Jay Michaels out at WFAS-FM; what’s next

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CumulusJay Michaels, 20-year morning man at Cumulus’ AC WFAS-FM 103.9 Bronxville/NYC, NY, was let go 7/26 after his shift. Rumor has it that it somehow has something to do with a transmitter move to the Bronx and an impending format change as it moves closer to NYC. Rumors also say (and we kind of agree) that this station will fill the void of Emmis’ Alternative/Indie Rock WRXP-FM’s LMA/flip in NYC to sports. If the station becomes “103.9 WRXP,” per se, perhaps Michaels wouldn’t work so well with the new format.


 

28 COMMENTS

  1. Well. I have been a loyal Jay michaels listerner for more than ten years. WFAS (Cumulus Media) has completely destroyed this station with its personality changes. Once Jolana joined Jay on the morning show, it was evident this move was inevitable. On average I talked to Jay two to three times a week during the first one-half hour of the show on my drive to work. And, we discussed that something was up at the station. His co host, Jolana, was and is totally obnoxious on the air. WFAS has lost another listener. WCBS, Lite FM and XM radio offer a much better medium.

    Congratulations Cumulus, you have ruined another station.

    • I totally agree with this comment. A Westchester icon has been destroyed!! Good luck to Jay Michaels! Maybe WFAS AM CAN SURVIVE!! Perhaps Jay can join them. He will be sorely missed by all!

    • Well said! Jolana would talk over Jay, it was so irritating. Now she remains and Jay is gone 🙁 I hope Jay returns soon on another station!

  2. Cumulus does seem to have a King Midas in reverse effect on stations that they buy. Cumulus is in the process of destroying WBAP of Fort Worth, Texas.

  3. I have been listening to Jay for several years and absolutely enjoyed his show. I didn’t know Jay was let go until this morning. I don’t feel like listening to 103.9 any more… without him the station is not the same, seems like not much thought was given to it, and it is a great loss for Cumulus! The station sure will lose lot more listeners!

  4. Rarely do I post comments but I was stunned to learn today Jay Michaels has been let go. What a loss to WFAS and I for one will have to find another radio station to wake up to. I thought for a couple of weeks Jay was on vacation and every time I heard Jolana, I did not hit the snooze button it went to off. Jolana, is obnoxious, stuck up, refers to people over 50 as old and only wants to hear her voice. I thought Jay and Lauren were great together. Hopefully, I will be able to hear Jay Michaels again from another station. Good luck to Jay!

  5. I agree with Nancy – I was shocked when I found out Jay was gone. I had been out of town on business and upon my return the morning show was, lack of a better term, empty of personality. I often called the show in the AM to report traffic issues during my commute etc… and Jay made the show real. I’ll be looking for Jay on another station hopefully soon and I will not be listening to WFAS. They lost another listener… I’m guessing their advertising will also be impacted since I’ve used companies WFAS has advertised in the past, I won’t hear them in the future on that station.

  6. Wfas-fm has hit an all-time low. It would have been nice if they kept Jay Michaels and brought on another young girl to replace Lauren. I would have actually liked to see a young male replacement (father/son dynamic) since we got to see the father/daughter dynamic (with lauren). The relationship between Lauren and Jay was fun. Jolana tries to come off younger, smarter and more sophisticated but she is neither. Jolana looks OLD (lauren was way younger or at least seemed it). Jolana was always talking down to Jay and now that he is gone she talks down to 75% of her audience (the condescending male-bashing segments and the other times when she is nit-picking famous women who are more attractive than her = embarrassing). The local feel of fas-fm has completely disappeared. There is no local air talent besides hartman and they axed the local news. I do not even count Jolana as an air-talent because when I went to wafsfm.com to learn more about why she is even on the air I found out that she is the PROGRAM DIRECTOR aka the NAZI in charge of making sure she stays on top, and since she sucks so much, she probably had a hand in firing Jay so that she could take his job. No doubt she won’t put anyone with talent on the air (is it me or did she always come off as being threatened by Jay). Everyone on radio discussions keeps on saying that there will be a format change and God do I hope so. Fas-fm has turned into crap.

  7. I have been a loyal WFAS listener, especially every morning. I looked forward to hearing Jay Michaels. My morning radio is set to WFAS. I have spoken to him a few times. I have been trying to like Jolana, but I cant stand to hear her anymore, especially now that I know Jay is gone. You have lost another listener. Just changed my morning alarm to another station.
    She talks too fast and is obnoxious.
    Best wishes to you Jay!

  8. Last week I figured Jay was on vacation. Then not hearing him this week, I began thinking, Jay two weeks vacation? In all the years I have been listening to his morning show I don’t recall him ever off for two weeks. This morning I Googled Jay Michaels and was shocked that he was let go. I too do not care for Jolana. The morning news changed, the traffic report schedule changed, so as of today I will no longer be listening to WFAS.

    Hope to hear Jay on another station soon. Good Luck Jay.

  9. Seriously, what is this station thinking? Jay is so easy on the ears and this Jolana chick is like nails on a chalkboard. I have never been so annoyed by a radio personality. Even with Jay I had to turn her off. Just so obnoxious. Way to do exactly the wrong thing FAS… If you wanted to lose listeners, you succeeded. Great job.

  10. I have to agree with all the above comments. I have been listening to WFAS for 40 years, & now I will listen no more. Jay was a true gentlemen & very caring. If u called the station he would always talk to you. He remembered all about your family & their families. I think WFAS has made a very big mistake. I want to wish Jay the best of luck & we all will truly miss you.

  11. I cannot believe that Jay Michaels is gone!
    I think the station made a huge mistake.
    And I really can’t stand Jolana. I’m already
    listening to another station.

  12. Are they kidding?? After 20 years of hard work they let Jay go? That is unacceptable and I will not listen to the morning show any more. Jay is a great guy and that came across on the air. The station is really going downhill fast.
    Good luck to Jay. We will really miss you!

  13. Count me among the truly disappointed listeners who are shocked that Jay is longer part of the morning commute. He was always professional. He had genuine interactions with his audience and the cast of characters that brightened up the show. I haven’t cared for the forced old/young dynamic since WFAS brought Lauren and then Jolana onto the show. I would drive out of signal range during my trip to work, and switch to WHUD. Now I will probably just stay with WHUD the whole drive. I wish Jay all the best and hope that he returns to local radio. He is a Westchester icon.

  14. I have been listening to WFAS for the 16 years that I have lived in Westchester County, but I will listen no more. What have you done to this radio station. I listen in the morning while I get ready to go to work, and lately I have no idea what I am listening to except it sounds like a very amateur ratio station. As they say, “if it ain’t broke don’t fix it.” I would find it distasteful to listen to a radio station that treats their employees with so little after they have given so many faithful years of their life to your station. I always found the station to be very familiar and comforting, which these days is a good thing. Bye bye to WFAS.

  15. I really liked the station but like the others BYE BYE WFAS! The music is changing and not for the best but the biggest reason is JAY MICHAELS! I really loved his voice in the morning and like others alarm set for him to help me rise and shine. Shame on the bosses there! When someone works that long for you and you let them go after the shift with no mention like he did not exist is disgraceful behavior!

  16. Shame on wfas I will be leave wfas too as I loved listening to him in morning. After a week I decided to call station an ask about jay as I could not help but notice they were not referring to it as the ” JAY MICHAELS MORNING SHOW” an jolanha simply said to me oh jay is no longer with us. Well I think that stinks

  17. I agree with all previous comments. What a shock it was to find out they fired Jay!! I also thought that he and Lauren were a great team, but Jay did okay before Lauren, too. What a wonderful radio personality. I sincerely hope that he turns up on another station in this area so I can listen to him again. Whenever he spoke about his opinion or what he thought about various topics, he always gave a voice to what I was thinking! To the other Westchester stations – you guys should be making Jay offers like crazy – come on!!!!

  18. Jay Michaels used to joke about the renovations and the work needed at the station. The owners must have installed a revolving door as it’s been getting a real work out. First John Harper, then Lauren Crocker and now Jay Michaels….and there’s probably others I have missed. This is how they reward 20 years of dedication! Why couldn’t they have left a winning combination alone – Jay and Lauren? I really enjoyed WFAS and the Morning Show. It got me and my family going in the AM. But, who can listen to Jolana now. She’s gritty and forceful….nothing like the friendly voice Jay used to project. Jay made me feel like I was part of a greater listening family. Now listening to WFAS I feel like an outcast, unwanted, and talked down to. No more, I’m done with WFAS. The music has turned pedestrian. The “on air” personalities like mini-dictators. Oh well, as my wife says, there still is a warm voice at WQXR-FM. Good luck, Jay. I hope you land at a station that can really appreciate you and your talents!

  19. Boy did WFAS screw up. It all began on December 10th when some idiot decided that it was time to play ONLY Christmas music. Some of us didn’t need to be constantly reminded that we had to get ready for the holiday. ONLY Christmas music was an insult to those who do not celebrate Christmas. If you listened to WFAS it was just tough luck. Losing Lauren was awrful She brought more Queeens fun to the station. Jolana is awful. She talks much toooooooo fast and she was awlays speaking over Jay. It was demeaning and she was so hard to listen to. The news format and the weather and traffic changed and the entire “new” format became intolerable. I have changed to CBS to wake up to and drive to work with. When I want to check on the morning traffic I will simply turn to another station. no need for the local WFAS. Jolan, you are awful. Learn to speak properly, you and your dog are not what I want to hear in the mornings. Good Night WFAS.

    Jay, can’t wait to hear you on a new, decent station.

    • I agree with all of the above and will no longer listen to WFAS. Good luck to Jay and hope to hear him soon on another radio station!

  20. OMG,

    I thought Jay was on vacation, and I couldn’t wait until he got back! I can’t stand Jolana and will not listen to WFAS fm anymore, she isan obnoxious, know it all UGH!

  21. I am a Long Islander, but had been listening to WFAS for years until very recently when I realized that Jay was no longer with station. He had the most pleasant voice and was a pleasure to wake up to in the AM.
    On the other hand, Jolana is totally irritating, not only her voice, but her demeanor. Can’t wait to hear Jay’s voice again on another station. Good Luck Jay!

  22. We have WFAS on the radio at the office on a daily basis. It’s a doctor’s office so the employees and patients waiting to see the physician listen to the station. Now that Jay is gone, we no longer listen to WFAS. You really screwed up.

  23. The station will not be the same without Jay. I’ve been listening, along with my 85 year old mother. She is the one who kept inquiring. I’ll see how the changes go. I still listen to Jim Brickman on Sundays. If he is let go I will no longer tune in.

  24. I was wondering what happened to Jay Michaels. I can’t believe those idiots let him go. He is an icon. My head hurts after I listen to Jolana. They need to bring Jay back and give Jolana the boot. She comes across as a snob. I will no longer be listening to WFAS.

  25. I too was shocked and the way they went about it was gross, unprofessional and unfair. They didn’t even allow one day for Jay to be able to say something to his listening audience of 20 years. For the audience to have to figure it out ourselves that Jay was replaced is reason enough for me to delete Wfas from my favorite saved stations. I already replaced it in my car. Personally I think he’s lucky to give up those horrible early morning hours and now he can sleep late and collect unemployment like everyone else. Jay’s a good looking guy. Maybe he can do channel 12 Westchester/Rockland news?? I wouldn’t mind seeing him on tv!

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