Army Veteran Zach Martin has an abundance of ways to fill up his daytime schedule. He’s the creative director at WFAN, New York City’s iconic all-sports radio station. He’s a Russian Orthodox Priest who serves the New York metropolitan area and advocates for people with disabilities. He’s also the founder of NEWHD Radio, an online platform that provides opportunities for people on the autism spectrum and with other handicaps, including disabled Veterans, to work as on-air personalities and in off-air support roles.
NEWHD’s programs air on two stations heard in North America: NEWHD New York and NEWHD Los Angeles. Both stations maintain a local flavor and pay respect to a lot of great musicians. NEWHD New York is “where rock lives,” and NEWHD Los Angeles is “LA’s rock and pop.”
`Most Veterans wouldn’t think twice about doing it’
Martin, who launched NEWHD in 2019, is seeking more disabled Veterans to fill roles at the stations. They can work remotely from home by setting up a microphone, a board and other broadcasting equipment. Some will serve as on-air personalities, while others will pursue off-air jobs such as program directors, sales executives, IT and web services. They will also work with and mentor station employees with autism and other disabilities.
“My idea was to have a streaming platform with the ability to have a bunch of Veterans to be part of the company, as well as to help autistic kids,” said Martin, who worked as a volunteer chaplain at the Veteran’s home in Paramus, New Jersey for 10 years. “We have a duty and obligation no matter what your situation is, no matter what your disability is or despite what group you belong to, to help others in need. If I’m going to help Veterans, they need to understand that they have a duty to help kids who have no one to stand up for them. It’s a meaningful connection.
“Most Veterans wouldn’t think twice about helping because that’s the kind of spirit they have. It’s about serving their country. It’s about serving others. The motivation is there.”
NEWHD New York is based on the legendary rock radio station 102.7 WNEW-FM in New York. It features classic programming such as Scott Muni’s show, “Ticket to Ride,” a weekly tribute to the Beatles, and Charlie Kendall’s shows, “Metalshop” and “Beatles Breaks.” Muni, a famous American disc jockey who passed away in 2004, served in the Marines. Kendall, a renowned classic rock DJ, is a Navy Veteran.
NEWHD Los Angeles is an eclectic rock station that feature new artists, NEWHD Reggae and NEWHD jazz.
Aside from the current genres, Martin is open to broadcasting in any format his hosts want to create, whether it’s Top 40, adult contemporary, alternative, news or sports.
Zach Martin’s storied radio career
Martin has his own storied career in radio that includes being on some of the top stations in broadcasting history: WAXQ, Q1043 in New York; WMMR, 93.3 in Philadelphia; CBS FM New York; and 92.3 K-ROCK in New York. He’s also a former host of “Ultimate Classic Rock,” a syndicated national radio show, and has interviewed some of the biggest names in rock history. He was inspired to undertake NEWHD by his ties to Muni, who worked in the heyday of the AM Top 40 format and was a pioneer in FM progressive rock radio. Muni spent almost 50 years at stations in New York City.
At first, Martin formed Sophia’s Mission, a non-profit group that advocates for and creates employment opportunities for people with Autism and additional needs. He named the organization in honor of Saint Sophia of Rome and her daughters Faith, Hope and Love. The guiding principles of Sophia’s Mission, which is the umbrella group for NEWHD Radio, are faith, hope and love.
Mason Munoz, the son of Scott Muni, has been in the radio business for some 40 years and now works in an advisory role to NEWHD.
Munoz has no doubt that NEWHD will gain momentum as an organization and will be able to recruit more Veterans and people who are autistic, as well as others with disabilities.
“The one thing I need to emphasize is that Zach doesn’t need to do this,” said Munoz, who served in the Coast Guard Reserve. “He’s doing this out of the goodness of his heart because it’s something that fills a need. Zach is a good person and wants to create opportunities for people who deserve to have an opportunity to do something that makes them feel good about themselves, that gives them a sense of fulfillment.”
To learn more about NEWHD or to contact Zach Martin, send an email to zach@newhdmedia.com or visit the NEWHD website.
