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Ron Schrader Passes
1-24-25 Ronald Schrader of Geneva died at his home on January 4, 2025, after a 20-year battle with Parkinson’s disease. |
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She's Back 1-10-25 WDBO-AM 580/107.3-FM weekday afternoon/evening anchor Laurel Lee has returned after maternity leave. It was a boy! |
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Updated Translator For WNDB 1-10-25 WNDB-AM 1150 has switched FM frequency to 99.9 FM, from the previous frequency of 93.5 FM. |
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WWRZ Morning Team Has Left The Building 1-8-25 The morning team at Hall Communications' WWRZ-FM 98.3, Eric Michaels and co-host Mike Lee have left the station. Eric wrote on Facebook; "Today, January 6th the Big Max Morning Show Eric and Mike was terminated effective immediately. Over the past 15 years we’ve gone through many challenges; hurricanes, pandemics, marriages, but somehow you always welcomed us and allowed us to do the thing we love. You have no idea the pride and joy we felt when one of you would mention something specific we had done on the air and how much joy it brought you. Your dedication and loyalty was like nothing we’ve ever seen and we’ll always be grateful. I’m sure you’re asking “Why” and the answer is very simple, economics. Any business person will tell you, if something isn’t making money then changes have to be made and sometimes that means letting people go. While writing this, I feel as if I’m writing a eulogy but I don’t want you to be sad. We will pick ourselves up and move forward. On behalf of Mike and myself, thank you for everything. - Eric |
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Theresa Ross Passed 1-2-25 Known as Theresa Ross on WPOZ-FM 88.3, Theresa Lynn Conner passed away early December 30th, 2024, after a battle with cancer. In Memory |
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Nielsen PPM Ratings 12-28-24 December PPM ratings are here. |
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José A. Fajardo Passes 12-21-24 Central Florida Public Media (formerly called WMFE-FM 90.7) extends deep condolences on the passing of José A. Fajardo, who served as President and CEO of WMFE from 2007-2012. José started at WMFE as director of radio programming in 1996 and held various leadership roles with the organization before becoming president. He served on the boards of NPR and Florida Public Media (then called Florida Public Broadcasting), chairing the Florida board for two years. José passed away at his home in Honolulu on December 19, 2024. He’s survived by his wife, Jennifer Barrett Fajardo, five siblings, three children, and three grandchildren. (Thanks to Leo Vargas) |
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New News Person Joins WDBO Team 12-16-24 Thanks to Leo Vargas for telling us that David Espinosa-Hall has joined WDBO-AM 580/107.3 news team. He comes from Tampa, where he previously worked as a reporter & anchor for WFLA-TV News Channel 8. |
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Tim Robish Has Left The Building 12-16-24 Leo Vargas has let us know as part of cost-saving and restructuring at Salem Media's Orlando stations, WORL-AM 660 and WTLN-AM 950, Tim Robisch was let go as General Manager. He has been replaced by Carolyn Cassidy, who also manages Salem's Tampa stations. |
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Tragic Day For Gainesville Station 12-4-24 Heather Jennings, who began to host mornings at WPLL-FM 106.9 just last month (Nov. 6) was killed in a head on collision o her way to work on Tuesday morning. Marc Media Group announced her death. An hour before sunrise today, I Am Country morning DJ Heather Jennings was driving to work on the country roads of Alachua County when her sedan was met head-on by another vehicle. She did not survive. We knew something was very wrong at 6 a.m. when patriotic Heather wasn’t standing at her mic, hand over her heart, proudly leading her audience in the Pledge of Allegiance. It was time to begin her signature broadcast, “The Heather Jennings Morning Show”, but instead her booth was silent. Then we got the dreaded phone call confirming that it was indeed Heather in that double-fatality crash. It’s a phone call we’ll never forget. We’re still grappling with the reality of that news, fervently praying for her two daughters, Dixie and Jacy, whom she loved beyond measure. It was barely a month ago when we welcomed her cheerful, creative personality to the MARC Radio airwaves. Our November 5th company press release, accompanied by a beautiful picture of her in our studio, reflected Heather’s enthusiasm for her first day at the station. It read in part: “You may recognize her as that woman on the Harley cruising down the back roads of Alachua County singing out loud to her favorite musical artists. “Country music is hands-down the soundtrack of my life, and I’ll help you make it yours, too,” said Heather.” "We are having a hard time realizing that the halls of our radio station will no longer reverberate with Heather’s voice singing along, word-for-word, with every song we air. She sang with enthusiasm, and yes, always on key. We lost Heather this morning. Before we shared our grief with you, we wanted to be certain that Heather’s family and closest friends had been informed first. Now we’re struggling to find the words to write about this friend we cherished. Not very many people can make the kind of impression that Heather Jennings did in just one short month. But as a professional broadcaster, she quickly made her mark. We join her family, her friends and her listeners all over Gainesville in the incomprehensible loss of her young life and her distinctive on-air presence. There was a void on our airwaves this morning. And it will be there again tomorrow and forever after. But we are a company built on faith. Today the airwaves of heaven got even sweeter. We’ll miss you, Heather." |
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Nielsen PPM Ratings 12-1-24 November PPM ratings are here. |
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Morning Slot Open 11-30-24 The search is on for a new morning host at WMMO-FM 98.9 as Denise Ryan has left the building. In 2007 Denise began in the sales department, added Continuity/Traffic Director to her duties. Then in 2013 she took over the 7PM-Midnight shift. By 2014 she became Assistant Program Director/Morning Host. |
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She's Baaack 11-23-24 WJHM-FM 101.9 has brought in Lizzette Perez as the new mid-day host. |
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Live And Local Morning Host Comes To Gainesville 11-20-24 "I Am Country" station WPLL-FM 106.9 has hired Heather Jennings for mornings. She will be live and local. |
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More Holiday Music 11-19-24 WKTK-FM 98.5, WLRQ-FM 99.3 and WPOZ-FM 88.3 have joined the stations playing Holiday/Christmas music. |
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Orlando Veteran Has Left The Building 11-11-24 Alan Spector has been let go by iHeart Media from WFLF-AM 540 after a 10 year stint. Alan has had a great career in Orlando. See his bio here. |
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Christmas Tunes 11-8-24 Looking for Holiday/Christmas music? WMGF-FM 107.7 began playing those tunes today. |
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