August 10 is WABC-TV Day in New York City, Mayor Eric Adams designating it as such with WABC New York turning 75. Adams will join ABC Owned Television Stations President Chad Matthews, WABC President/General Manager Marilu Galvez and anchors Sade Baderinwa, Shirleen Allicot, Mike Marza, Sam Champion and Sandra Bookman in the lobby of the Empire State Building for a lighting ceremony on the evening of August 10. The building will emit what WABC calls a “ABC7 Eyewitness News blue” light in honor of the station’s milestone.
Others at the ceremony will include members of the American Cancer Society, American Red Cross, Food Bank for New York City and the Broadway Association.
WABC will feature a special report on its history, and what it calls “well wishes” from past reporters and anchors.
Known as ABC7 and Channel 7, WABC is a ratings power in the largest DMA. The station received four Edward R. Murrow Awards this year, including the Overall Excellence Award.
ABC7 turned on August 10, 1948 with a celebration at the RKO Palace Theatre in Manhattan, hosted by Ray Bolger, who played the Scarecrow in The Wizard of Oz. The station launched as WJZ, according to ABC7NY.com, and became WABC in 1953.
The station describes programming in the early days as cartoons, talent shows, game shows, roller derbies and parades. A kids show called Time For Fun had Bob Keeshan, who later went on to be Captain Kangaroo, as Corny the Clown.
Early local news efforts included a newscast anchored by staff announcer Scott Vincent, and a young reporter named Bill Beutel anchoring The Big News. WABC also hired anchor Roger Grimsby away from KGO San Francisco.
News guru Al Primo was hired from KYW Philadelphia in 1968. His Eyewitness News brand resonated with viewers, and WABC became a ratings force.
That included mornings, where Regis Philbin hosted The Morning Show starting in 1983.
These days, Bill Ritter and Liz Cho have been anchoring together for over 20 years.
Current community programming includes Here & Now with Sandra Bookman and Tiempo, hosted by Joe Torres, along with the New York City Marathon, and the National Puerto Rican, Pride and the Columbus Day parades.
