New Story Posted 1/15: WSYR-TV has returned to Verizon FiOS lineups.
Updated 1/13 -- SYRACUSE -- ABC affiliate NewsChannel 9 (WSYR-TV) has been blacked out from Verizon FiOS TV systems in the Syracuse area after Verizon's retransmission consent deal with the station expired overnight. It's all because Verizon and WSYR-TV's parent company, Newport Television, have not been able to reach an agreement over how much Verizon should pay to carry Newport stations on its FiOS systems.
ITHACA/CORTLAND -- After more than 25 years of service with Ithaca's dominant radio cluster, Cayuga Radio Group GM Susan Johnston says she's looking forward to retirement. Her last day with the cluster, owned by Saga Communications, will be sometime near the end of March.
Updated 1/11 at 7:25pm -- SYRACUSE -- Former 93Q (WNTQ) night jock Brandon C has a new radio home. Two months after falling victim to budget cuts issued by 93Q's parent company, Brandon C says he's set to begin at MOViN' 100.3/96.5 (WMVN). He'll hold down a 7-hour airshift on the station, starting Monday, January 16.
SYRACUSE -- Central New Yorkers who love to hunt down travel deals and help public broadcasting may be pleased to learn WCNY-TV's annual TravelAuc is adding a sixth night this year. The on-air auction of vacation packages will air 6pm to midnight this Thursday, Friday and Saturday, and it continues the same three evenings next week.
UTICA-ROME -- Townsquare Media's quartet of stations finished #1-2-3-4 in the Fall 2011 audience estimates just released by Eastlan Ratings. With it's 100,000-watt powerhouse signal, it's no surprise to see country Big Frog 104 (WFRG) leading the pack once again.
SYRACUSE -- The Fall 2011 ratings report from Eastlan Ratings has been released for the Syracuse market. After several books where talk stations ruled the market, B104.7 is back at #1. And did Cumulus make a mistake in flipping "The Big Talker" to classic rock last week?
UTICA-ROME -- "Superior 95.5" sounds like the name of a new radio station, but it's actually the name of a new Spanish-language program airing on WUTQ 95.5 (WUTQ/WADR). The one-hour show, produced and hosted by Adolfo Cova, airs Saturdays at noon.
SYRACUSE -- By the end of the week, Verizon FiOS television customers could see NewsChannel 9 (WSYR-TV) disappear from their lineups. Verizon's rights to retransmit WSYR-TV expire on Thursday, January 12. As of Sunday night, WSYR-TV says talks are underway, but "we do not believe" a deal will be reached soon enough to avoid a blackout for FiOS customers.
Whether or not you're among our 700+ Twitter followers (and thank you all!), we wanted to let you know about a new Twitter "list" we just started. @cnyradio/CNY-alumni gives you a convenient one-click way to follow broadcasters who used to work at radio or TV stations in Syracuse, Utica or Ithaca. But we know it's far from complete, so we're asking for your help in building the list.
Updated 1:10pm -- SYRACUSE -- There's another choice for rock radio in Central New York. Cumulus Media killed "105.9 The Big Talker" this morning... and after a few hours of stunting, "105.9 The Rebel" launched at 1:05pm. Cumulus Ops Manager Tom Mitchell says the station was inspired by "hundreds of rock music fans throughout Central New York, who kept telling us that they were tired of hearing the same 150 classic tracks over and over."