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Westwood One (1976–2011)

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Westwood One, Inc. (NYSE: WON) is the largest radio network in the United States. It is based in the city of New York, and it is managed by CBS Radio, the radio arm of CBS Corporation.

The company is one of the largest producers and distributors of radio programming in the United States. It broadcasts entertainment, news, weather, sports, talk, and traffic programming to about 7,700 radio stations across the USA. The company is America's top provider of local traffic reports through its subsidiaries, Metro Networks, Shadow Broadcast Services and SmartRoute Systems.

Commentators distributed by Westwood One include Don and Mike, Don Imus, Bill O'Reilly, Lars Larson, Jay Severin, and Larry King. Westwood One distributes the radio news operations of CNN and NBC as well as its corporate cousin, the CBS Radio Network.

In addition, Westwood One distributes a number of 24-hour radio formats via satellite to affiliate stations. These formats include:

  • Adult Rock & Roll (classic rock)
  • Adult Standards (middle-of-the-road/easy listening oldies; formerly called "AM Only")
  • Bright AC (hot adult contemporary)
  • CNN Headline News (an audio feed of the CNN cable TV news operation)
  • Hot Country (today's hit country)
  • Mainstream Country (today's hit country mixed with country oldies)
  • SAM/Simply About Music (variety hits, a variation on the "Jack" concept)
  • Soft AC (mainstream adult contemporary)
  • The Oldies Channel (chiefly mid- and late-1960s hits)

Westwood One syndcates several popular programs for a variety of music formats. Shows include The Beatle Years, Beatle Brunch, CMT's Country Countdown USA, Absolutely Live, Superstar Concert Series, Weekly Country Music Countdown, MTV TRL Weekend Countdown, Hollywood Confidential and Leeza Live both of which are hosted by Leeza Gibbons, Off the Record, VH1 Concerts and Specials, Saturday Night All Request 80's, and Out of Order

The company broadcasts live concerts, college football and NHL hockey games, and also holds exclusive national radio rights for the National Football League, the Olympic Games, the NCAA Basketball Tournament (along with corporate sibling CBS TV), the Masters golf and Wimbledon tennis tournaments, and the Grammy Awards.

Westwood One purchased the Mutual Broadcasting System in 1985 and continued to operate Mutual as a separate network program service into the 1990s. However, by the early 1990's Mutual ended up simply being a brand name for programming provided by Westwood One. The top-of-the-hour newscasts were written and read by CBS Radio News reporters and anchors in Mutual's final years. Westwood One discontinued using the Mutual name in favor of CNN Radio in 1999 and the Mutual name passed permanently from use on the air.

See also



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