Pinky Kravitz Retires After 57 Years on the Air on WOND-AM

LINWOOD, N.J. - The voice of Atlantic City fell silent in May after emergency surgery. Pinky Kravitz will remain silent after his decision to retire as host of the longest-running daily radio talk show in America, Longport Media announced Wednesday.

Kravitz, 88, has continuously hosted “Pinky’s Corner” on WOND-AM 1400 in various time slots since 1958. His final live broadcast was May 14 prior to undergoing heart surgery.

“We’re obviously sorry to see Pinky leaving our air,” said Longport Media president, Dave Coskey. “But we support him in this decision. Pinky has always been instantly identified with Atlantic City, South Jersey and WOND. Pinky may be leaving our air physically, but he will always possess a special place here at WOND and in the hearts of his many listeners throughout South Jersey.”

Kravitz became a fixture on South Jersey radio and television beginning in 1956, when he began hosting a live call-in program on WLDB-AM, now 1490 WBSS. Two years later, he found a new home at WOND. Referred to as “Mr. Atlantic City” for his constant promotion of the region, it wasn’t unusual for letters to arrive in the mail addressed simply, “Pinky, Atlantic City, N.J.”

He also never missed a day for illness until he needed a substitute on May 15 after being hospitalized. His unexpected absence from the airwaves that day made national headlines.

The radio broadcaster also hosted a weekly television program, “WMGM presents Pinky!”, for many years on WMGM TV-40 in Atlantic City, and for years wrote columns for a variety of publications.

Kravitz has been honored numerous times for his philanthropy and was the first inductee into the New Jersey Broadcasters Association Hall of Fame. He received that organization’s first Lifetime Achievement Award.

“Pinky set the tone for talk radio in South Jersey for decades,” Coskey added. “We are comforted in the knowledge that Pinky’s on-air legacy will live on through the many current on-air personalities who either got their start in broadcasting through him or with his assistance.”

WOND has not decided on a replacement program for Kravitz’s time slot but is expected to announce schedule changes in the coming weeks.