UTICA-ROME -- Starting today, you'll begin to hear some familiar voices from the past on Regent mainstream AC Lite 98.7 (WLZW). Some former personalities will be appearing on the airwaves as the station nears it's 20th anniversary in late November.
Randy Jay, Jeanne Ashley, J.P. Hastings and CNYRadio.com Editor Peter Naughton are among the former WLZW personalities you'll hear on the air periodically starting today. The series of pre-recorded liners are intended to help promote qualifying for a special prize package, described by PD Eric Meier as "one of the biggest we've ever given away," with items including a Caribbean cruise, jewelry, appliances and more.
The station's official birthday is November 20, but we're told the special "20th Anniversary Reunion Work Escape Weekend" will be celebrated on November 21-22. Specifics are still under wraps at this point, but CNYRadio.com has learned you'll hear much more from the aforementioned WLZW alumni, and possibly some additional names yet to be announced.
Randy Jay, who left in 2002 after a long run as morning host and PD, is now working in production at Clear Channel in Atlanta. He also runs his own production business, AudioTheater.
Jeanne Ashley, who may be known to CNY audiences from her time at both Lite 98.7 and Syracuse's Y94FM (WYYY), is now the midday host at Star 102.1 in Kansas City, where she's been since leaving Syracuse. A Google search revealed she's also a contributor to acradio.com, where she's got a very insightful column in which she went "undercover" to see how well stations respond to listener e-mail.
JP Hastings isn't too far away. He's just down the Thruway in Rochester, where he's holding down airshifts on two ClearChannel stations -- mornings on 100.5 The Drive and middays at 95.1 The Fox.
Peter Naughton left Lite 98.7 in 2005, spending four years in Syracuse TV before leaving to take on another opportunity outside broadcasting. I took over CNYRadio.com early in 2008, running the site "incognito" until earlier this year.
If you've got any big events, personality changes or format flips at your station -- or even seemingly obscure things like new jingles or a website redesign -- we're always interested in spreading the news. Send your press releases or even just an informal note to cnyradio@cnyradio.com or use the Contact form.