by More moves in the # 9 market :
* On June 1st Pyramid Broadcasting recieved FCC official approval
to take over WJMN-94.5FM from Ardman Broadcasting. The $22-milion
deal was closed on the same day. This becomes Boston's fourth FM duopoly
and a fifth on the way[can you stand it?!]
Immediate off-air changes :
Matt Mills, GM of sister stations WXKS-107.9FM and WXKS-AM 1430
becomes WJMN's new GM. He was imported from Cleveland radio earlier
this year.
Alan Chartrand, former WJMN GM moves into a general sales manager
position.
Cat Collins comes in from Pyramid's station(WPYX-FM) in Rochester to
become 'JMN new PD.
WXKS' MD 'Cadilac' Jack McCartney moves to the same job at WJMN. He replaces
Michael Colby who left WJMN.
More house cleaning is expected with some on-air moves. A format
change(to Alternative/Progressive?) is strongly rumored for the CHurban
94.5. Many thing depend on how well 'JMN does in the current spring book which
will be released in a couple weeks.
* A gain and a loss : As Pyramid was busy rearranging its new acquistion
(WJMN). it lost its top marketing person at WXKS-FM. Beverly Tilden,40,
who was with 'KISS-FM' since 1988 and was part of a two-person team that made
that station one of the best CHR stations in the country.[The other person was
John Madison,WXKS' former GM who left the station earlier this year for a
high profile job with Polygram Records in NYC]. She moves over to become
program director at all-sports WEEI 590AM which is undergoing some off-air
housecleaning under new owners 'Back Bay Broadcasters'. Tilden has been in
Boston radio for 17 years. Her previous stints included WBZ-AM and WHDH-AM.
In the mid-80's she was in the sales dept. at WHDH where she worked together
with Ross Elder, WEEI's part owner and GM.
As a result of this move, Phil Sirkin who was WEEI's PD for the last 5 years
under the Celtics ownership was let go with 4 months left on his contract.
He'll stay on as a consultant until the end of his contract.
This is a second major raid of Pyramid off-air talent in less than two months.
As you would recall, American Radio Systems hired away John Gershorn, a very
experienced radio pro from a Pyramid's station in Chicago to become its
co-chief operating officer and head of its Boston's stations.
* Imus, who the other morning made reference to some station as 'W-F-U-C-K' on the
air[I guess when you have the President of the US on your show every couple
of months, you can get away with almost anything] will be broadcasting from
Boston on June 22nd and 23rd[from WEEI's studios in Charlestown].
* American Radio Systems has officially made up its mind. The Celtics broadcasts
will be heard on WHDH-AM 850 starting this fall. ARS was pondering a thought
about having the Celts and the Sox share WRKO-AM 680 as their flagship which would
have caused a few game-night conflicts in March and April. Now, each team
will have its own flagship.
* A few weeks ago, spring Arbitrends('rolling averages') indicated that a new
station will be on top of the AC race in the spring book -- Greater Media's
long-time AC king WMJX-106.7FM('Magic 106.7') will finally be dethroned
by ARS' 3-year old 'Hot AC' WBMX-FM('Mix 98.5')...
-Mark