The pair — identified as Angela Nikolau, 33, and Ivan Beerkus, 32 — reached the top of the spire, 1,454 feet above ground, and were seen holding a pro-peace banner. They were removed from the structure, after which stations returned to normal operations.
The antenna switch followed standard building safety protocols triggered as soon as the climbers were reported, driven by the extreme radio frequency (RF) levels present on the active tower, according to two people familiar with the broadcast setup.
Many of the affected New York FM stations maintain backup antennas on the Conde Nast Building at 4 Times Square. Video footage aired by multiple outlets showed the climbers dangling from the former top-mount master antenna that once carried analog signals for WNBC and WNYW.
To reach the spire, the couple had to climb past the master antenna used by 15 New York FMs, as well as the “Mini” master antenna shared by WPLJ, WQHT, and WCBS-FM.