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That didn't take long: News director out at WBZ Newsradio
By adamg on Wed, 11/22/2017 - 4:58pm
Peter Casey, who had been news and program director at WBZ-AM for 21 years, is out of a job today, less than a week after iHeartMedia took over the news station from CBS.
Dylan Sprague, iHeart's senior vice president for programming for the Boston region, announced the shakeup to staff in a memo today:
This past weekend marked the beginning of the transition of WBZ-AM to iHeartMedia, and I want to let you know how excited we all are to have the WBZ-AM team join the iHeart family. WBZ is a Boston institution, and we have enormous respect and admiration for what you have accomplished to date - and what we know you will continue to accomplish.
I also wanted to update you on a change in programming leadership as we continue this transition. Bill Flaherty, WBZ-AM’s Assistant Program Director, will now serve as interim Program Director for WBZ-AM. I am impressed with Bill’s operational knowledge, strategic thinking and can-do attitude, and believe he will be the perfect leader to guide us through the transition. I also know that change can be hard, but when we embrace change we often discover fresh opportunities for growth and innovation. I am excited for what the future will bring for you, for us and for this great brand, and I’m committed to working with you to ensure that WBZ continues on its path as Boston's most respected news and information leader.
I also want to say a few words about Peter Casey. There is no doubt that under his leadership this brand has excelled and established its leadership in the market. We deeply respect Peter and the contributions he has made to WBZ-AM over the years, and the impact he has left on WBZ and Boston radio will be felt for years to come. I also know that the WBZ-AM brand is strong and will continue to be powered by a team of expert, skilled professionals performing at the highest level, and I look forward to partnering with you to help WBZ reach its full potential.
Casey started at WBZ as assistant program director in 1993, after four years at WHDH-AM.
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Comments
As long as they don't get rid
As long as they don't get rid of Kars for Kids, i'm ok with it.
More indepth Reports! More investigative reporting!
More indepth Reports! More investigative reporting!
For example the bad Records Management practices at Boston City Council preventing civic engagement, preventing civic participation.
I agree with the szak, more investigative reporting
Szak, for the past 20-30 years, City Hall has only been reporting press releases written by former reporters. They could write a NASA rocket launch on City Hall Plaza and the Globe and Herald would report it while the reporters from 4,5,7, 25 ran in to apply for the job. The state government is the same, almost all former reporters.
That's why we were told "no scandals" in the Menino City Hall when we all knew otherwise. I'm much more conservative than Adam but if not for him, zero coverage of City Hall. Do you remember when John Henning, Joe Day and Howie Carr were chasing the Mayor each day? One of Kevin White's aides pretended to slip on a banana peal. Sadly John Henning died, not sure about Joe Day and Howie Carr writes an occasional city story, but mostly regional.
Surprised they need a news director at all
I thought they just read the Globe or watch Fox25, then summarize what they hear into headlines that repeat every 15 minutes.
Even traffic reports (which should be their bread & butter) are so lacking detail that I find them nearly useless.
UHub runs circles around WBZ for local news.
Since the mid-1980s, WBZ traffic reports
like all other Boston radio and TV stations, are provided by MetroTraffic, and not the individual stations themselves. The contract agreement with WBZ calls for a very tight time allotment for these reports (IIRC, it's no more than 60 seconds), which includes the obligatory announcer-read ad at the end (which MetroTraffic, not WBZ, collects the revenue from).
Also, if WBZ decides there's a "breaking" news story that mandates extended coverage, they have the option of cancelling one or more traffic reports.
These are some of the reasons why, when I'm driving during rush hour, I don't listen to WBZ directly. Instead I use my scanner to monitor both the WBZ simulcast frequency (they call it pre-delay - although intended as a cue for the helicopter reporter, they use it during times when the chopper isn't airborne as well) AND the MetroTraffic working frequency as well. At times, there are many traffic issues/incidents discussed on the working frequency that never make it into the on-air reports.
Monitoring scanner
Serious question - why not use Waze/Google Maps etc. rather than having to manually monitor the scanner.
Apart from the fact that
radio monitoring has been a hobby of mine since the age of eight (I'm also a licensed ham operator), I can listen to the scanner without taking my eyes off of the road.
WBZ- They use their own traffic service
Wbz currently uses an in house traffic service which CBS had developed. I assume IHeart will change it back to their total traffic service soon.
Wrong
They brand it as WBZ Traffic on the 3s. But both the staff and the helicopter reporters are MetroTraffic employees, not WBZ. And CBS did NOT develop MetroTraffic.
Still doubt me? Then get a scanner and monitor 450.1125 (MetroTraffic working frequency) and 450.650 (WBZ "pre-delay" frequency) for a few rush hours.
Isn't he the wife of Lisa Hughes on WBZ TV?
I got to meet Lisa Hughes and David Wade on the flight to the inaugural. Very nice and down to earth. Is Lisa married to Peter? I believe Peter's first wife died on 9/11 on one of the planes. God bless her. His resume is impressive, I hope finds work soon.
No.
No.
I wish I could get WBZ 1030
but I learned after purchasing my car that electric vehicles and AM antennae apparently cannot be combined.
Absolute train wreck tonight
Missed cue after cue. Cuts to dead air. The AV kids at my high school did a better job over the PA in the morning.
Any recs for Boston news that has South Shore reception? Or good national news during rush hours?
Sadly all these buyouts probably mean the end of my other go to in the car: 97.7
Great R & B if anyone is interested. Listen while you can.