Happy heavenly birthday, Edward Brown. Celebrating your life and your exemplary service and commitment to your listeners, and viewers, by bringing the truth of current affairs as only your writing, analysis, and voice could do. And, from all of us, the world is less bright without your shining light. (Sept 23, 1933 – Sept 15, 2023)
Edward Brown
Brown spent ten years (1965-1975) with WNEW Radio, N.Y. as newscaster and news analyst. He won AP and UPI awards for his commentaries on Watergate, and other influential issues of the time. Brown made frequent news analysis appearances on WNEW TV’s “10 O’ Clock News, and had assignments to Cuba for the Cuban Missile Crisis, and the Viet Nam negotiations in Paris.
Today is a hard day as it reminds us all that it’s been a year since we lost you. A year? How is that even possible, when each day without you can feel like an eternity. I hope you know how much you are loved and dearly missed.
Edward BrownEd & Jean
Edward C. Brown, of Sun City Center, FL, and formerly of New York, NY, passed away on September 15th, 2023 at his home with his family by his side, a week before his 90th birthday.
Dad’s heart overflowed with kindness, gentleness, caring, giving, love, and humility.
The Family of Edward Brown
I share with you now, a favorite song of Dad’s.
Marianne (Brown) Palmer
-30-
Remembering This Site’s Founding Father!!
The ever-pensive and always fair Edward Brown is more than a little deserving of some meaningful ink at this juncture! Though not one to ever call attention to himself, it’s now been exactly one year since we lost this accomplished broadcast journalist, news analyst and friend on September 15, 2023, a week before his 90th birthday.
When it came to getting it said, Ed was a master storyteller, respected by his colleagues, and his listeners and viewers in a nearly half-century career that took him from suburban radio stations on Long Island before he stepped up to New York’s WMCA for a half dozen years and a full decade at WNEW. His tenure at the latter was punctuated by AP and UPI awards, particularly for his commentaries on Watergate. In addition, he made appearances on WNEW Television’s “Ten O’clock News” as an analyst. His superb writing and commanding voice also led to Edward winning a network position as an analyst for NBC’s News and Information Service, a news broadcaster on NBC Radio and an important contributor to NBC Radio’s 1976 election coverage.
Before he and wife, Jean, moved to Florida, Ed did his final news anchoring and on-air writing at WCHL Radio in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Ed’s retirement years were spent in Sun City Center, Florida and it was there, at home, where the spotlight on his labor of love focused on WNEW1130.com. Yes, that is this very site where you are seeing this remembrance and a wholesome outpouring of stories tied to that once-prestigious New York Radio Station.
I am delighted to be among a small group of gifted, retired broadcasters who are privileged to write for this web site and can only hope this flashback would have passed muster with Ed and his daughter, Marianne, who is our Editor!
Julius La Rosa was hired as a disc jockey on WNEW in 1970. That’s when I got to know him while working as a newscaster on the station. Off the air Julie was great to know-personable and willing to talk
Bill Diehl & Julius La Rosa
about his time with Arthur Godfrey when he was fired in 1953. Godfrey said later it was because Julie lacked humility, but what really angered ‘the old redhead’ was La Rosa had hired an agent, a big no-no-no because Godfrey wanted total control over his so-called ‘little Godfrey’s’.
Firing La Rosa backfired. Ed Sullivan immediately hired La Rosa for appearances on his “Toast of the Town.” During the summer of 1955, La Rosa had a three times a week TV series on CBS. In ’56 and ’57 he hosted summer shows as a seasonal replacement for Perry Como. Shortly after leaving Godfrey La Rosa had several hit records, including “Eh Compari” and “Domani.”
Years later when I got to really know Julie we talked about his career and Godfrey. Julie said, “As an entertainer he was the best salesman in the world. I was a 20-yr-old kid in the Navy from Brooklyn and Godfrey gave me a golden opportunity to be on his shows. Happy memories? Are you kidding?! There was a year and a half of total and complete joy, I mean look at me ma, that kind of thing. I was doing what I had one day dreamed I would do.”
Julie told me that after the firing <he> met Godfrey in his office, “offered my hand in friendship and he rejected it.” Godfrey died in 1983 at 79. “Now that he’s gone,” said La Rosa, “I shall pray that he will rest in peace.” La Rosa said they met briefly once on Fifth Avenue walking in different directions. “I took his hand and said, you’re looking well, and he said thank you. And I said, you better watch it, or they’ll make an item of us.”
New York Daily News January 21,2006
One of the most recognizable voices on news radio will be leaving the air next month. Christopher Glenn, anchor of “CBS World News Roundup” since 1999, is retiring after the Feb. 24 broadcast. Before that, he had anchored, among other things, CBS’ “The World Tonight” and “CBS News Nightwatch.” From 1971-1984, he anchored more than 5,000 episodes of “In the News,” a TV program on current events for young viewers. He started his career with Armed Forces Broadcasting in Korea and New York in 1960, and his local work also included six years as a reporter, editor and documentary producer at WNEW-AM, 1964-1970.
Christopher Glenn (3/1938-10/2006)
Rockin’ Ron (Sedaille ) is the General Manager of Fun Tower Radio. He’s been in radio for nearly 40 years, including 30 years at the legendary WDRC-FM in Hartford, CT. Ron hosts oldies Friday night and all request Saturday night from 8-10 PM Eastern. https://www.funtowerradio.com/
Good morning, Arlene…
Thinking of you, Mike and other loved ones on this day!
Mike was a man who loved life and who derived satisfaction from telling the every-day stories of New York, the nation and the world via WHN, Mutual News, NBC Radio and WNEW, where he was the gregarious News Director for ten years until that one-of-a-kind station left the air in 1992.
Bob
Editors Note: Thank you, Bob Gibson, for your contribution. The below announcement can be found in the WNEW
archives dated 23-Aug-2023.
https://www.nationalradioday.com/
