(By Ed Ryan) In 1988 Chuck D’Imperio was 39 years old when he walked through the door of WDOS-AM in Oneonta, New York looking for a radio job. In a few weeks Big Chuck turns 72. He’s retiring from that very same radio station he first worked for 33 years ago.
Chuck says back in 1988 he started at the station working for no pay, just to get the feel of it all. “My first job was to sit and babysit a 3-hour long Boston Pops concert. It came to us on three huge reel-to-reel tapes which I watched and changed and rotated over the afternoon. From there I was hired in early 1989 to have my own show, “The Sunday Show” on Sunday afternoons and eventually I was made full time morning drive DJ and have been here ever since.”
Gordon Hastings owned the station when Big Chuck first walked through the radio station door. “Big Chuck wanted a chance. He was in love with the whole idea of being on the radio in his home town. Ah…those were the wonderful simple days where so many walk-ons could get a start.”
Oneonta was a great market to learn the radio trade having done it myself there in the 90’s. Fresh out of college I was hired as the afternoon news anchor, yes afternoon anchor for $12,500 per year. The salary didn’t matter. I was on the radio. We were competing with station Chuck worked for, both, heavily covering local news. I was responsible to cover the town board, city council, county board and the crime beat. It was a market where the police chief knew who you were and always made sure to give you a soundbite. When the big winter storm hit everyone in town tuned to the radio because they knew we would deliver. It was a time before social media and every kid in town called the station to ask about school closings. Every shift was live and local. The music was on vinyl. The calls were taken live on the air.
Big Chuck did it all as he writes in a column HERE. He took listeners on bus trips, went to concerts with them, too many remotes to count, hosted radio auctions, and stayed on the air for 14 hours after 9-11.
He says he’s been blessed with the greatest audience any broadcaster could have. “I have had the absolute dream job. I have interviewed thousands of people, done hundreds of live remotes, given my time for an uncountable number of civic events, and have entertained close to two generations of listeners.”
Big Chuck has been the biggest voice in Oneonta for over 30 years. This week the Mayor of Oneonta stopped by his show to thank Chuck for his 30 years of positive broadcasting to the community. The Mayor also declared June 29, 2021 Big Chuck D’Imperio Day in the City of Oneonta.
The station is now owned by Townsquare Media. Townsquare Media Regional Manager Robert Wawrzyniec: “Radio is an integral part of people’s lives, especially in a town like Oneonta. Listeners depended on Big Chuck for 33 years it was a personal relationship with a lot of the listeners that can’t be replaced. They’ll never be another Big Chuck in this market and he should feel proud of that and enjoy his retirement.”
Big Chuck signs off for the final time on Tuesday to spend more time with his grandkids. The community will certainly miss Chuck and he really did radio proud.
