Connoisseur Morphs WICC, Bridgeport into “The Voice of Connecticut” to Fill Gap Left by the Late WCBS 880
Connoisseur Media tells TALKERS about a variety of significant changes for its Western Connecticut news/talk powerhouse, WICC 600 AM, Bridgeport – changes inspired by the closing of Audacy’s WCBS 880 in adjacent New York City. 
WICC is now “The Voice of Connecticut” expanding its reach by simulcasting on 95.9 FM, previously home to classic rock formatted “The Fox.” This strategic move is designed to strengthen WICC’s position as Fairfield County’s premier source for news, talk, and information. A pivotal part of this transformation is WICC’s new affiliation with CBS News, which will provide national news coverage at the top of every hour. Station officials tell TALKERS, this partnership reinforces WICC’s role as the region’s trusted news source, delivering timely and credible information to the communities it serves. “This rebranding and expansion to 95.9 FM represents a pivotal moment for WICC,” stated Keith Dakin, VP of Programming for Connoisseur Media. “The talent on our team, coupled with our new affiliation with CBS News, will allow us to meet the demand for news and talk programming in Southern Connecticut. We’re excited about this next phase and looking forward to serving a much wider geography and bigger audience.” But, as the saying goes, that’s not all. A new local daytime show from 12:00 noon-2:00 pm ET will be added beginning September 30th hosted by Brigitte Quinn who was the creator, host, and managing editor of “Newsline” on WCBS 880. She was the station’s first female morning-drive anchor and later anchored mornings on 1010 WINS. Quinn’s TV career includes roles at MSNBC, NBC News at Sunrise, and Fox News Channel. Quinn remarks, “Ever since my family and I moved back to beautiful Connecticut, I’ve become a faithful WICC listener. I’m delighted to be joining such a great news/talk radio station, ‘The Voice of Connecticut.’” Quinn’s addition brings WICC’s entire daytime lineup local as she joins talk hosts Melissa Sheketoff 5:00 am -10:00 am, Lisa Wexler 10:00 am-12:00 noon and Paul Pacelli from 2:00 pm-6:00 pm. New additions to weekend programming also include Emmy nominee Chef Plum, Mike Cerulli of WTNH, New Haven, and Dave Ruden of the Ruden Report covering local high school sports. The station plans to continue evolving in this direction with one more critical news reporter position to fill. “We invite Fairfield County listeners to tune in to ‘The Voice of Connecticut,’” says Kristin Okesson, SVP of Connoisseur Media Connecticut. 
“Our affiliation with CBS News paired with these exciting changes in programming reinforces our commitment to deliver modern, engaging content and we’re confident that our audiences will appreciate the new ‘voice’ they hear. I’m especially proud that our daytime shows are hosted by four incredibly talented hosts – three of them in particular are outstanding women in their own right.” WICC can be streamed at voiceofct.com. For more insight into these changes, check out WICC host Lisa Wexler’s interview conducted on air yesterday with company CEO Jeff Warshaw by clicking here.
Founded 11 years ago by Dave Ruden, The Ruden Report website (www.therudenreport.com) is dedicated to Fairfield County (Connecticut) sports news and information. Ruden will remain with the online publication as director of operations. Connoisseur Media owner/chief executive officer Jeff Warshaw comments, “We’re happy to have The Ruden Report join our family. We look forward to offering our audience local content with his exceptional reporting.” Connoisseur Media senior vice president/general manager Kristin Okesson states, “This addition to our programming lineup is a perfect fit for each station and their audiences. As someone who values high school sports coverage, I’m excited to bring The Ruden Report to our six radio stations. I know our Southern Connecticut listeners will enjoy the local updates and in-depth coverage of their favorite teams, athletes, and games.” Ruden adds, “My ongoing goal has been to cover more which is why I have decided to partner with Connoisseur Media. It is a company that has both a longstanding tradition of excellence and the infrastructure to help take The Ruden Report to the next level.” Connoisseur’s six Connecticut stations include Bridgeport heritage news/talk WICC.
absentee ballots but says he had nothing to do with it. He also says he won’t challenge a judge’s decision to toss the results of the September 12 Democratic primary election and possibly rerun the general election. Security cameras revealed people stuffing numerous absentee ballots into collection boxes in what appears to be a campaign of illegal ballot harvesting. Wexler tells TALKERS magazine the exclusive, one-hour sit down with Ganim made the AP and US News & World Report.
hosts. The ideal candidate will be able to execute either two- or four-hour air-shifts on WICC, along with booking guests, creating compelling local content, fielding listener phone calls, and pivoting subject matter as the news cycle dictates. This position will have different hours based on need. 
Greater Bridgeport Bar Association. Wexler will receive the award at the GBBA’s annual Law Day event on May 1. The Liberty Bell Award is given to an individual who “is really good at providing services to our community, for betterment of our community, and has demonstrated over time a desire to serve our community vis a vis rule of law.” Wexler comments, “I’m very grateful to receive this distinguished award. I try every day to promote respect for the rule of law and encourage civic engagement. It’s the cornerstone of my mission as a talk radio host and a primary value I bring to my role as probate judge.”
order): Heather Cohen, SVP, The Weiss Agency; Steve Goldstein, CEO, Amplifi Media; Ron Hartenbaum, managing partner, WYD Media; Chris Oliviero, market president, Audacy New York; David Pakman, talk show host/commentator, The David Pakman Show; and Larry Young, talk show host, The Larry Young Podcast.
the TALKERS 2022 convention held on June 10 at Hofstra University on Long Island. Today’s video addition features the panel discussion titled “Programming News/Talk Radio in the Digital Era” moderated by Mike McVay, president, McVay Media Consulting. Panelists include Dr. Asa Andrew, CEO/host, The Doctor Asa Health Network (“Believe”); Grace Blazer, VP, national NTS brand coordinator, director of news and AM programming Florida region, iHeartMedia Miami; Phil Boyce, SVP/spoken word format, Salem Media Group, Salem Radio Network/operations VP, New York Region; Kevin DeLany, VP, news & talk programming, Westwood One; and Greg Stocker, program director, WPHT, Philadelphia. The introduction was provided by Steve Goldstein, CEO, Amplifi Media. You can watch the video 
iHM Jacksonville Boosts Lawrence To Senior VP/Sales. Two-and-a-half-year iHeartMedia Jacksonville vice president/sales Stacey Lawrence advances to senior vice president/sales of that Florida cluster. Lawrence will report to iHeartMedia North Florida area president Paul Rogers, who comments, “When I joined the market [in March 2021], I took a long time to evaluate our team, including our management team. I wanted to learn their values, their work ethic, and observe their commitment to our team, our customers, and to iHeart. Stacey flat-out earned it, and her strong working relationship with vice president/digital sales Brooke Adams is going to be crucial and what takes us over the top.” Lawrence remarks, “I’m thrilled to step into my new role with this incredible team in Jacksonville. Although I’ve been with iHeartMedia less than three years, it did not take me long to realize this was where I belonged. [It’s] a forward-thinking company that is customer-centric at its core. Jacksonville is exploding and I plan on leading this team to their fullest potential. I look forward to making a difference in our community and helping businesses achieve their marketing goals through our world- class, multi-channel offerings.” Lawrence spent 14 years with Hibu (formerly YellowBook USA). She later held sales management positions for two Jacksonville TV stations, including Graham Media Group’s WJXT-TV. Among the stations in iHM Jacksonville is Spanish news/talk WFXJ “Acción 97.3.”
named president/chief executive officer of the Maine Association of Broadcasters. Moore succeeds Suzanne Goucher, who passed away unexpectedly earlier this year. MAB board chair/WMTW-TV, Portland president/general manager David Abel states, “The Board was looking for someone with deep experience in Maine broadcasting and extensive relationships throughout the state; Tim stood out among some very qualified candidates. There is much to be done to position the MAB for the future and we are excited to have Tim lead that effort.” According to Moore, “I’ve loved the MAB for years and believe in the mission to advocate for broadcasters on every level. My thanks to David Abel; incoming chair Corey Garrison; and the entire board of directors for placing their faith and trust in me. I’m beyond excited to lead the MAB into the future and cannot wait to get started.” Moore began his Maine radio career in Bangor at WKSQ. He later went to Portland as operations manager of WHOM and WJBQ. A former MAB board chair, Moore is a member of the MAB Hall of Fame and was awarded the inaugural (2010) “Broadcast Achievement Award.” The Maine Association of Broadcasters was formed in 1947 to “cultivate a friendly spirit of cooperation in matters of common interest” to radio and television stations throughout the “Pine Tree State.”
Wexler Wins NFPW’s Top Spot For Best Radio Interview. Just hours after Jim Himes spent a marathon day and night at the U.S. Capitol following the January 6 (2021) riot, Connoisseur Media Bridgeport news/talk WICC’s Lisa Wexler interviewed the Connecticut congressman live on her 10:00 am – 12:00 noon show. That January 7 interview enabled Wexler to win first-place for “Best Radio Interview” in the National Federation of Press Women’s Awards. Wexler comments, “Interviewing congressman Jim Himes after he experienced all that transpired on January 6 felt like history in the making. I urge all to listen to it now, with the benefit of hindsight.” Connoisseur Media senior vice president Kristin Okesson remarks, “The role of radio is as vital as it’s ever been, and Lisa Wexler is a fantastic example of what makes the medium so critical right now. Lisa has developed a deep connection to her audience through her no-nonsense interview style and down-to-earth storytelling. Through these stormy past few years, Lisa was there to help guide her listeners through. She remains a reassuring voice during an uncomfortable time in our nation and the world. Connecticut and WICC are lucky to have Lisa Wexler behind the microphone.” NFPW is a nationwide organization of women and men pursuing careers across the communications spectrum, including radio, television print, electronic journalism, freelancing, new media, books, public relations, marketing, graphic design, photography, and advertising. Winners from throughout the country were honored this past Saturday (6/25) during the National Federation of Press Women communications contest ceremony in Fargo, North Dakota. Nearly 2,000 entries were judged in a wide variety of categories. Only first-place winning entries at the state level are eligible to enter the national contest. All entries were published or broadcast between January 1 – December 31 (2021). “The Lisa Wexler Show” took first place for the Jim Himes interview at the Connecticut Press Awards.
“Share Of Ear” Q1 2022 Findings. Among this week’s Cumulus Media/Westwood One Audio Active Group blog highlights is that among registered voters, terrestrial radio has a 75% share of ad-supported audio. Meanwhile, AM/FM radio’s audience is 13 times bigger than Pandora and 19 times that of Spotify. Trending ad-supported audience shares from Q1 2020 to Q1 2022, terrestrial radio sees little change (78% to 76%). As podcast shares
bump up from 7% to 11%, Pandora’s shares are down 25% (8% to 6%). Also in single-digits are Spotify (4%) and SiriusXM (3%). Terrestrial radio leads total ad-supported shares among key buying demographics; podcast shares are greater than Spotify and Pandora combined. In the car, AM/FM radio shares have been in the high-80s the last six years. Most Americans only listen to terrestrial radio and never listen to Pandora and Spotify. Over six years, the proportion of terrestrial radio listening occurring through online streaming has nearly doubled (8% to 15%). More radio listening is occurring via stream (15%) than the entire AM dial. With a 43% share, terrestrial radio leads ad-supported listening on the smart speaker. Edison Research’s quarterly “Share of Ear” study surveys 4,000 Americans to measure daily reach and time spent for all forms of audio.
TALKERS News Notes. The first-ever “Black Effect Podcast Festival” is set to take place August 28 at the Avant Gardner in Brooklyn. Premiere Networks’ “Breakfast Club” co-host Charlamagne Tha God will join the festival, along with some of the Black Effect Podcast Network’s most popular personalities for a day of live podcast tapings and discussions aimed at aspiring podcasters in the black community. According to Charlamagne Tha God, “The Black Effect Podcast Network was created to amplify black voices for new and established content creators and storytellers, giving them a space to showcase their creative vision in the ever-growing podcast game. I’m excited to celebrate the first-ever Black Effect Podcast Festival, where talented black creators and aspiring podcasters will come together for a day to uplift and inspire one another. This festival is for the culture and is one of many events the network will host for the black community.” Launched in
September 2020 and curated by Charlamagne Tha God, the Black Effect Podcast Network has debuted 32 shows. Black Effect Podcast Network partners include AT&T, BetterHelp, Hulu, Molson Coors, Nissan and State Farm … Former Carolina Panthers linebacker Luke Kuechly is coming back to the organization to be part of this year’s radio broadcasts on iHeartMedia Charlotte. A first-round pick by the Panthers in 2012, Kuechly will be in the booth for six home games and 
the road trip to his hometown of Cincinnati. He comments, “I just love the Panthers. I want to be attached to the team and the game. I think it could be a lot of fun.” Kuechly played eight seasons in Carolina and retired following the 2019 season. Other members of the Panthers radio team are Anish Shroff; Jordan Gross; Jake Delhomme; Kristen Balboni; and Jim Szoke … Among the three specials ABC Audio will provide to affiliates this July 4th weekend is ABC News Radio’s three-hour Jason Nathanson-hosted “Press Play.” Nathanson and ABC News correspondents venture across the country thrill-seeking and learning new skills.
and gain 70% versus the corresponding period last year. Whereas “Health & Fitness” displays the strongest week-over-week growth (+9%), “Comedy” registers the weakest week-to-week loss (-4%). The category with the strongest year-over-year improvement is “Health & Fitness,” climbing 183%. Across all Podtrac-measured podcasts, download growth for the 52-week period (June 21, 2021 – June 26, 2022) was up 70%, while week-over-week (June 20 – 26, 2022) download advancement was up 1%. Year-to-year download growth was +183% for “Health & Fitness”; +116%, “Comedy”; +87%, “True Crime”; +83%, “Sports”; +64%, “News”; +62%, “Business”; +60%, “Society & Culture”; +47%, “Science”; +44%, “History”; and +12% for “Arts.” Download week-over-week gains are made by “Health & Fitness” (+9%); “Arts” (+3%); “News” (+3%); “Society & Culture” (+3%); and “Sports” (+2%). “History” remains even, while “Comedy” is -4%; “Science” and “True Crime” are both -3%; and “Business” is -2%.
