Cumulus Media and Don Imus have agreed to a contract extension to keep Imus In The Morning on News/Talk 770 WABC New York and in syndication for multiple years.
The 76 year old Imus has been with WABC since his firing from CBS Sports 660 WFAN in 2007. He currently hosts his show from his ranch in Texas. As part of the new deal, Imus’ program will drop the 9:00am hour beginning in January 2017 and air from 6-9am. Imus’ current support team of Executive Producer Bernie McGuirk, Comedians Rob Bartlett and Tony Powell, producer Lou Rufino, sportscaster Warner Wolf, and news anchor Connell McShane will remain in place.
Cumulus Media and 77 WABC Radio announce the multi-year renewal of New York’s most iconic talk radio program the “Imus In The Morning” show. Host Don Imus and his incredible cast members will continue their historic run on 77 WABC, one of New York’s heritage radio stations and the flagship station for the “Imus In The Morning” show network since 2007.
Mike McVay, Senior Vice President, Content and Programming, Cumulus Media, said: “Don Imus is not a media icon. He is much more than that. He is an American Icon. Mr. Imus brings his ‘A’ game every day. And if you miss one day, you miss a lot. We are thrilled to have Don continue with Westwood One, Cumulus and WABC.”
Chad Lopez, Vice President and Market Manager, Cumulus Media-New York said: “Don Imus has been entertaining New Yorkers for an unprecedented four decades and I am thrilled that he has agreed to continue with us at WABC. He is a broadcasting legend with a very strong loyal audience that truly appreciates his talent and professionalism.”
Don Imus commented, “I don’t know anything about this. Who are these people?”
Don Imus began his career in Palmdale, CA at KUTY and has been performing the “Imus in The Morning” show from New York first with WNBC, then with WFAN, and for the last nine years on WABC Radio. Beginning January 2, 2017, “The Imus In The Morning Show” will air from 6 a.m.-9 a.m. ET with the renowned cast featuring Executive Producer Bernie McGuirk, Comedians Rob Bartlett and Tony Powell, producer Lou Rufino, sportscaster Warner Wolf, and news anchor Connell McShane.
Imus is a recipient of 4 Marconi Awards, was selected as one of Time Magazine’s 25 Most Influential People in America for 1997. He was inducted into the National Radio Hall of Fame in 1996. The Imus family has raised over $250,000,000 (a quarter of a billion dollars) for cancer research, childhood illnesses, the Intrepid Fallen Hero’s Fund and various charities including the Imus Ranch for Kids with Cancer which Don and Deirdre Imus founded, personally donating millions of dollars in the process, the Tomorrow’s Children’s Fund, SKIP and the CJ Foundation for SIDS. The Imus Foundation recently contributed $250,000 helping with the launch of Tackle Kids Cancer, affiliated with Hackensack Medical University Center. In addition, The Deirdre Imus Environmental Health Center at Hackensack University Medical Center is celebrating over 15 years of protecting children’s health and the environment.
