Boston Radio Provides Information, Comfort

From Gary Trust, Billboard.com

Sadly it's in times of tragedy that live and local radio most often reinforces its value as a provider of information and comfort. 

Following Monday’s  tragic explosions during the 117th running of the Boston Marathon, which has resulted in three deaths and more than 130 injured, many severely, Boston stations focused their coverage on serving listeners with the most up-to-date details, as well as a virtual place of gathering to share the overwhelming sadness prevalent throughout the region. 

While CBS Radio-owned news/talk WBZ-AM (1030) unsurprisingly provided continuous updates, as did Entercom's talk signal WRKO (680 AM), multiple stations in their respective clusters aired simulcasts of them. Entercom sports station WEEI (93.7 FM) mixed a stream of callers with feeds from sister WRKO's longtime afternoon personality Howie Carr. 

Music stations, however, faced providing a greater break from their normal flow of songs and generally fun, upbeat presentations. 

For the worst possible reasons, radio once again stepped up its public service responsibilities. 

CBS Radio adult top 40 WBMX (Mix 104.1) was one of the first FM music stations to report the explosions, according to APD/MD Mike Mullaney. "Within 15 minutes we had switched to a simulcast of WBZ-AM, which we carried through midnight." 

Sister CBS mainstream top 40 WODS (103.3 Amp Radio) likewise simulcast WBZ-AM until midnight (as did all stations in the cluster). 

WODS morning duo TJ and Loren "were great today," says PD Dan Mason. "Although they're new to Boston, you wouldn't have been able to tell. Their prior experience on the Elvis Duran Morning Show [which originates from Clear Channel-owned WHTZ (Z100) in New York] during events like Superstorm Sandy and the tragic shootings in Newtown, Conn., really shined through as they opened up the phone lines and let people grieve. They really handled it beautifully.

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