As reported last week on Scott’s Shots, Rob Bradford and Michael Felger will be joining the all new WEEI.com.
Here is the official Entercom Press release:
WEEI.com Snares Noted Sports Journalists Michael Felger, Rob Bradford to Head Up Major Re-Launch of its Website
Boston (July 15, 2008) — In a major development reflecting the growing influence of digital media, Entercom Boston has announced that Boston Herald sports reporters Michael Felger and Rob Bradford are leaving the newspaper to join WEEI.com, as the website of the WEEI Radio Network builds towards a new position in the market beginning with enhanced coverage of the Red Sox playoff push and the 2008 Patriots season. The addition of Felger and Bradford come on the heels of the hiring of Tim Murphy as Vice President and General Manager of WEEI.com
Felger, a veteran Herald sports reporter who has become highly visible as the New England Patriots beat reporter, and as co-host of the popular television program Sports Tonight on Comcast Sports Net, will provide ongoing content for WEEI.com, including his weekly “Patriot’s Report Card,” which has long been an informative, lively and sometimes controversial feature for Patriots fans. Felger will also serve as a host on WEEI radio beginning on July 21.
Bradford, known for his innovative blogging, covered sports for the Lowell Sun and Lawrence Eagle Tribune before joining the Herald. He will serve as the editor of WEEI.com, with overall responsibility for all editorial content. He will also contribute his own content, including regular columns and the continuation of his acclaimed “Bradford Files” blog.
WEEI.com Vice-President and General Manager Tim Murphy said: “We are thrilled to welcome Michael and Rob to our new venture. Their talent, experience and knowledge of the Boston sports market speak for themselves.”
“Obviously, the media landscape is undergoing dramatic changes,” he continued. “Consumers are increasingly going online for timely, informative and entertaining content, and sports are no exception. The hiring of these two professionals makes it clear that we are setting the bar extremely high as we extend the phenomenally successful radio platform built by the talented personalities at WEEI. Changes to the site will be apparent in the coming weeks and months, but the final result will be a website with a dramatically new look and greatly expanded content.”
Julie Kahn, Vice President and Market Manager for Entercom New England, said: “Under Tim’s leadership and with talented individuals such as Rob and Michael, we intend to create an online product that is at the same level as WEEI Sports Radio, which remains the most successful sports talk station in the country.”
Popularity: 18% [?]
So the report card is the property of, or somehow possessed by, the Patriots?
Sorry… but when your JOB is to write freaking press releases, you should have a basic knowledge of plural vs. possessive.
/grammar nazi
Tucked in the press release was the comment : “Felger will also serve as a host on WEEI radio beginning on July 21.” So this begs a few questions:
1) Is he going back to the Big Show rotation?
2) Will he be welcomed back with open arms?
3) Does WEEI have something else planned?
4) Will he continue with the absurd and grating Mr. Negative personality he developed down the dial.
5) Speaking of down the dial, that station was not mentioned in the press release.
6) What does Felger bring to WEEI.com that throwing money at either Mike Reiss or Tom Curran would not have bought better and without the preexisting negatives?
Felger will now be a host on WEEI? Heaven help us. Well, the ones who still listen to WEEI, anyway.
I am generally very excited by what is taking place here. Only in our city can such a venture be started. Boston is THE leader in sports PERIOD. We are trendsetters. We are unique! With the latest up-to-minute news on .com we now only need a number 1 basketball writer(may i suggest jackie mac again?) & hockey writer( Yes Felger can do this well as well)!
“Bradford, known for his innovative blogging,”
What makes him so innovative?
““Patriot’s Report Card,” which has long been an informative, lively and sometimes controversial feature for Patriots fans…”…..really?….I never take Felger’s report Card too seriously…..did he go to some “special school” to become a “football expert”…as far as I know he does the samething as the rest of us, HE WATCHES THE GAMES…please……
Felger can now be added to a rapidly growing list of reasons why I won’t listen to WEEI anymore. The only place his anti-pats anti-belichick schtick would work would be on the morning show where he would fit in nicely with the other three idiots.
Felger going to EEI means there’s no sports talk on during drive time again. AND, according to their Marketing Director, they intend to make WEEI.Com every bit as good as their radio station…the fans lose on both counts.
I thought Felger would be a good alternative to the meathead WEEI talk. That lasted a few months, before they advised him to be more “controversial.” I don’t know if it’s all an act, or if he was really a dick all along. I suspect the latter.
Everyone knows a show with BOTH smerlas and pete sheppard(the pro side) & felger (the con side) would be GREAT radio right after a Patriots game. That would be must listen to radio, especially a game the Patriots lose.
Yes I must admit……i missed FELGER being on the Big Show. That show so needs a dissenting voice & yes felger is the man to do it! It was the missing ingredient on that show when they talked football & i think they realize it. Welcome back douche bag!
This is great news for WEEI. Felger is fun to listen too no matter what you feel about him personally. Cant beleive he left the Herald though…more indication of the masses not reading newspapers and going online for information.
That’s a poor press release.
WEEI should not be writing that Bradford and Felger are leaving the Herald to join their station, only that they are joining the station.
I don’t mind someone having a dissenting voice when there is actually a reason to be dissenting.
Borges (previously) and Felger (currently) seem to have adopted the viewpoint that dissent for no other reason than being a contrarian makes them “more thoughtful” than the average person.
No, sometimes it just makes you an attention-craving d.b.
If there’s a good reason to be critical, then I’m all for reading the criticism and listening to it. But criticism and contrarianism just for the sake of it is both pointless and vacuous.
I want to know if Bradford moving again will impact Bill Burt’s blog at all.