After less than six months in mornings at iHeartMedia Classic Rock 100.7 WZLX Boston, The Rich Shertenlieb Show has exited the station as part of today’s cuts.
Shertenlieb debuted on WZLX in May following his exit from the “Toucher & Rich Show” at Beasley Media Group’s “98.5 The Sports Hub” WBZ-FM in November 2023. He and Fred Toucher had anchored mornings at the station since its flip to Sports in 2009 after previously hosting afternoons and mornings at Rock 104.1 WBCN. He also Alternative “99X” WNNX Atlanta and was a producer on the Kidd Kraddick Morning Show.
Shertenlieb released the following statement.
Hey guys hey-
After five months, The Rich Shertenlieb Show will no longer air on WZLX. To say that I’m disappointed is an understatement.
When we launched the show at the end of May, the plan was simple. We would take the months of Summer to build chemistry with the new cast and by Fall and football season, we would be close to sounding what our vision of the show would be.
However, just over two months into the show, management decided to alter the format.
They wanted music, I did not. However despite my disagreement about the decision, I agreed to move forward and music was added.
After starting from scratch, watching the show fanbase grow and the interaction with the fans increase as they became part of our radio family is one my proudest accomplishments in all my years of broadcasting. I’ve never been part of that much growth, ever.
But the thing that I am the most proud of is the team that I helped put together for the show. This was THE team. If I could work with all of them the rest of my career, I would die happy. I love all of these guys. And through the last several months and my differences in vision with management, these guys had my back the entire way. All of them.
Michael Hurley fought with me to create a great show tooth and nail every step of the way. There is no one smarter, more loyal, or a better friend to me than Hurley has been over the past five months. For someone who had never done full time radio before, he understood it better than anyone else.
Ted Johnson has become one of the elite talents in sports broadcasting, and I couldn’t be more proud to call him a friend. Ted knows what it’s like to win, and always had my back the entire way.
Emerson Lotzia is like that guy from The Town. “Who’s car we gonna take?”. This guy worked his ass off every day to make the show sound great, and through everything the last several months was an absolute rock.
You’re not gonna find a better guy than Kenny Young-helped me with the transition, and is a pro’s pro. A master of all trades, and a great friend through it all.Jojo always started my morning off with a laugh and fist bump, and was always the first person to send me show ideas. Gonna miss those amazing golden pipes.
Thank you to Heart for the opportunity. Just because we didn’t have the same vision doesn’t mean I don’t thank you from the bottom of my heart for giving me a chance to assemble the team I’ve always wanted to work with.
I LOVED this show. I loved our listeners. And I already miss you.
-Rich
This story first appeared on radioinsight.com