Despite not having the traditional deep radio voice, Ginsburg developed an audience that wanted to hear more of him, and he moved to WBOS 1600 AM in 1956 to be a night-time disc jockey.
[10] He also refused a salary from station owner Max Richmond, instead making a deal for a 25% cut of all the commercial revenue Ginsburg would generate for his show.
"[12] According to the car-hop's owners, Ginsburg's radio commercials brought as many as two thousand teenagers to his restaurant on a typical summer night.
One good example was a novelty song sung by British vocalist Lonnie Donegan, "Does Your Chewing Gum Lose Its Flavour (On the Bedpost Overnight?)"
Then, in 1961, Ginsburg received a copy from a listener and began to play it, and after several days of heavy airplay, the song took off and became a hit in America.
[14] During the Payola scandal, Ginsburg was among a number of high-profile Boston disc jockeys (including Norm Prescott, Bob Clayton, and Joe Smith) called upon to testify before a congressional hearing in Washington, D.C. in early 1960.
[17] As for Ginsburg's role, some journalists seemed willing to give him the benefit of the doubt, referring to him as "scholarly" and "soft-spoken",[7] and quoting his assertion that he was never influenced to play songs he did not personally believe in.
As was the custom in Top 40 radio, record companies would bring up-and-coming singers to do guest appearances, which further helped sales.
Ginsburg was also known for his record hops, dances that were held at local venues; he often hosted them at the Surf Ballroom in Nantasket Beach.
[23] He continued to use the theme song and call his show the Night Train when he went to WMEX;[7] he simply removed the portion of the chorus that said "1600 on your radio."
[24] While the Cruisin' discs were re-enactments, they still gave listeners the opportunity to hear the way each of the major Top 40 DJs did their show; thus, the 1961 disc showcased how Arnie utilized his trademark sound effects, and also contained typical commercials, hit songs of that year, and Arnie's unique manner of chatting with the audience.
In 1973 he joined Boston's largest station, WBZ, producing and hosting a Saturday-night oldies show with all his familiar gimmicks: noisemakers, silly puns, and kidding with the newscasters and weathermen.
[32] In his later years, Arnie Ginsburg was an occasional guest on Boston radio, such as on WBZ 1030 AM's "Steve Leveille Program", which aired weeknights from midnight to 5:00 AM.
He had spent summers there in his younger years, and had developed a hometown affinity for this artists' colony and resort on the coast of southern Maine.
Ogunquit residents came to recognize Ginsburg when he rode his moped into town during the warmer months, and in time he became a fixture in the community.
Prior to his death, Ginsburg lived in a small house near Perkins Cove, a picturesque area visited by many tourists throughout the year.