Two years ago this week, Audacy announced it was ending WCBS 880’s all-news run in New York, striking a deal with Good Karma Brands to move ESPN New York onto the historic 880 AM signal. The news sent a jolt through the industry, and it left plenty of longtime listeners wondering what had happened to a brand that had defined New York radio for decades. Looking back now, though, the anxiety over that decision looks a lot bigger than the outcome turned out to be.
At the time, I wondered whether the move signaled trouble ahead for all-news radio across Audacy’s portfolio. That question felt especially urgent since it came right after KRLD 1080 in Dallas pivoted away from all-news programming in favor of talk. Two major markets losing their all-news identities within a short stretch felt like more than coincidence — it felt like the start of a trend.
But trends don’t always play out the way we expect them to. WCBS 880 was a heritage brand, and it meant something to generations of New Yorkers who relied on it for weather, traffic, and breaking news updates. Still, 1010 WINS never skipped a beat. Ben Mevorach has kept the brand humming along near the top of the ratings and revenue charts, and that success has quieted a lot of the concern that spread through the industry back in 2024.
What This Anniversary Really Reveals
Hindsight makes this a lot clearer than it seemed two years ago. The WCBS 880 decision wasn’t really about walking away from all-news radio. Instead, it marked a turning point where Audacy showed it was willing to partner with other radio groups whenever those partnerships made business sense.
Good Karma Brands got a more affordable New York outlet for its ESPN content, and Audacy got to reallocate resources toward its strongest news product already in the market.
That willingness to collaborate didn’t stop there, either. Since striking the Good Karma deal, Audacy has worked with iHeartMedia to place its stations on the iHeartRadio app, expanding its digital footprint well beyond what either company’s platform could offer alone. Audacy also partnered with Townsquare Media to launch a Michigan sports network built around content from 97.1 The Ticket in Detroit.
Neither partnership would’ve seemed obvious a few years back, yet both moves suggest an Audacy that’s now more focused on smart business than on rigid competitive lines.
Why New York Radio Came Out Ahead
New York’s radio landscape looks stronger today than it did the week Audacy made its announcement. ESPN New York found a stronger signal in 880 AM, giving the brand better reach and a clearer path to compete in one of the country’s toughest sports radio markets.
Meanwhile, WINS solidified its position as the market’s go-to all-news source, and that clarity has benefited both listeners and advertisers who know exactly where to turn.
None of that erases the sentimental loss plenty of longtime WCBS 880 listeners still feel today. Nostalgia matters in this business, and heritage brands carry weight that goes beyond the ratings books. But nostalgia alone can’t sustain a format if the business fundamentals don’t support it, and Audacy’s leadership clearly understood that reality when they made this call.
Two years later, the numbers back up the decision. Audacy’s willingness to partner across the industry has paid dividends well beyond New York, and its approach to collaboration now looks like a blueprint rather than a gamble. So while it’s fair to feel a pang of nostalgia every time this anniversary rolls around, it’s also fair to say the radio landscape adapted, and adapted well.
Sometimes the boldest moves in this business don’t look bold until you’ve had a couple years to watch them play out. This is one of those moments. And if Audacy’s recent track record is any indication, it won’t be the last time a tough call turns into a smart one.
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Garrett Searight is Barrett Media’s News Editor, which includes writing daily news stories, features, and opinion columns. He joined Barrett Media in 2022 after a decade leading several radio brands in several formats, as well as a 5-year stint working in local television. In addition to his work with Barrett Media, he is a radio and TV play-by-play broadcaster. Reach out to him at Garrett@BarrettMedia.com.