Larry King has been on the radio since 1957, but it in the next few weeks  weeks he’ll be pulling his last radio shift.  Westwood One has told affiliates it will end the distribution of the CNN simulcast on New Year’s Eve.

Starting January 1 they’ll fill the timeslot with a rebroadcast of the “Fred Thompson Show.”  The network says Thompson’s “appeal and demographics are inline with those of Larry King” and notes his show is “produced exclusively for radio.”

King, 76, began his career at a small Miami Beach station where he spun records in late-mornings for $55 a week. King was soon doing interviews for WIOD (610) and the format clicked.  In 1978 King went national for the Mutual Broadcasting System where his overnight show grew to more than 500 affiliates. Even after he began his role of a CNN host in 1985, King remained on the radio. In 1994 he decided to give up radio and Westwood One which had since bought Mutual began simulcasting his nightly CNN show.

In recent years the number of affiliates carrying his television show simulcast has dwindled to about two dozen stations.

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3. Westwood One Expands Billy Bush Show