[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 159 (2013), Part 9]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 13075-13076]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                CELEBRATING THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF WLNG

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. TIMOTHY H. BISHOP

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, August 1, 2013

  Mr. BISHOP of New York. Mr. Speaker, I rise to congratulate WLNG 92.1 
FM as the station celebrates its 50th anniversary on the air. 
Broadcasting from its studio in Sag Harbor New York, WLNG is known and 
loved throughout eastern Long Island for its oldies format, local news 
and sports, and personality disc jockeys like Gary Sapiane, Rusty Potz 
and the late Paul Sydney. WLNG may well be a one-of-a-kind radio 
station. Since 1963 the station has stuck to its popular oldies format 
playing hits from the 1950's, 60's, 70's and 80's, mixed with lots of 
old-style jingles, birthday announcements and live remote broadcasts 
from local events.
  Perhaps more importantly, WLNG has served as the pulse of the 
community connecting friends and neighbors in good times and in bad. 
The station can be found doing a remote broadcast from a local 
fundraiser for cancer or providing life-saving information during an 
emergency. The station served as a reliable resource for the latest on 
Hurricane

[[Page 13076]]

Irene in 2011, and during Hurricane Sandy in 2012 WLNG continued 
broadcasting and streaming online using generator power and flashlights 
as the storm surge rose to ``ankle deep'' in the studio. One of its 
mainstay programs is the ever-popular ``Swap and Shop,'' a kind of on-
air ebay in which residents can sell used or unwanted items to their 
neighbors. Listeners also rely on WLNG for the latest in school 
closings during a snow storm or the scores of local high schools sports 
events--even for finding a lost dog.
  Radio junkies love WLNG for the retro jingles and reverb--the sound 
of radio the way it used to be. Its DJs are happy to dedicate songs in 
honor of listeners. Independently-owned, WLNG has remained steadfastly 
the same in times of huge and sometimes overwhelming changes in 
communication technology and format, and maybe that is the key to its 
success. It can be relied upon like a good neighbor. Perhaps Paul 
Sydney summed it up best when he was quoted in an interview with the 
Sag Harbor Express saying, ``WLNG is like a person. You're with it. 
It's your friend. We're talking to one person at a time. I know there 
is no other station in the world like it. Even if you want to avoid it, 
you always come back. Whether it's Sag Harbor or Norman, Oklahoma, Main 
Street is Main Street.''
  It gives me great pleasure to congratulate WLNG radio on its 50th 
anniversary and wish the station many more years of successful 
broadcasting.

                          ____________________