July 2010

SYRACUSE — Longtime WNDR personality John “Happy Jack” McNamee has died.  According to family members, McNamee, who spent roughly 25 years on-air at the station, died on Sunday at the age of 83.  Calling hours are set for Thursday evening.  Updated 7/21 with link to obituary.

SALT LAKE CITY, UT — During one of his national tour appearances over the weekend, Glenn Beck told fans he has been diagnosed with macular distrophy, a disease that could cost the syndicated talk show host his vision.  Beck’s syndicated show has affiliates in all four markets of CNYRadio.com’s coverage area.

SYRACUSE — Bill Ali, known to local radio listeners as “Producer Bill” from The Jim Reith Show on WSYR, has announced his rock band, Dirty Little Secret, will be opening for Bret Michaels at the Regional Market Block Party on August 5th.

SYRACUSE — The owner of Kiss-FM (not to be confused with the Utica CHR stations of the same name) says he’s “unsure” what will happen to his station, following a fire that damaged plenty of equipment last week.

GREENWICH, CT — Employees were told to keep it hush-hush yesterday, but it’s all over the national trades today: Townsquare Media, the owner of four Utica-Rome stations, has filed FCC paperwork which could lead to an eventual merger with Dallas-based GAP Broadcasting.

UTICA-ROME — From the better late than never file, there are still three more shows left in the Summer Concert Series hosted by Roser Communications’ KISS-FM duo (WSKS/WSKU). They’re bringing in national recording acts every other week through the rest of this month and next. Updated 2:30pm.

CANTON — A new page on Facebook has made it possible for northern New York radio listeners to warp back in time to the days of Mix 96.7, the former WVNC.  Anyone who remembers the station will enjoy the many photos posted on the page.

SYRACUSE and UTICA-ROME — While Arbitron’s longstanding (and always unexplained) embargoes continue for all four markets covered by CNYRadio.com, the Eastlan Ratings service has released its P12+ radio audience estimates for a second time. New numbers from Eastlan’s Spring 2010 survey period are now available for the Syracuse and Utica-Rome markets.  Updated 1/6/11 with corrections

SYRACUSE — Almost a quarter-century after WSCP-FM 101.7 first signed on the air, three former on-air personalities had a small reunion, this past week.  Two of the guys are still working in Syracuse radio; the third recently visited from his retirement home down south.

SYRACUSE — It’s a pretty common occurrence for The Sean Hannity Show to get pre-empted on WSYR, but usually it’s because the Clear Channel news/talker is carrying live coverage of Yankees baseball.  Tonight, the first hour of Hannity was bumped for a full hour of news —  hosted by former 93Q personality “Big” Jim Donovan.