Harvey Nagler To Retire At CBS News Radio

In a memo to staff Monday, CBS News VP/Radio Harvey Nagler said this is the “right time to sign off,” and that he will be retiring to move into consulting work. His last day at CBS will be January 6. Nagler writes, “I feel very confident that I am leaving our network in the most capable of hands.”

Nagler was named, CBS News, Vice President, Radio in January 1998. He is responsible for CBS News radio operations worldwide, including news gathering and programming and its relationship with its nearly 700 affiliated stations around the country.

Previously, Nagler served as general manager, CBS Radio News from 1997-98.

During his tenure at CBS the network has won dozens of national and international awards. The network won the coveted Edward R. Murrow “Overall Excellence Award” from the Radio Television News Directors Association for seven years in a row. He was chosen Radio News Executive of the Year in 2006 and 2008 in a poll taken by Radio and Records magazine.

In 2014, Nagler was the recipient of the Association’s John F. Hogan Distinguished Service Award, which recognizes an individual’s contributions to the journalism profession and freedom of the press. In 2016, Nagler was presented with the Barney Oldfield Award, named for the founder of the RTDNA and presented to individuals who have made outstanding contributions to the Foundation. He served on the board for seven years

In 2010 Nagler was honored by the Radio Television Digital News Foundation with the First Amendment Service Award, the first recipient of the award to come from radio.

In 2014 Talkers Magazine honored Nagler with its “Lifetime Achievement Award.”

Prior to joining CBS, Nagler was director of News and Programming for WCBS-AM Newsradio 88 (1987-97). During that time the station achieved record ratings and was honored with many national and local awards for excellence in reporting. Nagler developed and implemented several practices which have since been adopted or imitated by hundreds of stations across the country, including the slogan, “traffic and weather together on the eights” and “guaranteed weather” and the first to broadcast Standard & Poor’s future numbers in each morning’s business report.

He joined WCBS-AM from the United Stations Radio Networks, where he had been vice president, News and Sports (1985-87) and director of news operations (1979-84), when it was the RKO Radio Networks. The network grew from a small group of stations to a news organization serving 500 affiliates.

Before that, Nagler worked for the ABC Radio Networks in a variety of capacities (1968-79). He began his career in 1966 as a reporter for WCTC-AM, New Brunswick, N.J.

Nagler was born June 5, 1944, in Brooklyn, N.Y. He graduated from Rutgers University in 1966 with a degree in American history. He and his wife, Susan, live in Wayne, N.J. They have two grown children and three grandchildren.

Media Confidential has obtained Nagler's announcement memo:

There is never a good time to leave but there is a right time. So, after 50 years in  radio, the past 18 here at CBS News, now is the right time for me to sign off. 

I feel very confident that I am leaving our network in the most capable of hands. I am pleased that we have renewed our relationship with Westwood, thus securing our future. I am not stopping work completely, but going to slow down by doing some consulting work. My last day here is Friday, January 6. 

This has been a hard decision. You are an extraordinarily talented group of individuals and you have made my job richly rewarding. It has been my privilege to work with you. 

I leave with a great sense of accomplishment. Over the last 10 years you have won more than 50 Edward R. Murrow Awards, including Overall Excellence seven years in a row, a record that is not likely to be replicated. These honors have covered such major events as 9/11, the invasion of Iraq, the death of Osama bin Laden, terrorist attacks throughout the world, the elections of Presidents Bush and Obama, Superstorm Sandy, the mass shootings at Sandy Hook and many more. You and I have truly been a witness to – and have reported – the first drafts of history. 

In reviewing my notes I came across several of them that began, “this was another one of those tragic days in American history.” But they all contained responses from our stations with messages like, “these are the days we depend on you and you delivered”….”extraordinary coverage”…”very impressive”…”we consistently sounded better, smarter and more comprehensive than our competition.” 

As the industry continues to evolve I am proud that we have been able to change with it while maintaining the finest traditions of CBS News and the highest standards of journalism. 

I wish you all the best and I thank you from the bottom of my heart for sharing with me the job of a lifetime.