Longtime radio news anchor, reporter, manager and technology consultant Tom Foty died earlier today at the age of 77.
Foty has been with CBS News Radio since 1997, most recently serving as a fill-in anchor. Born in Budapest, Foty fled with his family to America following the failed 1956 Hungarian Revolution after the Soviets destroyed his home. He would attend City College of New York where he served as News Director and General Manager of its radio station while working as a stringer for the New York Daily News, the Associated Press, and 1010 WINS. He would then spend time with WINS, 98.7 WOR-FM/WXLO, and NPR in various news and technical capacities prior to joining United Press International’s radio network in 1973. Foty would rise from editor and reporter to Washington Bureau Manager and Executive Editor of UPI Radio until leaving in 1984 to join NBC News Radio as Deputy Washington Bureau Chief before moving with the network following its sale to Westwood One where he became responsible for the purchase and operation of their first computer.
Foty would then join Unistar Radio Networks as News Manager, while serving as a consultant to other news organizations including the BBC, USA Today Sky Radio, and ABC News Radio for launching their IT systems. He would then co-found AudioCenter Productions as one of the first internet streaming services. In 1997, Foty would join WTOP Washington DC as a reporter and technical advisor and would add duties at CBS News Radio in 1998.
RIP Tom Foty. Here is a clip from his UPI Radio days with Gene Gibbons. https://t.co/iZKWG8b4Uo https://t.co/pWzq4wnihM
— Micheline Maynard (@MickiMaynard) December 27, 2023
The legendary radio newsman Tom Foty, who was a stalwart at UPI when I started in 1979 and was a stalwart at @cbsradio this week, has died, per the network
The number of people in news whose life he touched must be in the thousands. Supportive, realistic, a friend. Awful shock.
— Keith Olbermann
(@KeithOlbermann) December 27, 2023
We’re just hearing that CBS News has lost a rock in their newsroom. Farewell to @TOMFOTY. CBS says he was one of those guys that they could count on to take care of anything, whenever they needed him. RIP Tom
— David Rancken (@rancken) December 26, 2023
So sorry to hear CBS reporting passing of @tfoty. Tom really was the ultimate “radio guy.” Distinguished careers at the network, WTOP, WINS, self-appointed historian of UPI Radio. Terrific fellow. Very sad to hear.
— Neal Augenstein (@AugensteinWTOP) December 27, 2023
I, appropriately, I heard the news of his passing on the radio. @TOMFOTY was the @CBSNewsRadio hourly anchor when I started at KMOX on weekend overnights. His voice will forever take me back to being 20 years old. RIP, Tom. https://t.co/fW58kyvp2Z
— Michael Calhoun (@michaelcalhoun) December 27, 2023
Radio has lost a quiet giant.
My friend @TOMFOTY was one of the kindest people I knew in the business. Had an amazing career covering some of the biggest stories of our times.
His death leaves an institutional void at @CBSNewsRadio that won’t be filled.
Rest in peace, Tom. pic.twitter.com/hTgBmtkKLb
— Bill Rehkopf (@BillRehkopf) December 27, 2023