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March 10, 2008

The Score goes silent: R.I. loses its all-sports station

Rhode Island lost its only local all-sports radio station today when Citadel Broadcasting told employees it would be changing formats on WSKO AM and FM.

"In the end, it was purely a business decision," said Barbara Haynes, Citadel's general manager. "The hosts'' -- Andy Gresh and Scott Zolak in the morning, and Scott Cordischi in the afternoon -- "are good men, and they have a great future in radio."

"And the programming was first-rate," added Ron St. Pierre, WSKO's programming director.

But Haynes confirmed the arrival of WEEI-FM, Boston's powerful all-sports radio station, into the Rhode Island market in April 2004, started a downward spiral in WSKO's ratings.

WSKO's FM signal, 99.7, will begin simulcasting WPRO-AM's programming on Tuesday. To avoid confusion with the existing WPRO-FM signal, it will be called "Newstalk Radio 630 and 99.7" on the FM side.

The AM signal, 790, will continue to carry "Imus In The Morning" and will carry syndicated ESPN programming for the rest of the week. Haynes and St. Pierre said plans beyond that had not been finalized, though Cordischi indicated the station would switch to a syndicated oldies-music format.

Cordischi said he was told of the decision when he arrived at the station Monday afternoon to begin preparing for his show. He did not go on the air; ESPN's "Stephen A. Smith Show" was broadcast in its place. Gresh and Zolak did their normal broadcast, but were told after their show was over.

"We had no inkling. None of us did,'' said Cordischi, who said the station's employees will receive four weeks' severance pay. Cordischi had signed a three-year contract in January, but said the contract contained a clause which stipulated the agreement could be severed at any time.

Posted by Mike McDermott  at 3:33 PM | Permalink

Comments

This is dumb.

Rob | March 11, 2008 6:38 AM link

Not for those of us that weren't able to listen to 630 WPRO due to signal constraints on the AM side. For us, this was a great move indeed. The jocks can go home and watch Sportcenter for 15 hours.

Greg | March 11, 2008 7:50 AM link

sickening!!!!!great show,great hosts,always delivered....i would spend my spare time during football season flipping back and forth between 99.7 and 103.7.whatever happened to good competition!Im disgusted!You have just lost a huge portion of your listening market!!!!!Good luck Scott,Gresh,Zoe and Brian,im sure you will all land back on your feet.

shawn | March 11, 2008 9:04 AM link

I think its pretty sad that they didn't at least give these guys the week or even the day to go on the air and say good bye to thier listeners.

Frank | March 11, 2008 2:28 PM link

I always preferred listening to the score than 103.7. But this was a total shock when I tuned in only to hear unfamilar voices on the station. These "business" decisions are just wrong and these are people's jobs that you are playing with.They should have at least been told ahead of time so, that fans of the shows could have also been prepared.Gresh,Zoe,and Cordischi were very entertaining and will be missed. It's just a huge disappointment.

Oscar | March 12, 2008 8:58 AM link

Truly a sad day for R.I sports fans. I enjoyed flipping between WEEI and The Score and being able to choose which program was better that day. The Score's coverage of college basketball, other local teams, and national subjects was magnificent while WEEI seems to only care about the Patriots and Red Sox. In addition, it was the only place around here to listen to Jim Rome. Best of luck the Gresh, Scott, and Zo and hopefully RI will get another sports station at some point

Aaron | March 12, 2008 1:59 PM link

im not surprised. when they got rid of coach colletto and added opie and anthony , the message board was filled with negative reaction to the change. the station abandoned its fan base to cater to non sports toilet humor . they tried to tell the listeners that the ratings were better . well, i guess they were wrong. i was a long time listener and emailer but stopped over a year ago. they wont be missed by this sports fan. they need to learn that the listener will never go away and they are only as good ad thier latest rating.

tony | March 12, 2008 2:21 PM link

This is totally unbelieveable i listened to gresh and Zo and worked monday afternoon so i wasn't aware anything had happened i turned the radio on tuesday morning and buddy cianci was on...i was dumbfounded i scanned the radio hoping it had just changed frequencies but i was left wanting i can't believe this as an avid 99.7 listener i am disgusted and will not listen to any other wsko programming from now on i hate 103.7 but if it is between those scumbags who screwed Scott, Gresh and Zo and those honks at weei i will take them everytime and for anyone who cares gresh is a rising star on the national ESPN radio circuit so hopefully he will soon have his own show and if scott, gresh and zo happen to read this just know there are people here in rhode island who will miss you and wish you luck

Jay | March 12, 2008 9:15 PM link

Sattelite Radio , here I come.

Brian | March 13, 2008 6:36 AM link

This was coming folks. This was written all over the walls. When Citadel changed the format from the Colletta & Gresh days and Switch to a non-sport format in the am with O&A. This in of itself was a horrible move. What makeS WEEI so successful are the personalities and the content. This was something WSKO seemed to lack for such a long time.

Tony | March 13, 2008 9:37 AM link

I wonder if Andy Gresh and Scott Cordischi will end up on another station. Hopefully soon.


Dave | March 14, 2008 6:19 AM link

Absolute garbage, I have enjoyed lisening to the sports talk in the mornings, as well as the afternoon. The Jim Rome show in their as well. Oh boy now i get what oldies, an jhon feakin Depetro , or some news? If I wanted to watch the news I would be a cnn, or msnbc freak. Whoever pulled the plug on the sports station sucks.I have no intrest in listening to the blowhards on weei who dont even let their callers speak as their to busy talking over them. I have lived in R.I. for 26 years an everything we have that seems to be anygood is closed or shutdown or replaced with nothing good. Rocky point gone, sports talk gone. Honestly what is so great about r.i. we have nothing why would anyone want to live, or work here. Oh wait we have a casino whoopidee doooo. Oh I knwo maybe now I'll have more time to listen to 92 pro fm so i can here the same song every 5 minuets. Thanks citadel your the best.....maybe you can sellout some more.

Keith Bernard | March 15, 2008 1:17 AM link

At least we got rid of the Yankees on the airways!!!!!

Dean | March 15, 2008 7:37 AM link

I still can`t believe it.. It really seems strange not to listen to Gresh an Zoe ... It was a daily habit like getting your daily cup of coffee in the morning.... Sad day for Rhode Islanders..I hope a Radio Station picks them up ....We need our sports RADIO Gresh an Zoe back...

Ron | March 15, 2008 9:40 AM link

Will John Sterling still be broadcasting the yankees games???

Devon | March 15, 2008 12:16 PM link

TO BAD, AS I WORK ON THE ROAD ALL DAY IN RI, I LOOKED FORWARD TO GRESH AND ZO AND SCOTT ON THE WAY HOME. THESE GUYS WILL BE MISSED AND I CERTAINLY COULD CARE LESS ABOUT THE NEW SHOW. GOING TO LOSE LOTS OF LISTENERS FOR SURE.

jeff | March 15, 2008 3:29 PM link

I just want to know....what's going to happen to the NY Yankee game broadcasts?

Ron | March 15, 2008 4:33 PM link

If you whiny jocks put the same level of outrage you're showing here into what's going on in local government maybe we wouldn't have half the problems we do.

Greg | March 17, 2008 11:48 AM link

I think we all want to know...when is Greg going to run for office? He has all the answers to everything. Instead of spending all day hiding behind your computer and whining on the Projo Blog go out and contribute something to society.

Bill | March 17, 2008 1:46 PM link

Gee, Bill. Did I hit a nerve?

Greg | March 17, 2008 2:21 PM link

You have got to be kidding... Gresh and Zo were easily the best crew to go to for in depth football analysis; rather than going over to 103.7 and hearing zero analysis and the drawn out yelling and "homerism" that gives all of NE fans a dunce cap nationwide. Truly... Gresh, Zo, Scott ...you will ..and are currently missed on the airwaves.

You stay classy WSKO... thanks for informing the many listeners before your "business" decision went through

Rob | March 19, 2008 10:24 PM link

what on earth could've prompted this move i'm more bumbed about losing rome then the other guys although i wish them well this reeks of right wing b/s peace i'm out

rob holder | March 20, 2008 1:17 PM link

This is really sad. All of you who think this is a good thing are probably just homers who just want to hear New England fans blabbing on the radio about how great their teams are, rather than giving objective analysis. If you want someone to just pump your own team up, just talk to yourself. If you wanted to hear what was actually going on in the world of sports, you listened to The Score. WEEI isn't terrible, but there isn't enough content there to keep me interested for longer than 10 minutes at a time. Hopefully something else will take the Score's place.

Brian | March 21, 2008 5:55 PM link

To Citadel:
You may call this a business decision; but screwing with your employee's livelihood is a BAD decision. This is especially true of quality employees like the on-air personalities you had like Andy Gresh, Scott Zolak, and Scott Cordischi. I am saddened, selfishly, because I no longer get the sports info and humor I became so accustomed to but on a much deeper level, I am distressed that you could treat your employees in such a callous manner. Just a question: How many people will need to blog here before you realize the mistake you made? Count me among the many who will NEVER listen to 99.7 fm or 790 am again!!!

Gearjammer | March 23, 2008 8:12 AM link

I just moved back to Rhode Island from a 5 years stay in Ohio. It was GREAT to come back and have these guys to listen to again. Now, I will NEVER have a reason to unplug my Satellite radio and listen to local programming. I hope the Sirius-XM merger puts you under, Citadel. I hope the guys that lost their jobs over this ridiculous move know how much they are appreciated and that we wish them well.

slapshot | March 25, 2008 12:51 PM link

Aside from 104 wbcn in boston anyone know where I can find Opie and Anthony now?

Steve | March 29, 2008 9:40 AM link

WHAT A SADNESS DAY. Now we have some folks talking all day about politics and things that is not interesting for us the fans. Maybe Citadel can do a survey about how the station is doing now, we think that is going to be clear that you are going to loose 99% of the listeners. For me today was the last day that I listened the Station, and was today my last day, because I did not know that was the Score was off. Think again about this desicion

nacar | March 29, 2008 8:26 PM link

i knew this day was coming when they let the coach go. that was the day i switched to weei.does anyone where coach is?

tony | March 31, 2008 9:19 AM link

Pure BS, I was a sports fan for years and never listened to talk radio of any kind, I hated it, I tuned to 997 and instantly was married and in love with it. I bet citadel loses big on this, actually already has, definetely. I cant even talk about it. F citadel

Steven Lees II | April 4, 2008 4:45 PM link

who cares where or when "Yankee" games will be aired??? As a lifelong Red Sox fan, I find it offensive that our local radio caved to that "fan base" to begin with!!!

Rob Ricciutti | April 6, 2008 6:08 PM link

Faithful listener to wpro and wsko from morning till night, Seeks new sports radio station in Rhode Island to replace beloved programming of Gresh& Zo, Jim Rome and Scott Cordischi. Being FORCED to weei has shrunken my sports brain. I wonder if OUR friends Dan Yorke and Buddy Cianci would consider my (RI's) loss as news worthy or even a public interest story :( In any case, MUCH LUCK to Andy and Scott Squared.....YOU ARE MISSED!!!!!!!!!!!

geoff white | June 9, 2008 11:19 PM link

Cordischi got screwed !!! Hang on, on second thought he got blown off !!!

Hickok | June 10, 2008 10:41 AM link

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