'Local Presence' Continues To Fade From Radio

The latest shakeup at Syracuse's once revered local news radio station WSYR 570 AM/106.9 FM came when longtime hosts Terry Ettinger and George Kilpatrick were axed, according to Chris Baker at The Post-Standard in Syracuse.

George Kilpatrick

WSYR abruptly canceled weekend morning shows "The Weeder's Digest" and "The George Kilpatrick Show" by notifying both hosts last week. This past weekend was each man's final broadcast.

With the elimination of Kilpatrick and Ettinger, the station's Syracuse-area content continues a steady decline. During the week, Joe Galuski's morning program is the most local show remaining on the air. Rochester radio host Bob Lonsberry joined WSYR in 2012 in addition to his show on WHAM in Rochester.

Lonsberry and Galuski are sandwiched between weekday programming from national pundits like Sean Hannity, Rush Limbaugh and Glenn Beck.

The elimination of local hosts certainly isn't an issue affecting just WSYR. It's a continuing trend in radio, said A. Randall Wenner, an instructor of broadcast journalism at S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University.

Terry Ettinger

"This isn't happening just here, but Syracuse is a good example," Wenner said. "It's the slow disappearance of local talk shows from local radio."

Wenner attributes the trend to federal deregulation, which has allowed big companies like Clear Channel to own hundreds of stations. And while he's sympathetic to the stations' demands from the market he says it's "a shame" what's happening to WSYR.

WSYR program director Aaron Trimmer is based out of Rochester. He splits his time between Syracuse's WSYR and its Rochester equivalent, WHAM 1180, where he is also program director. Lonsberry, too, hosts a show for WHAM in the mornings and is based out of Rochester.

Tom's Take: Yes, it is a shame what has been happening. But may I suggest The Post-Standard is not operating the same as it was 5, 10 or 15 years-ago either.