ALBANY — Sad news for fans this week, learning of the passing of Annette Funicello. The singer, dancer and actress who grew up in Utica lost a long battle with multiple sclerosis on Monday, at the age of 70. This week, an Ithaca radio personality remembers one special evening decades ago, when the former Mousketeer was his “date” during an Albany radio station event.
ITHACA — On the heels of this week’s release of a book about the history of TV in Syracuse — aptly titled “Syracuse Television” — work is underway for another book about local broadcast history. This time, Ithaca radio will be in the spotlight and the authors are asking for help in the way of photos, memories and other items.
ITHACA — The Cayuga Radio Group, owned by Saga Communications, has a job opening for a ”Digital/Interactive Coordinator/Web and Graphic Design” person. The full description, as provided by the cluster, is as follows:
ITHACA — For many people, retirement provides an opportunity to pursue new interests that we couldn’t realize while working full-time. So what has Rudy Paolangeli been doing since he retired from full-time duties at WHCU in 1988? More radio! This Sunday, it’ll be exactly 25 years since his weekly post-retirement show started… and he’s never missed a single week.
ITHACA — Know any students considering a career in radio? The Cayuga Radio Group and the New York State Broadcasters Association are teaming up to offer a paid internship at the cluster this summer. The cluster, owned by Saga Communications, is now accepting applications.
ITHACA — The late Edward Koch was best known as a three-term mayor of New York City, and before that, as a Congressman representing parts of Manhattan. Although he focused his efforts downstate, there were some occasions where upstate journalists had opportunities to chat with Koch.
ITHACA — When Greg Fry left Saga news/talker WHCU more than four years ago, he was the assistant news director. Today, station management announced he’s coming back — but this time, he’ll be omitting the word “assistant” from his old title.
ITHACA — Longtime WHCU talk radio host and former GM Don Martin died on Monday near Seattle, WA. He was 88 years old. An Air Force veteran who served during World War II, Martin joined the station in 1947. He retired in 1979, but continued hosting his “Column Comment” feature for many years afterward.
ITHACA — On January 23, 1923, radio station WEAI signed on for the first time. Two weeks from now, that station will reach its 90th anniversary… but it hasn’t been called WEAI in decades. Today, that station is News-Talk 870 WHCU. Over the next couple of weeks, WHCU will be sharing plenty of memories from the station’s long history.
ITHACA — The Cayuga Radio Group, owned by Saga Communications, is looking to add another account executive to its sales department. General Manager Chet Osadchey sends along the official posting, which summarizes the position as a “commission based job selling and servicing radio advertising accounts” for the cluster’s seven stations, “plus excellent digital products and popular promotional events.” Here’s the full job description Osadchey provided to CNYRadio.com today: