Randy Michaels, current CEO of Clear Channel Radio, is leaving that post to head up the media giant's New Technologies division. Until a permanent replacement is found, company president Mark Mays will run the radio division. Rumors are swirling that Bob Pittman, who last week resigned as head of America Online, may be a candidate for the job.

570 WSYR has added more local talk to its weekday lineup. Beginning today, Kathy Denman opens up the phones to Central New Yorkers for a live daily call-in program beginning at 9 am. Sam Donaldson's syndicated talk show fills the 10 a.m. - noon slot.

When Fred Hillegas joined WSYR 570 AM in 1946 he was the sole member of its news department. As the news staff grew, Hillegas served as the station's news director in addition to heading up the news team at WSYR TV 3 (now WSTM). Hillegas, who left WSYR in 1972, died Monday in Oregon. He was 85.

Tony Kornheiser is off the air this week, not because of a planned vacation, but due to a week-long suspension without pay from his duties at ESPN including his daily radio talk show. The Washington Post reports that Kornheiser made some off-air comments critical of station management during a commercial break, comments that weren't heard on the radio broadcast but were transmitted over the Internet. Locally, Kornheiser's show can be heard on ESPN Radio 1260.
Source (link may no longer work):
www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A9277-2002Jul15.html

Mark Johnson has been named the new play-by-play announcer for Syracuse University football and men's basketball. Johnson comes to Syracuse after spending four years at a similar post at Illinois State University. In addition, he was the sports director and afternoon talk-show host at WJBC-AM in Bloomington. 95X is the radio broadcast home of the S.U. Orangemen.
Source (link may no longer work):
www.suathletics.com/News/Football/2002/7/16/johnsonvoice.asp?path=football

SYRACUSE -- Beginning Monday, Brent Axe will take over as the newest sports talker on Syracuse's SportsRadio 620 WHEN with a two-hour daily call-in show called On the Block.

After besting 40 other Central New York bands in a tour de force competition a few months back, Dogs on Mars is ready to kick off this year's K-Rockathon with a twenty minute set in front of a crowd expected to top thirty-thousand. This week's Syracuse New Times has a profile of the band and their thoughts on a shot at the big time this Sunday.
Source (link may no longer work):
newtimes.rway.com/2002/071002/cover.shtml

Jim Rome is expected to leave his gig at Fox Sports when his contract expires later this year. The New York Post reports that ESPN is in negotiations with the sports commentator in hopes of grabbing him for a new weekly show for the network. Locally, Rome can be heard weekday afternoons on SportsRadio 620 (WHEN).

Oswego County health officials expect to decide today whether to allow the K-Rockathon modern rock festival, scheduled Sunday at the Oswego Speedway. Michael Rosen, Oswego County Deputy Health Commissioner, said Galaxy Communications and Pro Events are meeting all of their obligations, but ideally the promoter should have been working with the county months before the event.

This year's K-Rockathon is expected to be the biggest outdoor rock festival of the summer in the area. The Syracuse New Times has details on how the list of bands for the July 14 event at the Oswego Speedway came together.
Source (link may no longer work):
newtimes.rway.com/2002/070302/chatter.shtml