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WOR NJ Transmitter
Carteret New Jersey

The WOR Transmitter / Studio in Carteret NJ

In approximately 1956 Shep was doing his 'overnight' shows from the Carteret, NJ transmitter.


In the mid 1930s the new transmitter site was built alongside the Arthur Kill in Carteret, NJ,
where it remained until 1968 when it was moved to a new location in Lyndhurst, N.J.

Shep and the WOR Tower in NJ

Not much is known about this location except that Shep did broadcast from there around 1956. Supposedly the remote studio was used in the off hours to save money by not having to have the New York studio open at night.

On August 16, 1956 we know he was working at the transmitter thanks to an article in the New York Times the next day explaining how Shep was fired while on the air the previous night.

WOR was threatening to cancel him because he had no sponsors. Shepherd went on the air with the message everyone was to buy a cake of soap. But what brand? He asked his listeners for suggestions, then repeated some of them. Somebody said, and Shepherd repeated, "How about Sweetheart Toilet Soap, it's a good brand and it doesn't do too much advertising" So Shepherd told his listeners to go to their drug stores, buy a cake of Sweetheart Toilet Soap and tell 'em Jean Shepherd sent you. Also be sure to say "Excelsior." Bob Leder, the station manager, called the transmitter in Carteret, N. J., and instructed the engineer to cut Shepherd off the air.

On his August 20, 1962 show Shep tells a story about being late for work at the transmitter and running through the gate and into the xmtr cooling pool. He again told the story 3 years later on his August 20, 1965 show.