Sale to WABC’s Parent Corp Marks the End of Local Radio in Rockland County
Garnerville, NY — In a shift that has stunned Rockland County listeners, WRCR 1700 AM has gone dark this week, ceasing its locally beloved programming and beginning a simulcast of WABC Radio content. The change follows the station’s sale to Red Apple Media, owners of WABC 770 AM, ending a storied chapter in local broadcasting that spanned nearly 60 years.
Morning show favorites Will and Jeff, who had planned to be reopening the studio in the Garner Arts Center as early as today, were stunned to learn that their services were no longer needed by the radio company. The sale was in the works for several months, and Rockland News was tipped early on – but kept its mouth shut – to allow the station owner, Alexander Medecovich, the ability to properly negotiate a corporate sale with potentially interested parties.
The longtime station owner had recently endured a personal family tragedy, which preceded the eventual exit from the radio business – a market that has shrunk in recent years due to new forms of media, such as podcasting, YouTubing, and independent social media influencing.
However, the noted accomplishments of WRCR radio date back nearly 70 years, when the Internet was still a US Defense communications tool, called the ARPANET, long before it was commercialized.
A 70 Year History of Local Radio
Founded in 1965 as WRRC and evolving through various incarnations — including WKQW, WGRC, and WLIR — WRCR built a reputation as Rockland County’s only English-language news and talk station. For decades, it served as a vital link to the community, airing hyper-local content, weather updates, emergency alerts, and eventually – live New York Boulders baseball games. The station became a mainstay of Rockland’s civic and cultural life. Numerous public officials, such as County Executives, State Senators and Assemblypersons, business advocates and Town Supervisors had weekly spots that aired.
Plus, radio personalities such as Neil Richter, Kerry-Potter Kotecki, Sophia Salis, Bob Trivero, Irene Gutmann, Tom Ossa, Gumbo Ya-Ya, Toni Totaro, George Potanovic, Lou Young and many more graced the airwaves with unique shows ranging from music to politics, volunteerism to advocacy for those that needed resources.
Many guests and listeners considered WRCR a familiar voice to tune into, even as the world changed several times over through economic crises, terrorist attacks, and the recent COVID pandemic. Through it all, WRCR remained on the air.
The station moved several times over the decades. In the 1990’s and 2000’s it resided in two separate locations of the Nanuet Mall, before it became the Shops at Nanuet (which itself recently was renamed).
In 2011, with the opening of Rockland Boulders Stadium (now Clover Stadium), WRCR successfully negotiated a coveted spot in the behind-centerfield office of the new Pomona baseball park, with the provision of broadcasting the minor league baseball team’s games on the radio station.
Many residents remember longtime host Steve Possell, whose voice graced Rockland’s airwaves for nearly half a century before retiring in 2021.
More recently, “The Morning Show with Jeff and Will” provided a daily dose of Rockland-centric talk and local news. Now, that unique programming has been replaced with syndicated conservative talk radio via WABC.
WRCR’s journey has not been without hurdles. It transitioned from its original 1300 kHz frequency in 2015 to 1700 kHz, backed by an FCC waiver citing the station’s critical role in local emergency broadcasting, especially due to proximity to the Indian Point nuclear facility.
Even after a temporary shutdown in 2017 due to transmitter site issues, the station bounced back, resuming airwaves in 2019 from a small Garnerville station. Downsizing helped to maintain operations.
The transition to a WABC simulcast on the 1700 AM frequency has triggered a flood of reactions across Facebook and Reddit groups dedicated to Rockland County. A prevailing sentiment is disappointment over the abrupt loss of a station that not only informed but also united the community.
But as of this week, that resilience gave way to WABC programming, which is currently in transition.
Beyond nostalgia, there is growing concern about the vacuum left in local coverage. With WRKL simulcasting Spanish-language Christian programming from Patchogue, WRCR had been Rockland’s sole source of local English-language broadcast news. Its disappearance leaves a gap not easily filled.
Further, automobile manufacturers in recent years have indicated that they are moving away from FM and AM frequency radio installations in new vehicles, opting for Internet and satellite-based stations and podcasts that give consumers new choices, but less live options.
Rockland News maintains a podcast with weekly guests, but nothing is posted live.
The podcast – which has been running since 2023 – has already welcomed a variety of guests such as County Executive Ed Day, local Town Supervisors Jim Monaghan, Howard Phillips and Teresa Kenny – as well as New York State Senators Bill Weber and Congressman Mike Lawler. More guests are slated for interviews in coming days.
Other well-known local journalism outlets, such as Rockland County Biz Journal, who first broke the news of the WRCR sale to the public – maintain a website with audio transcribed versions of each of its articles.
While Red Apple Media has not commented on any future plans for local programming on the 1700 AM signal, the community’s response has been clear: WRCR was more than a radio station — it was a voice for Rockland.
