The WABC Radio family has been dealing with the tragic loss of Bernard McGuirk, who passed away last week following a courageous battle with prostate cancer. McGuirk had been co-hosting the popular Bernie and Sid Morning Show with Sid Rosenberg for the last few years.
McGuirk had been on the air in New York City since 1986 and was the longtime executive producer of the nationally syndicated program “Imus in the Morning.” In 2007, McGuirk moved to WABC with Don Imus, the late radio icon, and his “personality from day one dramatically improved the camaraderie and morale of the entire radio station,” the station said in a statement.
And while there is no blueprint on how to honor the loss of a host on the station, WABC did an outstanding job over a difficult past week. In the immediate aftermath of Bernie’s death, fill-in hosts did an impressive job filling in for Sid Rosenberg, who did call into the station the day after his co-hosts passing, along with station staples like Bill O’Reilly, Peter King and several others.
Then, there was the Bernie McGuirk Tribute Show this week. Many of the familiar faces from the “Imus in the Morning” program from Mike Breen, Charles McCord, Connell McShane and others, along with friends of the program, fellow station hosts, New York and national radio legends like Christopher “Mad Dog” Russo all joined the program to discuss the life of Bernie as a person and as a broadcaster.
The show was incredibly well put together, flowed, was somber, yet fun, touching, but light, all wrapped into one. It was the perfect mix. And the common theme was the lasting impression Bernie had on the lives of many in the business, along with the millions of listeners who tuned into him over the years across New York City.
Listening to much of the show was a great reminder to those of us who get to do what we do every day: people are tuned in. You’re a part of their lives and routines. And while we rarely get to see them and we don’t hear from the large majority of the audience via phone calls, texts, tweets, etc., they’re there, and they’re loyal.
Audio has always been the most intimate medium. It’s a theater of the mind. It’s one-on-one, especially talk radio. That makes it that much more impactful to the listener. And being there every single day matters. Bernie McGuirk was there nearly every day as part of the lives of millions of New Yorkers for over 35 years.
And WABC encapsulated the life and memory of one of the best to ever do it in an empathetic and entertaining manner. R.I.P Bernard McGuirk.
Pete Mundo is a weekly columnist for Barrett Media, and the morning show host and program director for KCMO in Kansas City. Previously, he was a fill-in host nationally on FOX News Radio and CBS Sports Radio, while anchoring for WFAN, WCBS News Radio 880, and Bloomberg Radio. Pete was also the sports and news director for Omni Media Group at K-1O1/Z-92 in Woodward, Oklahoma. He’s also the owner of the Big 12-focused digital media outlet Heartland College Sports. To interact, find him on Twitter @PeteMundo.
