Straus, whose father bought WMCA/New York in the early 40s, and who later built a broadcast group in New York using WMCA as its flagship, died early last week at his Midtown Manhattan home. In the late 70s, Straus was appointed to head the Voice of America by Pres. Jimmy Carter. Straus’s son, Eric, didn’t fall far from the family tree: he owned a broadcast group in his own right; then founded two Internet startups, RegionalHelpWanted.com and 10LocalCoupons.com; and now works as a business broker.
Editor’s Note: I had the privilege of working with both father and son. During my college days in New York, I worked for WMCA, which provided me with a couple of defining R. Peter stories—not to mention a couple of good Gary Stevens tales as well. Later, as a station owner, I was one of the first affiliates of Eric’s RegionalHelpWanted.com. Like his father, Eric is a terrific guy and a very good businessman. My sympathies to Eric and his family.