Update 6:00pm - We've learned 4 people have been laid off at Clear Channel Syracuse. Click here for the newer story.
SYRACUSE -- Longtime local radio fixture Jim Reith has exited FM Newsradio 106.9 and 570 WSYR. In place of his weekday 3-7pm talk show, the Clear Channel station's website now says syndicated host Sean Hannity will air from 3-5pm, followed by "Daily Wrap with Joe Galuski" for the 5pm hour. Syndicated host Michael Savage begins at 6pm, going for the next seven hours.
We have contacted local Clear Channel management via email to effort "official" confirmation/comments and we'll update as we learn more.
Updated: No response yet from Clear Channel, but Syracuse.com noted that Reith has since posted an update on his Facebook page:
Thank you for all of your comments. I am touched by your well wishes. Thank you to everyone who took the time to listen to the show and participate. In my almost 30 yrs at WSYR I've been fortunate to work with some amazing people. From Don Dauer, Rick Gary, Bill Baker and [WSYR morning drive host] @joegaluski to bosses like @tomlangmyer, Bob Neil, [WSYR program director] Jason Furst and [Clear Channel GM] Joel Delmonico. They say that when one door closes, another opens. I very much look forward to the next challenge. Thank you all very much. See you all down the road, God willing.
On the "info" page of his profile, Reith had stated, "Hi everyone! For those of you who don't know, I'm a radio talk show host on 570wsyr in Syracuse. I've been on the air here for almost 27 years, doing the talk show for the last 11." Earlier in his run at WSYR, Reith had served as the station's news director.
It's unclear whether Galuski -- who retains his duties as the host of "CNY's Morning News" -- will be returning in the afternoon to do the "Wrap" hour live, or if it will be prerecorded earlier in the day. We would also speculate the 7-hour stretch of Savage might be a temporary measure until something else can be lined up. Again, we'll update as we learn more.
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[...] reports on the departure of a longtime Syracuse, NY [...]
No loss in my book, but someone might want to point him at the story on WXTL seeking a replacement for Gary Nolan, so far as I know they still haven't hired anyone and it would be interesting to see what kind of share he'd draw over there without Limbaugh or the strong signal to draw people in. In fact, I can't imagine a better fit for what they're after, although I'm sure it would mean a pay cut.
I also agree the 7-hour stretch of Savage is temporary; WGY has Mark Levine on at 9:00 and I'd expect to see something like that come along. Oddly enough, though, when working out in Herkimer and then coming home at night, I've listened to Savage for the better part of 7 hours, it doesn't bother me - at one time WGY repeated the first hour at 10:00, left over from when the show ran 7-10, and I'd get to where WGY couldn't be pulled in at all about 10:00 and just dial over to WSYR.
Good Riddance. I tune in to listen to the local news and the second I hear that arrogant buffoon, I switch the station. I like talk radio, but the only time I can listen in this time slot is when he has a substitute in. (and they are usually very good) I don't wish the man ill, but I hope he find a job in a profession that fits him. Talk radio does NOT. Thank you clear channel.
I think it is terrible that the giant, out of town conglomerate known as Clear Channels took off a local host to replace him with repeats of the syndicated nut Hannity. Meanwhile they also laid off some local employees. I don't mind listening for a little while to Glenn or Hanniity but 24 hours of right wing propaganda is too much. I now have little or no reason to bother with WSYR their current bankruptcy is well deserved. 105.9 or 89.9 here I come
Anyone who goes on and on with silly code phrases like "right-wing propaganda" is not a real loss in listenership, because they weren't listening anyways.
I agree 100% with the comments about Reith being arrogant, he always struck me as arrogant and kind of a know-it-all who often seemed to be saying things at varying levels of ridiculousness simply so they would generate callers to the station - that he could then hang up on and call yay-hoos. It's one thing to be confident in yourself, and another entirely to be the south side of a northbound horse.
Just as a further note and kind of bizzarre cap on this, and perhaps a precursor of what's coming, at midnight an hour of Rusty Humprhies aired - opposite yes, the same show on WFBL - and they were two *different* hours at that, one apparently live, or direct from the TRN feed, while the other on a delay. Although that could just as easily have been by accident, there have been times in the past where they've forgotten to change the settings on the feed and played the opening to Rusty's show instead of Savage.
Thank you for getting rid of him. He was a pain & was rude. He was arrogant. He claimed he was Independent but you could tell he was an Lib.
WSYR thank you for putting Michael Savage on at 6pm. Savage is on the money with his views & is neither an R or a D.
Jim..."snack of the day"...BS.....enjoy!
Thank God Willing!!! It's about time! Who wanted to listen to an arrogant, rude and obnoxious person especially to callers that he would hang up on! They would be left with no recourse. He was terrible. He said nothing for 30 years but seems to repeat "nothing" over and over and over again! I still cant believe they paid this person for 30 years to do what he did. Finally a great decision, Clear Channels! Go Hannity!
Rusty Humphries is on opposite himself for the second night in a row, so we know it's not a mistake. Same as last night, WSYR seems to have the first hour, WFBL the last.
One other thing, for twitcoo1: Hannity does his show live from 3PM to 6PM EST; when it aired at 7PM, it was running on a tape delay. It's not a repeat.