Detroit Radio: Joe Donovan Gone From WWJ-AM

Joe Donovan

WWJ-AM Detroit morning host Joe Donovan has left the building. A 37-year veteran of the station, Donovan left at the end of 6a01a broadcast simply with, "Good-bye Detroit. Thank you for listening all these years."

He has not commented publicly about what led to his resignation. And it's not clear if leaving was Joe's decision.

Donovan's resonant baritone was first heard on Detroit radio in 1970, when he came to Detroit from his native Wheeling, W.Va., to take a job on CKLW's notorious "Big 8" 20/20 news team headed by Byron MacGregor.

In almost four decades at all-news WWJ, Donovan was known for his deep love of history, evinced in the "Joe Donovan's Detroit History" series, as well as for his effortless alliteration, a gift that also made him a natural for CKLW's breathless, melodramatic news style. 

He began his career with WWJ in 1976.

Rita Donovan, Donovan’s wife of 42 years, told the FreePress that her husband officially started his retirement today.

"It's tough getting up at 2:22 a.m. every day," she says. "I am glad to have him home full-time."

It was unclear Friday how Donovan’s departure will affect co-host Roberta Jasina’s role.

Rob Davidek, program and news director of WWJ, confirmed that both Donovan and reporter Florence Walton were no longer with the station.

Donovan was perennially among Detroit radio’s Top 10-rated morning programs.

Donovan described his career in radio on the Detroit.cbslocal website:

There is nothing like being on the air when a major story begins to break. After more than three decades at WWJ, I feel the same excitement as the first day we began broadcasting the latest news the minute you want it. The change in the tools to do that has been incredible, from old time clunking teletype machines to high-speed internet and worldwide digital communications. Still, my favorite technology is old fashioned book. Reading is my favorite pastime, especially non-fiction and biography. The most fun part of my day is researching and assembling my daily on-air and web “Joe Donovan’s Detroit History".