The Web site is fantastic and really does justice to the proud history of this once great radio station. Much like my good friend Wayne Cabot, I grew up listening to WCBS (I think Wayne and I were separated at birth -- only he got the good looks). As a kid, I was as familiar with Lou & Jim and Pat & Ben as I was with Harry Harrison and Dan Ingram. What a thrill it was at age 25 to find myself inside Black Rock writing for the likes of Harvey Hauptman, Rita Sands and Tom Franklin!
For those wondering, I spent almost eight years (1998-2006) at The Associated Press in Washington, much of it supervising the Metro desk covering DC and the suburbs. After years in radio I have newspaper clippings!
This month (April '06) I decided it was time to get out of the news business, get away from winter and start working for a place where the pension fund will actually be around to collect from. So I'm now living in Las Vegas, working for the Clark County government as spokesman for the Department of Family Services. Yeah, it's strange on the other side. But the normal hours and the civilized commute are real easy to get used to. And being surrounded by social workers is pretty good after some of that broadcast management.
If you or any of my old colleagues find yourselves here in Sin City, I'd love to catch up.
One quick story I always remember about my days at 88, this from circa 1992. I was leaving my apartment in White Plains to fill in for Terry Raskyn as the 6 a.m. assignment editor. Around 4:45 a.m. I walked out toward the train, put on my Walkman, and the first thing I hear is an EBS tone -- followed by Bill Fahan saying, "This is NOT a test!" Turns out it was a weather item (there had been some hullabaloo about airing that stuff). But hearing Bill tell me this was no emergency was scarier than any Orson Welles broadcast. I always say that when the end of the world comes, I want to hear it from Bill Fahan!
Best regards, Michael
