WBLI
Encyclopedia
WBLI is a Top 40 (CHR)
music formatted radio station
which mainly serves Nassau
and Suffolk
Counties on Long Island
. It can also be heard in the Hudson Valley
, the South Shore of Connecticut
, and the Jersey Shore
. Its transmitter is located in Farmingville, New York
.
A Latin music pirate station is also currently broadcasting from the South Bronx on 106.1 FM in the evening hours interfering with BLI's signal in Nassau County.
(was PD in the 1980s), Jeff Thomas
(also the PD), Scott Taylor, Don Nelson
, Rick Sommers, Keith Allen (now of B103 Long Island), Rob McLean, Mary Ann (aka J.J. Kennedy of WLTW
/New York City),Carl Dayton, TK Townsend, Brooke Daniels, Larry Adams, Ken Rhodes (Ken Rosato, former WBLI news director and now WABC-TV/Channel 7 news anchor), Scott Miller and Kelly Hart. WBLI had a Saturday Night disco
show called "Club 106" during the disco days, and a Sunday Night Oldies
show known as "Only Gold" during the 1970s through the mid 1980s hosted by Don Nelson. Although technically a CHR/Top 40, WBLI had a more adult contemporary sound in certain dayparts and avoided such harder-rocking CHR hits as "I Love Rock & Roll" by Joan Jett & The Blackhearts during their initial chart runs.
Its most recent incarnation of CHR
began in September 1996 when the station, under its then-owners Chancellor Broadcasting and PD Doc Medek flipped from Hot A/C, an evolution that had begun in May 1996. Under Doc Medek and Al Levine as M-D/night jock the station redeveloped it's CHR sound on Long Island, voiced by Billy Moore, and a new jingle package, playing the current records, and had night show features like the "Fresh 5 at 9", and the "New Music Challenge" return. By 1997 'BLI was one of the more rhythmic mainstream CHR's on the air featuring "Classic Dance Weekends".
When Cox Radio took over 'BLI they evolved into a more mainstream CHR with less dance product (though still more than most other CHR's) and a tighter playlist voiced by Kurt Flood, Mark Driscoll, Jennifer Vaughn, and Brian James. On March 29, 2006 Beau Weaver took over as voice of 106.1 BLI, a new jingle package debuted at this time as well- the package that is still used today.
In September 1996 'BLI dropped the Syndicated weekend Program "Open House Party" on Saturday nights in favor of a disco show hosted by Party Marty Mitchell. Party Marty hosted the Arbitron #1 rated B-103 Disco Party for three years prior to 'BLI. Open House Party continued on Sunday nights until November of '96. Party Marty's show would continue until 1998 when Marty left to Co-host "Mary and Marty in the Morning" on LOVE 96.1, WLVG. "CLUB BLI" would begin, playing current club music. CLUB BLI is the current Saturday night show featuring occasional live broadcasts from popular Long Island clubs.
WBLI, which is currently owned by Cox Radio
and licensed to Patchogue, New York
, is programmed by Jeremy (J.J.) Rice who has been with the station since 1998. (Rice was formerly PD of WWHT (Hot 107.9) in Syracuse while the station was owned by Cox Radio. When ClearChannel purchased WWHT in 1998, Rice moved to Long Island and has since been the program director of WBLI and CHR format director for Cox Radio.) The APD is Al Levine "on the scene", who has been with 'BLI since February 5, 1995 and has done nights, afternoon drive, mid-days, and now once again afternoon drive.
Recurring programs on BLI in the Morning:
-The Dirt Report at 6:20, 7:20, & 8:20 - Hollywood gossip
-To Catch a Cheater, Wednesdays at 7:40
-I Want You Back, Tuesdays at 7:40
-Remember The Time, Fridays at 8:40
-Dirt from Us Weekly, Thursdays at 8:20
-Hersday, Thursdays at 7:40
BLI in the Morning often poses questions or opinions to the listeners, both on the air and online. They have many people call in each day with their opinions, and even have some 'friends' who they know well and who call a lot, like "Loyal Listener Lucille" and more.
Steve Harper had hosted BLI in the AM for 25 years before being let go in the Summer of 2006, with Maria Garcia for about eight of them as "Steve and Maria in the Morning." Dana replaced Maria in 2005. Steve's last show was on July 19, 2006. Dana then assumed hosting duties along side "Big Gay" Randy Spears and Drew Applebaum. Randy and Drew exited the station on December 16, 2010.
On January 10, 2011, the radio station introduced the NEW BLI in the Morning, which featured Dana with new co-host Jeffrey Jameson, and the return of Shawn "Puffy the Producer" Novatt one month later, who was with BLI in a similar role from 2000-2004.
On Friday, February 29, 2008, radio announcers Opie and Anthony
, vocal proponents for free speech in broadcasting, called for the firing of WBLI station manager John Shea for "not standing behind his guy."
Contemporary hit radio
Contemporary hit radio is a radio format that is common in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada and Australia that focuses on playing current and recurrent popular music as determined by the Top 40 music charts...
music formatted radio station
Radio station
Radio broadcasting is a one-way wireless transmission over radio waves intended to reach a wide audience. Stations can be linked in radio networks to broadcast a common radio format, either in broadcast syndication or simulcast or both...
which mainly serves Nassau
Nassau County, New York
Nassau County is a suburban county on Long Island, east of New York City in the U.S. state of New York, within the New York Metropolitan Area. As of the 2010 census, the population was 1,339,532...
and Suffolk
Suffolk County, New York
Suffolk County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York on the eastern portion of Long Island. As of the 2010 census, the population was 1,493,350. It was named for the county of Suffolk in England, from which its earliest settlers came...
Counties on Long Island
Long Island
Long Island is an island located in the southeast part of the U.S. state of New York, just east of Manhattan. Stretching northeast into the Atlantic Ocean, Long Island contains four counties, two of which are boroughs of New York City , and two of which are mainly suburban...
. It can also be heard in the Hudson Valley
Hudson Valley
The Hudson Valley comprises the valley of the Hudson River and its adjacent communities in New York State, United States, from northern Westchester County northward to the cities of Albany and Troy.-History:...
, the South Shore of Connecticut
Connecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
, and the Jersey Shore
Jersey Shore
The Jersey Shore is a term used to refer to both the Atlantic coast of the U.S. state of New Jersey and the adjacent resort and residential communities. . The New Jersey State Department of Tourism considers the Shore Region, Greater Atlantic City, and the Southern Shore to be distinct, each having...
. Its transmitter is located in Farmingville, New York
Farmingville, New York
Farmingville is a hamlet in Suffolk County, New York, United States. The population was 16,458 at the 2000 census.Farmingville is in the Town of Brookhaven...
.
A Latin music pirate station is also currently broadcasting from the South Bronx on 106.1 FM in the evening hours interfering with BLI's signal in Nassau County.
History
WBLI, the station as a whole, first went on the air in 1958 as WPAC-FM, but gained fame in the 1970s. DJs from the 1970s & 1980s included Barry Neal, Randi Taylor, Bruce Michaels, Nick O'Neil, Chris Tyler, Bill TerryBill Terry
William Harold Terry was a Major League Baseball first baseman and manager. Considered one of the greatest players of all time, Terry was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1954. In 1999, he ranked number 59 on The Sporting News list of the 100 Greatest Baseball Players, and was a nominee...
(was PD in the 1980s), Jeff Thomas
Jeff Thomas
Jeff Thomas is a former British professional boxer from Lytham St. Anne's in Lancashire.Thomas fought at light welterweight and was a challenger for the Irish light welterweight title and the British Masters super featherweight and light welterweight titles.-Background:Thomas was born in...
(also the PD), Scott Taylor, Don Nelson
Don Nelson
Donald Arvid "Don" Nelson is a former NBA player and head coach. He coached the Milwaukee Bucks, the New York Knicks, the Dallas Mavericks, and the Golden State Warriors....
, Rick Sommers, Keith Allen (now of B103 Long Island), Rob McLean, Mary Ann (aka J.J. Kennedy of WLTW
WLTW
WLTW is a radio station with an Adult Contemporary format in New York City.The station is often number one or close to it in Arbitron ratings for New York City. From 2002 to 2004, the station generated more revenue than any other radio station in the New York market...
/New York City),Carl Dayton, TK Townsend, Brooke Daniels, Larry Adams, Ken Rhodes (Ken Rosato, former WBLI news director and now WABC-TV/Channel 7 news anchor), Scott Miller and Kelly Hart. WBLI had a Saturday Night disco
Disco
Disco is a genre of dance music. Disco acts charted high during the mid-1970s, and the genre's popularity peaked during the late 1970s. It had its roots in clubs that catered to African American, gay, psychedelic, and other communities in New York City and Philadelphia during the late 1960s and...
show called "Club 106" during the disco days, and a Sunday Night Oldies
Oldies
Oldies is a term commonly used to describe a radio format that concentrates on music from a period of about 15 to 55 years before the present day....
show known as "Only Gold" during the 1970s through the mid 1980s hosted by Don Nelson. Although technically a CHR/Top 40, WBLI had a more adult contemporary sound in certain dayparts and avoided such harder-rocking CHR hits as "I Love Rock & Roll" by Joan Jett & The Blackhearts during their initial chart runs.
Its most recent incarnation of CHR
Contemporary hit radio
Contemporary hit radio is a radio format that is common in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada and Australia that focuses on playing current and recurrent popular music as determined by the Top 40 music charts...
began in September 1996 when the station, under its then-owners Chancellor Broadcasting and PD Doc Medek flipped from Hot A/C, an evolution that had begun in May 1996. Under Doc Medek and Al Levine as M-D/night jock the station redeveloped it's CHR sound on Long Island, voiced by Billy Moore, and a new jingle package, playing the current records, and had night show features like the "Fresh 5 at 9", and the "New Music Challenge" return. By 1997 'BLI was one of the more rhythmic mainstream CHR's on the air featuring "Classic Dance Weekends".
When Cox Radio took over 'BLI they evolved into a more mainstream CHR with less dance product (though still more than most other CHR's) and a tighter playlist voiced by Kurt Flood, Mark Driscoll, Jennifer Vaughn, and Brian James. On March 29, 2006 Beau Weaver took over as voice of 106.1 BLI, a new jingle package debuted at this time as well- the package that is still used today.
In September 1996 'BLI dropped the Syndicated weekend Program "Open House Party" on Saturday nights in favor of a disco show hosted by Party Marty Mitchell. Party Marty hosted the Arbitron #1 rated B-103 Disco Party for three years prior to 'BLI. Open House Party continued on Sunday nights until November of '96. Party Marty's show would continue until 1998 when Marty left to Co-host "Mary and Marty in the Morning" on LOVE 96.1, WLVG. "CLUB BLI" would begin, playing current club music. CLUB BLI is the current Saturday night show featuring occasional live broadcasts from popular Long Island clubs.
WBLI, which is currently owned by Cox Radio
Cox Radio
Cox Radio, Inc. is a division of Cox Enterprises that holds a number of radio stations. Cox Radio is headquartered at 6205 Peachtree Dunwoody Road in Sandy Springs, Georgia....
and licensed to Patchogue, New York
Patchogue, New York
-Notable citizens:* Franc D'Ambrosio, Broadway Actor, best known for being the longest running Phantom in Phantom of the Opera. Graduated Pat-Med HS 1981* Michael Fagan, professional bowler...
, is programmed by Jeremy (J.J.) Rice who has been with the station since 1998. (Rice was formerly PD of WWHT (Hot 107.9) in Syracuse while the station was owned by Cox Radio. When ClearChannel purchased WWHT in 1998, Rice moved to Long Island and has since been the program director of WBLI and CHR format director for Cox Radio.) The APD is Al Levine "on the scene", who has been with 'BLI since February 5, 1995 and has done nights, afternoon drive, mid-days, and now once again afternoon drive.
BLI in the Morning
The morning program, known as "BLI in the Morning" features Dana DiDonato, Jeffrey Jameson, Shawn "Puffy The Producer" Novatt, and Ted Lindner with news and traffic.Recurring programs on BLI in the Morning:
-The Dirt Report at 6:20, 7:20, & 8:20 - Hollywood gossip
-To Catch a Cheater, Wednesdays at 7:40
-I Want You Back, Tuesdays at 7:40
-Remember The Time, Fridays at 8:40
-Dirt from Us Weekly, Thursdays at 8:20
-Hersday, Thursdays at 7:40
BLI in the Morning often poses questions or opinions to the listeners, both on the air and online. They have many people call in each day with their opinions, and even have some 'friends' who they know well and who call a lot, like "Loyal Listener Lucille" and more.
Steve Harper had hosted BLI in the AM for 25 years before being let go in the Summer of 2006, with Maria Garcia for about eight of them as "Steve and Maria in the Morning." Dana replaced Maria in 2005. Steve's last show was on July 19, 2006. Dana then assumed hosting duties along side "Big Gay" Randy Spears and Drew Applebaum. Randy and Drew exited the station on December 16, 2010.
On January 10, 2011, the radio station introduced the NEW BLI in the Morning, which featured Dana with new co-host Jeffrey Jameson, and the return of Shawn "Puffy the Producer" Novatt one month later, who was with BLI in a similar role from 2000-2004.
Controversy
On Wednesday, February 27, 2008, Randy of the "BLI in the Morning" show offended a caller from the Mastic section of Long Island, NY, by insinuating that she lived in a trailer park. After in the station received complaints regarding the remarks, and after Randy's refusal to apologize, he was suspended by station management.On Friday, February 29, 2008, radio announcers Opie and Anthony
Opie and Anthony
Opie and Anthony are the hosts of The Opie & Anthony Show, a talk radio program airing in the United States and Canada on XM Satellite Radio and Sirius Satellite Radio. Since the merger of the two satellite companies, this is now called Sirius/XM...
, vocal proponents for free speech in broadcasting, called for the firing of WBLI station manager John Shea for "not standing behind his guy."
Current
- Dana DiDonato
- Jeffrey Jameson
- Shawn Novatt (Puffy the Producer)
- Astra (Astralistic Statistic)
- Al Levine "On the Scene"
- Barbara De Laleu
- Crash
- Rachael Glory
- L.J. Lovely
- Syke
- Anthony from the Deli
- Ted Lindner (Traffic)
- Paul Verderosa (Traffic)
- Sean Croft
Former
- Chloe (now working middays at WAPE in Jacksonville, FL)
- Reno
- Wendy Wild (currently weekdays on New York's 103.5 KTU)
- Bryan Martinez (now on-air at WXNY, New York as "Danny Candela")
- Tony "the Tiger" (now the Imaging Director for Cox Radio Long Island)
- Just Joe
- Dennis the Menace (now using his real name Ted Lindner to do traffic)
- Steve Harper (now doing mornings on WKJY 98.3)
- Party Marty Mitchell (now PD of WKMK, New Jersey)
- Maria Garcia
- Slam the Stuntman
- Vic LatinoVic LatinoVic Latino is an American radio and television personality of Puerto Rican descent. Latino can be heard on WPTY weekdays from 7:00 a.m. - 10:00 a.m...
(now Owner of Party 105.3) - Stick
- Orphan Andrew (now doing nights at 107.9 The End in Sacramento California)
- Fisher (now PD of Cox Radio's Richmond Cluster)
- Jarrett Galeno (now APD at K-104 Poughkeepsie)
- Skyy Walker
- Ballistic Bob (now working for Metro Traffic and Weather)
- Goldapper (now PD of Party-FM, Production Director of Party-FM and Afternoon Co-host)
- Gabrielle
- Jonny Weitz (currently weekends on K104 Poughkeepsie)
- Holly Levis (now working part time at WKJY)
- Fester
- Larry Addams (Larry Wachs, host of the Regular Guys Show on Rock 100.5/Atlanta)
- Malibu Mark (aka Mark The Shark) currently mid days at Y102.9 in Raleigh
- Tim Clarke (now PD of Cox Radio's Hot 101-5 in Tampa Bay)
- Alfredo on the Radio (now mid days on Party-FM)
- J. Martinez (now weeknights on Party-FM)
- Randy Spears
- Drew
- Chris Cruise (now On-air/Production for JVC Media LLC)
- Lil' Cee (currently filling in afternoons for 92.3 NOW in New York)
- Broadway Bill Lee (now afternoons at WCBS-FM in New York)
- Scotty B (now producer and on-air at WHTZ)
- Ken Rhodes (Rosato) now WABC-TV/Channel 7 Eyewitness News anchor
- Jeff Young (now with Dial Global Radio Networks in CA)
Programs
- BLI in the Morning, M-F 5:30-9
- Facebook 5 at 9(pm)
- Club BLI ("hit music mixed dance-style")