From what I know, someone fill in what i don't, and the mistakes, I am sure there are many. I'm forget stuff in brackets [?].
My R+F essay...
Ron Bennington and Fez Whatley, currently of WJFK in Wash DC; have been radio co-workers for many years; and host og the Ron and Fez show since [?].
Both with a background in stand-up comedy; Ron had owned a comedy club also [?],Ron was co-host of the Florida-based 'Ron and Ron' show on [?]. The other Ron being Ron Diaz. Fez Marie Whatley was a regular on the show, as was Paul-O and others [?].
After mixed success and a stunning on-air breakup of the Ron and Ron show when Ron Diaz announced his departure to Benninton on-air; Bennington teamed up with Fez and soon found themselves on former NY City Rock Radio giant, WNEW 102.7 FM.
WNEW was one of a number of former music station trying out the then-experimental FM-talk format. WNEW slow climb began with the Opie and Anthony show as the flagship show; with Ron and Fez first appearing on overnight [?] on what was first called the 'Ron and Fez.com Show' with interviews and callers focusing on the then new and exploding internet.[?]
A revolving door of Morning Hosts wasn't helping the station. Ron and Fez were moved to several shifts; the rest of the stations schedule filled with short-lived shows such as The Radio Chick, Sports Guys, and others.[?]
Things changed for everyone when Ron and Fez were placed after O+A, who worked afternoon drive. With that lead-in, the R+F show started showing in NY ratings books; perhaps riding the coattails of O+A at first; but establishing and honing a show of their own; more cerebral and caller oriented then the cringe and guest driven O+A show.
Just as things looked best for R+F, with syndication talk following the O+A syndication which grew to over [?] stations in major city markets, fate dealt O+A, R+F, and ultimately the entire talk format of WNEW a fatal blow on [?].
WNEW management came under a National Spotlight when a 'sex for sam' radio contest on the O+A show went wrong, and long story short, the station had to endure the wrath of the FCC and lawsuits by The Catholic League; who insisted O+A be taken off the air immediately, and the station punished severly.
The Church got more then it could have dreamed of when, under pressure from all sides, the GM and PD of WNEW resigned [fired?], and the O+A show was cancelled. The first official [?] announcement on the station was during the R+F show; and such began a period where R+F would founder in the slowly crumbling station, often the only live on-air show at WNEW for a period of time until, as was expected by some and a shock for others, WNEW flipped formats in the classic radio way: with absolutely no warning to anyone, including the on-air talent. Ron and Fez had lost a show on a top FM station in the number 1 radio market in the USA.
Specualtion as to what would become of the R+F show were answered on [?]; when R+F began broadcasting on WJFK; a DC-oustkirts based talk station.
To be continued....
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Never ask a teacher who is bored on a sunday night an essay question. Hope at least some of it was correct. Feel free to fill in the blanks.
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