TALKERS News Notes
New WZLX, Boston morning host Rich Shertenlieb announces the cast members for his program on the iHeartMedia classic rock outlet and they are going heavy on sports content from the looks of it. Joining Shertenlieb will be Boston TV personality and sports writer Michael Hurley, plus a rotating cast including former New England Patriot Ted Johnson; FOX Sports, ESPN and Sports Illustrated personality Charlotte Wilder; and NFL Network alumnus Mike Giardi.
Cumulus Media’s sports talk WMAL-AM, Washington, DC announces its partnership with National Women’s Soccer League’s The Washington Spirit that will feature the broadcast of 13 regular season matches. Bram Weinstein will serve as play-by-play voice while former Spirit player Gaby Vincent will serve as color commentator. Michael Minnich will provide additional commentary during broadcasts and serve as an alternate for both Weinstein and Vincent.
PodcastOne announces the new podcast, “We (Almost) Made It” with Bryan Greenberg and Victor Rasuk. PodcastOne will oversee the exclusive distribution, sales rights and production of the weekly TV & film podcast. Greenberg and Rasuk co-starred in the cult favorite HBO series “How to Make It in America.” PodcastOne president and co-founder Kit Gray says, “Bryan and Victor are the embodiment of making it happen. When they pitched us this podcast, their passion, their collaborative spirit and their excitement rivaled that of our own internal team at PodcastOne, and we knew instantly that this was a good fit.”
rock WBCN-FM and then on sports talk WBZ-FM, “98.5 The Sports Hub,” will be back on the Boston airwaves “soon.” Shertenlieb exited WBZ-FM last November after his professional relationship with partner Fred Toucher fell apart and Toucher re-upped with Beasley to continue hosting the “98.5 The Sports Hub” morning show. Now, iHeartMedia cuts ties with the classic rock WZLX-FM, Boston morning team of Pete McKenzie and Heather Ford and installs “The Rich Shertenlieb Show.”
afternoon drive host Mike Felger’s Facebook Live “Off-Air Show” and said she doesn’t think she’ll get the gig. When asked why she said, “Just because I think that I’m young and new. I think [program director] Rick [Radzik] took me very seriously. It’s just I think that there’s probably someone who, I don’t know, I think that I’m qualified. It’s just I haven’t been here very long, so I don’t know.” Station afternoon personality Jim Murray has said he’s not interested in the position. The piece notes that midday personality Rob “Hardy” Poole is being talked about as a candidate for the morning show post. 
Beasley were unable to come to terms on a new contract a few weeks after the company announced Toucher had inked a new, multiyear deal that will see him continue as lead host of the morning show. WBTS-TV, Boston “NBC10” reports that Toucher announced the change on this morning’s show and indicated he was surprised when management told him Shertenlieb was leaving the program. He also said management wanted him to tell the audience that the company made him “a multi-year offer that he chose not to accept” and that “negotiations weren’t going anywhere.” Shertenlieb has not commented publicly other than to inform the show’s X followers that he has a new X handle. 
the top sports morning shows in America and has won numerous national industry awards including a Marconi Award. Toucher was a foundational member of the launch of the station in August 2009. Prior to joining the ‘98.5 Sports Hub’ team, he worked at the former legendary rock station, WBCN.” Toucher comments, “I am thrilled to be able to work with my Beasley family over the coming years. I will continue my record of immense competence and brilliance.” Station PD Rick Radzik adds, “Fred has been entertaining ‘Sports Hub’ listeners each morning since 2009 with his compelling viewpoints and opinions on a wide range of topics. We are very pleased that he will continue on with us for years to come.” There’s no mention of morning drive co-host and Toucher’s longtime partner Rich Shertenlieb in the press release and the Boston Globe’s Chad Finn writes about the possibility Shertenlieb will exit the station soon. 
hands are tied as anything he could say has to be approved by management. The Boston Globe reports that Shertenlieb said, “The last time he was out for an extended period, I gave an update and was gently asked for a lot of different reasons that any statement regarding him has to be approved by management. There have been statements that have been submitted, some have been approved, some haven’t been. It just turns into asking, ‘What can I say? What can I say?’ Listen, no one wants to be in this position. Fred doesn’t want to be in this position, the station doesn’t want to be in this position, I certainly don’t want to be in this position, but as of now, all I’ve been approved to tell you, because you’re such great listeners and we love you, is that he’s not here today, I’m not sure exactly when he’ll be back, but I’ve been a friend of Fred’s for years and I hope the best for him.” 
extended absence for a chronic throat condition that led to a cancer scare. Toucher, who co-hosts the morning show with Rich Shertenlieb, says in a video he posted to Twitter, “I feel my voice is getting stronger. I think that if I go to the doctor on Monday, he is going to give me permission to go back on the air. So, what turned out as a big, big cancer scare, where I was given assurances that it was cancer in my throat, might turn out to be that I needed not to talk for a very long time.” 
Yesterday (4/10), his on-air partner Rich Shertenlieb read a statement from Toucher on the program that read: “My voice has been messed up for a long time. I had been going to doctors and they didn’t seem overly concerned. However, a listener heard me and put me in touch with a doctor he works with. I went and things didn’t go great. He found some things in my throat that concerned him. He told me not to worry because he could fix all of it. Not to sound dramatic but it is possible a listener saved my life by setting up that appointment.” Toucher also said via social media that he plans to be back but is under a “no talking” order from the doctor and adds, “To that, I am grateful, even though the doctor doesn’t take insurance. Between this and my divorce, I’m f—ed financially! Sorry kids – Christmas is going to look a lot different this year.”
