ITHACA -- From the Cayuga Radio Group of Saga Communications, word today that News-Talker WHCU has a job opening for a news anchor/reporter.  Here's the full official job description from the station:

SYRACUSE -- Public broadcaster WCNY wants local kids to say "Yes to Success." That's the name of a new multi-platform campaign geared at encouraging students to remain in high school through graduation. One of the most prominent efforts of the campaign is a 30-minute TV special, set to be recorded live this Monday at a local school, for broadcast starting later next week.

LOS ANGELES -- Syracuse University alum Jason Smith (not to be confused with the WRVO Morning Edition host) announced this week on his ESPN Radio show, AllNight, he's leaving to take a new job with NFL Network. No word (on Wikipedia) as to his new duties or start date. In Syracuse, Smith worked for student-run Z89 (WJPZ-FM). He's been hosting AllNight for ESPN Radio since 2005. (Thanks to an anonymous CNYRadio.com reader for bringing this to our attention!)

ATLANTA -- It's been a long time in the works, and now it's official: the merger of Citadel Broadcasting and Cumulus Media is complete.  Cumulus made the announcement this morning.  It's basically more of a takeover, as Citadel is technically a "wholly-owned subsidiary" of Cumulus.  The deal involves four Syracuse market radio stations.

UTICA -- When we asked local broadcasters for their reflections on the past decade as part of CNYRadio.com's 10th anniversary earlier this year, many said the "biggest" story of the decade was consolidation -- which usually means job cuts.  But it's a refreshing sign of a recovery this week, as a television newsroom in Utica comes back to life following an eight-year slumber. (Also inside: WUTR set shots from 2000 airchecks.)

ATLANTA -- The merger between Cumulus and Citadel is all but complete.  Citadel stockholders and the FCC approved the merger today, following the Department of Justice's early termination of an anti-trust "waiting period" on Tuesday.  All that's left is for the official closing of the deal -- and that's expected to happen tomorrow.  Citadel owns four Syracuse radio stations.  The merged company will keep the Cumulus name.

SYRACUSE -- How'd you like to be inducted to a Hall of Fame someday?  How about two?  Longtime local broadcaster Rick Gary, the current afternoon host at Syracuse's Sunny 102 (WZUN) and Utica's Mix 102.5 (WUMX) is already in the NYS Broadcasters Association Hall of Fame... and later this fall, he'll join the SAMMYs Hall of Fame in Syracuse.

UTICA -- After 17 years in key leadership roles at NBC affiliate WKTV, Vic Vetters is moving on. According to one national industry news site, Vetters has been named to the General Manager post at NBC affiliate WJAR in Providence, Rhode Island. He officially starts the new job October 3.

UTICA/ROME -- A problem with phone service near the Oriskany transmitter site of WUTI is to blame for recent technical difficulties at the talk station.  While the station waits for Verizon to fix the problems, management says an alternate programming delivery method is in the works.

When Arbitron's fall diary ratings period begins on Thursday, many markets across the country will have new ranking numbers.  That's because Arbitron has recently altered the borders of certain geographic markets -- and new borders mean new population estimates, and therefore, new rankings.  Syracuse moves from #84 to #85, while Utica-Rome moves from #165 to #166.  The full list of nationwide market rankings is in the new Arbitron Red Book (PDF file).