By SCOTT FYBUSH
It’s time once again for our Year in Review, the 24th time we’ve gathered up our headlines from the previous 12 months and tried to sum it all up for you. We’ll resume our regular NorthEast Radio Watch report on Tuesday, January 2, 2018. (And in the meantime, our own Twitter and Facebook feeds and RadioInsight will be here with any breaking news!)
As we do every year, we close out this final installment of our Year in Review (catch up on Friday’s installment here) with a look at the broadcasters and media people our region lost in the last twelve months:
WARREN BODOW, former WQXR GM (Dec. 23, 2016)
CAROL EBERT PERRY, 69, WATD co-founder (Dec. 26, 2016)
MITCHELL ELKINS (“Mike Landry”), 70, NJ/Philly jock (Dec. 26, 2016)
JOHN BASSETT, 92, longtime Lawrence radio manager (Dec. 27, 2016)
RICH CONATY, 62, WFUV “Big Broadcast” host (Dec. 30, 2016)
CATHY MILTON, 86, WTAE Pittsburgh reporter (Dec. 30, 2016)
JACK LOWE, 80, Toronto engineer (Jan. 2)
AL MAKKAY, Cape Cod radio owner (Jan. 12)
RUSS THOMPSON, 82, Toronto DJ (Jan. 16)
HERB OSCAR ANDERSON, 88, WABC morning legend (Jan. 29)
ROY SCHWARTZ, Shadow Traffic founder (Feb. 2)
RICK WARBOYS, 58, former upstate NY DJ (Feb. 3)
STUART McLEAN, 68, CBC “Vinyl Cafe” host (Feb. 15)
ALAN COLMES, 66, veteran talk host (Feb. 23)
MIKE RING, 61, Watertown engineer (Feb. 24)
TOM YOUNG, 75, Maritimes talk host (March 6)
DENNIS GRONDIN, 66, Montreal DJ (March 7)
GARY MILES, 78, former Rogers CEO (March 14)
KERRY GRAY, 50, Ontario morning DJ (March 16)
BOB SMITH, 63, former WXXI Rochester talk host (March 17)
DON BROWN, 75, WABK Maine morning man (March 17)
BERNIE KIMBLE, veteran PD, jock (March)
JOHN HAMBLETON, 84, WHEC-TV Rochester meteorologist (March 14)
BOB DREW, 80, called longest ballgame in history on WPXN Rochester (March 19)
REG SELLNER, 84, CKCO-TV Kitchener talent (March 20)
BETTY KENNEDY, 91, CFRB Toronto host (March 20)
STEVE SCHWARTZ, 75, former WGBH jazz host (March 25)
SCOTT BROWN, 59, WGRZ-TV Buffalo reporter (March 31)
TOM JOHNSTON, 49, WCSH Portland meteorologist (April 1)
STAN EDWARDS, WOKQ jock (April)
BARRY PRETZEL, 63, New England DJ (April 26)
LARRY LEVITE, 77, former WBEN/WBEN-FM owner (April 26)
CARL SHUBA, 52, WHAM-TV photojournalist (April 27)
JUNE LeBELL, 73, former WQXR talent (April 30)
ANN REYNOLDS CARDEN, 58, WEBR Buffalo anchor (May 4)
TONY BOLER, 63, WDKX Rochester jock (May 8)
GENE MICHAELS, 60, WINS, WEMP New York anchor (May 10)
HYLE RICHMOND, 90, former WICU-TV Erie reporter (June 3)
DAVE SKILL, 70, WATD Marshfield newsman (June 4)
LARRY JONES, 86, WJET Erie overnighter (June 6)
DICK SNAVELY, 86, Family Life Ministries founder (June 11)
DAVE MAZMANIAN, 70, Toronto jock at CKEY, CFNY, CHUM, CILQ (June 17)
GABE PRESSMAN, 93, WNBC reporter and New York TV icon (June 23)
L.A. TARONE, 58, Scranton talk host (June 25)
WARREN DOREMUS, 91, WHEC-TV reporter and Rochester TV icon (June 26)
MARK SCHAAS, 53, WKST New Castle sports reporter (June 29)
KIMBERLY (Romano) DZIABIS, 59, former WRMM Rochester manager (July 4)
HERB PETRIE, WBBF Rochester engineer (July 9)
JACK LAYTON, 76, Pennsylvania engineer (July 14)
BOB WOLFF, 96, veteran sportscaster (July 15)
MIKE POULIN, 62, WEBB Augusta afternoon DJ (July 21)
JUNE FORAY, 99, WBZA actress turned cartoon icon (July 26)
HARVEY HAUPTMAN, 87, WCBS newsman (August 2)
DICK ALBERT, 73, WCVB meteorologist (August 4)
NEIL CHAYET, 78, WBZ “Looking at the Law” host (August 11)
KEVIN FENNESSY, 63, longtime PD/station owner (August 19)
JAY THOMAS, 69, WXLO, WKTU jock turned actor (August 24)
WYOMA BEST, 74, WHEC-TV Rochester anchor (August 25)
STAN LIPP, 89, WBSM/WNBH New Bedford talk host (August 27)
BOB ANDERSON, 69, CKBY/CJET Smiths Falls PD (August)
TOM OSENKOWSKY, 62, Connecticut engineering legend (August 28)
KEVIN SCHENK, 54, WSYR Syracuse newsman (Sept. 8)
ROBERT VAUGHN, 87, WCBS anchor (Sept. 11)
REGGIE LAVONG, 84, ex-WPHL-TV, WHAT Philadelphia owner (Sept. 19)
DAVID MAINSE, 81, Crossroads TV founder (Sept. 25)
JOHNNIE MORRIS, 91, Nassau Broadcasting founder (Sept. 28)
JOHN “J.B.” BUNNELL, 77, Waterbury doo-wop host (Sept. 30)
S.I. NEWHOUSE, Jr., 89, media owner with Syracuse roots (Oct. 1)
KRIS EARL PHILLIPS, 66, jock, programmer, consultant at WRKO, WRKT, WHTZ (Oct. 3)
JIMMY GRAY (James Hargreaves), 72, RI/Connecticut jock (Oct. 9)
MICHELE MARSH, 63, New York TV anchor (Oct. 17)
BRIAN STRATTON, 49, WATD producer (Oct. 24)
JAKE GERMANO, WBZ producer (Oct. 28)
ROD CARSON, Sr., 75, Philadelphia traffic reporter (Nov.)
CHERYL SCOTT, 65, KQV Pittsburgh business manager/co-owner (Nov. 10)
BERNARD WATERMAN, 96, former WAAB/WAAF Worcester owner (Nov. 12)
CARLTON MUNROE, 48, Nova Scotia broadcaster/music promoter (Nov. 22)
THOMAS MOLLEN, 83, former WLTB Binghamton co-owner (Nov. 24)
KEVIN LINAGEN, 74, WPLM, WJIB talent (Nov. 24)
PERRY URY, 91, RKO, WTIC executive (Dec. 8)
Dr. JAMES WINER, 70, Pittsburgh radio doctor (Dec.)
KEVIN MEATH, 59, Rochester sales manager (Dec. 15)
JOE ABRAMS, 76, former WCAP Lowell news director (Dec. 18)
AL FUSCO, 78, Binghamton, WVOX Westchester host (Dec. 22)
LOU ADLER, 88, WCBS anchor, WQUN founder (Dec. 22)
IRV WEINSTEIN, 87, legendary WKBW-TV anchor (Dec. 26)
FRAN SCHNEIDAU, 79, WCBS Connecticut bureau chief (Dec. 26)
AL (Lush) CASE, WLNG overnight voice (Dec. 30)
Error, group does not exist! Check your syntax! (ID: 20)Whatever you’re using right now for automation playout, scheduling, archiving, remote connectivity, apps and streaming, I can help you do it better and probably less expensively now that I’m the US representative for Myriad broadcast software. It’s the best software package you haven’t heard of… yet. Come see us at the NAB Show or let me set up a virtual demo for you.
Looking to get into station ownership? Our StationSale division has some great new listings for you, including a very successful multimedia combo including radio/digital/print in one of the finest small markets in the region, a major market FM translator opportunity, a profitable Midwest FM, an inexpensive entry into a fast-growing Western market, and a turnkey profitable FM/AM/translator small-market combo that’s ready for a new owner. Drop me a line at scott@fybush.com and I’ll set you up with an NDA and all the details…
And if your noncommercial FM station is ready to think about translators, there’s a filing window coming this fall from the FCC and it’s the perfect time to start making plans.
In this week’s issue… New tech, lots of regulatory questions at the NAB Show - iHeart, Audacy make staffing cuts - Community expands in VT - Sox find new RI radio home - WEEI shuffles afternoons - FMs sign off...
In this week’s issue… The industry gathers in Vegas - SBS files for bankruptcy - New top 40 in PA - Retirement in Brockville draws honors
In this week’s issue… Audacy cuts local managers - Cape Cod, VT, western PA FMs sold - WVOM ousts Bangor legend, draws ire - New owner for NJ duo - AM surrenders in VT
In this week’s issue… TEGNA deal consolidates Hartford, Scranton, Buffalo stations - CBS to close radio newsroom - Buffalo's Snyder to retire - New FM cancels amidst allegations - Erie's Stehlin retires - New LPTVs on the way
