Minor updates 1/3 at 5:00pm. SYRACUSE -- It's been expected for quite some time now, and at 7:00 this evening, it happened: Clear Channel heritage news/talker 570 WSYR is now being simulcast on the FM dial. But you'd almost think it was the other way around -- with new liners and a new logo branding the station "FM Newsradio 106.9 WSYR," with almost no mention of the AM dial.
SYRACUSE -- The new year begins with new developments in the ongoing dispute between Time Warner Cable and Sinclair Broadcast Group. Instead of being pulled off cable lineups nationwide last night, 31 Sinclair stations -- including Syracuse's Fox 68 (WSYT) and My43 (WNYS), will remain available on cable... for at least two more weeks.
UTICA/ROME -- According to a story on Utica Daily News, the online newspaper owned by Bill Keeler, his wakeup show on WXUR has been cancelled. The story says owner Mindy Barstein wants to put the syndicated Bob & Tom Show on mornings. Keeler was offered the chance to move to afternoons, but declined. Updated 5:20pm with official statement from WXUR owner Mindy Barstein.
CENTRAL NEW YORK -- If you checked out "The Year in Review: 2010," posted earlier today, you know there were certainly many big stories this year. But which stories were the biggest? Which stories got the most attention from CNYRadio.com readers? As per our tradition, we just checked our server stats to see which stories had the most hits over the past 365 days, and we present to you now, the top 10 stories of 2010.
CENTRAL NEW YORK -- When you think of all the station sales and format flips we recapped right here exactly one year ago, we wondered how 2010 would compare with 2009. After all, 2009 was a pretty busy year. But, as we once again review all that happened over the past twelve months... 2010 did a pretty good job in carving out an identity all its own.
UTICA -- Time Warner Cable has responded to a letter from four Utica-area lawmakers to the FCC, urging the Commission to push Time Warner Cable into an agreement that would bring Utica NBC affiliate WKTV back to local cable lineups. Meantime, WKTV has its own response -- including support from Nexstar Broadcasting in the form of a petition to the FCC to get Scranton's WBRE removed from Time Warner's Utica-area lineups.
CENTRAL NEW YORK -- There's still no end in sight to two separate disputes involving Time Warner Cable and the owners of different local television stations. In Syracuse, Sinclair-owned stations Fox 68 (WSYT) and My43 (WNYS) are set to disappear from Time Warner lineups at 11:59pm on Friday night. In Utica, Smith Media's NBC affiliate NewsChannel 2 (WKTV) has already been taking away from most Time Warner viewers as of December 15th.
SYRACUSE -- Another sign that helps confirm the still-unconfirmed buzz that Clear Channel is transitioning 106.9FM from the urban-AC "Power" to a simulcast of sister station NewsRadio 570 WSYR. The FCC's call sign database shows an application was filed yesterday to bring the WSYR-FM calls back to Syracuse.
SYRACUSE -- It's no surprise -- especially after national coverage on Good Morning America and in the New York Times -- Syracuse and its neighbors have received plenty of snow this year. There were a few days recently where snow was falling as fast as 2 inches an hour, and one local morning man appears to be "all snowed out."
Inside: two extra pictures this week.
Updated 12/23 - SYRACUSE -- Shortly after 3:00pm Wednesday, Clear Channel ended the sports format on WHEN and replaced it with a simulcast of Power 106.9 (WPHR). Not too long after that, the Power 106.9 website is now sporting (pardon the pun) a new logo -- and there are new station liners -- branding it as "Power 620 AM." It is believed the changes are leading up to an FM simulcast of NewsRadio 570 WSYR.