Media Frenzy

By Rob Holbert Managing Editor

While it didn’t have the citywide reverberations of Inetta Da Moodsetta’s on-air quitting, WZEW’s morning show comedian Jolene Roxbury took leave of Mobile’s independent rock station Jan. 19, delivering an on-air resignation.

Roxbury had appeared on the morning show with Sean Sullivan (who writes a column for this publication) three times a week for the past couple of years. Her skits included reworking popular songs, changing the words to fit her comedic subject.

In quitting the ZEW, Roxbury reworked the Dire Straights song “Money for Nothing” into “Funny for Nothing,” apparently a pointed reference to her gratis work for the ZEW. In a statement after her resignation, Roxbury said: “In the past year, I’ve been fortunate enough to align myself with terrific management and have been afforded some opportunities to expand my career into other areas that I hope will prove to be very gainful and I simply have to dedicate my focus to these projects. I loved and appreciated my time at ZEW and I loved what I was able to do bring to the radio. I would certainly not be opposed to doing radio again someday if the right opportunity ever presented itself. I am most grateful to my good friend Sean Sullivan for allowing me to frequently invade his personal space.”

Roxbury has begun doing more personal appearances and pitching her “Baff n Booty” products, as well as currently producing an exercise CD called “Laugh Your Booty Off.” Her Web address is joleneroxbury.com

WPMI expanding mornings

If you can’t get enough of WPMI’s Scott Walker and Sandra Shaw, your dreams have been answered. The NBC affiliate has expanded its morning show as of Jan. 29, adding another half hour.

The show will now run from 5 a.m. until 7 a.m. weekday mornings. Just in time for February sweeps.

Speaking of which…

February is one of television’s four ratings or “sweeps” periods, which help set advertising rates and determine which stations are winning the battle for viewers. February and November are the two most important sweeps periods, so viewers can expect the local stations to pull out all the stops to get you tuning in.

I’m not sure if that will mean a return of Brian Johnson’s “School Zone” reports, but I’m certain there will be some pretty interesting television in the Port City over the next month.

Finebaum shakeout

The defection of syndicated sports radio talker Paul Finebaum to an FM, non-Clear Channel station doesn’t appear to have shaken up the Mobile radio scene at this time.

Finebaum, who is heard weekday afternoons on WPMI 710 AM locally, recently moved from WERC-AM in Birmingham, where he launched and built his radio empire during the past 13 years. Finebaum jumped to all-sports station WJOX, causing many to wonder what that might do to his appearance on local Clear Channel-owned stations.

Finebaum’s show is carried on roughly 20 stations in and around Alabama, and at this time it appears most will simply stay on as subscribers. In the days leading up to his jump to WJOX, there was speculation among some in local radio that his move might lead to him leaving WPMI’s spot. That fear appears unfounded.

More Alabama Dog

When we mentioned the new publication Alabama Dog in this space a couple of issues ago, I was unable to get comment from owner Cindie Carter. Since then, she’s told us a bit more about what they’re hoping to do with the dog-oriented tabloid.

“The creators of Alabama Dog developed the magazine with the mission to improve the lives of dogs and their owners around the Mobile Bay area no matter what lifestyle they lead…. Our goal is to educate and inform dog owners so that they can give their dogs the very best life possible,” says Carter.

She said upcoming issues of Alabama Dog will explore topics including, the right dog for your family, how to train Fido to fetch, dog dental health, identifying reputable breeders, and creating a healthy life plan for your dog.

Alabama Dog will publish once every two months.

P-R Movement

More in the Mobile-to-Ohio pipeline. Points north reporter for the Press-Register, Andy Netzel, is headed to Cleveland where he will help edit Cleveland Magazine.

Netzel follows a string of other former P-R staffers who have headed to the Buckeye State in recent years.

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

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