UTICA -- Bill Keeler confirmed on his web site earlier today that he no longer works for Rock 107 (WRCK).

570 WSYR afternoon talker Jim Reith is the subject of this week's Syracuse New Times cover story. Reith, a veteran WSYR newsman turned talk show host three years ago, discusses his vision for his particular brand of local talk radio, how he "likes to whine" on the air a lot, and why, in the cover photo, he's hiding behind a vintage WSYR microphone like Wilson of Home Improvement peering out from behind his garden fence.
Source (link may no longer work):
newtimes.rway.com/2002/120402/cover.shtml

The cable television show Women's Voices welcomes Y94FM's Kathy Rowe and Amy Robbins of 93Q as guests this week. With over 34 years of on-air experiences between them, they join hosts Lorraine Rapp and Linda Lowen to talk about their careers and discuss the role of women in radio.

Women's Voices airs on Time Warner Channel 13 Tuesdays at 9 p.m. with repeat airings Wednesdays at 5 p.m., Saturdays at 10 p.m., Sundays at 8 p.m., and Mondays at 6 p.m.

With last year's all-holiday music experiment proving to be a ratings winner across the country, continuous festive tunes are again popping up in most markets. Watertown's station for 24/7 Christmas cheer is Magic 103.1 (WTOJ).

Former 62 WHEN news anchor and reporter Jeff Scheidecker died on November 26 of lymphatic cancer at the age of 46. Scheidecker's 23-year broadcast career also included work as a television news director at stations in Syracuse; Greensboro, NC; South Bend, IN; and Orlando, FL. He was most recently operations manager at WGGB-TV in Springfield, MA. He is survived by his wife and four children.
Source (link may no longer work):
classa.net/62when/jeffobit.htm

Utica's WARM 93.5 (WRFM) jumps on the holiday band wagon. The Clear Channel station has switched formats to all seasonal music through Christmas.

Syracuse's Oldies 92.1 (WSEN) is changing its Sunday night lineup of syndicated programs. Goddard's Gold moves to 5 p.m., replacing MJI's Oldies Countdown, and new to the schedule is Back to the 70's, hosted by Charlie Tuna, from 8 - 10 p.m.

Beginning this Friday, Big Mike's annual Christmas CD will be available at all ten area Wegmans stores. This, the 8th annual collection of holiday music performed by local musicians, is a compilation of the best of the first seven albums. Artists include: Benny Mardones, Ronnie Leigh, Todd Hobin, Gary Frenay, and Street Corner among many others.

There wasn't much shifting of rank in the latest monthly trend numbers for Syracuse released yesterday by Arbitron. Market leader B104.7 picked up nearly a point, which puts them comfortably ahead of second place 93Q. WSYR inched ahead of Hot 107-9 to move into fourth place. Numbers are for all listeners in all dayparts and are not necessarily an indicator of the quarterly ratings due out at the end of January.

Check out www.rronline.com for all the numbers.

Former Hot 107-9 jock Matt Johnson is on the move again. Johnson, who left Syracuse for WDBT in Jackson, Mississippi in January, is headed to Dayton, Ohio to program Clear Channel's KISS-FM 94.5. He replaces Dino Robataille who left to work with Hot's Jason Kidd as assistant program and music director of KISS 96-1 (WKST) in Pittsburgh.