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Bob Hagen was born in 1935, and raised in Akron , Ohio . He was a student at Schumacher Grade School , Buchtel High School , and Kent State University . It was at Kent State that he studied Journalism and began his radio career at WKSU-FM where he became the chief announcer. His first commercial radio job was at WADC in Akron . This began a long and distinguished career in radio that spanned 43 years with many accomplishments. As a reporter, Bob covered the 1968 Democratic Convention in Chicago and other major stories such as the Detroit riot and the aftermath of first bombing of the World Trade Center in New York City . He covered Mayor Rudy Giuliani's mayoral campaigns and Presidential candidates from John F. Kennedy to Bill Clinton. He was an outstanding newsman, whether at the anchor desk or as a reporter. In Cleveland , Bob was the News Director at KYW. He went to Philadelphia as Executive Editor to set up all-news KYW there. At WCFL in Chicago , Bob was Assistant News Director and then New Director. In 1956, Bob worked at WADC in Akron as a newsman. He then went to WHKK Akron before moving to larger markets. Cleveland was in his sight next and he worked as a newscaster and reporter at WHK, WERE and KYW. In 1965, he moved with KYW to Philadelphia and became the first Editor-in-chief, when it switched to an all-news format. 1967 found him in Chicago at WCFL working as a newscaster/reporter and then News Director. In 1970, Bob was recruited by WMCA in New York City . He was chosen to be part of a new talk/news format. When WMCA management changed formats again, Bob joined WNEW in 1971. He was there for the next fifteen years. At that time, WNEW was said to have had the best radio news operation in the Big Apple. During his New York City career, Bob briefly was a news broadcaster at WOR and United Stations in 1986. His final broadcasting job was reporting and anchoring for New York ’s all-news WINS from 1986 to February 26, 1999. By that time, Bob had been broadcasting on radio for over 43 years. He retired to Arizona where several radio stations tried to lure him out of retirement, but without success. All his life, Bob was an avid Cleveland Indians fan. In retirement, he was now able to spend time with his family – wife, Marcheta, daughters, Cheryl and Laura, and son, Kenneth. Bob passed away on July 4, 2004. He will be remembered as one of the greatest radio newscasters of our time. |