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Ben Hoberman, Talk Radio Pioneer, Dead At 93
May 5, 2014 at 4:13 AM (PT)
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ALL ACCESS hears that talk radio pioneer BEN HOBERMAN, the former VP/GM who ushered in the talk format at KABC-A/LOS ANGELES in 1960, has passed away at the age of 92.
HOBERMAN, along with KMOX-A/ST. LOUIS GM ROBERT HYLAND, is credited with the launch of the talk format, which he installed at KABC on AUGUST 1, 1960. He was with ABC for 36 years, culminating in a stint as President of ABC RADIO through his exit from the company in JANUARY 1986, when the network merged with CAPITAL CITIES COMMUNICATIONS.
Getting his start at WMFG-A/HIBBING, MN as an announcer and salesman, HOBERMAN was assigned to the ARMED FORCES NETWORK during WORLD WAR II and built the network's MUNICH station after V-E DAY and ran the French stations for AFN before returning stateside to WELI-A/NEW HAVEN in 1946 and WDET/DETROIT in 1948. In 1950, he moved to WXYZ-TV/DETROIT, heading to become GM at WABC-A/NEW YORK in 1958 and at KABC in 1960.

