In this week’s issue… New leader for struggling WEEI – New format in the Merrimack Valley – NYC translator seeks new channel – NJ FM surrendered – Canadian sports host steps down
By SCOTT FYBUSH
*The week’s biggest news came from eastern MASSACHUSETTS, where there’s a new brand manager heading to Audacy’s struggling sports station, WEEI-FM (93.7).
As it continues to lag in the ratings far behind Beasley’s “Sports Hub” (WBZ-FM 98.5), WEEI has been without a programming leader since Joe Zarbano’s exit in January – and now it’s reaching deep into the Midwest to tap Jeff Rickard, who’s been both PD and morning co-host at Emmis’ “The Fan” in Indianapolis.
(That’s the station that made news last week when it sold off the valuable suburban land under its AM transmitter site, tearing down the six-tower array of 50,000-watt WFNI 1070 and leaving The Fan on the two FM translators where the vast majority of its audience had been listening anyway.)
Rickard’s no stranger to New England; he’d been an anchor for Comcast Sports Network in Boston and a host at ESPN Radio and Sporting News Radio. Backing him up in his new job, which starts Wednesday, will be WEEI executive producer and host Ken Laird, who gets promoted to assistant brand manager.
What’s on Rickard’s plate when he arrives on Leo Birmingham Parkway? The station’s main play-by-play attraction, the Red Sox, are having a rough second half to a season that started better than expected – and even so, they haven’t been the ratings draw they used to be. WEEI’s Greg Hill morning show, which migrated downstairs from the former WAAF, has a new co-host in Courtney Cox, the former NESN host who started last month. And the biggest challenge will be in afternoons, where founding WEEI voice Glenn Ordway will be departing the “OMF” show in a few weeks.
Can Rickard do what his predecessors couldn’t, making WEEI a real challenger to the Sports Hub again?
Behold, the 2025 calendar!
We chose the 100,000-watt transmitter of the Voice Of America in Marathon, right in the heart of the Florida Keys. This picture has everything we like in our covers — blue skies, greenery, water, and of course, towers! The history behind this site is a draw, too.
Other months feature some of our favorite images from years past, including some Canadian stations and several stations celebrating their centennials (can you guess? you don’t have to if you buy the calendar!).
We will ship daily through Christmas Eve. Place your order now for immediate shipping!
This will be the 24th edition of the world-famous Tower Site Calendar, and your support will determine whether it will be the final edition.
It’s been a complicated few years here, and as we finish up production of the new edition, we’re considering the future of this staple of radio walls everywhere as we evaluate our workload going forward.
The proceeds from the calendar help sustain the reporting that we do on the broadcast industry here at Fybush Media, so your purchases matter a lot to us here – and if that matters to you, now’s the time to show that support with an order of the new Tower Site Calendar. (And we have the new Broadcast Historian’s Calendar for 2025 ready to ship, too. Why not order both?)
Visit the Fybush Media Store and place your order now for the next calendar, get a great discount on previous calendars, and check out our selection of books and videos, too!
In this week’s issue… WBUR backs off local talk - EMF's expansion in NY, nationally - Rochester broadcasters honored - Russell finds new PA radio home - Remembering Bruce Stevens - The new calendar's here!
In this week’s issue… Remembering WNY's Palvino, Harris - Will King sell Bangor stations? - Kay moves earlier - New signal on LI - Cumulus cuts hit PA, New England - Frizzell sells in NH
In this week’s issue… Saluting a small-town radio vet - Bell moves CP24 - Scott heads west - Burlington gets Air 1, "Experimental Radio" - Family Life heads down I-86
In this week’s issue… NY TV anchor, radio historian both retiring - XPN PD to retire - More Cumulus cuts - Rogers sells FMs as Corus makes big talent cuts By SCOTT FYBUSH Jump to: ME - NH - VT - MA...
