Springfield, MA

Wednesday, August 17, 2011

 How Would Your Grandmother Look with a New Set of Boobs?

That was the headline of the story greeting listeners tuning in to "FM News 101.9" around 6:36 am this morning as the highly anticipated Merlin Media station's spoken-word format hit the airwaves of the Big Apple (WEMP-FM). TALKERS monitors on the ground in New York City listening to the debut of the Randy Michaels/Walter Sabo youth-targeted collaboration report that the morning drive male/female anchor presentation is, indeed, a very youthful, fast-paced approach to all-news radio. Mixed in with a menu of stories, including the latest on Paula Abdul's neurotic behavior, a teenager breast enhancement controversy, a new game app invented by a pre-teen and a dangerous serial "butt slasher" terrorizing women commuters, were acknowledgement of last night's President Obama Manhattan fundraiser and the Verizon workers strike. Lots of standard traffic and weather delivered by young sounding voices and entertainment reports pepper what is, without doubt, a new approach to major market all-news radio. Big Apple radio listeners will find out what else "FM News 101.9" (or "101.9 FM News" and "101.9 FM New" as it is also tagged) has to offer as the day rolls on. (August 12, 2011)

Michael Harrison

TALKERS Magazine

Springfield, MA

413-565-5413