In this week’s issue… Remembering WZLX’s Karlson, WCBS-TV’s Diaz – Adios to “Lulu y Lala” – Rogers shutters Ottawa AM – Marconis signal wins for NE broadcasters
By SCOTT FYBUSH
*This week’s column was already going to be heavy on news of Boston morning shows – but now it starts with some very sad news, as iHeart’s WZLX (100.7) mourns the sudden loss of longtime morning co-host Kevin Karlson, who suffered a fatal heart attack sometime Thursday night.
Karlson and co-host Pete McKenzie had worked together since 1985, with stops all around the country in markets including Charleston, South Carolina, Tulsa, Richmond, Toledo and at WPDH (101.5) in Poughkeepsie and WZNE (94.1 the Zone) in Rochester.
They were best known, though, for their long runs in Boston, initially at WEGQ (93.7 the Eagle) in the 1990s before moving to Rochester for a few years in the early 2000s.
By 2005, they were back in Boston at WZLX working with partner Heather Ford, a remarkable run of stability as so much of the rest of the market changed around them. The team survived intact as WZLX sister station WBCN went away, and then later on as the sale of CBS Radio to Entercom led to WZLX being spun off to iHeart.
On Friday, WZLX devoted much of its day to phone calls and memories from listeners, and we’d expect more of that during the usual Karlson and McKenzie slot this morning – and beyond that, we’re sure iHeart in Boston is as much in shock as the rest of us.
Karlson was just 59.
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!).
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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...
