Buckley Broadcasting

Buckley Broadcasting

Company type	Private
Industry	Broadcasting
Founded	1954
Founder	Richard D. Buckley Sr., John Jaeger
Defunct	2014
Headquarters	Greenwich , United States
Area served	New York, Rhode Island, California, Connecticut
Key people	Richard D. Buckley Jr. (President and Chairman, 1972–2011), Joe Bilotta (President & COO, 2011–2014)
Products	Radio broadcasting

Buckley Broadcasting—also known as Buckley Radio—was a U.S.-based broadcasting firm that owned radio outlets across New York, Rhode Island, California, and Connecticut.

History

Established in 1954 under the name Buckley-Jaeger Broadcasting by Richard D. Buckley Sr. and John Jaeger, the company initially operated as an independent radio broadcaster. Its inaugural purchase was WNEW in New York City, which was sold to Metromedia in 1955. In 1957, Buckley acquired its first enduring property with WHIM located in Providence, Rhode Island. By 1959, the company expanded by obtaining WDRC in Hartford, Connecticut, and introduced its flagship station WDRC-FM.

Following the death of Richard D. Buckley Sr. in 1972, leadership passed to Richard D. Buckley Jr., who served as president and chairman until his death in 2011. The company grew further by purchasing WOR in New York City in 1989. Before Buckley Jr.'s passing, the firm began selling off parts of its portfolio: by 2008, Syracuse stations WSEN, WSEN-FM, and WFBL were transferred to local proprietors; WOR was sold to Clear Channel Communications in 2012. Early in 2014, WDRC and WDRC-FM changed hands to Connoisseur Media. Later that year, Buckley divested KSEQ (Fresno) and KWAV (Monterey), followed by the sale of Bakersfield and Merced stations (KLLY, KKBB, KNZR; KUBB, KHTN) to Alpha Media in October.

People

Richard D. Buckley: President, 1972–2011 A native of Bronxville, New York, Richard D. Buckley assumed the presidency after his father’s death in 1972. Starting his career as an NBC page in 1960, he led the family-owned company for nearly four decades, preserving its independent status. In recognition of his contributions, he was inducted into the New York State Broadcasters’ Association Hall of Fame in 2011. Additionally, Buckley chaired boards for both the Radio Advertising Bureau and the Southern California Broadcasters’ Association. He died on July 31, 2011.

Joe Bilotta: President & Chief Operating Officer, 2011–2014 Having dedicated over forty years to Buckley Radio, Joe Bilotta was appointed President following Richard D. Buckley Jr.’s death.

Lynne Berke, et al. v. Buckley Broadcasting Corporation WOR Radio

On April 30, 2003, the Superior Court of New Jersey dismissed a lawsuit brought by around 300 investors against Buckley Broadcasting. The claim concerned a cable television security promoted on WOR Radio by talk show host Harry I. "Sonny" Bloch. Following Bloch's death, the plaintiffs' federal case was terminated, and since the advertising stopped in 1994 with the appeal filed in 2001, the court determined the appeal was barred by the statute of limitations.