WOR

WOR
Name	WOR
City	New York City
Area	New York metropolitan area
Branding	WOR
Frequency	710 AM
Airdate	1922
Format	Talk radio
Language	English
Owner	iHeartMedia, Inc.
Facility id	15365

WOR is a long-established commercial AM radio station broadcasting on 710 kHz in New York City. Originating in the early 1920s, it has been associated with major broadcasters, syndicated networks, and landmark personalities across American radio history. WOR has hosted national programs, regional sports coverage, and political talk shows while operating from studios and transmitting facilities within the New York metropolitan area.

History

WOR traces its roots to experimental broadcasts in the 1920s linked to entities such as Westinghouse Electric Corporation and early station pioneers active during the Golden Age of Radio. Throughout its early decades, WOR competed with contemporaries like WJZ (AM) and WABC (AM) for network affiliations, intersecting with organizations such as the National Broadcasting Company and the Columbia Broadcasting System. During the 1930s and 1940s WOR carried dramas, comedies, and variety programs that featured stars who appeared on The Jack Benny Program, The Mercury Theatre on the Air, and programs syndicated by Mutual Broadcasting System. In the postwar era WOR evolved alongside regulatory changes from the Federal Communications Commission and market shifts driven by companies including RCA Corporation and Westwood One. Ownership changes over decades involved firms like RKO General, Clear Channel Communications, and later iHeartMedia, Inc., reflecting consolidation trends in the broadcasting industry. WOR has weathered format pivots tied to the rise of television, the growth of FM competitors such as WKTU and WNEW-FM, and the digital era driven by platforms like iHeartRadio.

Programming and Format

WOR's programming has spanned genres: early network entertainment, midday talk, overnight news, and sports coverage including affiliations with teams connected to venues like Madison Square Garden. Syndicated and local hosts have ranged from broadcasters who appeared on The Howard Stern Show rival stations to journalists associated with The New York Times and commentators linked to Fox News Radio and NPR. The schedule historically mixed local news blocks with nationally syndicated shows from distributors such as Premiere Networks and Cumulus Media Networks. Specialty programs have featured interviews with figures tied to events like the Watergate scandal or cultural moments including the Beat Generation, and have booked guests from institutions such as Columbia University and Fordham University.

Notable Personalities

WOR has been a platform for broadcasters and entertainers who also had ties to organizations like CBS, NBC, and ABC. Personalities associated with the station or its programs have included veteran announcers who worked alongside stars from The Tonight Show and commentators who later appeared on MSNBC or Fox News Channel. WOR's roster has featured hosts with backgrounds at outlets such as The Wall Street Journal, Reuters, and Associated Press, as well as personalities who intersected with cultural figures from Broadway and film festivals like Sundance Film Festival. Guest rotations commonly included politicians from New York City Hall, authors published by houses like HarperCollins and Random House, and broadcasters honored by institutions such as the National Radio Hall of Fame.

Technical Information

WOR transmits on 710 kHz with a directional antenna pattern designed to protect other clear-channel operations such as KGO (AM) and stations across Canada and the Midwest. The station operates under technical parameters overseen by the Federal Communications Commission and coordinates frequency usage with international agreements involving entities like the North American Regional Broadcasting Agreement. Historically the facility used transmitter models supplied by manufacturers such as RCA Corporation and antenna systems maintained by engineers trained at institutions like Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Studio locations have shifted within Manhattan and adjacent boroughs, with links to transmitter sites in the greater New Jersey area used to optimize coverage across the New York metropolitan area.

Community Impact and Controversies

WOR's role in local news and talk has placed it at the center of coverage of events including municipal crises, elections at Gracie Mansion, and major incidents such as the September 11 attacks. The station has been both lauded for breaking news coverage and criticized for segments that provoked responses from organizations like Media Matters for America and legal scrutiny in disputes involving on-air commentary. Programming decisions and personnel changes have sometimes led to public debates involving unions such as the Communications Workers of America and regulatory attention from the Federal Communications Commission over content and public-file practices. Community outreach efforts have partnered with institutions like NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital and charities tied to United Way campaigns.

Syndication and Affiliates

WOR has carried syndicated programs distributed by networks including Premiere Networks, Westwood One, and historically the Mutual Broadcasting System. Its signal and content have been rebroadcast or streamed via affiliates across the Northeastern United States and platforms such as iHeartRadio and podcast feeds linked to producer-distributors like PodcastOne. Affiliate relationships have included regional AM and FM outlets in markets served by companies like Entercom and programming exchanges with stations linked to Cumulus Media.

Category:Radio stations in New York City Category:AM radio stations