News items related to the Utica-Rome radio market. Counties: Herkimer, Oneida.
UTICA-ROME -- Some lineup changes to report at Townsquare Media's cluster in the Mohawk Valley, as Dave "Wheels" Wheeler exits mornings at Lite 98.7 (WLZW), moving literally right next door to join Polly Wogg on the wake-up shift at country powerhouse Big Frog 104 (WFRG).
UTICA/ROME - Former Rock 107 (WRCK) personality Michael Hotaling, known on-air as Lee Michaels, and later "Ug-Lee," passed away last month at the age of 64.
UTICA-ROME -- It's not often you hear one radio journalist interviewing another -- and it's even more rare when it involves people from two separately-owned radio stations in the same market. But that's what happened recently on "Hot Seat: Media Monday" on Phoenix Radio 95.5 (WUSP).
UTICA-ROME -- Longtime Mohawk Valley broadcaster Bill Keeler recently revealed to listeners of his WIBX 950 morning show that he's fighting cancer -- for a second time. While the type of cancer he has isn't curable, he says it's treatable and the survival rate is much higher than it was just 20 years ago.
UTICA-ROME -- The married morning duo of "Polly Wogg" and "Tadpole" have been named "Best Morning Show" by the New York State Broadcasters Association. The pair will collect their trophy on behalf of Big Frog 104 (WFRG) when the NYSBA holds their 2024 awards luncheons this fall.
SYRACUSE -- We're a bit late on this one, but big news for rock fans: Galaxy Media's KROCK stations are "rebooting" their legendary KRockathon concert series with a day-long concert featuring 6 returning bands at the New York State Fairgrounds in July.
UTICA-ROME -- One colleague described him as a local "broadcasting pioneer." Longtime local radio engineer Gary Morgan died on Monday at the age of 80, after a long career that included stops at RCA in New York City before returning to the Mohawk Valley to work for stations including WUFM, WRUN and WADR.
UTICA-ROME -- Townsquare Media's long-running adult contemporary Lite 98.7 (WLZW) is looking for a new morning co-host to sit alongside Dave Wheeler, following the recent exit of Envy McKee, who just joined the station last March. The posting calls for someone with "great on-air skills" along with the ability to be a "strong content creator […]
UTICA-ROME -- To quote Ron Burgundy in Anchorman, "well, that escalated quickly!" The tax foreclosure auction of the former WRUN studios in Oriskany ended with a winning bid of $30,100, after a flurry of bids increased the price by $10,000 in the auction's final minutes. Who won the auction and what will they do with […]
UTICA-ROME -- There could soon be new life for the former longtime home of the now-defunct WRUN 1150 and several other local radio stations. Over a decade since the heritage AM signal went off the air for good, its studio at the dead end of Thomas Road in Oriskany is on the auction block.