UTICA-ROME — The mysterious “welcome back” billboards along some Utica-area highways are now explained: locally-owned Roser Communications has named Dave Wheeler as the new morning host at Bug Country (WBUG/WBGK) and Liz Ellis is returning to mornings on top 40 Kiss-FM (WSKS/WSKU). Both begin in their new roles next Monday, March 2.
The “Welcome Back” billboards originally had nothing but those two words and some silhouettes. The new versions, which went live today, include photos of Wheeler and Ellis and their respective station logos.
The “Welcome Back” theme might be more obvious for Ellis, who previously hosted mornings on Kiss and only moved to the 7p-Midnight shift this past September. For Wheeler, it’s a “welcome back” after 17 years across town in various capacities at Townsquare Media, most recently co-hosting mornings on Big Frog 104 (WFRG). Longtime listeners (or readers of CNYRadio) may recall Wheeler got his start in radio as “Intern Dave” on Kiss-FM.
In a press release, RCN Operations Manager Dave Silvers said of Wheeler, “It was fun to watch him grow with us years ago, then really step up his game, working in many areas at several competitor stations. But we always stayed in touch through the years. Now, I’m happy to have his experience and expertise in helping Bug Country and our other stations in the company.”
Wheeler concurred, “I’m happy to be back with the Roser Communication Networks family. After almost 17 years across town, I’m looking to expand and grow my programming and content knowledge at Bug Country and KISS-FM.” In addition to hosting mornings on Bug Country, Wheeler will also be heard at times on Kiss.
Longtime Kiss-FM middayer and program director Shaun Andrews said, “To have both Liz and Dave on our programming team makes us an unstoppable force. Having two well-established morning shows who live and breathe this local market will give our listeners an incredible experience.”
Ellis added, ““When the opportunity to rejoin the KISS Morning Show came up, I couldn’t refuse. The Rosers have been like family and I’m so excited to be back.”
In addition to the two signals each for Bug Country and Kiss-FM, Roser Communications also owns Talk 100.7 FM (WUTQ-FM). In a press release, RCN said these changes reinforce the company’s “commitment to delivering live, local, and engaging content to Central New York listeners.”
Although the Townsquare Media cluster dominates the market’s Nielsen top-line ratings, we’ve heard buzz that the roster of local on-air talent there has been growing thinner over the past few years, with stations mostly “live and local” only during morning drive, and virtually all other dayparts filled with syndicated programming or out-of-market voicetrackers. That seems to explain why Wheeler’s recent departure left the station’s morning drive hours jockless until co-host Polly Wogg returned the following week from vacation.
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