Longtime radio news anchor, reporter, manager and technology consultant Tom Foty died earlier today at the age of 77.
Foty has been with CBS News Radio since 1997, most recently serving as a fill-in anchor. Born in Budapest, Foty fled with his family to America following the failed 1956 Hungarian Revolution after the Soviets destroyed his home. He would attend City College of New York where he served as News Director and General Manager of its radio station while working as a stringer for the New York Daily News, the Associated Press, and 1010 WINS. He would then spend time with WINS, 98.7 WOR-FM/WXLO, and NPR in various news and technical capacities prior to joining United Press International’s radio network in 1973. Foty would rise from editor and reporter to Washington Bureau Manager and Executive Editor of UPI Radio until leaving in 1984 to join NBC News Radio as Deputy Washington Bureau Chief before moving with the network following its sale to Westwood One where he became responsible for the purchase and operation of their first computer.
Foty would then join Unistar Radio Networks as News Manager, while serving as a consultant to other news organizations including the BBC, USA Today Sky Radio, and ABC News Radio for launching their IT systems. He would then co-found AudioCenter Productions as one of the first internet streaming services. In 1997, Foty would join WTOP Washington DC as a reporter and technical advisor and would add duties at CBS News Radio in 1998.
RIP Tom Foty. Here is a clip from his UPI Radio days with Gene Gibbons. https://t.co/iZKWG8b4Uo https://t.co/pWzq4wnihM
— Micheline Maynard (@MickiMaynard) December 27, 2023
The legendary radio newsman Tom Foty, who was a stalwart at UPI when I started in 1979 and was a stalwart at @cbsradio this week, has died, per the network
The number of people in news whose life he touched must be in the thousands. Supportive, realistic, a friend. Awful shock.
— Keith Olbermann⌚️ (@KeithOlbermann) December 27, 2023
We're just hearing that CBS News has lost a rock in their newsroom. Farewell to @TOMFOTY. CBS says he was one of those guys that they could count on to take care of anything, whenever they needed him. RIP Tom
— David Rancken (@rancken) December 26, 2023
So sorry to hear CBS reporting passing of @tfoty. Tom really was the ultimate “radio guy.” Distinguished careers at the network, WTOP, WINS, self-appointed historian of UPI Radio. Terrific fellow. Very sad to hear.
— Neal Augenstein (@AugensteinWTOP) December 27, 2023
I, appropriately, I heard the news of his passing on the radio. @TOMFOTY was the @CBSNewsRadio hourly anchor when I started at KMOX on weekend overnights. His voice will forever take me back to being 20 years old. RIP, Tom. https://t.co/fW58kyvp2Z
— Michael Calhoun (@michaelcalhoun) December 27, 2023
Radio has lost a quiet giant.
My friend @TOMFOTY was one of the kindest people I knew in the business. Had an amazing career covering some of the biggest stories of our times.
His death leaves an institutional void at @CBSNewsRadio that won’t be filled.
Rest in peace, Tom. pic.twitter.com/hTgBmtkKLb
— Bill Rehkopf (@BillRehkopf) December 27, 2023
Herb Starr 
Rachel Ehrenberg 
Tom Ackerman 
Rod Fowler 
doris roppo 
Foty was a Pro. Distinctive xox laced with urgency- at once recognizable. Sui generis.. RIP. Herb Starr, WCBS 88 Albany Bureau when the format was new.
Tom became a good friend. I told him how he and his colleague Pye Chamberlain were inspiration to me as I began my career in radio.
Fun and always nice. We were planning on meeting up in the springtime as I was planning a visit to Washington DC. May his memory be a blessing.
Tom was someone totally devoted to his craft from the days I first knew him at CCNY 55 years ago. So sorry I missed seeing him this year.
Mace News
@MaceNewsMacro
Word tonight of the sudden and unexpected passing of a broadcaster par excellence, CBS radio newscaster Tom Foty. A familiar voice on the network as recently as the past week, Foty’s long history in radio, from the UPI Radio network, through NBC to Westwood One and Unistar, Fory was known as a generous and technically gifted friend and co-worker to many in the industry. No one worked harder. #tom_foty #radio #CBS
12:11 AM · Dec 27, 2023
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The worst news imaginable. Tom was a beloved friend of mine and of our entire family since our days together decades ago at the UPI Radio Network. He messaged a Christmas greeting to us Christmas Eve. We shared many hair raising moments on the job and many good times off the job through the years. Aside from his technical genius and his 150% focus and dedication to the job at hand, he was outstanding in his piercing honesty and generosity. He provided for the education of the children of his mother’s long-time careperson. On those few occasions when he could get free of the microphone he was a great companion, sharing so many stories by virtue of his photographic memory. A few weeks ago, when we lost a dear mutual friend, RFE vet Frank Csongos, he was at the family’s side after daily encouragement to Frank as he battled his health challenges. Tom was as genuine a human being as I’ve ever met, with a deep a commitment to what was right and true that knew no bounds, in his personal and professional lives. And he had no peer in the way he could juggle the production imperatives of being an aggressive reporter, exacting editor and rock-steady newscaster. I can’t fathom that he’s gone. And my two oldest sons, who toured Washington with him linked by walkie-talkies, will never forget him. A wonderful guy, utterly dependable and a friend like no other.
The profession that I love has lost one of its giants in Tom Foty.. Though we both worked at UPI Radio our paths only crossed at Unistar. He was totally dedicated to producing and delivering the very best 5 minutes of news possible. I was shocked and saddened to hear of his passing.
RIP Tom Foty.
A pros pro.
Rod Fowler, Unistar 1990.
I am a long time listener of WTOP and often Tom’s was the last voice I would hear before tuning out for the night. I will miss him.
Dee Roppo