K-Rock and Scorch have parted ways. After a couple year run as morning man of the modern rock station, he's on the street with evening guy J.J. Herr getting up early to take his place.

It's another K-Rock in upstate New York for Syracuse-based Galaxy Communications. After four months of hot talk, Albany's WHTR switched to a modern rock format over the weekend. Gone are Don & Mike, Tom Leykis, Phil Stern, and Opie and Anthony who were fired by their syndicators a couple weeks back. Galaxy's Ed Levine said he's received positive feedback about the modern rock format that had been airing on the weekends at the station and looks for a full-time K-Rock in Albany to do well.

If your web surfing finds you at any of the sites for the four Utica-Rome stations owned by Regent Communications, you might notice some changes. The newly unveiled sites for Oldiez 96, Lite 98.7, Big Frog 104, and WIBX 950 offer better navigation and more information.

Local public radio station WRVO is joining with other National Public Radio affiliates across the country in broadcasting 30 hours of special programming leading up to the first anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

The first set of monthly Arbitrend ratings for the Syracuse summer book shows an increase in ratings for each of the top five stations in the market, with B104.7 picking up nearly a full point.

A faulty National Weather Service transmitter on Onondaga Hill was to blame for thousands of listeners of WRVO FM 90 not learning about a July 28 tornado warning until after the fact. The center of the bad weather that day was in the Skaneateles area where the station has a strong listener and donor support base. WRVO was unable to make the announcement until after the warning had passed due to the technical problems at the National Weather Service.

The price tag: $62 million. What Regent Communications gets in return: 12 radio stations owned by Brill Media in Reading, PA, Evansville, IN, Owensboro, KY, Duluth, MN, and Ft. Collins, CO. Look for the deal to be finalized late this year or early 2003. Regent's current holdings include nine stations in the Utica-Rome and Watertown markets.
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A two-day radiothon this past weekend sponsored by Utica's Lite 98.7 raised over $15,000 for the Children's Miracle Network. The proceeds will benefit the pediatric and maternity wards at Faxton-St. Luke'sHealthcare.

Jazz fans will want to tune in to WAER FM 88.3 this Sunday at noon for a two-hour program featuring performances from 15 artists who took to the stage at the 2001 Detroit International Jazz Festival. The special was produced for National Public Radio by Syracuse M&T Jazz Fest director Frank Malfitano.

Utica radio veteran Randy Jay is signing off for the last time this weekend at Lite 98.7. Jay, the station's morning man and program director, is leaving after a 12 year run. Word on the street is that he's headed to Atlanta for a job outside of radio. Afternoon drive jock Peter Naughton steps into the morning show slot while the station decides what to do for the long run.