Syracuse TV

SYRACUSE — Jason Benetti logs most of his on-air hours as play-by-play announcer for the Syracuse Chiefs. If you’re not a baseball fan, you might know his name from televised local high-school and college sports. You might not have known much else about Benetti until now — he’s this week’s Syracuse NewTimes cover story.

SYRACUSE — If you’re among the few holdouts that still think of Fox as the “fourth network” in television, this might turn your head: after many years on CBS5 (WTVH), highly-rated syndicated game shows Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy! are moving to Fox 68 (WSYT) this fall.

SYRACUSE — You may have noticed some new faces on local television newscasts… and a familiar face on a different channel. The Syracuse Press Club reports that CNY Central (WSTM/WTVH/WSTQ-LP) has hired two reporters to replace Chris McGrath and Caitlin Nuclo.

BOLTON LANDING — It’s a night of congratulations for stations throughout all three markets covered by CNYRadio.com and CNYTVNews.com.  Five stations in Syracuse, two in Utica and one in Ithaca are winners at the New York State Broadcasters Association’s 46th annual “Excellence in Broadcasting Awards.”

SYRACUSE — Ask viewers to name people who work in local TV news and you’ll probably hear names like Matt Mulcahy, Carrie Lazarus, Rod Wood, Jackie Robinson, Christie Casciano and Michael Benny pretty often.  How about Roger Mirabito or Kristy Smorol?  People inside local TV news know these names, but outside of their respective stations’

SARATOGA SPRINGS — Oswego-based NPR affiliate WRVO took home seven first-place awards from the New York State Associated Press Broadcasters Association over the weekend, more first-place finishes than any other radio station in the state.  Among local television stations, Utica NBC affiliate NewsChannel 2 (WKTV) was the top winner, with four first-place titles.  And Syracuse

Following a long weekend out of town, your editor has returned to CNYRadio.com HQ.  As has been the case after some previous trips away, we’re back with a quick recap of some items missed during the time off.

SYRACUSE — Out of the dozens of ESPN Radio affiliates nationwide, only 16 were invited to the network’s Connecticut headquarters for its second annual “Audio Avenue” event on Wednesday.  Among those 16: Syracuse’s ESPN Radio CNY 97.1 and 100.1 (WSGO/WTLA/W247BC/W259AX).  The locally-produced Upon Further Review broadcast live from the event that afternoon.

SYRACUSE — After more than a dozen years at NewsChannel 9 (WSYR-TV), Roger Mirabito is moving onto a new job in the public relations field. And producer Kristy Smorol at CNY Central (WSTM/WTVH/WSTQ-LP) is making a similar move after seven years with the station, according to the Syracuse Press Club.

SYRACUSE — When longtime “60 Minutes” correspondent Mike Wallace passed away last month, he was remembered for his reputation as a “bulldog” in journalism, grilling newsmakers with tough questions. What many Central New Yorkers may not realize, is that the original notes from Wallace’s earliest interviews are on file right here in town.