SYRACUSE -- Former Fox News Radio anchor/producer Chris Barnes is coming to Syracuse, to become the new morning host at Newsradio 570 WSYR.
When we contacted management at WSYR earlier this month for comment about the sudden replacement of morning anchor Nikolai Busko by veteran Syracuse radio/TV anchor Kevin Schenk, we never got a response. At the time, we were asking after having received a tip that Schenk -- who lives in the Watertown area -- had agreed to anchor mornings only on a temporary basis due to the early hour of his long commute into work.
While that part's still not confirmed, the hiring of Barnes definitely is -- he posted it on his own Facebook page, which is viewable to the public.
According to AllAccess.com, Barnes had cited "personal reasons" for leaving Fox News in June. Barnes, a graduate of Marist College in Poughkeepsie, has also worked at stations in Poughkeepsie and New England, and for XM satellite radio, according to his online resume. And, since WSYR carries Fox News Radio at the top of the hour, many listeners are already familiar with his name.
No word yet on exactly when Barnes will make his on-air debut for WSYR.