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Kelly Ford Named Music Director For Long Island’s 103.1 The Wolf

WWWF/103.1 The Wolf, Long Island’s Country, is excited to announce the appointment of award-winning radio veteran Kelly Ford as the station’s Music Director. Kelly is known for her proficiency and passion for country music and brings a wealth of relationships to 103.1 The Wolf. In addition to hosting afternoons on The Wolf, Ford is host of Backstage Country heard on 80 stations across the US and will now be the official liaison between 103.1 The Wolf and the music world. She will use her knowledge and expertise of label priorities to curate the perfect country music library and to facilitate artist driven content and events.


“I’m beyond excited to step into the role of Music Director at 103.1 The Wolf,” said Kelly Ford. “It feels like a natural evolution in my career, allowing me to deepen the relationships I’ve built over the years in country radio and Nashville. I’m pumped to collaborate with our amazing team under the leadership of Patrick Shea to help shape The Wolf into a beloved heritage station that resonates with our listeners and showcases the incredible talent in our genre.”
Kelly Ford’s radio journey is distinguished by a string of accolades, including multiple CMA and ACM awards. Her dynamic personality and deep knowledge of the industry has earned her a loyal following, making her a household name among country music fans. Her previous roles as both an on-air talent and programming strategist have provided her with the perfect blend of creativity and leadership to steer 103.1 The Wolf to success.


“It’s become hard to count how many times I’ve heard, “wow, I love Kelly so much. You’re lucky to have her,” said 103.1 The Wolf Program Director, Patrick Shea. “We couldn’t agree more. Our team is lucky to have her, and Long Island is lucky to have her.”


“Kelly Ford is a true industry powerhouse,” said David Bevins, COO Connoisseur Media. “We are thrilled to have her at 103.1 The Wolf. Her passion for country music and her immediate connection with our listeners is an invaluable asset as we continue to grow our presence across Long Island.”
Ford will be working closely with the programming and on-air team, overseeing music selection, developing fresh content, and ensuring that 103.1 The Wolf continues to offer the best country music experience for Long Island.


As Kelly steps into this leadership role, listeners can expect more innovative programming, exclusive artist interviews, and a deeper connection to the country music scene. Her appointment to Music Director will allow 103.

alexa

103.1 The Wolf Announces New On Air Personality

The Wolf 103.1, Long Island’s Country, welcomes Alexa Neo to the on air staff. Alexa is a renowned radio DJ, singer and music blogger from Long Island, NY. With a keen ear for talent and an innate ability to decipher the nuances of sound, she ventured into the realm of radio as she quickly made a name for herself as the voice behind the mic, reaching listeners with her infectious energy and knowledge of various genres. Driven by her unwavering passion and dedication for her craft, Alexa Neo continues to push the boundaries of creativity and innovation, leaving an indelible mark on the world of music and beyond. Hear her online at thewolf1031.com

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WEBE 108 Celebrates 40 Years Of Making Fairfield County Feel Good!

WEBE 108 signed on the air forty years ago and to celebrate former DJs, sales staff and management were invited to share stories and memories at Stratford CT event space, Riverview Bistro.

Many of the original staff from the 1984 sign on were present including current morning show host, Storm N. Norman.

Former disc jockeys were selected to speak about their eras. Cathy Taylor, Peter Bush and current midday host Danny Lyons told stories of early ownership, the original late Program Director Curt Hansen, and how the station was built from scratch playing music that wasn’t heard on the air at the time.

Kristin Okesson, former WEBE sales manager and current Connoisseur Media CT Senior Vice President, and Connoisseur Media CEO Jeff Warshaw spoke of the fierce battle that took place between WEZN and WEBE for many years and how wonderful it is that now both stations are under the same roof.

Laughs, memories, and story telling were the highlights of an evening that won’t soon be forgotten and truly a tribute to legacy of one of the premiere AC station’s in the country.

ajinabox

Radio Host Lives 24 Hours In A Glass Box For Charity

AJ, the co-host of Connecticut’s most popular morning show “Chaz and AJ in the Morning” on 99.1 PLR and 95.9 the FOX, will live for 24 hours in a tiny glass box at McDermott Chevrolet and Lexus of New Haven. AJ will get into the box at 9am on Thursday, November 9th, and come out exactly 24 hours later on Friday November 10th at 9am. While living in the box, he will be forced to listen to “It’s a Small World” on repeat.  

This is all to raise money for the annual Chaz and AJ McDermott Chevrolet and Lexus of New Haven Toy Drive happening on December 8th at Jordan’s Furniture in New Haven, featuring national recording artists Foghat (playing their hits “Slow Ride,” “Fool for the City,” “Run, Run Rudolph” and more) and Finger Eleven (performing a special acoustic set), plus Senator Blumenthal, and over ten Connecticut mayors.   
This yearly event raises toys and cash for five local Connecticut charities that serve children in need. Chaz and AJ have been doing an annual Toy Drive since 2003 and have raised over 2 million dollars for local charities. 

Donations can be made in person and at wplr.com and 959thefox.com. “Let’s raise the most money for this event ever! Let’s help these kids have a happy holiday!” AJ said. Chaz added, “It’s a fun way to help kids who are in very difficult situations in our own back yards.”   

To arrange for press coverage of the event, please contact Drew Carrano at 203-783-8334. Connoisseur Media owns market-leading radio clusters in regions including Nassau-Suffolk, NY, Metro Fairfield CT, New Haven CT, and Frederick, MD. 

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94.3 The Shark Welcomes Aimee Brooks To Middays

Connoisseur Media’s WWSK/94.3 The Shark welcomes major market rock veteran Aimee Brooks to the on-air lineup. Aimee takes over weekdays between 11am and 2pm, beginning Monday, June 26. Brooks brings with her a wealth of rock knowledge and experience making her the perfect fit for the “everything that rocks” format.

“This is a big win for The Shark,” said Rob Rush, 94.3 The Shark Program Director and Afternoon Drive host. “Aimee lives and breathes the rock culture and I know our audience will love her passion and genuine appreciation for the music during the workday.”

Before joining 94.3 The Shark, Brooks spent seventeen years at Rock 104.7 WIOT in Toledo, Ohio, has experience in multiple markets around the country and is excited to bring her voice and talents to Long Island’s 94.3 The Shark. She grew up listening to music, usually at full blast, loves New York, loves coffee, plays guitar, and rescues kittens.

“I am beyond excited to join the team at 94.3 The Shark!” I want to thank Patrick Shea and Rob Rush for bringing me on board. I’ve been grinning ear to ear for the past week. I’m looking forward to spending middays on Long Island!”

Aimee Brooks
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Connoisseur Media CT Adds Afternoon Co-Host And Promotes Staff

Jennifer Grullon is added as co-host in the afternoon on STAR 99.9 (WEZN-FM). Jennifer comes to Connecticut from Burlington VT and will join market vet Kevin Begley. Jennifer remarked, “I could not be more excited to join Kevin Begley at Star 99.9. Thank you to the whole team at Connoisseur Media for challenging me with this wonderful opportunity!” Kevin and Jenna will debut on air May 15th for what will be a fun, fast moving, local focused “morning show in the afternoon” style program.

Ed Oliveira is upped to a new a role of overseeing “Ferocious Content” which is the video arm of Connoisseur Media. Ed will continue to manage the production, traffic and continuity departments within the CT cluster. “I have had the pleasure of working with Ed for over twenty years from Richmond to Boston and for the last 12 here in CT,” said Vice President of Programming Keith Dakin, “And he is one of the most forward-thinking guys I’ve ever met. Putting him in charge of our video production was a no brainer move.”

With Ed moving up the ladder, Andrew Krause, who is currently assistant production director, moves into the role of production director. Andrew is a homegrown talent having started as an intern and working his way through almost every job in the building. Dakin added, “Andrew is an incredible dedicated employee and great with clients. This is a perfect fit for him.”

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Ron Fried Promoted To National Sales Manager

Connoisseur Media announced today the promotion of Ron Fried to National Sales Manager. He will be responsible for working with the Christal National sales offices across the country and effectively promoting the strength of our audio and digital platforms. “Ron is a valued  and important member of our sales efforts on Long Island, and we are thrilled to promote him to this important position officially.” Said Darren Diprima, Director of sales of Connoisseur Media Long Island. Ron has extensive radio experience on Long Island and joined Connoisseur Media as part of the WALK 97.5 acquisition in  2014. “I’m thrilled about the opportunity to lead Connoisseur Media Long Island’s national sales efforts. As a Senior and Regional Account Manager, I’ve had the privilege of representing our significant cluster of heritage stations for almost eight (8) years.

I look forward to working closely with our Christal Radio/Katz Media group team on growing the Nassau-Suffolk market.” said Ron Fried.

Connoisseur Media owns market-leading radio clusters in regions including Nassau-Suffolk, NY, Metro Fairfield County, New Haven in CT, and Frederick, MD. It also owns digital and marketing operations in Connecticut and Long Island.

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Orlando Works To Raise Awarenss For Depression

94.3 The Shark’s Brian Orlando is on a mission to raise awareness about the struggle of depression on Long Island and to save lives. As the 10th leading cause of death overall in the United States, suicide claims the lives of nearly 50,000 Americans annually.

For Orlando, his mission began in 2017 with the death of Soundgarden frontman Chris Cornell. Orlando knew that music was a tool that could be used to raise awareness and promote healing. He reached out to his network in the music industry to put together a group to create “Choose Song”.

In January of 2019, the group worked with Long Island natives to film a music video for the song, which included his Shark coworker Ashley Massaro. Unfortunately, before the video was released, Massaro herself lost her life to suicide.

This affected Orlando even deeper, who reflects “There isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t think about her. I want people to realize that when they do see the video, they’re looking at somebody that fought to the end, even though she had problems, she was trying to help other people. That’s why she was here.”

The fight for awareness continues. Most recently Orlando has teamed up with 1940’s Brewing Co. to create a craft beer called “Never Alone”. Proceeds from the beer will go to suicide prevention, and the label also has a QR code that can be used to watch the music video for Choose Song.

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Connoisseur Media Long Island AE Awards

As part of our committment to colleagues, we love any opportunity to shine a light on them to point out their efforts. Without further ado, these three Connoisseur Media Long Island colleagues are the recipient of this year’s CMLI AE awards!

  • Stu Shrager – Street Fighter of the Year
  • Jim Cesiro – Key Contributor
  • Gina Turco- Account Executive of the Year

Congratulations Stu, Jim and Gina for your committment to excellence!

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