One of the busiest week’s yet for the UTR column. A total of 23 news items are included in this piece. If you have a future news tip, press release or promotion you’d like to share, you can reach me by email at JBarrett@hvy.tcp.mybluehost.me. Now on to this week’s news.
Expect some news to trickle out this week from a few national sports radio networks. A couple of interesting developments that should generate some conversation inside sports radio circles. Stay tuned.
As I reported Friday on Twitter, former ESPN Dallas host Matt Mosley was brought in to host shows Friday and Saturday on SiriusXM’s College Sports Nation. Sources say Mosley could be in play for a larger role with the network. Stay tuned for further details.
Bad news was delivered on Friday inside the offices of FOX Sports 640 in West Palm Beach. The radio station which broadcasts into the city of Miami and at one point featured Sid Rosenberg on its airwaves, terminated its only remaining local program, the morning show. As a result, Joe Raineri and his supporting staff were let go. With Alpha Media taking over control of the station, the plan is to feature national programming going forward. Raineri is looking for his next opportunity. To learn more about him you can visit his website by clicking here.
One move which hasn’t received any attention but has taken place in Los Angeles, Fred Roggin and Rodney Peete are now hosting middays together on AM 570 LA Sports. The previous program LA Today was hosted by Bill Reiter and Leeann Tweeden. Reiter left for CBS Sports‘ digital team in September, and Tweeden moved to KABC in February. Roggin and Peete have been having some fun with the audience, giving them an opportunity to help name their program.
Staying in California, congratulations to Erik Peterson, who has signed on with TMZ Sports as a Talent Coordinator. Peterson has previously served as a Producer for The Beast 980, FOX Sports Radio, Westwood One and ESPN Radio.
After reporting last week that WFAN and CBS Sports Radio anchors would assume more responsibility on WINS and WCBS, it appears that further adjustments are taking place on the CBS Sports Radio Network‘s overnight schedule. Anchor Peter Schwartz announced via Twitter that his overnight shift was coming to an end, but that he’d remain involved with the network on a part-time basis.
Elsewhere on the national stage, ESPN Radio anchor Steve Lenox has revealed that he’ll be contributing to ESPN’s college baseball coverage in 2017 on the SEC Network and ESPNU. Lenox officially got started on Friday, calling Florida A&M vs. Bethune Cookman alongside Jay Walker.
Getting caught up on some ratings data, Sports Radio 810 WHB in Kansas City turned in a big January book. The station finished in the top 3 in middays and afternoons, and in the top 4 in morning drive. Overall the station finished 3rd M-SU 6a-Mid with a 6 share, with middays registering the top monthly performance. With baseball season just a few weeks away, local competitor 610 Sports should benefit from the return of the Royals. The team’s games are played on their airwaves, and help the brand deliver higher numbers. But play by play aside, WHB has to feel good about their standing right now.
KOA Newsradio 850AM and 94.1 FM in Denver has announced new multi-year contracts for Colorado Rockies radio broadcasters Jack Corrigan and Jerry Schemmel. Corrigan has been part of the play by play team for the past 14 years. Schemmel has been involved for the past seven.
Speaking of baseball, a tip of the cap to former St. Louis sports radio anchor Sara Dayley who has been added to the St. Louis Cardinals television team for the 2017 season. She joins a crew which includes Dan McLaughlin on play by play, and Al Hrabosky, Tim McCarver, Ricky Horton, and Jim Edmonds as analysts. Dayley will contribute as a reporter and host to Cardinals Live, the team’s pre and post-game show, along with Jim Hayes and Scott Warman. Former Cardinals Rick Ankiel and Brad Thompson (101 ESPN afternoon show host) will also contribute as studio analysts.
Congratulations to Kyle Bailey who’s signed on with WFNZ in Charlotte. Bailey previously worked as a host for Kirkman Broadcasting’s 98.5 The Zone and ESPN Charleston, and prior to that he spent time hosting in Blacksburg, VA for Super Sports 101.7 and 105.3 The Bear. Bailey had recently been filling in on the Charlotte sports talker, and will now join the station on a permanent basis as a host and executive producer.
North of border in Toronto, the Toronto Sports Media blog has learned that 590 The Fan is adding Ben Ennis to the midday show alongside Andrew Walker.
In Houston, Alex Del Barrio of Sports Radio 610 has confirmed that he’ll be joining the Houston Dynamo radio team alongside Jeremy Branham. The Dynamo play their games on 610.
A little further to the west in Austin, 104.9 The Horn has added Ashley Kamrath to help oversee the radio station’s digital efforts.
105.7 The Fan in Milwaukee is bringing back Seth Everett as a baseball season contributor. Everett will provide a weekly check in every Wednesday at 12:05pm CT with The Fan’s midday host Bill Michaels. Michaels’ program not only airs on The Fan, but it’s also distributed on affiliate stations throughout the state of Wisconsin.
Alpha Media’s ESPN Myrtle Beach 1450AM has added an FM simulcast on 105.5 FM. Both frequencies will continue airing the entire ESPN Radio lineup.
ESPN 94.9 The Game 2 has signed on to carry Cincinnati Reds baseball. The station will air over 130 regular season Reds baseball games in the Nashville market.
A change is taking place in Decatur, Illinois. Aric Lee has confirmed that is program is moving from 1050 ESPN to 1340 WSOY. Lee will be heard weekday afternoons from 3p-5p CT starting on 3/13.
Bobby Corser has left his position as executive producer at Rip City Radio in Portland. Corser is looking for his next opportunity and can be reached by email by clicking here.
The Frozen Four will have a new voice contributing to its broadcast coverage. Colby Cohen has been summoned to call the action this year for Westwood One. The hockey tournament officially begins in early April.
Congratulations to Nate Lundy and Shawn Drotar‘s 5280 Sports Network. They’ve added J.J. Jerez to serve as the site’s Colorado Avalanche reporter.
Nashville’s On Demand Sports Talk Show “A To Z Sports“, hosted by former 94.9 The Game 2 hosts Austin Stanley and Zach Bingham, have added Mark Harris to report on the Nashville Predators.
Deb Antonelli will call men’s NCAA Tournament basketball games later this month on CBS, making her the first woman to do so in over two decades. Antonelli has called men’s and women’s hoops since the early 1990s, but this will be her first time broadcasting “March Madness.” She’ll work alongside Carter Blackburn and Mike Gminski.
And last but not least, congrats are in order for Josh Santry, who is leaving IF Management after 11 years, to join CAA Sports. Santry will remain based in New York City while working for CAA.
Jason Barrett is the President and Founder of Barrett Media since the company was created in September 2015. Prior to its arrival, JB served as a sports radio programmer, launching brands such as 95.7 The Game in San Francisco, and 101 ESPN in St. Louis. He also spent time programming SportsTalk 950 in Philadelphia, 590 The Fan KFNS in St. Louis, and ESPN 1340/1390 in Poughkeepsie, NY. Jason also worked on-air and behind the scenes in local radio at 101.5 WPDH, WTBQ 1110AM, and WPYX 106.5. He also spent two years on the national stage, producing radio shows for ESPN Radio in Bristol, CT. Among them included the Dan Patrick Show, and GameNight.
You can find JB on Twitter @SportsRadioPD. He’s also reachable by email at Jason@BarrettMedia.com.
