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WBZ fans re-launch campaign to bring back laid-off on-air personnel

WBZ Newsradio listeners are organizing to try to get AM news anchor Deb Lawler, overnight talk host Bradley Jay, sports reporter Tom Cuddy and political commentator Jon Keller back on the air, after the station's owner terminated them earlier this week as part of its national effort to shrink costs through large-scale layoffs.

"New Englanders can live without Necco Wafers, Crown Pilot Crackers, and maybe even Tom Brady - but they can’t live without trusted local programming on WBZ," says Ben Goodman, who is organizing the Save WBZ 1030 campaign. "WBZ listeners have shown time and time again that they will not stand idly by while corporate media attempts to eliminate local news coverage."

Goodman, who grew up listening to WBZ, but who now lives in Washington, DC, organized a similar campaign in 2009 that helped bring back fired overnight host Steve LeVeille. LeVeille then retired in 2012, clearing the way for Bradley Jay.

Goodman actually started the Save WBZ Campaign in 2017, after iHeartMedia took over the station from CBS, fired the news director who had worked at the station for 21 years and initially said it wouldn't honor the station's union contracts, then changed its mind.

In 2018, the station let longtime news anchors Rod Frtiz and Mary Blake go.

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Comments

I would love to see Goodman and the Listeners Forum work together to try to undo the terminations.

Goodman's petition page is confusing as it still refers to his campaigns of the past. One must look for updates to find the current issue of the recent firings. He also sneaks in a request to make changes advertising sponsors. (I despise hearing all the Dan Rhea supported/voiced commercials too)

A major integrated push for the return of the talented personnel is needed. But if there are several factions working; I am not sure it will be successful.

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I'm glad they got rid of Bradley Jay. He constantly talked about himself and not to mention, a very self centered man. He needed advice from his listeners before he did anything, as if he couldn't make his own decision. His traveling stories were so very boring, he had to inform the listeners about everything he did, to tying his shoes. What man does that? He would ramble on and on about it, to his listeners.To eating at restaurants to buying a simple pair of shoes, he would constantly need advice on just about everything he did. He was a very annoying man. I'm glad they kept Morgan White, who is full of knowledge and trivia. As for Bradley Jay, good riddance and goodbye.

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I find him very odd, and much prefer Morgan White Jr. to all of them...Morgan is a stand up guy. I no longer listen to Dan Rea, and turn on BZ while I am getting ready for work in the mornings. LIke the news format very much.

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all the things that annoyed you are the things that his loyal listeners loved. his show was more about engaging as friends over the phone and air.

I could take or leave Bradley most of the time. I do prefer that he be on the air rather than having 'canned' programming which is likely on the way.

as for Morgan. he drives me crazy. he is not technically advanced enough to work the phones. his drawn out notice of time and temperature is annoying. just give the damn time and temperature. but for those that enjoy his program, am pleased that there is a live person on the air for them to engage with. I imagine he will be gone next as iHeart implements their new programing.

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I never understood the appeal of Bradley Jay. He had very little to say and was often obviously cognizant of his ineptitude. I usually found it a painful experience as he counted down the remaining time each night often going fifteen minutes between calls-while he desperately tried to fill the silence with his ramblings of hygiene and diet practices. His default was recounting of his youthful exploits in the music biz but that well was not that deep and the stories repeated fairly frequently. He might have been interesting to encounter at a pub, but he was tragically inept as a talk show host. Finally an engaging caller would connect only to be cut off way too early. Some of his guests carried him for a spell, but he grew increasingly less engaging and first took to reading click bait off the internet then ultimately had the audacity to present “Grab Bag” which I thought was derivative but poorer poaching from Morgan White Jr’s satchel. Oh, those insufferably proliferating song parodies- I hope not to hear again

Why did I listen to WBZ - to BJ - for YEARS? Because it was one of the few remaining AM stations with a big signal with a non-syndicated talk show. I was a fan of Steve LeVeille and signed the petition for him but will bid Bradley Jay goodbye with no remorse.

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Bradley Jay made the listener the star. His down to earth style was refreshing, unlike every other right or left wing puppet. Listening to his travel stories were like listening to a best friend, and his legacy in Boston radio alone should be honored and revered.
Morgan White is fun in a juvenile sort of way, however, he’s often disrespectful of the listener/caller, especially when they don’t understand his simplistic foolish trivia. He doesn’t have the balls to to base a trivia game on “names that start with a B”, because everyone would call with the answer “Bradley”
A five year old could do his show.
Nighty night

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Are you serious lady? Do you know how many lonely people's lives Bradley enhanced? What you called self centered, was he opening up himself to show that he was human like us. Sounds like you cannot relate to being human, which I feel sorry for you. Get a ghrip sunshine!

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Ditto.. I couldn't listen to the show any longer.. so into himself and his making wallets! I am sure he will be fine financially too!..

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I wish miss his (Bradley Jay) nightly show a lot.
I can’t stand most of wbz radio because every other minute I have to hear Dan Rae selling something. The same ads over and over can drive someone to drink. I wish he had to listen to his ads all day!

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I am very disappointed to not be able to listen to Bradley at night. I have been listening to talk radio for years. Morgan is alright but he doesn’t go back and forth on the phone enough and talks to guest too much. I hope we can work to get Bradley back on at night. As far as John Keller, I don’t care about losing him. He was too Democratically bias!!

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I have listened to WBZ for over 35 years. Night time hosts have come and gone, but Bradley J was one of the best. I will now go out of my to boycott all products advertised on WBZ and i will not listen to WBZ anymore.
I have told family, friends, co-workers, and others not boycott all products advertised on WBZ and do not listen to the station until they return Bradley J to night time radio. You have no idea what he did for New England listeners. you have not hurt New Englanders, you have hurt I-Heart radio. You will likely see a drop in listeners and advertiser will see less purchases.
Thank you,
Jonathan M. Spatt
[email protected]

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and they are mostly 'dan rhea' engaging with friends or have utilized their services. I imagine he got a heft discount for advertising his use.

There are no real advertisements. each one is a niche product. cannot think of one I would be looking to use under normal circumstances. for those that I need; I would be more likely to check with friends or local neighbors for recommendations.

I do not believe the advertisers will suffer from listener boycotts...

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WBZ has had overnight talk show for over 50 years. Remember a guy named Larry Glick? I can’t believe how heartless radio has ruined a beloved Boston radio station.

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Brad had a community of listeners. I was a member. He fielded many a call for help and will be missed by thousands of people like me. WBZ has turned it’s back on Boston’s night shift. And now I will turn off BZ.

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I have listened to and been a huge fan of 'BZ, 'BCN, ZLX since the '60s. National corporate influences are ruining our locally flavored New England media. From TV to radio. You can see it, hear it, and feel it. iHeartRadio, Rock&Roll Hall of Fame, they are loosing me, I'm cancelling my subscriptions. We need locals with a history HERE, like Bradley Jay, not generic boring NY / LA robots. Sad days for broadcast media.

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If expenses are too high at WBZ radio, maybe the idiot who fired Bradley Jay should get off his lazy rear end and sell some air time. The constant stream of P.S.A.'s and that one dentist that runs ads certainly can't pay the bills.

Bradley Jay was a refreshing voice in the middle of the night. Sell some advertising - and Bring him back.

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Every night I would tune to WBZ and listen in at the goings on. And thousands of others all over the country did the same thing, they tuned in! And what bird brain decided to lay off this iconic talk show host? He was genuine, funny with his wry sense of humor, caring, made fun of himself, included his listeners with his home folk appeal. He will be sadly missed and I will be tuning out! I get some NY stations, 1010 Wins, etc and more. Bradley never hurt anybody and was so genuine, unlike the corporate idiots that decided to let him go. Morgan is just hanging on, I enjoy his program and I listen when he is broadcasting. Bradley made many friends on the air and his stories of his travels and doings were interesting and sometimes extremely funny. He had a way about him that made you feel he was a friend and would talk about any subject even if he didn't know much about it. Like recipes and his leather making hobby which he shared with everybody. Yes, he asked his listeners all kinds of questions and that was all part of his way to engage with his listeners. We listeners were very lucky to have him on air for so long!
I do hope iHeart brings him back, the a.m. radio airwaves are silent without Bradley Jay Talk,
WBZ 1030 lost a lot of listeners.

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I miss Bradley Jay. Please bring him back. Don’t need to hear news & ads repeated throughout the night. Bad choice for me.

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i wasn't crazy about bradley jay but HATE the all news format on now at night - don't want to hear the same news over and over all night long - love morgan white

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