Howard Stern was a personality that radio would not soon forget. But in 1982, listeners in the New York City area could only imagine what the hype was about.

And then August 30 happened.

Thirty years ago, Stern arrived in New York at WNBC Radio (clip below), complete with sidekick Robin Quivers, who first worked with Stern in Washington a year earlier. Of course, with his roots in rough and tumble Roosevelt, Long Island, this was Howard’s homecoming.

As characterized in his book and film, Private Parts, Stern dealt with internal clashes from day one at WNBC. Specifically, his verbal barrages with program director Kevin Metheny, not-so-affectionately called “Pig Vomit” in the film (“Pig Virus” in real life). Stern slightly altered the immortalized version of Metheny, changing his name to “Kenny Rushton,” played exquisitely by Paul Giamatti.

“The book and the script are fascinating, engaging, and entertaining,” Metheny tells FishbowlNY. “I think [there's] a fair and appropriate amount of artists’ liberties taken with factual elasticity in order to make a more interesting project.”

In one memorable scene, Giamatti’s Rushton attempts to teach Stern the key to success, announcing the call letters properly (W-N-N-N-N-B-C). (See clip after the jump)

“I’m certain that I was a pain in the tush with respect to putting the emphasis on the “N” in WNBC,” Metheny says.

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For a stretch from the late 1970s into the early 1980s, Thom Morrera was the overnight air personality at WNEW-FM. It was the height of WNEW’s and Morrera’s popularity.

Multiple sources confirm to FishbowlNY that Morrera died over the weekend. We’re told that Morrera died of complications from a massive heart attack last month.

Paul Cavalconte remembers his longtime friend and colleague, having worked with Morrera at three radio outfits, including Sirius.

“His many friends in the music and radio biz will miss him because he was so good at keeping up with people and being social and a gracious host,” Cavalconte tells FishbowlNY. “And also a committed mentor to many people. He earned the name ‘Father Thom’ as well.”

While playing the now-deemed “Classic Rock,” Morrera also spent time in management as the WNEW-FM music director. He returned for a brief weekend stint in the early 1990s.

Morrera’s voice was also familiar to New York Rangers fans as the team’s public address announcer for several years.

Cavalconte added on his Facebook page, “I will miss his candlelit holiday feasts, summer cocktail fetes, phone chats, e mail hits and most of all encouragement to take it all in stride.”

Morrera’s death marks the second passing of a WNEW personality this year. In April, Pete Fornatale died a short time after suffering from a brain hemorrhage.

Popeater.com

The Hall is calling for Howard Stern.

Stern, the self-proclaimed King of All Media, is the highlight honoree of the Radio Hall of Fame Class of 2012, according to Time Out Chicago‘s Robert Feder.

Stern, whose annual omission from the Hall housed at the Museum of Broadcast Communications in Chicago, led to trashing the organization on his Sirius XM show.

In 2004, Stern signed a mega, five-year deal to take his ”shock jock” radio from terrestial to the uncensored satellite.

Stern, who grew up in Roosevelt, New York, had a hugely successful, if not controversial time at 66 WNBC.

After a tumultous three years, Stern arrived at WXRK/K Rock in November 1985.  Just three months later, Stern had the coveted mornings at K Rock. In short order, Stern became a syndication star. In 1992, he was the first person to host a number one morning show in New York and Los Angeles simultaneously.

These days, those who don’t get to hear him on Sirius XM, can see Stern as a judge on NBC’s America’s Got Talent.

The Radio Hall of Fame induction ceremony will be held November 10.

Anchor Rick Sanchez was fired by CNN Friday evening, a day after making inflammatory comments about Jews and The Daily Show host Jon Stewart. Sanchez spoke with Sirius XM satellite radio host Pete Dominick (a former warm-up comic for Stewart’s show).

The terse statement from the cable network where Sanchez worked since 2004 read:

“Rick Sanchez is no longer with the company. We thank Rick for his years of service and we wish him well.”

At one point in the interview, Sanchez told Dominick that Stewart is a “bigot” and added that he [Stewart] was bigoted against “everybody else who’s not like him. Look at his show, I mean, what does he surround himself with?”

Dominick, who works for CNN on John King U.S.A, pointed out that Stewart is Jewish and is therefore a minority.

“I’m telling you that everybody who runs CNN is a lot like Stewart, and a lot of people who run all the other networks are a lot like Stewart, and to imply that somehow they, the people in this country who are Jewish, are an oppressed minority? Yeah,” Sanchez responded.

Sanchez’s 3-5 p.m. weekday show is being replaced by CNN Newsroom for the “foreseeable future,”  CNN said.

TVNewser has more on the story, including audio from the controversial interview.

O, The Oprah Magazine has announced several new hires, filling out the editorial department under new editor-in-chief Susan Casey.

Among the new hires are former Marie Claire executive editor Lucy Kaylin, who has been named deputy editor; Patrick Mitchell, who is taking the role of design director; former Publishers Weekly editor-in-chief Sara Nelson, who has been named books director; former Prevention senior editor Tyler Graham, who will be health and environment editor and Jennifer Rainey Marquez, formerly of Women’s Health, who will take on the role of senior editor.

“As we prepare for O’s tenth anniversary year in 2010, I couldn’t be more pleased that Lucy, Patrick, Sara, Tyler and Jennifer are joining our team,” said Casey, who joined the magazine earlier this summer. “They all come to the magazine with incredible talent and experience in their respective areas and I’m confident they will be a great asset to O as we move into our next phase of growth.”

O also named Dr. Mehmet Oz a contributing editor. He will write a regular health column for the magazine starting with the October issue. The magazine also said that features director Pat Towers will be retiring this month, although she will continue to work on special projects for the magazine.

And in other Oprah Winfrey news, Sirius XM has announced the launch of Winfrey’s exclusive 24/7 Sirius XM radio station. Starting on Monday, episodes of “The Oprah Winfrey Show” will now be broadcast on satellite radio the morning after they air in syndication on TV. The channel will also replay classic “Oprah Show” episodes as well as shows hosted by Gayle King, Dr. Oz, Maya Angelou and sex therapist Dr. Laura Berman.

After the jump, the full release about the O hires, as well as longer bios.

Earlier: Two Magazines Lose Top Talent After Short Tenures

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