WCBS 880 to end all-news format after nearly 60 years: Here's what to expect next
NEW YORK CITY - Audacy has announced WCBS 880 is set to end its term at the end of August, and will no longer continue its all-news format.
The WCBS call letter will be retired and replaced by WHSQ, Audacy said.
A collection of microphones, including WCBS880, at a news conference in New York on Wednesday, April 29, 2015. CBS announced it will sell its radio business which in the New York market includes 1010WINS and WCBS880. CBS owns a total of 117 radio sta
Audacy said they will keep 880 in its stable of stations, but Good Karma Brands will program and flip to ESPN Radio beginning Aug. 26. New York Mets games and broadcasts will continue on 880 and on the Audacy app.
WCBS 880 News: The People, the Moments, and the Events that Shaped our Lives
On Aug. 22, WCBS 880 will broadcast a live commemorative special called, "WCBS 880 News: The People, the Moments, and the Events that Shaped our Lives" from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
There will also be a special edition of "Newsline" with Brigitte Quinn which will include interviews and historical clips.
60 years later
WCBS 880 debuted in August 1967. The station has a history of covering New York City, national and world major events.
"New York has always been proudly unique in supporting two all-news radio brands, but the news business has gone through significant changes," Chris Oliviero, the president of the New York market at Audacy, said in a statement.
"The headwinds facing local journalism nationwide made it essential to strategically reimagine how we deliver the news for the most impact," Oliviero said. "WCBS 880 has been one of the most respected radio stations in history, with a legacy cemented by the hundreds of world-class journalists, on and off the air, who willed it into existence over the decades. If it happened in New York or the world, you heard about it on WCBS 880."
Listeners can now tune into 1010 WINS@92.3 FM.