In this week’s issue… Mayor’s term ends at iHeart – “Team” reforms in RI – New U in Boston? – Studios, people move in Montreal
By SCOTT FYBUSH
*There’s a lot that iHeart doesn’t really want us to know about its latest ongoing round of job cuts. How many veteran employees are losing their jobs? The company isn’t saying – and in fact, it doesn’t even want to be described as cutting jobs at all.
But when one of the longest-running voices in a market disappears from the airwaves, it’s hard to keep it a secret. That’s what happened here in Rochester to “Mayor” Pete Kennedy, who’d been a fixture on the dial since the early 1990s and is now out of work.
Kennedy (who derived his nickname from his father’s real-life job as mayor of Cananandaigua) spent most of his career at what’s now Audacy, working first at WPXY and then WBZA (98.9 the Buzz) before falling victim to job cuts there. In 2012, he joined iHeart as morning man at WDVI (then “100.5 the Drive”) and has since filled a number of roles, hosting a three-market afternoon show on WYYY (Y94) in Syracuse, WMXW (Mix 103.3) in Binghamton and WVOR (Sunny 102.3) in Canandaigua. For the last few months, since WDVI’s flip to country, Kennedy had moved to talk, co-hosting “Newman and the Mayor” on WAIO (Radio 95.1) with WDVI afternoon jock Jeremy Newman.
With Kennedy’s ouster, WAIO adds more syndication, putting Cleveland-based Rover in the 9-11 AM slot (as well as its existing delayed evening run), while Dallas-based Rick O’Bryan is now tracking the AC stations in the afternoon.
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...
