WTOP dedicates ‘Jim Farley Glass-Enclosed Nerve Center’ to man who transformed radio station
WTOP’s main news studio was dedicated as “The Jim Farley Glass Enclosed Nerve Center,” for the man who led the station’s transformation from a poorly rated AM station, to an all-news digital news organization and the top-billing radio station in the country. Farley died in August 2024, at the age of 75.
According to a WTOP post: “With current and former WTOP employees in the newsroom, as well as Farley’s family watching, president, Hubbard D.C., and general manager of WTOP, Joel Oxley, whisked away an Irish flag, to reveal a glass etching that reads “The Jim Farley Glass-Enclosed Nerve Center: First Get It Right, Then Get It First,” citing one of the longtime journalist’s exhortations. Farley was vice president of news and programming at WTOP for 17 years, from 1996 to 2013.”
“When Jim came here, it just changed things immediately,” Oxley told those gathered. “It was just such an injection of enthusiasm and creativity and ideas, ideas, ideas.”
Former program director Mike McMearty said the renaming is fitting and well-deserved.
“‘The Glass-Enclosed Nerve Center’ was his brainchild — it was theater of the mind,” said McMearty. Regarded by admirers as part Edward R. Murrow and part P.T. Barnum, Farley coined the phrase as a ratings and marketing tool.
