WEAT
Encyclopedia
WEAT-FM, on-air known as Sunny 104.3, is a radio station licensed to the West Palm Beach, Florida
market. It is owned by CBS Radio
, and broadcasts at 104.3 FM.
WFTL
/850 & WPEC
television once shared the WEAT call letters when they were owned by businessman John D. MacArthur
. The television station became WPEC when sold to Alexander W. Dreyfoos in 1973. WEAT(AM) became WDJA in 1998 and became WFTL in 2003.
format as Easy 104.". The Program Director was Paul Dunn and the morning host was Dave Supple in the late 80s and early 90s.
August 1, 1986 -- WEAT-FM moves from 104.5 to 104.3
March 23, 1992 -- WEAT-FM switches to Adult Contemporary. Les Howard, former program director at Broward's Joy 107 (now WAMR), assumed the same position at WEAT. Chuck Bennett, from WSSP
in Orlando
, is morning host with WEAT's first Female full time employee Pam Triolo (assistant Director of operations for Metro Networks previously and WXLO/WFGL Worcester, Ma morning News Director/ P.R. DIrector).
Summer 1993 -- Tom Kelley from WMEE
in Ft. Wayne, Indiana replaces Chuck Bennett at host of the morning show. Bennett left to start a production company in Melbourne, Florida
. Tom Kelly joined mainstay Co-host Pam Triolo who went on to win numerous American Women in Radio and Television Tara awards for both On-air personality and Copywriter in 1994, 1995 and 1996. (Palm Beach Post, Thom Smith))Tom Kelly resigned and Pam Triolo continued to host WEAT morning's with Dick Shannon and finally Rob Early. Pam Triolo and Early brought WEAT to #1 in the spring book of 1995. WEAT's cumulative ratings were up 38%.
Fall 1995.. (Palm Beach Post, Wednesday July 26, 1995 by Mitch McKenney). -- Kevin Kitchens and Jennifer Ross join the station for mornings as the Champions of Breakfast. The pair had been together at rival WRMF for more than a decade until Kitchens left for San Diego. The Palm Beach Post reported that Kitchen earned more than $200,000. Upon the arrival of Kevin and Jennifer, Pam Triolo relocated to WEAT's new sister station WOLL for her first solo stint as midday announcer then afternoon drive DJ when the stations turned it's moniker to 94-3 the Beach.
Fall 1996... Pam Triolo resigns to start her own advertising and marketing agency First Impressions Creative Services, Inc. Still in existence in Lake Worth, FL as well as write and host the TV Show "What's For Dinner?" which enjoyed an 8 year run.
March 1996 -- Midday host Sunny Quinn leaves after 3½ years for WZZR
's morning show. She left WZZR
in March 1997 and will later return to the midday time slot. Shortly after the station dropped the Sunday morning Jazz brunch program that Quinn had hosted, but returned it a week later with Kevin Kitchens as host. Chad Perry became the midday host, and the syndicated Delilah After Dark program runs in the evening.
September 1996 -- Chad Perry returns to evenings for and Delilah After Dark is dropped.
December 1996 -- Sunny drops Dave Koz
's weekend jazz show.
May 1997 -- Jon Howe moves to afternoons, Cassie Jacoby joins midday.
January 31, 1999 --- 'Midday host Cassie Jacoby quits over a contract dispute.
February 3, 1999 -- Kevin Kitchens died of a heart attack. Jennifer Ross becomes morning show host and morning show producer, John Taylor is promoted to co-host. Danny Ingram begins as morning show producer for Jennifer and John.
April 1999 -- Sunny Quinn returns to midday after traveling with Grand Funk Railroad for two years.
December 1999 -- Jon Howe replaces John Taylor on the Champions of Breakfast with Jennifer Ross.
January 2000: -- Tim Byrd joins station from WRMF.
April 2000 -- Jon Howe leaves the Champions of Breakfast. Program Director Les Howard fills in as Obi-Wan Jacoby. Howard's real last name is Jacoby.
September 2000 -- Jennifer Ross leaves to return to WRMF. Ross was forced off the air in April 2001 by Sunny 104.3. Pam Triolo is called in to fill in with Joe Martelle for a few weeks which eventually become a few months. She is offered the job of returning to Sunny as Morning Co-host but can't reach an agreement. Melanie Brenner eventually succeed to the Champions of BreakfastThe Palm Beach Post reported that Brenner "mounted an active mail-in campaign to get the job but was never able to agree on a contract, returned from vacation two weeks ago and jumped to rival WRMF."
October 5, 2000 -- Sunny 104.3 is named station of the year and Les Howard Program Director of the year at the Billboard Radio Monitor Awards in New York.
February 2001 -- Lindy Rome replaces Melanie Brenner.
July 2002 -- Program Director Les Howard leaves the station.
April 2004 -- Joe Martelle loses his voice and is no longer able to continue hosting the Champions of Breakfast. Program Director Rick Shockley replaces him. Lindy Rome was replaced by former WPTV television news reporter and anchor Rachele Scholes. The Palm Beach Post reported that Martelle's claim that that after his voice gave out, the station did not renew his contract. Station management says it wishes Joe well but will not comment further. Martelle has retained professional representation to make his case.
April 2005: -- A Palm Beach County jury Friday awarded Sunny 104.3 more than the $13.3 million the station's attorney had asked for after ruling that Jennifer Ross breached her contract by moving to rival station WRMF in September 2000.
March 2006: -- Afternoon personality Tim Byrd leaves the station citing a "hostile and disrespectful" work environment and the "constant criticism" he has had to endure. His agent said Byrd had been working without a contract for two years and recently saw his bonus structure taken away.
November 2006 -- 2 weeks or so before thanksgiving :
Sunny 104.3 started doing month long of Christmas music along with Kool 105.5
January 2007 -- Florida's Fourth District Court of Appeal reverses Sunny's verdict against Jennifer Ross on both liability and damages, citing numerous errors by trial court Judge Diana Lewis. http://www.4dca.org/Jan2007/01-24-07/4D05-3888.op.pdf
February 2007 -- Michelle Visage
joins the Champions of Breakfast.
April 2008 -- Christie Banks joins Midday and is now on afternoon drive.
, who owned WEAT-TV Channel 12 (now WPEC
) and WEAT now WFTL
. MacArthur sold both stations to sportscaster Curt Gowdy
in 1975 for $1.5 million.
October 1986 -- Gowdy sold the stations the following year for an undisclosed price to J.J. Taylor Companies Inc. of North Dartmouth, Mass..
October 1995 -- sold with WEAT to OmniAmerica Group of Cleveland for an estimated $18 million.
May 1996 -- sold with seven other stations for $178 million to Chancellor Broadcasting Co.
June 1996 -- sold with WEAT
/850 and WOLL
/94.3 to American Radio Systems of Boston.
May 1997 -- sold with WKGR
/98.7, WOLL
/94.3, WBZT
/1290 to Bud Paxon for $33 million.
September 1997 -- Westinghouse (later CBS Corporation
) purchases American Radio's 98 radio stations for $1.2 billion.
Summer 2003: 7.3 share, #1 in market
Winter 2003: 7.7 share, #1 in market
Summer 2002: 9.1 share, #1 in market
Fall 2002: 8 share, #1 in market
Spring 2002: 8.6 share, #1 in market
Fall 2001: 7.4 share, #1 in market
Summer 2001:6.4 share, #1 in market
Spring 2001: 8.0 share, #1 in market
Winter 2000: 8.2 share, #1 in market
Spring 1999: 7.4 share, #1 in market
Fall 1998: 7.4 share, #1 in the market
Fall 1997: 9.2 share, #1 in market
Summer 1997: 8.0 share, #1 in market
Spring 1997: 8.5 share, #1 in market
Fall 1996: 8.3 share, #2 in market. WRLX was #1 with 9.0 share.
Summer 1996: 7.2 share, #3 in market. WRMF was #1 with 8.2 share
Spring 1996: 7.2 share, #2 in market. WRMF was #1 with 7.8 share
Fall 1995: 9.3 share, #1 in market
Summer 1995: 6.4 share, 4th place in market. WRMF was #1 with a 7.7 share
Spring 1995: 8.3 share, #1 in market. Rob Early and Pam Triolo morning team enjoy big success. "these Numbers are pre-Kevin, pre-Jennifer," WEAT General Manager Dave D'Eugenio said. Kevin Kitchens had left WRMF and was joining Jennifer Ross on Sunny in the Fall as host of the Champions of Breakfast on Sunny 104.3.
Winter 1995: 4.6 share, #5 in market, WRMF was #1
Spring 1992: #1 in market after format change from Easy Listening
Easy 104 to Adult Contemporary Sunny 104.3 Pam Triolo joins Chuck Bennett in the mornings
Spring 1991: #1 in market
Fall 1990: #1 in market for 21st year in a row according to Marci Cooke, as reported in the Palm Beach Post.
Summer 1990: 13.1 share, #1 in market
Spring 1990: 15.2 share, #1 in market
Fall 1989: 17.8, #1 in market
Summer 1989: 17.5, #1 in market
Spring 1989: 16.7 share, #1 in market
Fall 1986: #1 in market
Fall 1985: 10.0, #2 in market, WRMF had an 11.3 share
Spring 1985: 13.0 share, #1 in market
Fall 1984: 14.4 share, #1 in market
External links
West Palm Beach, Florida
West Palm Beach, is a city located on the Atlantic coast in southeastern Florida and is the most populous city in and county seat of Palm Beach County, the third most populous county in Florida with a 2010 population of 1,320,134. The city is also the oldest incorporated municipality in South Florida...
market. It is owned by CBS Radio
CBS Radio
CBS Radio, Inc., formerly known as Infinity Broadcasting Corporation, is one of the largest owners and operators of radio stations in the United States, third behind main rival Clear Channel Communications and Cumulus Media. CBS Radio owns around 130 radio stations across the country...
, and broadcasts at 104.3 FM.
WFTL
WFTL
WFTL is a radio station with studios in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and licensed to West Palm Beach, Florida.WFTL serves Fort Lauderdale, Miami and The Palm Beaches. The station broadcasts a mix of news and mostly syndicated talk programming. Its signal is broadcast at 50,000 watts, covering all of...
/850 & WPEC
WPEC
WPEC is the CBS-affiliated television station for the Gold and Treasure Coasts of South Florida. Licensed to West Palm Beach, it broadcasts a high definition digital signal on VHF channel 13 from a transmitter in Lake Worth along U.S. 441/SR 7. The station is the flagship of Freedom Communications...
television once shared the WEAT call letters when they were owned by businessman John D. MacArthur
John D. MacArthur
John Donald MacArthur was an American businessman and philanthropist who established the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, benefactor in the MacArthur Fellowships.-Early life:...
. The television station became WPEC when sold to Alexander W. Dreyfoos in 1973. WEAT(AM) became WDJA in 1998 and became WFTL in 2003.
Timeline
1969 -- WEAT-FM broadcast an Easy ListeningEasy listening
Easy listening is a broad style of popular music and radio format that emerged in the 1950s, evolving out of big band music, and related to MOR music as played on many AM radio stations. It encompasses the exotica, beautiful music, light music, lounge music, ambient music, and space age pop genres...
format as Easy 104.". The Program Director was Paul Dunn and the morning host was Dave Supple in the late 80s and early 90s.
August 1, 1986 -- WEAT-FM moves from 104.5 to 104.3
March 23, 1992 -- WEAT-FM switches to Adult Contemporary. Les Howard, former program director at Broward's Joy 107 (now WAMR), assumed the same position at WEAT. Chuck Bennett, from WSSP
WSSP
WSSP is a Milwaukee-based sports talk station owned by Entercom.The station is the secondary home station for any play-by-play sports coverage on WTMJ-AM which conflicts with another event; for instance the Milwaukee Bucks air on WSSP if a Milwaukee Brewers game airs. If a Green Bay Packers game...
in Orlando
Orlando, Florida
Orlando is a city in the central region of the U.S. state of Florida. It is the county seat of Orange County, and the center of the Greater Orlando metropolitan area. According to the 2010 US Census, the city had a population of 238,300, making Orlando the 79th largest city in the United States...
, is morning host with WEAT's first Female full time employee Pam Triolo (assistant Director of operations for Metro Networks previously and WXLO/WFGL Worcester, Ma morning News Director/ P.R. DIrector).
Summer 1993 -- Tom Kelley from WMEE
WMEE
WMEE is a radio station broadcasting a Hot Adult Contemporary format. The station serves the Fort Wayne, Indiana area. The station is currently owned by Federated Media.-History:...
in Ft. Wayne, Indiana replaces Chuck Bennett at host of the morning show. Bennett left to start a production company in Melbourne, Florida
Melbourne, Florida
Melbourne is a city in Brevard County, Florida, United States. As of 2009, the population estimated by the U.S. Census Bureau is 78,323. The municipal area is the second largest by size and by population in the county. Melbourne is a principal city of the Palm Bay – Melbourne – Titusville, Florida...
. Tom Kelly joined mainstay Co-host Pam Triolo who went on to win numerous American Women in Radio and Television Tara awards for both On-air personality and Copywriter in 1994, 1995 and 1996. (Palm Beach Post, Thom Smith))Tom Kelly resigned and Pam Triolo continued to host WEAT morning's with Dick Shannon and finally Rob Early. Pam Triolo and Early brought WEAT to #1 in the spring book of 1995. WEAT's cumulative ratings were up 38%.
Fall 1995.. (Palm Beach Post, Wednesday July 26, 1995 by Mitch McKenney). -- Kevin Kitchens and Jennifer Ross join the station for mornings as the Champions of Breakfast. The pair had been together at rival WRMF for more than a decade until Kitchens left for San Diego. The Palm Beach Post reported that Kitchen earned more than $200,000. Upon the arrival of Kevin and Jennifer, Pam Triolo relocated to WEAT's new sister station WOLL for her first solo stint as midday announcer then afternoon drive DJ when the stations turned it's moniker to 94-3 the Beach.
Fall 1996... Pam Triolo resigns to start her own advertising and marketing agency First Impressions Creative Services, Inc. Still in existence in Lake Worth, FL as well as write and host the TV Show "What's For Dinner?" which enjoyed an 8 year run.
March 1996 -- Midday host Sunny Quinn leaves after 3½ years for WZZR
WZZR
WZZR is an FM radio station that serves the Port St. Lucie/Stuart/West Palm Beach/Fort Lauderdale area with a talk radio format.Currently on 94.3, it formerly was on 92.7. Until 1992, it was known as "Z93" and played top 40 music, and music from the 80's and 70's. It also supported the local St....
's morning show. She left WZZR
WZZR
WZZR is an FM radio station that serves the Port St. Lucie/Stuart/West Palm Beach/Fort Lauderdale area with a talk radio format.Currently on 94.3, it formerly was on 92.7. Until 1992, it was known as "Z93" and played top 40 music, and music from the 80's and 70's. It also supported the local St....
in March 1997 and will later return to the midday time slot. Shortly after the station dropped the Sunday morning Jazz brunch program that Quinn had hosted, but returned it a week later with Kevin Kitchens as host. Chad Perry became the midday host, and the syndicated Delilah After Dark program runs in the evening.
September 1996 -- Chad Perry returns to evenings for and Delilah After Dark is dropped.
December 1996 -- Sunny drops Dave Koz
Dave Koz
Dave Koz is an American smooth jazz saxophonist.- Life and career :Dave Koz was born on March 27, 1963 in Encino, California....
's weekend jazz show.
May 1997 -- Jon Howe moves to afternoons, Cassie Jacoby joins midday.
January 31, 1999 --- 'Midday host Cassie Jacoby quits over a contract dispute.
February 3, 1999 -- Kevin Kitchens died of a heart attack. Jennifer Ross becomes morning show host and morning show producer, John Taylor is promoted to co-host. Danny Ingram begins as morning show producer for Jennifer and John.
April 1999 -- Sunny Quinn returns to midday after traveling with Grand Funk Railroad for two years.
December 1999 -- Jon Howe replaces John Taylor on the Champions of Breakfast with Jennifer Ross.
January 2000: -- Tim Byrd joins station from WRMF.
April 2000 -- Jon Howe leaves the Champions of Breakfast. Program Director Les Howard fills in as Obi-Wan Jacoby. Howard's real last name is Jacoby.
September 2000 -- Jennifer Ross leaves to return to WRMF. Ross was forced off the air in April 2001 by Sunny 104.3. Pam Triolo is called in to fill in with Joe Martelle for a few weeks which eventually become a few months. She is offered the job of returning to Sunny as Morning Co-host but can't reach an agreement. Melanie Brenner eventually succeed to the Champions of BreakfastThe Palm Beach Post reported that Brenner "mounted an active mail-in campaign to get the job but was never able to agree on a contract, returned from vacation two weeks ago and jumped to rival WRMF."
October 5, 2000 -- Sunny 104.3 is named station of the year and Les Howard Program Director of the year at the Billboard Radio Monitor Awards in New York.
February 2001 -- Lindy Rome replaces Melanie Brenner.
July 2002 -- Program Director Les Howard leaves the station.
April 2004 -- Joe Martelle loses his voice and is no longer able to continue hosting the Champions of Breakfast. Program Director Rick Shockley replaces him. Lindy Rome was replaced by former WPTV television news reporter and anchor Rachele Scholes. The Palm Beach Post reported that Martelle's claim that that after his voice gave out, the station did not renew his contract. Station management says it wishes Joe well but will not comment further. Martelle has retained professional representation to make his case.
April 2005: -- A Palm Beach County jury Friday awarded Sunny 104.3 more than the $13.3 million the station's attorney had asked for after ruling that Jennifer Ross breached her contract by moving to rival station WRMF in September 2000.
March 2006: -- Afternoon personality Tim Byrd leaves the station citing a "hostile and disrespectful" work environment and the "constant criticism" he has had to endure. His agent said Byrd had been working without a contract for two years and recently saw his bonus structure taken away.
November 2006 -- 2 weeks or so before thanksgiving :
Sunny 104.3 started doing month long of Christmas music along with Kool 105.5
January 2007 -- Florida's Fourth District Court of Appeal reverses Sunny's verdict against Jennifer Ross on both liability and damages, citing numerous errors by trial court Judge Diana Lewis. http://www.4dca.org/Jan2007/01-24-07/4D05-3888.op.pdf
February 2007 -- Michelle Visage
Michelle Visage
Michelle Visage is a singer and TV/radio host.-Career:Michelle was discovered in 1989 when she was asked to join Seduction, an R&B and dance vocal trio assembled by Robert Clivilles and David Cole of C&C Music Factory fame...
joins the Champions of Breakfast.
April 2008 -- Christie Banks joins Midday and is now on afternoon drive.
Ownership History
WEAT was initially owned by businessman John D. MacArthurJohn D. MacArthur
John Donald MacArthur was an American businessman and philanthropist who established the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, benefactor in the MacArthur Fellowships.-Early life:...
, who owned WEAT-TV Channel 12 (now WPEC
WPEC
WPEC is the CBS-affiliated television station for the Gold and Treasure Coasts of South Florida. Licensed to West Palm Beach, it broadcasts a high definition digital signal on VHF channel 13 from a transmitter in Lake Worth along U.S. 441/SR 7. The station is the flagship of Freedom Communications...
) and WEAT now WFTL
WFTL
WFTL is a radio station with studios in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and licensed to West Palm Beach, Florida.WFTL serves Fort Lauderdale, Miami and The Palm Beaches. The station broadcasts a mix of news and mostly syndicated talk programming. Its signal is broadcast at 50,000 watts, covering all of...
. MacArthur sold both stations to sportscaster Curt Gowdy
Curt Gowdy
Curtis Edward "Curt" Gowdy was an American sportscaster, well known as the longtime "voice" of the Boston Red Sox and for his coverage of many nationally-televised sporting events, primarily for NBC Sports in the 1960s and 1970s.-Early years:The son of a manager for the Union Pacific railroad,...
in 1975 for $1.5 million.
October 1986 -- Gowdy sold the stations the following year for an undisclosed price to J.J. Taylor Companies Inc. of North Dartmouth, Mass..
October 1995 -- sold with WEAT to OmniAmerica Group of Cleveland for an estimated $18 million.
May 1996 -- sold with seven other stations for $178 million to Chancellor Broadcasting Co.
June 1996 -- sold with WEAT
WFTL
WFTL is a radio station with studios in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and licensed to West Palm Beach, Florida.WFTL serves Fort Lauderdale, Miami and The Palm Beaches. The station broadcasts a mix of news and mostly syndicated talk programming. Its signal is broadcast at 50,000 watts, covering all of...
/850 and WOLL
Woll
Woll is a village on the Ale Water, off the A7, in the Ettrick Forest, north of Hawick, and south of Selkirk, Scottish Borders, in the Scottish Borders area of Scotland....
/94.3 to American Radio Systems of Boston.
May 1997 -- sold with WKGR
WKGR
- Station Information :WKGR is Palm Beach, Florida's classic rock station. WKGR transmits at 100,000 watts with an antenna height of 968 feet....
/98.7, WOLL
Woll
Woll is a village on the Ale Water, off the A7, in the Ettrick Forest, north of Hawick, and south of Selkirk, Scottish Borders, in the Scottish Borders area of Scotland....
/94.3, WBZT
WJNO
WJNO is a News/Talk radio station in the West Palm Beach market.Its location links WJNO to two nationally syndicated radio programs. WJNO is a de facto flagship station for The Rush Limbaugh Show; Limbaugh hosts the show from his home studio, located in the area...
/1290 to Bud Paxon for $33 million.
September 1997 -- Westinghouse (later CBS Corporation
CBS Corporation
CBS Corporation is an American media conglomerate focused on commercial broadcasting, publishing, billboards and television production, with most of its operations in the United States. The President and CEO of the company is Leslie Moonves. Sumner Redstone, owner of National Amusements, is CBS's...
) purchases American Radio's 98 radio stations for $1.2 billion.
Ratings
Winter 2004: 6.0 share, #1 in marketSummer 2003: 7.3 share, #1 in market
Winter 2003: 7.7 share, #1 in market
Summer 2002: 9.1 share, #1 in market
Fall 2002: 8 share, #1 in market
Spring 2002: 8.6 share, #1 in market
Fall 2001: 7.4 share, #1 in market
Summer 2001:6.4 share, #1 in market
Spring 2001: 8.0 share, #1 in market
Winter 2000: 8.2 share, #1 in market
Spring 1999: 7.4 share, #1 in market
Fall 1998: 7.4 share, #1 in the market
Fall 1997: 9.2 share, #1 in market
Summer 1997: 8.0 share, #1 in market
Spring 1997: 8.5 share, #1 in market
Fall 1996: 8.3 share, #2 in market. WRLX was #1 with 9.0 share.
Summer 1996: 7.2 share, #3 in market. WRMF was #1 with 8.2 share
Spring 1996: 7.2 share, #2 in market. WRMF was #1 with 7.8 share
Fall 1995: 9.3 share, #1 in market
Summer 1995: 6.4 share, 4th place in market. WRMF was #1 with a 7.7 share
Spring 1995: 8.3 share, #1 in market. Rob Early and Pam Triolo morning team enjoy big success. "these Numbers are pre-Kevin, pre-Jennifer," WEAT General Manager Dave D'Eugenio said. Kevin Kitchens had left WRMF and was joining Jennifer Ross on Sunny in the Fall as host of the Champions of Breakfast on Sunny 104.3.
Winter 1995: 4.6 share, #5 in market, WRMF was #1
Spring 1992: #1 in market after format change from Easy Listening
Easy listening
Easy listening is a broad style of popular music and radio format that emerged in the 1950s, evolving out of big band music, and related to MOR music as played on many AM radio stations. It encompasses the exotica, beautiful music, light music, lounge music, ambient music, and space age pop genres...
Easy 104 to Adult Contemporary Sunny 104.3 Pam Triolo joins Chuck Bennett in the mornings
Spring 1991: #1 in market
Fall 1990: #1 in market for 21st year in a row according to Marci Cooke, as reported in the Palm Beach Post.
Summer 1990: 13.1 share, #1 in market
Spring 1990: 15.2 share, #1 in market
Fall 1989: 17.8, #1 in market
Summer 1989: 17.5, #1 in market
Spring 1989: 16.7 share, #1 in market
Fall 1986: #1 in market
Fall 1985: 10.0, #2 in market, WRMF had an 11.3 share
Spring 1985: 13.0 share, #1 in market
Fall 1984: 14.4 share, #1 in market
External links