Emmis COO Pat Walsh informed his staff that WLIB-AM is transitioning to a daily gospel, inspiration, and information programming lineup that includes syndicated programming from AURN and Reach Media. As a result, five people have been let go.
Walsh said, “After incurring significant financial losses, we reviewed our cost structure and local programming, commercial inventory, and block programming and made the difficult decision to transition to a network model. This decision resulted in eliminating the roles of one full-time and four part-time Emmis employees. Each of these employees received severance, and we are grateful for their contributions. Other employees who worked on WLIB will transition their efforts to Mediaco stations.”
WLIB is an iconic brand in New York, serving the black community since the late 1940s.
On the WBLS side, Skip Dillard moves from Program Director to VP for National Community Partnerships. Taking over WBLS programming is WBLS APD Cynthia Smith.
Praise the Lord! I know your Station is suffering but why can’t you change the playlist??? Surely that can’t go against policy! You have played this same rotation of music for awhile so much so I know what the next song is! Please consider those that are still listening! Please for the love of GOD!!! Change the playlist!!
So sorry about all of your losses because the redundancy of music day in day out is not just an e insult to all the many new artist but a slap in the face for all of us that support and listen to you everyday! Besides the wake up with Erica and Al Sharpton keeping it Real , there’s no reason to have you on until they are present! Well pretty much lost me, I know your playlist by heart!
So dissatisfied!
I don’t like the fact that dj’s are no longer part of the station. Their encouragement has helped me and I’m sure many other listeners. Moreover I would like to know who singing a particular song and it is not stated. Can I get a playlist? Very disappointing.
The new format for WLIB is boring. There are so many gospel songs that can be played yet the Playlist is on a continuous repeat pattern!! Can’t this be changed????
I do, however, enjoy Erica Campbell in the morning. That’s the only thing that is the same!
Please consider updating the Playlist!!
Sincerely,
Olivia
Liz Black was WLIB! Now there’s no longer our Mother’s Day special!!! Plus I don’t like the format any longer. You not have lost money but listener.
Hezikiah Walker and Liz Black are no longer on the air, however the new format does not list a playlist of the music that’s being played. I was appreciate a reply to my question
why is the signal so weak in some areas, you get more static than anything? Very loud buzzing sound that use to clear up at 7:00pm everyday, but it no longer does! The signal is wonderful in my car, but at home the signal is terrible! Has this station gone through another transition within the last week and a half? The programming has changed recently.
This is probably why I can no longer find this station via TuneIn, iHeartRadio or any other popular streaming service. I used to be able to listen to the station in NYC via my Amazon Echo devices and my Google Home devices. Not anymore. Stinks when big corps takeover.
A very (negative) instructive lesson on the direction that the still cash-strapped big radio companies have fallen to, in the frenzied post-consolidation. What is supposed to be the inherent, primary strength of broadcast stations — LOCALism — has been substantially lost among all of the biggest radio companies.
Sad.