The "OMF" show with Fauria, Ordway and Merloni (pictured l-r) will now move to afternoon drive
In Boston, Chad Finn noted Entercom and WEEI announced a "tweak to its weekday lineup" that "flips the show times" of two programs. The "OMF" show with Glenn Ordway, Lou Merloni and Christian Fauria will "move to afternoon drive," while the "Dale & Keefe" program, featuring host Dale Arnold and Rich Keefe, will move from that 2:00-6:00pm ET slot to 10:00am-2:00pm. The earlier time slot also "allows more time in NHL season for Arnold to get to his other job as a studio host for NESN’s Bruins broadcasts." He would occasionally have to "leave the afternoon drive program early to get to the NESN studios on time." Finn: "It will be fascinating to see how Ordway and company fare this time around." WBZ-AM's "Felger & Mazz" program with Michael Felger and Tony Massarotti has "dominated afternoon drive ratings in the targeted men 25-54 demographic for several years" (BOSTONGLOBE.com, 7/19).
KEEPING QUIET: In N.Y., Kevin Dugan notes WFAN-AM’s Joe Benigno "will be back on the air Monday." Benigno, on vacation this week, was "accused in a bombshell lawsuit this week of sexually harassing a former female ad executive." Benigno co-hosts a daily WFAN show with Evan Roberts from 10:00am- 1:00pm ET. Roberts addressed the lawsuit when he opened up Thursday’s show by saying that he was "aware of the suit -- but couldn’t comment on it" (N.Y. POST, 7/20).
NEW TO THE PACK: In Hartford, Dom Amore noted Mike Crispino will become the "new voice of UConn football and men’s basketball as the school moves its marquee events to iHeartMedia and ESPN 97.9 next fall." Crispino, who has been doing St. John’s basketball for MSG Network, and "worked as an announcer in various roles" for the net for 25 years, will replace Joe D’Ambrosio. The plan is for Crispino to "handle play-by-play, working with Wayne Norman, the analyst on football and basketball for decades as D’Ambrosio’s partner" (COURANT.com, 7/17).
OFF THE AIR: In Montreal, Stu Cowan noted after 27 years of doing a "five-minute weekday" segment for CJAD-AM, Michael Farber is being cut by the station for "budget reasons." Farber retired from SI in '14, but "continues to be a special contributor to the magazine" (MONTREALGAZETTE.com, 7/18).
