HAVERSTRAW, NY – The future of local radio in Rockland County has taken another sobering turn.
A reliable source with direct knowledge of the sale of WRCR 1700 AM recently told Rockland News, on condition of anonymity, that Red Apple Media — owners of AM 770 radio, and the presumed buyers of the AM 1700 frequency — “has no plans to return to Rockland with local broadcasting.”
This tip to Rockland News solidifies growing fears among residents that the region’s only English-language local AM radio station has permanently faded into history. WRCR had already stunned its audience earlier this year when it abruptly ceased local operations and began simulcasting WABC Radio, following its sale to Red Apple Media, the parent company of WABC 770 AM.
Despite this changeover, the transition of the frequency has not been formally completed with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), as per records available on the FCC’s transition page. This regulatory limbo adds yet another layer of uncertainty surrounding the status of WRCR and its future involvement — or lack thereof — in Rockland’s media landscape.
Rockland News reached out to the owner of Alexander Broadcasting Inc. earlier this week with these details for feedback but received no response – despite their assertive messages to us after our first article about the pending sale.
Even more troubling to station insiders and longtime contributors is the manner in which the shutdown unfolded. According to numerous sources, WRCR’s closure came without warning to its employees, hosts, or independent show producers. Many had anticipated a return to a studio at the Garner Arts Center as early as the day of the shutdown. However, on that day – despite communications by management to the contrary the day before, the studio was shut down.
“There was no communication — we just went off the air,” said one former contributor, who requested anonymity due to ongoing professional sensitivities.
In addition, many thousands of hours of previous recorded WRCR radio shows — spanning music, local politics, and community affairs — are now in limbo. There has been no public statement from the station owner about where these audio archives are being stored, or if they will be preserved or made available in the future. During the time of the radio station’s residency at Clover Stadium in the 2010’s, all the files were stored on a single computer.
Founded in 1965 and evolving through several call signs over the decades, WRCR was once a staple of Rockland County life. It was home to long-running personalities like Steve Possell and, more recently, the popular “Morning Show with Jeff and Will.” It provided essential local coverage, emergency alerts, and even live Rockland Boulders baseball broadcasts — a service recognized by the FCC when granting a frequency shift from 1300 kHz to 1700 kHz in 2015 due to its proximity to the Indian Point nuclear facility. The morning show included regular appearances by many of the Town Supervisors, County Executive, Rockland Business Association executives, notable business owners, and many more. At its peak, WRCR was garnering over 10,000 listens per month on its now-suspended website.
But later in the 2010s, expansion of the Boulders required the need for WRCR’s space at Clover stadium, to install a dedicated batting cage and practice area at the back of the stadium. WRCR moved to Garnerville, into a small office above a retail strip mall.
in May 2025, WRCR’s historic run ended when the station went silent — and replaced with syndicated talk radio from WABC. Despite widespread public reaction and disappointment, Red Apple Media has not indicated any intent to return to local content. Of course, this may change in the future.
In an era where traditional AM and FM broadcasting faces existential threats from streaming platforms and smart technologies, WRCR’s demise is seen by many as both symbolic and deeply personal. “This wasn’t just a radio station — it was a community voice,” said one former listener on a Rockland-based Facebook group.
Rockland News will continue to follow the developments as they unfold.
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