Media Frenzy

By Rob Holbert Managing Editor

If you listened to WZEW’s morning show Oct. 2, you heard Sean Sullivan broadcast from that spot on the dial for the last time.

But after a six-month hiatus to honor a non-compete clause in his contract, Sullivan will re-emerge at WAVH, the local station now know as “The Pirate.” Sullivan’s stepfather Donald Bigler of Bigler Broadcasting Co. has made a $3.6-million bid for the station. The Federal Communications Commission must approve the sale, which should come to pass in the next few months.

Sullivan confirmed to Lagniappe that he will have a role at WAVH, although he could not specify what it will be, at this time.

Bigler purchased the station from Barry Wood, an attorney from the Washington, DC area who has owned the station for 15 years. Wood also once owned WZEW, but ended up selling both stations after running them while under bankruptcy protection.

Sullivan, the ZEW’s longtime morning man, resigned following his Oct. 2 broadcast, ending a 10-year relationship with Mobile’s independent, eclectic music station. Sullivan, who also writes a regular column for this publication, stressed his departure is amicable and was in no way related to the recent addition of morning co-host Trey Matthews.

“The time has come for me to do something new,” Sullivan said. “I’m taking a few months off to recharge and get ready for the next thing. I want to wish Trey all the best. Trey and I are friends.”

Sullivan landed at 92-WZEW shortly after his graduation from the University of Alabama and had worked at the station 10 years in July. He started as an overnight host, but was moved to mornings after “Mike and Mike in the Mornings” left the local airwaves. He moved to afternoons for several years and implemented the popular “3:30 Theme Park” feature, which remains part of the station’s repertoire to this day. About six years ago, Sullivan moved to mornings, and Matthews joined him on the air in August as Sullivan’s first co-host.

Sullivan has routinely won Nappie Awards and Mobile Bay Monthly’s annual Best of the Bay Awards for best local radio host.

“Foremost, I appreciate the 92-ZEW audience the most. I wouldn’t be where I am without them and this great station,” Sullivan said. He also praised the management of WZEW and sister station WNSP where he has also done on-air and production work.

WZEW’s Tim Camp said the station wishes Sullivan well.

“Sean’s been with the ZEW for a long time, and I’m sure the listeners will miss him,” Camp said.

Camp said Sullivan’s business opportunity would be a positive for he and his family and that WZEW management is understanding of his desire to leave.

The ZEW and The Pirate’s formats are similar enough that the stations are generally fighting for the same listeners.

Rob Holbert is Lagniappe managing editor. Contact him at rholbert@lagniappemobile.com.

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