WSAR, Fall River, Massachusetts Changing Hands
Jim and Bob Karam, owners of news/talk/sports, WSAR-AM, Fall River, Massachusetts, announce that they have stuck a deal to sell the station to Fall River Reporter publisher Michael Silvia and sitting Fall River city
councilor Cliff Ponte. WPRI-TV, Providence reports that the new owners say “they’re going to shift programming to cover 100% local content focusing on Fall River and its suburbs while still keeping Celtics and Patriots broadcasts.” Ponte tells WPRI, “This station has been a part of my life for more than two decades. I got my start behind the microphone here as a teenager, learning the ropes at WSAR and later moved to other stations in Cape Cod and Providence.” The report says that Silvia will serve as the station’s general manager, Ponte will serve as program director, and current station general manager Sue Nadar will move to the role of sales manager. See the WPRI story here.
(11/25) after a brief illness at the age of 80. Gauthier had been the host of the “Bristol County Breakfast Club” on Bristol County Broadcasting’s WSAR-AM for more than four decades. Gauthier began working at WSAR in the 1960s. During his career with the station he served as program director, general manager, news reporter, production director, account executive, and copy writer. In 2000, Gauthier was named Radio Broadcaster of the Year by the Massachusetts Broadcaster’s Association.