Truncated article from WTOP.com.

In more than five decades as a broadcaster, WTOP’s Chris Core has spent most of his life talking on the radio, but this Friday’s “Core Values” commentary will be his last: Core is retiring.

The final “Core Values” will air Friday, Dec. 20.

“I’ve been paid to be on the radio for 51 years,” said Core. “Nobody does that in our business.”

Now 71, Core began his time on the D.C. airwaves in 1974, when he was hired at WMAL as a weekend sports anchor. At the time, the AM station was far-and-away the ratings leader, revolving around its “Harden and Weaver” morning show.

After a long history with WMAL and then departing from WMAL, Core got a phone call from Jim Farley, then-program director of the round-the-clock news format WTOP. Farley discussed a possible future at WTOP.

“Farley said: ‘I’ve got this great idea. I’d like you to come on every day and do a commentary, talking about anything you want to talk about. And, I’ve got a great name for it. I want to call it ‘Core Values.’”

Core loved the idea, and the daily one-minute commentary began on WTOP.

Read the full story from WTOP.com.