his distinctive voice on countless movie trailers and TV news promos. Check out Rich Bartholomew's professional voice-over web site at: www.richbartholomew.com and enjoy! According to Rich, in 1974 the station was located above the post office and was owned by Malcolm Smith. At the time, WLIX ran the Drake Chenault Hit-Parade, a mix of light top 40/ac format on 10 and a half inch reels with live news on the hour. Other alumni from the 1974 WLIX roster include: Lance Drake, Jennifer Smith with the news, John Tuminelli and Dave Bornstien.

WBIC/WLIX had always been a day-time with 250 watts and only in December 1991 did it begin to operate 24 hours with 1Kw daytime and 204 watts at night.

Owned at the time by LI Multimedia with an MOR format (which had at one time owned "This Week" Publications), WLIX became standards WLUX in October 1995. The studios were relocated to Farmingdale from 1995-2001. An application for a taller tower along with a power increase to 1000 watts was filed with the FCC and granted. The current studios are now located on Route 231 in Deer Park under the ownership of Stan and Stuart Henry. While the station was Standards, it employed Matt Taylor as the Program Director, George Wright held afternoons and Steve Reggie did morning drive.

In 2002, the station changed call letters to WLIE and started operating under the banner of "Island Talk 540 WLIE". While under the programming guidance of PD John McDermott, the station featured what is considered by many, some of Long Island's best live local talk radio programming. Air personalities on WLIE included David Weiss (morning drive), John Gomez (mid days) and Ed Tyll (early afternoon first... then moved to afternoon drive). Other legendary personalities included Max Kinkel (Geo-Political fill in) and Lynn Samuels (weekends).

Although WLIE is noted for officially being Long Island's first full service all News/Talk station, the high cost of running an all talk format quickly took it's toll. In September 2003, WLIE released virtually all of it's live talk radio staff and officially switched it's format to Business News (syndicated satellite programming) in October of 2003, ending a very short run as Long Island's first and only full service talk station. Latest report in 2007 has the station's format listed as brokered Spanish/Religious.

Studios originally in the Sammis Building on New York Avenue in Huntington, in 1968 they moved to Rt 110 and the Northern State Parkway. Edward J. Fitzgerald founded the station and Jack Ellsworth (WALK, WLIM) was the original PD. An early attempt at FM (106.7) failed. WGSM was originally a 1kw station, then a 5kw 3-tower directional station (they received a power increase for 25kw 4-tower).

WGSM was one of many stations which comprised the "Long Island Network" providing "Long Island Network News" for WGSM and WGBB (5 mins at :55; 2 mins at :28, and 15 min news at 7:15am, 12 noon and 5:15pm). One tower fell because of vandals in the late 1970's just before the 25kw power increase, at which point the station was forced to remain at 1kw until repairs were made. Blaise Leonardi (sales and promotions), who passed away *October 17th 1997, made WGSM home and also worked at Long Island stations WRIV, WBAB and Westwood One. In addition, Blaise also worked as a national sales rep for ABC Radio Networks for many years. Other noted air personalities at WGSM were Ted David (CNBC Anchor), who worked part time weekends, Joe Manno (1979), the late Bruce Herbert (see photo), and a very young Alan Colmes.

Bruce Herbert On The Air at WGSM
Long Island radio personality Bruce Herbert (WCTO/WGSM).
Photo courtesy of Jerry Mehrab

For many years their old Gates 5kw transmitter was the standby auxiliary at WLIM in Patchogue. The calls have been said to mean 'Worlds Greatest Sounding Music-Station'... but some are sure it means 'World's Greatest Suburban Market' (a reference to Long Island). Fire severely damaged the transmitter site in 1993. Formats included MOR, AC, Country, Radio Disney. Sold to K Communications (based in Flushing) in April 2001 for 2.5 Million (K buys time on Multicultural's WZRC-1480 New York). A Korean-based format was eventually installed, but for unknown reasons, the station had been off the air for several months.

A recent call letter change to WNYH has been applied for and approved by the FCC. Most recently, AM 740 in Huntington has refreshed itself with it's new format: "Great Oldies". You can also click above on the WGSM banner for a fantastic journey back in time photo retro-tour of the old WGSM studios, courtesy Jerry Mehrab.

Day-timer, 2-tower directional, but was originally a 250 watt non-directional station. WHLI's famous tower site is located just north of the Southern State Parkway by Grand Avenue with the call sign on the southwest tower in Hempstead. It's FM (WHNY, WHLI, WIOK, WKJY) actually signed on first. Before the FM tower was erected in the early 70's, the FM antenna elements were located on one of the AM towers. WHLI was Top-40 in the 1970's and is now a very popular MOR station (a format it has had for nearly 20 years). The staff announcer from 1970 to 71 was Ted David, who left for a year and returned to do morning drive from 1973-74 and again from WHLI began its current Adult Standards format on Saturday, April 21'st in 1979. There was also an advertisement heralding the format change printed in Newsday on April 20th. For many years, former WMCA Good-Guy Dean Anthony (Dean-O), was PD/Midday's with WGBB alumnus Gil David in morning drive. Sad news hit the Long Island radio community on October 24th in 2003 when Dean Anthony passed away.

Dean Anthony
Dean-O was one of the original jocks during the '60's hey days of NYC radio at WMCA, an original "Good Guy" who welcomed the Beatles, Rolling Stones, plus the entire Motown and British Invasion into the "Big Apple", as well as into the USA.

Officially Long Island's first commercial radio station, WGBB actually started as a farmer's Ham Station. WGBB was at 100 watts and shared frequency with other locals on 1230 for years. The original studios were 200 feet from the tower, then from the late 1940's studios were at 44 South Grove Street in Freeport.

Notables in the 1950's were Tony James, Jay Nealy and Dave Michaels. Broadcast studios from 1966 thru late 1980's were from 1240 Broadcast Plaza in Merrick with transmitter located off Atlantic Avenue in Freeport. Dave Vieser was one of the famous "Super-6" jocks there in the Top-40 heyday with Bob "Bullet" Ottone, Gil David (now at WHLI), Don Rosen (now with WRJN/WEZY Racine WI), Al Case (Al also served as the Chief Engineer and set-up the wonderful sound of the station's famous organ reverb). There was also the famous WGBB "Car-Box Jackpot" (623-1240). In the late 1960's Susquehanna Broadcasting tried to move the transmitter site north toward Mitchell Field, but engineers convinced them to keep the tower in Freeport because the signal was better near the water. Due to structural problems, the tower was replaced in the mid 1970's.

Other notables who worked at WGBB in the 1970's & 80's include: Juliet Poppa (1010 WINS), Deborah Wetzel (WCBS FM), Bill Whitney, Frank Setapani, Betina Gregory, Larry Kofsky, Howard Liberman, Ed Grilli, Bob Lawrence, Jim Quinn (who later moved onto WPIX as Dennis Quinn), Roy Reynolds (known as Your Boy Roy), John Ryan, Ted David (1969-70 - DJ / also Long Island Network News plus weekends 1986), Gary Lewi (news), Dave Hunter (also news), Steve Andrews (also moved onto WPIX), Gary McFarlane (now known as Chuck Taylor, morning man on B-95.5 WYJB in Albany) and Drew Scott (afternoon News Anchor from 1972 to 73'. Ed Marshall hosted a Sinatra Show on WGBB from 1981-1988.

Flipped to a talk format before it spent time as WBAB-AM (the 2nd LI AM with those calls) in the late 1980's when it simulcast the then co-owned FM. Simulcast with WALK-AM in 1997/1998 during daylight hours as the Sunrise Radio Network (WGBB was often 7 seconds behind WALK-AM because they stayed in delay for their talk programming at night and on the weekends). Currently owned by Multicultural, WGBB is currently broadcasting an ethnic-based format. Studios are now located in the WNYG building on Route 109 in Babylon.

500 watt AM on the water in Patchogue, broadcasting from the infamous 'fish-bowl' studios on Colonial Drive. For many years, the station was under the guidance of Ed Wood Jr. and Jack Ellsworth. Jack, who later moved on with George Drake to purchase WYFA, which later became WLIM, returned to WALK-AM on June 4, 2001 (49 years after he helped launch the station). Bob Klein did mornings in the 1970's (he would stay on after the station was sold to American Media) and Frank Brinka was the news director (Frank also stayed on after the sale).

WALK never really had a format... instead different programs would present different styles of music (MOR/Jazz during the day... Beautiful Music and Classical at night), but always with a heavy emphasis on news and local events. WALK AM/FM was sold in 1980 and the AM continued to simulcast the newly installed AC format on the FM until December 1992 when the AM split from the FM and played Christmas music for the holiday. The response was so overwhelming that the AM would repeat the Christmas music again in 1993 and 1994. Even though the AM split from the FM for good in 1995 with a light oldies format, the station returns to all-Christmas every year from Thanksgiving to New Years. Tried a live morning show starting on March 4, 1996. Rob North (aka: Rob Jeantet of WNYG), was the first host, followed by Al Lewis and then Joe Lupinacci, who came on board in April 1998. The morning show was dropped a few months later (possibly with the end of the Sunrise Radio Network?). Simulcast with WGBB-AM during daylight hours in 1997/1998 as the Sunrise Radio Network. The light oldies format has morphed into a more mainstream oldies format (1950's-1980's) over the past few years, but now with the return of Jack Ellsworth (and the end of WLIM's Big-Band format), the station has switched to standards with added brokered programs on in the early evenings.

Originally owned by W.K. Macy (Suffolk Broadcasting) and later partly owned by Chet Huntley of Huntley/Brinkley (NBC), WRIV was MOR for years. Studios burned less than a year after the station went on. WRIV was part of the Island Broadcasting System (with WALK, WGBB, WGSM and later WGLI). Broadcast veteran Ed Marshall was among the many announcers on the air in the 1960's. For a brief period, WRIV simulcast with WGLI-AM in Babylon. Had an AC format in the mid 1980's, but returned to its MOR format soon after. Ted Brown spent time at WRIV after WNEW-AM became WBBR and although he is not there anymore, can still be heard on WRIV's voice ID's. Here is the story about the WRIV tower site (many thanks to Bruce Tria): Dennis Israel sold the 7 1/2 acre parcel to a Riverhead developer in the early 1980's. WRIV would lease back the 3 acres it took for the tower and ground system for about 30 years, however WRIV and the landlord had a dispute that resulted in the station moving its tower in 1989 to a municipally owned site. As Murphy's Law would have it, the municipally owned site was set to be expanded and WRIV was again forced to move. The station has since moved to a more permanent site in Riverhead. WRIV's website has an extensive look at the history of this station (click above).

Initially owned by the Babylon-Bay Shore Broadcasting Company, WNYG AM was first licensed as WBAB 1440 AM at 500 watts (the FM followed), then increased it's power to 1kw in 1962. Originally, the AM had simulcast the FM for years as WBAB AM & FM. According to a newspaper article uncovered in the early '90's, there was earlier talk of splitting the station and starting an all-news format on the AM side back in the mid 60's. But, in the mid 70's, the AM split from the FM and became WNYG 1440, broadcasting a gospel format instead (NYG stood for 'New York Gospel').

Due to financial problems, the FM was sold in 1979 while the AM continued under numerous formats. WNYG was sold again in June 1994 to Beinvenida Communications, switching to a Spanish format. Due to more financial difficulties, the station was publicly auctioned in January 2000. While the transfer was taking place, the oldies format was reinstated (from 12:01pm on April 3, 2000 until 1:00am on June 14, 2000), with many of the old staff rejoining the station.

Multicultural Broadcasting assumed control and changed WNYG to a CHR format. The on-air staff consisted of students and became known as "Student Radio 1440". An application to move the transmitter location to the WLUX tower in Islip was filed with the FCC, but never approved. WNYG is now called "1440 WNYG - The Spirit Of New York!", a Contemporary Religious Station operated by Free Indeed Broadcasting Inc., which also brokers time through out the week. More detailed information about WBAB & WNYG 's early history is available by visiting the WBAB AM & FM History Page.

Originally on in Oyster Bay at 250 watts... later moved to Maple Place in Mineola @ 250 watts after WGSM went on the air (WKBS was afraid of the competition... Huntington is a stones throw away from Oyster Bay). Dave Michaels (who later moved on to KABC-TV, WABC-TV and CNN) spent time here. Became WKIT in the mid 1950's. Purchased by the Herald Tribune newspaper (and became WFYI) and at one time had a CP for 50kw, this station was on the Whitney Estate where it was built as a 10kw 3-tower directional station (part of the Suburban Radio Network). Studios were in the basement of Roosevelt Field.

Al Case has put together a fantastic site all about WYFI, WGLI and WGBB, full of wonderful pictures and memories that we're sure you'll enjoy! Here's a tip - keep your volume up! Click the link below:

During the 1960's they had an MOR format called "Tribune Radio" which included production elements from Dan Ingram's "Mars Productions". Later, the station settled back into a small site on Maple Place off Jericho Turnpike (1kw day) before making its way to its present site in 1985. Was News/Info as WYFI, switched to Country about 1966 - 67, finally steering into a Gospel format as WTHE. Currently owned by Universal Broadcasting who also owns WVNJ in New Jersey. Daytime only.

Say hello to WTHE's Country morning man Dave Perkins! Although this photo of Dave was taken at KPRC, NBC Radio/TV for Houston in 1969, Dave was the morning voice for Country 1520 WTHE in the mid 60's. Click the photo for an expanded view with more info about WTHE's Dave Perkins!

David Perkins

Also, A very special thanks to Wes Richards for submitting additional history and information about WFYI:

WFYI, Mineola: In March of 1965 the station moved its studios at the Roosevelt Field Shopping Center (as it was then known) to the transmitter site on the Whitney estate, then the largest open parcel of land in Nassau (some 700 acres). It was an economy move. The offices remained at the shopping center. So, each afternoon, someone would have to drive from Manhasset to Garden City to pick up the next day's program logs. Usually, it was me.

Two program directors of note at WFYI: Gene Edwards who later went on to similar duties at WTFM and Andy Benedict, a veteran of WRFM and WPIX FM in New York. News Director John Frogge (rhymes with brogue), was also the track announcer at Rooosevelt Raceway. John came to Herald Tribune Radio, WFYI from WGBB, where he had been news director and commentator for 22 years. Al Case had been chief engineer at WFYI.

The Whitney family sold all of its suburban stations in Kingston, Mt. Kisco, New Rochelle and Mineola, as its Herald Tribune Newspaper foundered. But, John Hay Whitney told me himself that they would have kept WFYI, except that his sister, Joan Payson (first owner of the NY Mets) had a house on the family estate and objected to the tower lights, which reportedly blinked into her bedroom window.

Was built to continue the WPAC-1580 signal to the east. Was Top-40 as WAPC and WHRF (known as "Wharf Radio" and the jocks were the "Captains of the Sound"... Don Cannon was here at this time) and then rock when its sister FM switched to rock in 1974 as WRCN. Had a Country format in the early 1990's, then switched it's image to Z-Rock which was short-lived under the WRHZ calls. The station has a 2-tower array next to the old Flanders Drive-In. One announcer told me you could watch the movie by going outside during records. The drive-in was closed in the mid 1970's and has since been torn down, but there is evidence of it (the floor of the snack stand and the islands for the ticket booths are still there). Spent almost a year off the air from the fall of 1999 to the fall of 2000, but returned, again simulcast WRCN-FM like it was before it went dark, with the WFOG calls. Sold to Five Towns College in April 2001. New format has not been completely installed yet. New calls are WFTU. (1kw day/500watts night)

I would like to thank everyone who posted on the Radio-Info message board under the Long Island section with reference to WYFA. I appreciate all your comments and hope I've updated everything correctly. Although I never worked at 1580 when it was WYFA, I do hold wonderful memories of the station when Jack & Dottie Ellsworth ran it as WLIM (see link below). Feel free to contact me anytime with additional updates or information that I may have overlooked or was unaware of.
Thank you all once again! Your Buddy Rick

Considered Rick Sklar's first radio home, the very first studios were located in downtown Patchogue with the transmitter plant in Bellport. Originally licensed for 250 watts, the transmitter and studios were eventually moved to Woodside Avenue on the Medford/Patchogue border. Chief Engineer Gene Pfieffer put the station on the air and was there until 79. Legend had it that WPAC had a CP for 50kw, but instead, decided to extend its programming via WAPC (1570) in Riverhead. In 1971 WPAC-FM was sold. The station attempted a Country music format as WSUF before going dark and burning twice in 1975 on the very same day. The transmitter room was the only section of the station that remained virtually undamaged. One can still see evidence of the fire above the ceiling tiles. The station was rebuilt in 1977 as WYFA ('Where Your Friends Are') with a light AC/MOR format. Have been told Mr. Perry Silvers held ownership during the WYFA era. Air personalities included Frank Todd (mornings), Scott Taylor (went from WYFA to overnights on WBLI), Don Stephan (mid-days), Cathy Cunningham (PD), a young Bob Buchmann, Jim Saunders (later to WGLI), Jim (Glasscock) Driscoll (went to WYFA from WBLI and then onto WGLI), Joe Manno (1978) and Jim Pierce (from Sachem High School's WSHR, later onto WRCN and WBLI). Also among the air-talent team was news anchor Drew Scott (TV-55, WPIX-11 and News 12) and Don Stephan (mid-days at WYFA and went to WBLI as Don Nelson). There was also reference of a person referred to as "Harp" who worked there, which I believe is referring to Steve Harper, but I would like a confirmation on this.

Special thanks to morning man Frank Todd for graciously sending us an early WYFA air-check filled with some great memories! You'll need RealPlayer® to hear the file. Enjoy!

In 1981 the station became WLIM (Long Island Music), after Jack Ellsworth and George Drake purchased the AM. In the early 80's, Bob Dorian (AMC) spent some time at WLIM as the morning man. Jack had programmed WLIM in a similar fashion to when he was at WALK (with Jazz/standards and Bob Stern's Broadway/Hollywood Revue during the day and lighter sounds at night). A day long tribute to Benny Goodman (with Goodman at the station) officially put WLIM on the map. Their Candlelight Concert was heard daily from 7-8pm and was one of the last outposts for the once popular Beautiful Music format. Other notables at WLIM were Bob Stern (mid-days and late afternoons), Bruce Barlow (first announcer on WLUX), Gil Ellis (WOWO, WGSM), Patti-Ann Brown (News-12), Mike Murphy (known on-air as Mr. Murphy), Rich Keith (WALK, WRHD), Teddy Savalas (yes, brother of the late, great actor Telly Savalas), Lilla Savona (WNYG), Tom Lucciani, Frank Ruisi Jr. (WNYG), Neil Macchio (WNYG, News-12, ESPN), Lou Koulias, Ed Lacinski (who, besides engineering duties with George Drake, hosted the annual Patchogue-Medford Holiday Concert for 18 years) and Steve Greco to name a few.

WLIM was the first and only AM STEREO station on Long Island and was considered the most unique of any Popular Standards station (it was very true to the roots of the music, in an age where older demographics are not sought after by advertisers. Please feel free to visit the WLIM Tribute page on the WACKRADIO.COM web site. Included are many photos of WLIM, as well as Jack Ellsworth's original transcription (Radio Demo) from the late 1940's. The WLIM tribute page is dedicated to both Jack and his wife Dotty, who for over 20 years were responsible for bringing WLIM's superb music selections and information programming to Long Island.

Sold to Polnet on February 15, 2001, WLIM went dark from its last day as standards (May 18, 2001) to the first day Polnet started broadcasting (June 1, 2001). Originally, Polnet ran nothing but CD's while completing a hookup with it's Chicago flagship. By mid-June 2001, the hookup was completed and WLIM joined the other simulcast stations on the Polnet network. Latest update reports WLIM went to Spanish broadcasting in November of 2005. WLIM is non-directional day, 2-tower directional post-sunrise/pre-sunset (critical)... 3-tower night (10kw/5kw/500watts).