Seton Hall helped launch his career. Now, a radio legend gives back to the Archdiocese.
Bernie Wagenblast uses the skills he learned to help WSOU and St. Michael Church in Cranford
You might not recognize his name, but there is a very good chance you have heard Bernie Wagenblast’s voice. Maybe it was when his “chipper, crisp, slightly plummy tenor” — as the New York Times once described it — was broadcasting traffic reports for years on New York radio stations like WABC and WINS. Or perhaps it was the last time you traveled — Wagenblast’s dulcet tones can currently be heard on the recorded announcements for the New York City Subway, AirTrain Newark, and PATCO Speedline.
Yes, Wagenblast can certainly be considered a verifiable legend among transportation broadcasters, one who has been interviewed by everyone from “Good Morning America” to the Washington Post. But the man with the golden throat has no big head about his achievements. On the contrary, Wagenblast is quick to point out that he owes his success in large part to the Archdiocese of Newark, specifically the training he received at Seton Hall University’s student radio station WSOU.
“Without a doubt, it made all the difference in the world,” said Wagenblast, who was a member of the Class of 1978. “You really can’t learn on-air broadcasting without doing it, and WSOU was the type of place where you could learn by experience. You could make mistakes, which we all did as students, and continue on having learned from them. And you had the ability to go behind the microphone and know not just that other students were listening to you, but because of WSOU’s wide-reaching signal power, the general public can hear you.
“That is a lot of responsibility,” the 65-year-old continued. “But after four years of practice at WSOU, I know it made me ready to go out into the job market in broadcasting.”
A Formative Experience
After a childhood dreaming of a career in radio, Wagenblast enrolled in Seton Hall specifically to join WSOU. He was not disappointed by the experience. During his tenure as the station’s news director, Wagenblast had the opportunity to cover everything from the United States Bicentennial to the 1976 Democratic National Convention at Madison Square Garden. He rubbed shoulders with veteran journalists while meeting influential figures like Vice President Nelson Rockefeller and future president Jimmy Carter.
He even got the chance to interview then-president Gerald Ford during a Washington, D.C., press conference, a moment he considers among his finest in all his years of broadcasting.
“As a 19-year-old, shaking the president’s hand in the White House and introducing myself, that’s something I don’t know that I’ve ever topped as far as my career goes,” Wagenblast said. “That was a fantastic experience.”
Wagenblast was never a traffic reporter for WSOU, but he credits the station for breaking him into transportation communications nevertheless. As he recalled, a broadcasting outsourcing company called Shadow Traffic had just launched and was looking for talent to handle traffic reports for tri-state area radio stations. It approached Seton Hall for suggestions, and Wagenblast was recommended as a candidate. He was eventually hired and, at the ripe age of 23, made his professional debut in the nation’s largest media market.
Over the next several decades, Wagenblast led a prolific career in radio broadcasting and voice-over work, interrupted only by periods serving as an official within major transportation organizations like the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey and the New York City Department of Transportation. But even years after his graduation, Wagenblast never forgot the pivotal role Seton Hall played in his life. As a result, he is determined to give back to the university in every way possible.
Giving Back
Today Wagenblast serves as a member of the Seton Hall President’s Advisory Group, a corps of accomplished alumni who support the university through donations, consultancy, and ambassadorship. He also manages the WSOU Alumni Facebook group, which allows anyone who has worked for the student radio station over its 70-year history to connect.
Perhaps most impactfully, Wagenblast participates in WSOU’s mentorship program, which gives him the chance to lend his expertise to the next generation of broadcasters. The WSOU alum enjoys offering his insights with the young people he works with, pointing out that it is helpful for the students to get advice from an experienced professional who has been in their shoes. And after all Seton Hall did to launch his own career, Wagenblast said it feels great to return the favor.
“To me, it’s very important to give back,” said Wagenblast, who was inducted into the WSOU Hall of Fame in 2016. “I like to share some of the life lessons I’ve learned in the decades since I graduated. Certainly it’s a much different world than when I was at Seton Hall, but I think a lot is the same in terms of what it’s like being a student looking ahead to your career and wondering what the future will hold. I can offer guidance about what to expect. I wish I had a mentorship program like that when I was a student.”
To say WSOU appreciates Wagenblast’s involvement would be an understatement. Chief Engineer Frank Scafidi said WSOU is very grateful to have an alumnus of Wagenblast’s caliber so willing to help its students, pointing out that his participation enhances the station’s credibility. Scafidi also noted that students really look up to Wagenblast, both for his storied career and his exemplary character.
“Bernie’s just a great guy,” Scafidi said. “He’s very humble, he’s very approachable, and he’s been incredibly generous with his time. He’s incredibly giving when he talks to students. A lot of our kids come in here pretty green. They just have one vision in their head of what they want to do, and then they realize radio is not so easy. But Bernie gives them a path to success and the confidence to do it.”
Students are not the only people Wagenblast helps at WSOU. Though the dedicated alum is not an official adviser to the station, WSOU Sales Manager Jennifer Kajzer said he is a wonderful sounding board with whom she can brainstorm ideas. Whenever she is in need of advice, Kajzer said, Wagenblast is always willing to answer his phone and share his feedback.
More than that, Kajzer said Wagenblast is a constant source of support for the station — even if he is not exactly in WSOU’s target demographic.
“He might not like Metallica, but he loves that we do a good job playing them,” Kajzer said. “He is so supportive of everything we do. We’re really lucky to have someone who’s so open-minded helping us.”
Seton Hall is not the only part of the Archdiocese to which Wagenblast gives back. A lifelong Cranford resident, Wagenblast befriended Monsignor Timothy J. Shugrue, pastor of the township’s St. Michael Church, after interviewing him for Wagenblast’s Cranford Radio podcast several years ago. Ever since, Wagenblast regularly promotes St. Michael’s news through his podcast and visits St. Michael School to teach its students about broadcasting. He even records all the announcements for the parish’s annual Feast of St. Michael festival free of charge.
Monsignor Shugrue said he is grateful for Wagenblast’s support, calling him a real plus for the parish. Considering his friendliness and charitable nature, Monsignor Shugrue said Wagenblast is a prime example of Cranford’s giving spirit.
“He’s a valuable resource to us,” Monsignor Shugrue said. “His work is really a community service.”
But Wagenblast does not help others for praise. Reflecting on his career, he said he feels nothing but gratitude for God providing him with the talent and opportunities to thrive. Now, he just wants to pay his success forward.
“Looking back at my life, I shake my head in amazement that I have been as blessed as I have,” Wagenblast said. “That’s part of the reason why I want to give back. So much has been given to me. One of the small ways I can start to repay that is helping my community and sharing what I’ve learned with young people.”
To hear Wagenblast’s voice, listen to his Cranford Radio interview with the founders of the Hope Heals Ministry of Holy Trinity Church in Westfield here.
Featured image: After a prolific career in broadcasting and voice-over work, Bernie Wagenblast uses the skills he learned at Seton Hall to give back to WSOU and his hometown parish. (Photo courtesy of Bernie Wagenblast)
