SYRACUSE -- CNY Talk Radio (WFBL/WMCR-AM) local midday host Jon Alvarez announced on today's broadcast that he's ending his show, effective immediately. Starting Monday, the stations will fill the time with an extra hour of Laura Ingraham until a permanent replacement is named. (Updated 6:50pm with correction.)
According to an anonymous CNYRadio.com reader who was tuned in for today's show, Alvarez told listeners he just wants to spend more time concentrating on his farm and his real estate business.
Leatherstocking Media Group General Manager Judy Kelly confirms the departure for CNYRadio.com, telling us Alvarez "thanked us for the opportunity to do the show," and that Alvarez did cite the same reasons when he turned in his resignation. She adds, "we appreciate the efforts he put into his show on WFBL and we wish him the best of luck."
The Jon Alvarez Show ran weekdays from noon to 1pm. Kelly says the Syracuse/Oneida simulcast will be taking an extra hour of Ingraham in the short-term, but she "hopes to have other programming in place soon."
Alvarez recently made national headlines after he started a Facebook fan page honoring Joe Stack, the pilot who took his own life and that of an IRS worker when he crashed a small plane into an IRS office in Texas last month. Facebook quickly shut down the page, citing a policy banning “hateful or threatening” content. The story was reported by the Syracuse Post-Standard and quickly picked up on the Associated Press wire. Shortly after the incident, Leatherstocking Owner James Johnson said his company didn't necessarily endorse Alvarez' opinion on the matter, he did call Alvarez "a testament to our unwavering belief in the First Amendment of the US Constitution."
The Facebook incident was not mentioned in any discussion regarding Alvarez' decision to resign. His name, photo and bio have already been removed from the CNY Talk Radio website.
Added 6:50pm - We earlier reported Alvarez' show was the only locally-produced show on the CNY Talk Radio lineup. We forgot to include the key word "weekday." Judy Kelly points out there are several locally-produced shows on the weekend lineup, including The Car Guys, Around the Tracks, Laugh and Learn with Linda, Classic Car Round-up and Sunday Morning Magazine.