Scott Shannon retiring from WCBS-FM

Legendary New York radio personality Scott Shannon announced on air Friday that he is retiring as host of the WCBS-FM/101.1 morning show, effective Dec. 16.

Shannon, 75, joined WCBS-FM in February 2014 after a 23-year stint at rival WPLJ/95.5. Shannon famously took Z100 (WHTZ/100.3) from last place to first almost immediately upon his arrival there in 1983 after bringing his "Morning Zoo" format from Tampa, Florida, to the New York market. The Z100 phenomenon was chronicled in "Worst to First," a documentary released earlier this year.

"My alarm has gone off at 3:15 for eight and a half years now, and I believe it's time to take a break from morning radio and just kind of chill for a while before I decide what I want to do next in my life and my career," Shannon told listeners Friday. "It's a difficult decision for me because I actually love CBS-FM, it was a dream of mine to work here, and I did get to work here. I love the station, I love the people I work with and work for, and of course, I'll be honest with you, I think these are the best listeners we ever had."

"Scott is synonymous with FM radio in New York City, having achieved unmatched success at three spots across the dial," Chris Oliviero, president of Audacy New York, said in a statement. (Audacy operates WCBS-FM as well as seven other stations in the New York market.)

But Shannon's voice will not be totally absent from the airwaves: He will remain with Audacy as host of the nationally syndicated "America's Greatest Hits,'' which airs on WCBS-FM on Sunday morning, and Shannon's "True Oldies Channel" will continue to air on WCBS-FM HD3.

Shannon's longtime sidekick Patty Steele is also leaving the WCBS-FM morning show on Dec. 16.

By Andy Edelstein

andy.edelstein@newsday.com

Andy Edelstein, Newsday's entertainment editor, supervises coverage of TV, celebrities, movies and pop music. He has written three books on popular culture, including "The Brady Bunch Book."