Bruno Cohen's Hippie Days

WOIO GM Bill Applegate has some funny stories about new WBBM Chicago boss Bruno Cohen. Applegate is credited with mentoring Cohen during their time at KPIX San Francisco in the late ’70s and early ’80s (both Applegate and Cohen come from the news side of the biz), but their acquaintance goes back even further. 

Applegate says he met Cohen when he was the news director at KEZI Eugene, and would frequently do lectures at the local university, where Cohen was apparently taking classes, working at a bike shop and publishing a local sports paper. 

"He came in with a long beard down to his knees," says Applegate. "I hired him as a P.A.–I taught him the business." 

Applegate later moved to the top spot at WBBM, that same post Cohen is sliding into. "He’s gonna sit in my old office!" Applegate says with a laugh. 

As luck would have it, B&C has "Fifth Estater" profiles both on Applegate and Cohen.