RIP John Kluge, 95 -- created Metromedia radio

[RGMike]

from a posting on the NYRMB by onetime WNEW-FM and WPLJ deejay Dave Herman:

Mr. Kluge, if you don't know, is the man who created Metromedia, the company that owned WNEW AM/FM/TV in NY among many other radio and TV stations in other major markets. At one time he was "the richest man in the US" but to those of us who worked for him he was the guy who reminded us that his name was John when we called him Mr. Kluge. He said Mr. Kluge was his father. When I joined WNEW-FM in 1972 John's corporate offices were in the same location as us and WNEW-AM at 655 Fifth Ave. He would arrive at the office about 7 or 7:30 and since I was doing morning drive he would often come into the studio bringing me muffins, bagels, coffee, etc. He'd hang out with me constantly asking me questions. "What's so special about Bob Dylan?", he'd ask. Or "Why did you decide to change the next record you had cued up at the last minute?"

At Thanksgiving every single one of the many hundreds of company employees would get a turkey. A practice that Mel Karmazin (now in charge of Siruis/XM) would continue when he became our boss. I'm sure Mel would agree with me that much of Kluge's management style influenced him as he rose to the top.

Metromedia was the very 1st company to start playing progressive/free form rock on FM on all it's 7 FM stations including WNEW-FM, KSAN (SF), WMMR (Philly) WMMS (Cleveland) and others. That could never have happened without John Kluge at the helm. He is as vital to the history of broadcasting as any other person.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/09/business/media/09kluge.html?_r=1