Jim Reed

As the author of this site, I really appreciate the memories people bring back every time I get a new note.   The site really started because I was going research on my Imus book, and I accumulated so much information on 66 WNBC that I felt like I had to share it somewhere.  2 years later, here it is.

I was hooked on the I-Man, and I still am to an extent.  I would get up at 5:30 to hear the beginning of his shows before I went to school, I saw his show when he played as Imus in the Evening in my town, and, I made a pilgrimage to 30 Rock.

The first time I took the NBC tour back in the late 70's it was great!  We got off the elevators on the second floor and there was 66 WNBC.  It was 1 or so in the afternoon, and I am sorry if I don't remember who was on, mostly because just as we arrived in the foyer, Imus made his way through on his way out the door.  That was it for me.    The rest of the tour was great though, a little sound stage showed us the magic of radio sound effects, and I actually got to sit and me Johnny Carson in a mock studio off of studio 8-H.  Plus, we got to go in the Today Show studio before it found it's way across the street.

Christmas '99 I was in New York visiting relatives, and I took my wife and niece to the building that meant to much to me.  After waiting on line to pay $17 (each) for a chance to take "The NBC Experience"  we were told to come back in about 6 hours, when the next tour was available.

After a brief start, and my niece played Al Roker the weather man, we headed up to the 2nd floor.  I was glad we were stopping and I was surprised to see the former WNBC studios were really the "Global Operations Center" or something.  Sorry, no pictures were allowed.    After a brief video on how great NBC (Television) was, I at least had the chance to bring up radio when the tour guide asked "What do you think of then you think of NBC?"  I was told most people don't think of radio.

On the way back through the second floor lobby, I asked one of the pages, "Wasn't this where WNBC Radio was?"  and the response I received was simply, "Oh yea, Howard Stern!"  When I asked, what about Imus, they replied "Oh, was he here too?"  Sigh.

The end of the tour was sitting in Rosie O Donnell's audience, (the show was on hiatus) and looking through the glass at studio 8 H, home of Saturday Night Live.

So, I guess I feel it's pretty unfortunate that not much of the radio days are remembered at 30 Rock, so at least we have this site.

- Jim Reed

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