Sidney broadcaster to join NYS Broadcasters Hall of Fame

Aug. 4—A local radio personality will be inducted into the New York State Broadcasters Hall of Fame on Oct. 26.

"I was completely shocked," Craig Stevens Harris, whose on air personality is Craig Stevens, said. "I had no idea was even nominated. I didn't find out I was nominated until I was called by president Dave Donovan."

Donovan, president of the New York State Broadcasters Association, told Harris he had "wonderful news," to share, Harris said. "Then he told me I will be inducted into the hall of fame."

Harris, who has worked for WCDO 1490 AM/100.9 FM/92.3 FM in Sidney for 37 years, said he was in awe of some of the other people in the hall of fame including Dan Rather, Barbara Walters and Don Imus. "It's nice they're recognizing someone from a smaller market," he said.

Growing up in Nyack, he listened on a radio in his bedroom to Don Imus and other disc jockeys broadcasting from New York City, and knew he wanted to be on radio too, he said. In high school he was the public address announcer, giving announcements and sports scores. He earned a bachelors degree in communications and public relations from SUNY Geneseo and served as station manager of the campus radio station WGSU-FM his senior year, a media release said. His first radio job was at WDNY in Dansville and he also worked weekends at 98PXY in Rochester.

Harris was hired as station manager at WCDO AM/FM in Sidney at age 23 in 1986 and has remained for 37 years, the release said. He has become a mainstay on the air and in the community, as well as attaining station ownership. "At a station this size I wear all the hats," he said. Those hats include marketing, advertising, public relations, equipment maintenance and being the liaison between the Federal Communications Commission and the listeners, he said. "A four or five hour shift in the booth is not realistic," he said. Instead, he spends his lunch hour from noon to 1 p.m. in the broadcast booth playing oldies music.

"It's a chance to get out of my office," he said. "It's a special show. I grew up on that music."

He said while at the station he has met some celebrities including the band Yes, Alice Cooper, Chris Rock, Bare Naked Ladies, The Monkees, Ray Romano and Bill Clinton. WCDO, which stands for Chenango, Delaware, Otsego, gives away tickets to events happening in Binghamton, such as tickets to baseball and hockey games, the Spiedie Fest and concerts, and pairs of tickets to Enchanted Forest Water Safari every year. When Romano performed in Binghamton, Harris went to the show. He knew the promoter of the show, who waved him to come backstage before the show. "He told me, 'I need you to open the show,'" Harris said. "I wasn't used to seeing everybody in an audience and didn't know what to say." The person who he introduced wrote down information on a napkin for him to read. He said he did remember to plug the radio station while introducing the act.

Under his leadership, WCDO has earned five NYSBA awards and an NYSBA "serving N.Y." award for the coverage of the 2006 flood. Harris said he is proud of the staff for its dedication during the flood coverage. He was also proud of the station's coverage when there was a fire at Chenango Toys For Tots storage facility just before Christmas and the community's response to the story. "We were able to raise between $12,00 and $13,000 in three days, plus tons of toys at various locations," he said.

He also enjoys coordinating the broadcast of the General Clinton Canoe Regatta. The 70-mile canoe race needs 15 people stationed along the race course to broadcast results of the race.

"The Hall of Fame Class of 2023 represents the finest in our broadcasters in New York," Donovan said in the release. "Each inductee represents a lifetime of achievement serving their profession, community and our nation. We are honored to have them join the Hall of Fame."

In addition to Harris, Angie Martinez from WWPR 105.1 FM in New York City, Irv Gikofsky "Mr. G" from WPIX-TV Channel 11 in New York City, Dan Cummings from WSYR-TV Channel 9 in Syracuse and Bob Matthews from WHAM 1180 AM in Rochester will be inducted into the hall of fame.

The induction ceremony will take place in the Rainbow Room at 30 Rockefeller Plaza in New York City on Oct. 26.

Vicky Klukkert, staff writer, can be reached at vklukkert@thedailystar.com or 607-441-7221.