CBS Radio, Television Personality Charles Osgood Celebrates 80th Birthday
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) - He was the first voice on WCBS-AM when it went all-news back in 1967 and now Charles Osgood is celebrating a milestone - his 80th birthday.
Usually you just hear him at 6:40 a.m., 7:40 a.m., 8:40 a.m., and 10:40 a.m. for the Osgood File on weekdays and see him on CBS television for Sunday Morning, but today our poet-in-residence checked in for a special chat with WCBS Newsradio 880 morning anchors Michael Wallace and Pat Carroll.
AUDIO EXTRA: WCBS 880's Wayne Cabot With Osgood In Song And Silliness
In Tribute: Osgood At 80
He was asked to share his favorite memories of the past 45 years.
"There are so many things that happened over such a long period of time, but of course, what stands out is when WCBS became a newsradio station and I got to be the very first voice, but on the day that that happened, an airplane hit the tower, and we were on FM. That was the beginning. Not a very good start," he said.
Charles Osgood Celebrates 80th Birthday
When the station went all-news, the concept was still relatively new.
"It turned out to be such an amazing period of time for news. I mean, people really did want to find out what was going on and to have a place where they could go that was a dependable source of all of the information that they had to have," Osgood said. "And it was really something that Bill Paley wanted to do and people kept telling him 'No. It would never work. You can't have just a station with just news on it.' But he was right."
Osgood said he has no plans to retire.
WATCH: WCBS 880's Wayne Cabot With Charles Osgood on WCBS 880's 45th Anniversary
By the way, Osgood shares his birthday with singer Shirley Bassey (76), game show host Bob Eubanks (75), singer David Bowie (66), and actress Michelle Forbes (48).
Do you have a favorite memory of Charles Osgood? Please share it in the comments section below.
