What’s News? 

December 2008

Budget Axe At WKZY  12-7-08
Another Pamal station is feeling the budget axe. WKZY-FM 106.9 has said good-bye to morning host Kory and afternoon personality/Program Director Matt "The Brat" Derrick. All Access is also reporting cuts will be made in the sales and other programming department.

Budget Cuts Rock "The Buzz" Gainesville  12-7-08
The budget ax falls at Pamal's WHHZ-FM 100.5 as both "Nick The Trick" and "Spanish" are shown the door.

Major Shake-up AT WRZN     12-7-08
WRZN-AM 720 owners Pamal Broadcasting has let go veteran broadcasters Lane Shephard after 19 years, Gene Martin 14 years and Don Bruce with  5 years. Weekender Tony Downes and Office Manager Cindy Thompson were spared. Talk of WRZN going back to Jones Radio's Adult Standards is rumored.

People Power Hour On The Move    12-8-08  
The People Power Hour with George Crossley, Jose Miranda and John Hamilton has moved over to WEUS-AM 810. The show will air from 3pm until 4pm Monday through Friday.  The People Power Hour will hold this timeslot until January 2009, when it will move to its permanent slot from 6pm until 8pm Monday through Friday.  The People Power Hour is the premier pro-liberty/current events talk show in Central Florida radio.

Rama Slapped With A Large Fine    12-9-08
Rama Communications' WOKB-AM 1680 has been dealt a $25,000 fine. The violations include failure to clean or repaint its antenna structures as often as necessary to maintain good visibility, failure to enclose the antenna tower within an effective locked fence or enclosure, operation at times with power other than those specified in its the license, and failure to maintain and make available a complete public inspection file. 

WJRR Rejoins Clear Channel     12-10-08
WJRR-FM 101.1 and WTKS-FM 104.1 have said goodbye to the Aloha Trust and returns to the Clear Channel family. Arbitron has re-classified WJRR and WTKS as part of the Melbourne market. When Clear Channel announced it was being sold and would need to bring its oversized clusters into compliance with FCC limits, they put WJRR as well as WTKS-FM 104.1 into the Aloha Station Trust run by Jeanette Tully. WJRR and WTKS join the cluster along with WMMV-AM 1350, WLRQ-FM 99.3, WMMB-AM 1240, WTKS-FM 104.1 and WBVD-FM 95.1.

A Familiar Voice  12-11-08
A friendly, familiar voice is playing Holiday Oldies on WOCL-FM 105.9, I heard Brenda Matthews was spinning the oldies. Great to hear her back on the air.

New Executive Vice President Appointed  12-19-08 
Genesis Communications, Inc announced the promotion of Luis Albertini to Executive Vice President. Luis most recently was Vice President and General Manager for the company's Tampa News Talk WMGG AM 820. Genesis CEO, Bruce Maduri said “Luis has demonstrated his outstanding leadership skills with the company. He spear headed a seamless move of formats on our 3 radio stations in Tampa. In addition, he has the people skills and ingenuity we look for in our leaders.”  Albertini will oversee the company’s revenue generating ventures in all of the Genesis markets.  

New GM at WELE  12-22-08
Doug Wilhite, President of Wings Communications, Inc., licensee of radio station WELE-AM 1380, Ormond Beach announced the appointment of Mark Tillery as General Manager. Tillery takes the helm beginning January 5th 2009. “I feel very good about Mark coming on board, and we are looking forward to benefiting from his outstanding leadership as he takes us to the next level with his vast knowledge, experience and past successes” Wilhite said. Tillery brings to WELE 34-years of programming, sales, marketing, administrative management and broadcast ownership experience. “I’m looking forward to joining a group of very fine and talented radio professionals at WELE as we all work together as a team, take a good thing, build upon it and make it even better” Tillery said. Tillery’s resume’ includes management stints with WAPE-AM-FM Jacksonville, WTMC-AM 1290 Ocala, WGGG-AM 1230, WYOC-FM 104.9 and WFEZ-FM 92.1 Gainesville and WDOQ-FM 101.9 Daytona Beach - Orlando, all Florida. Most recently Tillery was Vice President and General Manager for WIFL-FM 104.3 Crystal River and was a member of the founding team of WSKY-FM 97.3 in Gainesville.

WELE Fights Back  12-24-08
Doug Wilhite President of Wings Communications, owners of  WELE-AM 1380 has filed a lawsuit against the 
Hometown News in response to an article published in July. In the three-count complaint filed Dec. 12, Wings Communications charges libel, injurious falsehood and negligence on the part of Hometown News stemming from a July 4 story regarding the WELE "Premier Travel Show". Seeking unspecified damages, the complaint claims Mr. Wilhite experienced injury to his business reputation resulting in a decrease in income and an increase in customer refund requests following the article's publication. Read about the entire story here.

3 Central Florida Stations Are No More  12-25-08
Jim Hoge of Central Florida Educational Foundation, Inc. lets us know that WHYZ-FM 88.5 (the former WWIA-FM 88.5), Palm Bay, WEAZ-FM 88.1 Holly Hill, WLMS-FM 88.3, Lecanto are no more.  These licenses were surrendered and canceled by the FCC with the power increase of WPOZ-FM 88.3. All trace is gone of the facilities and call letters in the FCC database.

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