Gary Kennerknecht, a former Utica-Rome radio and television journalist, died of cancer on 2/24 in the Bronx. Kennerknecht, who got his start in broadcasting as a jock at WOUR, moved on to news, first as news director at WRUN and WTLB, then switching over to television at WUTR. He later moved to Rochester and then to CBS television in New York City. Kennerknecht was 52.
New Rock 105 (WWDG) has collared a full roster of jocks. Bob Schmidt slides into morning drive, Laura Steele from Indianapolis's Q95 (WFBQ) takes on middays, Chad Erickson from WMRQ in Hartford signs on for evenings, and Jack Awfulnight (Jeremy Huntley) rounds out the crew on overnights. Scorch stays put on afternoon drive, where he's been since 'The Dog' flipped to alternative modern rock two months ago.
It looks like Bob Dakin will be busy over the next few months. Dakin, who up until last week was general manager of Regent Communications' Watertown cluster, will have an armful of new stations to manage in Evansville, IN. Regent announced this week that, pending approval, they plan to exchange four Duluth, MN stations and $2.7 million in cash for five Clear Channel stations in Evansville. Regent owns nine stations in the Utica-Rome and Watertown markets.
Source (link may no longer work):
radioink.com/HeadlineEntry.asp?hid=103277
NewsRadio 950 WIBX's 32nd annual radiothon netted $75,650 for the American Heart Association. Last weekend's event was held in conjuntion with Utica's 'Heart Weekend' which raised $1,066,515. The radio fundraiser was anchored primarily by Scott Carr, Jim Rondenelli, and Adam the Bull with the help of other current and former WIBX staff members.
All Access is reporting that 95X (WAQX) midday air personality Dave Frisina is stepping down from his position as assistant program director of the Syracuse active rock station. Frisina, whose long-running local music show, Soundcheck, was axed earlier in the month, is handing off all music duties to program director Bob O'Dell and will focus his efforts on his midday air shift.
Bill O'Reilly has debuted a new web site related to his daily radio and television programs. The site, www.billoreilly.com, has show and affiliate information, O'Reilly's bio, and for those interested, lists of his likes in music, books, and movies. O'Reilly's The Radio Factor airs daily on TalkRadio 1050 (WFBL) in Syracuse and NewsRadio 950 (WIBX) in Utica-Rome.
Mark Doyle and Doug Moncrief are among a group of local musicians who have expressed their displeasure with 95X (WAQX) over the cancellation of the station's long-running local music show Soundcheck. Host Dave Frisina has been mum on the issue, while operations manager, Tom Mitchell, says the move is a done deal.
Regent Communications has named Don Cristi as the new general manager of its four-station cluster in Watertown. Cristi, who has worked for Regent in Utica-Rome as operations manager for three years, replaces Bob Dakin, who moves to Evansville, IN as general manager of Regent's group of stations there.
Bob Brown is busier than ever these days. The Syracuse radio veteran's theater company, Opening Night Productions, is in the middle of a run of Lend Me a Tenor at the Glen Loch restaurant. Brown directs and plays Merelli in the farce which runs through March 16. James MacKillop of the Syracuse New Times gives the production a big thumbs up saying that Brown "shows that he can probably do anything" ...
Source (link may no longer work):
newtimes.rway.com/2003/021903/coverc.shtml
Regent Communications plans to close on its acquisition of 12 Brill Media stations next week. The $62 million price tag is an all cash deal for Regent who's CEO, Terry Jacobs, told investors yesterday that "there may be one or more complementary transactions announced in the near-term that will further enhance the value of the overall Brill transaction."