Saga Closes on Neuhoff’s Lafayette, Indiana Stations
Saga Communications closes on its purchase of the assets of Neuhoff Communications’ Lafayette, Indiana radio stations sports talk WASK-AM, country WKOA-FM, rock WKHY-FM, classic hits WASK-FM, CHR WXXB-FM, and FM translator W269DJ and associated digital assets. The purchase price was $5.3
million. At the time the deal was announced in February, Saga Communications president and CEO Chris Forgy stated, “We regretted missing the opportunity to acquire these stations a number of years ago when the Neuhoff family acquired them. These stations are a great fit for Saga. We see a lot of opportunity with these stations and this market and are pleased that the family has decided to entrust Saga with continuing these station’s long-standing heritage of serving the Greater Lafayette region. Saga intends to continue building its business in radio by identifying and acquiring middle market stations in dynamic communities.” KALIL & CO., INC was the exclusive broker.
plus three music brands. Williamson previously served as SVP of sales for the station group. iHeartMedia area president for St. Louis and Indianapolis John Beck says, “Leon is a solid and very thoughtful leader. In his nearly two years at iHeartMedia Indianapolis, Leon has done a fantastic job building a solid team and fostering a deep connection with the Indy community. We are excited to have him at the helm in Indianapolis, continuing to drive our success and innovation.” Williamson comments, “As the new market president at iHeartMedia Indianapolis, my commitment is to lead with purpose and uplift our community. My mission is to leverage the power of audio to empower voices, inspire change, and build a legacy of unity and progress.”
Generally speaking, Major League Baseball radio flagships enjoyed a solid first at bat in Nielsen Audio’s 2024 rating season (March 28 – April 24).
April 2024 PPM Data – Information for the April 2024 ratings period (March 28 – April 24) has been released for New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, San Francisco, Dallas, Houston, Atlanta, Philadelphia, Nassau-Suffolk (Long Island), Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, San Jose, and Middlesex-Somerset-Union (New Jersey).
his radio career in 2010 in Battle Creek, for WBCK-FM and WBXX-FM, former Cumulus stations now owned by Townsquare Media. Cumulus president of operations Bob Walker comments, “Steve has proven himself to be an accomplished leader in the Dallas market the past 10 years and we are thrilled to have him moving back home to Michigan, an area of the country that is important to Steve and his family. We are excited for him to get started and eager to see the impact he will have.” Holm says, “I’m very thankful for the opportunity to come back home. The Grand Rapids and Muskegon teams are a tightly knit group and are determined and ready to win. I’m excited to be joining them and look forward to the challenges and growth ahead.”
-FM, Philadelphia “97.5 The Fanatic.” Egan posted confirmation of his exit on X, saying, “So last night I got laid off from the Fanatic. I figured it was coming when I heard there were cuts, & the writing was on the wall when I got moved to nights.” As Crossing Broad notes, “Egan was one of the longest-tenured employees remaining at the station. He began as an intern in 2011 and then became a street teamer and producer.” 
(5/11) airing from 10:00 am to 1:00 pm ET. Good Karma Brands founder Craig Karmazin comments, “We are so proud of the work Aaron and Emmett have put in to earn the opportunity for a new national show. Fans are familiar with their voices locally in Cleveland and nationally with their fill-in hosting work. They are a great representation of Good Karma Brands and Cleveland, and their contributions will continue to put the city on the national stage.” The program will also air on “ESPN Cleveland,” ESPNCleveland.com, TheLandOnDemand.com, and the ESPN and The Land on Demand apps. 
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.”
station after retiring from Cumulus Media’s crosstown sports talker KTCK-AM/FM “The Ticket” tells the Observer that he and castmates Julie Dobbs and Jeff Cavanaugh were let go on Friday (4/26). Rhyner says, “I could be standing at the New Mexico border and still see this coming. It’s a feeling that I and plenty of others at the station had been getting for some time now. iHeartRadio is a music company that really doesn’t do that much talk radio, and the talk radio they do is not local or locally originated, and they got caught into something [97.1 The Freak] they didn’t know anything about, and they were kind of overwhelmed by it, and they decided that ‘this is not our bag.’” Whitt’s Athlon story noted that “lagging ratings” and the talent expense [high overhead] had the station in corporate’s fiscal sights. 
sports talk outlet where he’s been an on-air personality for the past 31 years. Currently, Macnow hosts the Saturday and Sunday 10:00 am to 1:00 pm shows and the Eagles pre-game show. Macnow says his last weekend program (which he co-hosts with Mike Sielski) will be July 13. 
who is returning to Philadelphia as a host at the company’s “SportsRadio 94WIP.” Audacy New York market president Chris Oliviero says, “Ryan knows radio, sports and New York, making him a triple threat to take the reins of WFAN, which continues to be the city’s most influential and dominant sports platform. In addition, with Infinity Sports Network, Ryan will have a major impact on the sports conversation nationwide. All of us at Audacy are excited to welcome him to the team.” Hurley, who joined ESPN New York as an intern in 2004 after graduating from Hofstra University and worked his way up to PD in 2017, says, “I am excited and grateful to have the opportunity to join this legendary station. The term ‘dream job’ can get thrown around a lot, but as someone who grew up listening to ‘The Fan’ religiously, that is exactly what this is. There is an incredible team here led by Chris Oliviero, and I look forward to this journey ahead with them.” Additionally, David Mayurnik has been named assistant brand manager of WFAN and Infinity Sports Network and will report to Hurley.
beginning Monday (4/15). Fifer says, “I’m super excited to be hosting ‘Wisconsin Sports Daily,’ and I can’t wait to talk about our favorite sports teams with our loyal listeners. The opportunity to host great guests to add to our conversations is a plus. Let’s bring some passion back into sports talk radio in Milwaukee!” Fifer serves as assistant program director and on-air host at 1250 AM The Fan. He also hosts a Milwaukee Bucks postgame show and numerous podcasts, including “Curd & Long,” “Green and Growing” and “Spare/Time Bowling Show.” He also helps run Audacy’s BetQL Network in other markets.
the station. The piece notes that LaVicka said co-host Theo Dorsey will remain with the station hosting his own show beginning on Monday (4/8). The Post reports that GKB West Palm Beach general manager Stephanie Price issued the following statement: “LaVicka is still a teammate, and we are working with him on his future. We are always on the lookout for talent who can bring a new perspective to the market. We are putting more resources into both our radio and digital platforms to engage and reach the most fans, as consumption continues to evolve, as well as provide our partners more opportunities to reach those fans.” 
negotiations with iHeart – KJR since the start of January and in the last few weeks we mutually agreed that I would be off the air until we reached a deal… Both sides worked hard to get a deal done and the process was long and time consuming. Late last week I received the offer that I had been looking for and was excited and grateful to get back to work on Monday. However, a day after receiving the offer I learned that my partner Jim Moore was terminated as part of nationwide layoffs within the company. The timing of the move left me angry, sad, confused and conflicted… Many, many sleepless nights has led to my decision to part ways with the station and not seek a new contract. I’m a firm believer in loyalty and the treatment of others. From my perspective I couldn’t in good conscience continue to do the show despite my love to do so… This is not goodbye forever. The process has energized and motivated me to great lengths. Stay tuned because very soon I’ll deliver the same nonsense in a different form.”
important sports moments and “105.7 The Fan” personalities’ favorite memories. Celebratory programming includes two live broadcasts of the “Big Bad Morning Show” hosted by 
February 2024 PPM Data – Information for the February 2024 ratings period (February 1 – February 28) has been released for Portland, Charlotte, San Antonio, Sacramento, Pittsburgh, Salt Lake City, Las Vegas, Orlando, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Kansas City, and Columbus.
Greenville-Spartanburg, South Carolina “The Fan Upstate.” The program takes over for “Offsides with Marc Ryan,” as Ryan moves to the company’s WXYT-FM, Detroit “97.1 The Ticket.” Audacy Greenville-Spartanburg SVP and market manager Steve Sinicropi states, “‘WIRE 2 WIRE’ allows us to elevate Diesel, who has worked alongside Marc for years, and Cole, who has done a great job with every sports assignment we’ve given him. ‘WIRE 2 WIRE’ will be a live, local sports show with knowledgeable, well-known local talent, and I know sports fans will love it.”
February 2024 PPM Data – Information for the February 2024 ratings period (February 1 – February 28) has been released for New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, San Francisco, Dallas, Houston, Atlanta, Philadelphia, Nassau-Suffolk (Long Island), Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, San Jose, and Middlesex-Somerset-Union (New Jersey).
director of sales with Cox Media Group. Audacy Houston VP of sales Alana Lujan comments, “Judy’s extensive experience in talent development, coupled with her recent involvement in business development, multi-media buying and digital innovation, makes her a powerhouse addition to Audacy’s sales leadership team. With her expertise, Judy is poised to make an immediate and substantial impact. Here’s to an exciting journey with someone who will bring so much to the table!” Lakin states, “I am thrilled to join the exceptional leadership team at Audacy. The Houston market’s wide variety of broadcast and digital products makes me eager for what will come. The local sales team’s incredible skills and high energy is a tremendous plus to this opportunity.”
program currently in development with executive producer Chris Mathis. Lane will take on a new role as host of the signature Rays pre-game show “The Inside Pitch.” He will also continue his seasonal hosting duties with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers radio network. WDAE program director John Mamola says, “We couldn’t be more excited for Ronnie and Tom as they embark on their new opportunities at WDAE. These programs promise fresh content and compelling, engaging experiences for our listeners. We will continue the legacy of high performance the hosts built as a duo and the voice of Tampa Bay sports fanatics everywhere.”