"Sportsradio 66" WFAN AM 660 kHz, often referred to as "The FAN", is a radio station in the city of New York. As WNBC, it was the flagship radio station of the NBC Radio Network from 1922 until NBC left the radio business in 1988. The station is on a clear channel and is owned by Infinity Broadcasting. [1]

On the afternoon of October 22, 1986, the station's "N-Copter" traffic helicopter crashed into the Hudson River killing traffic reporter Jane Dornacker and severely injuring pilot Bill Pate . As millions of WNBC listeners heard Dornacker giving her traffic report she suddenly paused, a grinding noise could be heard in the background and Dornacker screaming in terror "Hit the water! Hit the water! Hit the water!", then the radio transmission was cut off and a very shaken radio host Joey Reynold could be heard trying to figure out what just happened.

WFAN, then on 1050 kHz, was launched at 3PM on July 1, 1987, replacing WHN , and billing itself as the world's first twenty-four-hour-per-day sports talk station. When WNBC signed off in October 1988, WFAN moved down the radio dial to replace it at 660 kHz while 1050 kHz was sold off.

Over the years, WFAN has been the broadcast home to several big names in the world of radio, including the sports-talk team of Mike and the Mad Dog (Mike Francesa and Chris Russo) and the political commentator Don Imus, whose program is now nationally syndicated.

Daily Programming

The broadcast day begins at 6:00 am (Eastern) with "Imus in the Morning ", hosted by Don Imus. The political show is syndicated to over 90 stations across the United States with an audience in excess of 10 million, according to the WFAN website. It has become a regular stop on the circuit for Washington insiders, both conservatives and liberals in the media elite, best-selling authors and the occasional presidential candidate. MSNBC began a simulcast of the show in September of 1996.

The rest of the day is devoted to the world of sports. Shows include "Joe B. and Sid" (Joe Beningo and Sid Rosenberg ), followed by the "Mike and the Mad Dog show", which runs for five-and-a-half hours from 1:00 pm to 6:30 pm. The show is hosted by Mike Francesa and Christopher "Mad Dog" Russo . As MSNBC does for Imus in the Morning, the YES Network has been simulcasting Mike and The Mad Dog since March of 2002.

Steve Somers , other WFAN personalities, or a live sporting event are broadcast as well. Often, the sportscasts are from Westwood One's NFL, NHL and NCAA radio broadcasts.

Chris Carlin takes care of the overnight shift on Monday-Friday mornings.

WFAN has broadcasting rights for New York Mets baseball, New York Giants football, New Jersey Nets basketball, and New Jersey Devils hockey.

WFAN's primary competition is WEPN , the New York ESPN Radio affiliate, located at WFAN's old 1050 kHz frequency.

External links

• WFAN website