Wednesday, January 30, 2008

WKNR Changes

We've heard the rumors, but AllAccess makes it official today: Good Karma sports WKNR/850 "ESPN 850" Cleveland producer, anchor and reporter Bernard Bokenyi is no longer working at the station.

The radio trade site says Bokenyi, one of Good Karma boss Craig Karmazin's first two hires for his Cleveland operation, left the station on Friday. Bokenyi was originally hired for Good Karma's WWGK/1540, now "Cleveland's AM 1540, KNR2", which started before Karmazin bought sports talk mainstay WKNR from Salem.

Bokenyi came to the station along with Aaron Goldhammer, who's now WKNR's assistant program director, along with being producer/sidekick for mid-morning host Tony Rizzo.

The AllAccess report doesn't say who will replace Bokenyi.

But we have a good idea who it'll be.

After pressing our ears to the wall of the newsstand next to the WKNR studios at the Galleria, OMW hears it's been officially announced: Metro Networks afternoon update anchor Daryl Ruiter will make the move downtown, and will take much of Bokenyi's work load - including the production of "ESPN 850"'s afternoon drive show with Mark "Munch" Bishop.

We hear Daryl starts at WKNR a week from next Monday...

3 comments:

Tony Mazur said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
My Collective Thoughts said...

It's sad to see Bernard leave 'KNR. He did a lot behind the scenes.

I'm guessing the reason for his departure was the amount of imported Good Karma employees.

Craig Karmazin is actively trying to create a new identity for WKNR. That's why you're hearing more and more of Aaron Goldhammer and Jordan Sherwood and less and less of Kenny Roda and Greg Brinda.

Filling the void left by the former 'KNR employees are Wisconsin- based imports.

It's sad to see born and raised Cleveland sports fans like Bernard lose their jobs to transplants who could care less about the Indians, Cavs, Buckeyes, and Browns.

Unknown said...

Just within the last week I remember seeing a post on All Access from 850 WKNR looking for essentially a utility man; it was a list of about 12-15 different responsibilities. I guess this news explains why that job opening was posted.

~collegedj86