Rick Sklar
Encyclopedia
Rick Sklar was an American
radio program director
, who while at New York City
's WABC
was one of the originators of the Top 40 radio format
.
Sklar grew up in Brighton Beach, Brooklyn. He graduated from New York University
and volunteered at WNYC
radio as a writer. He then worked at WPAC
in Patchogue, New York
, and in 1954 moved to WINS
where he was assistant program director. In 1960, Sklar became program director at crosstown competitor WMGM.
He moved to WABC in 1962 and became program director there in 1963. Under his management, WABC became the model for tight-playlist, teenager-targeted Top 40 programming, with a strong signal and famed disc jockey
s such as "Cousin Brucie" Bruce Morrow
, Dan Ingram
, Chuck Leonard
, and Ron Lundy
. His relationship with the DJs he programmed for was contentious at times. Scott Muni
departed from WABC after a number of confrontations with Sklar over playlists including Sklar's refusal to remove Louis Armstrong
's version of "Hello, Dolly"
from the playlist at Muni's request. In 1968, Sklar decreed that only current music be played. DJs reacted by relabling the record library making everything current. Classics like "Earth Angel" and "Duke of Earl" were played frequently and Sklar backed off.
In March 1977, Sklar was promoted to vice president of programming for ABC’s radio division. In 1984 he left ABC to start his own consulting firm, Sklar Communications. His autobiography, Rocking America: An Insider's Story: How the All-Hit Radio Stations Took Over America (ISBN 978-0312687977), was published by St. Martin's Press
the same year.
In an interview recorded in 1982, when WABC switched from music to talk programming, Sklar said:
Sklar continued to write articles and books as well as visiting various colleges discussing the business of radio in general. He was also an adjunct professor at St. John's University
.
Prior to his death, Sklar had been an avid runner for more than ten years, taking it up in the late 1970's. He ran his first New York City Marathon
in 1982, finishing 4 hours, 21 minutes, and 36 seconds; coming in 642nd out of 857 who finished the race in his age group. He began to have problems with his left foot, which necessitated him quitting the sport by 1990http://books.google.com/books?id=o-QCAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA57&lpg=PA57&dq=Sydelle+Sklar&source=bl&ots=jU5XsS5VGR&sig=gLnMkJPzByyZvZDxn1aNgA_3LkM&hl=en&ei=4UGrS8jnI5OltgeTyIzdDw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CAYQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=Sydelle%20Sklar&f=false.
In June 1992, he entered Roosevelt Hospital in Manhattan for a minor operation
that would allow him to run again. Although in good health, he died on the operating table due to a lack of oxygen
and other mistakes made by the hospital staff.
Sydelle Sklar died on December 7 of that same year, having lost her battle with cancer
.
Rick Sklar was posthumously inducted into the National Radio Hall of Fame the following year.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
radio program director
Program director
In service industries, such as education, a program director or programme director researches, plans, develops and implements one or more of the firm's professional services...
, who while at New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
's WABC
WABC (AM)
WABC , known as "NewsTalkRadio 77 WABC" is a radio station in New York City. Owned by the broadcasting division of Cumulus Media, the station broadcasts on a clear channel and is the flagship station of Cumulus Media Networks...
was one of the originators of the Top 40 radio format
Radio format
A radio format or programming format not to be confused with broadcast programming describes the overall content broadcast on a radio station. Radio formats are frequently employed as a marketing tool, and constantly evolve...
.
Sklar grew up in Brighton Beach, Brooklyn. He graduated from New York University
New York University
New York University is a private, nonsectarian research university based in New York City. NYU's main campus is situated in the Greenwich Village section of Manhattan...
and volunteered at WNYC
WNYC
WNYC is a set of call letters shared by a pair of co-owned, non-profit, public radio stations located in New York City.WNYC broadcasts on the AM band at 820 kHz, and WNYC-FM is at 93.9 MHz. Both stations are members of National Public Radio and carry distinct, but similar news/talk programs...
radio as a writer. He then worked at WPAC
WPAC
WPAC is an oldies radio station, operating from Ogdensburg, New York, United States. The station has used this format since July 2005.-History:WPAC began broadcasting on April 1, 1998 as WZEA...
in Patchogue, New York
Patchogue, New York
-Notable citizens:* Franc D'Ambrosio, Broadway Actor, best known for being the longest running Phantom in Phantom of the Opera. Graduated Pat-Med HS 1981* Michael Fagan, professional bowler...
, and in 1954 moved to WINS
WINS (AM)
WINS , known on-air as "Ten-Ten Wins", is a radio station in New York City, owned by CBS Radio. WINS's studios are in the combined CBS Radio facility at 345 Hudson Street in the TriBeCa section of Manhattan, and transmitting towers in Lyndhurst, New Jersey.WINS is one of the nation's oldest...
where he was assistant program director. In 1960, Sklar became program director at crosstown competitor WMGM.
He moved to WABC in 1962 and became program director there in 1963. Under his management, WABC became the model for tight-playlist, teenager-targeted Top 40 programming, with a strong signal and famed disc jockey
Disc jockey
A disc jockey, also known as DJ, is a person who selects and plays recorded music for an audience. Originally, "disc" referred to phonograph records, not the later Compact Discs. Today, the term includes all forms of music playback, no matter the medium.There are several types of disc jockeys...
s such as "Cousin Brucie" Bruce Morrow
Bruce Morrow
Bruce Morrow is an American radio personality known to many listeners as Cousin Brucie.-Radio work:...
, Dan Ingram
Dan Ingram
Daniel Trombley "Dan" Ingram is an American Top 40 radio disc jockey with a forty-year career on radio stations such as WABC and WCBS-FM in New York...
, Chuck Leonard
Chuck Leonard
Charles Wesley "Chuck" Leonard was an American radio personality at WABC in New York City during the 1960s and 1970s. His deep voice and smoothness resonated across 38 states for 14 years at ABC...
, and Ron Lundy
Ron Lundy
Fred Ronald "Ron" Lundy was a popular radio announcer in New York City from the early-1960s to his retirement from WCBS-FM in 1997...
. His relationship with the DJs he programmed for was contentious at times. Scott Muni
Scott Muni
Scott Muni was an American disc jockey, who worked at the heyday of the AM Top 40 format and then was a pioneer of FM progressive rock radio.-Biography:...
departed from WABC after a number of confrontations with Sklar over playlists including Sklar's refusal to remove Louis Armstrong
Louis Armstrong
Louis Armstrong , nicknamed Satchmo or Pops, was an American jazz trumpeter and singer from New Orleans, Louisiana....
's version of "Hello, Dolly"
Hello, Dolly! (song)
"Hello, Dolly!" is the title song of the popular 1964 musical of the same name. Louis Armstrong's version was inducted in the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2001....
from the playlist at Muni's request. In 1968, Sklar decreed that only current music be played. DJs reacted by relabling the record library making everything current. Classics like "Earth Angel" and "Duke of Earl" were played frequently and Sklar backed off.
In March 1977, Sklar was promoted to vice president of programming for ABC’s radio division. In 1984 he left ABC to start his own consulting firm, Sklar Communications. His autobiography, Rocking America: An Insider's Story: How the All-Hit Radio Stations Took Over America (ISBN 978-0312687977), was published by St. Martin's Press
St. Martin's Press
St. Martin's Press is a book publisher headquartered in the Flatiron Building in New York City. Currently, St. Martin's Press is one of the United States' largest publishers, bringing to the public some 700 titles a year under eight imprints, which include St. Martin's Press , St...
the same year.
In an interview recorded in 1982, when WABC switched from music to talk programming, Sklar said:
Everything has to end, that's life, WABC is … like anything else it's part of life, couldn't go on forever. But … it was a wonderful thing … it was a one-of-a-kind … I don't think there'll ever be another station quite like that. I mean, the scope of the thing was so huge, was so grand; everything that was done was on such a massive scale. We gave out buttons, we gave out 14 million with the WABC call letters and if we spot you we'll give you $25,000. You know, this stuff is … it's just not done today.… We'll miss it.
Radio will go on and on forever. Radio's the most adaptable medium there is, and … the old WABC's place in radio will be remembered by everyone who ever heard it, who ever grew up with it, it'll be part of millions and millions—tens of millions of people's lives, and certainly the lives of everyone in the radio business. Now we just have to go on to new things, and I think we will.
Sklar continued to write articles and books as well as visiting various colleges discussing the business of radio in general. He was also an adjunct professor at St. John's University
St. John's University (New York City)
St. John's University is a private, Roman Catholic, coeducational university located in New York City, United States. Founded by the Congregation of the Mission in 1870, the school was originally located in the borough of Brooklyn in the neighborhood of Bedford–Stuyvesant...
.
Personal life and death
Rick was married to the former Sydelle Helfgott, who also served as vice president for his company, Sklar Communications. They had two children: a son Scott and a daughter Holly.Prior to his death, Sklar had been an avid runner for more than ten years, taking it up in the late 1970's. He ran his first New York City Marathon
New York City Marathon
The New York City Marathon is a major annual marathon that courses through the five boroughs of New York City. It is one of the largest marathons in the world, with 45,103 finishers in 2010...
in 1982, finishing 4 hours, 21 minutes, and 36 seconds; coming in 642nd out of 857 who finished the race in his age group. He began to have problems with his left foot, which necessitated him quitting the sport by 1990http://books.google.com/books?id=o-QCAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA57&lpg=PA57&dq=Sydelle+Sklar&source=bl&ots=jU5XsS5VGR&sig=gLnMkJPzByyZvZDxn1aNgA_3LkM&hl=en&ei=4UGrS8jnI5OltgeTyIzdDw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CAYQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=Sydelle%20Sklar&f=false.
In June 1992, he entered Roosevelt Hospital in Manhattan for a minor operation
Operation
Operation may refer to:* Scientific operation* Surgery, or operation* An operation in mathematics:**Unary operation**Binary operation**Arity...
that would allow him to run again. Although in good health, he died on the operating table due to a lack of oxygen
Oxygen
Oxygen is the element with atomic number 8 and represented by the symbol O. Its name derives from the Greek roots ὀξύς and -γενής , because at the time of naming, it was mistakenly thought that all acids required oxygen in their composition...
and other mistakes made by the hospital staff.
Sydelle Sklar died on December 7 of that same year, having lost her battle with cancer
Cancer
Cancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...
.
Rick Sklar was posthumously inducted into the National Radio Hall of Fame the following year.