Long Island radio veteran Al Levine axed after nearly 30 years at WBLI
Al Levine had been on the air on WBLI-FM since 1995. Credit: Al Levine
The revolving door in local radio has claimed one of Long Island's best-known figures — Al Levine, of WBLI/106.1 FM, the station's “On the Scene” midday host, and much else, after a nearly 30-year run.
In a brief interview Tuesday, Levine confirmed his departure — effective two weeks ago — saying, “Basically it's just budget cutting that happened across the board with the entire company, Cox Media Group. That happened a couple of years ago and happened again two weeks ago. I was part of that.”
He added, “It was a great run and I'm very grateful for the years I was there.”
Private equity giant Apollo Global Management took control of Atlanta-based Cox Media Group's 13 TV stations in February 2019, then a month later the combined company began to explore a sale of all 61 radio stations, according to reports at the time. Those stations included a pair of Long Island institutions: West Babylon-based WBLI and WBAB/102.3 FM.
Like all radio stations across the country, they've been hit with advertiser and listener defections, but certainly fewer than many others in the metropolitan area. WBAB remains far and away the top-rated station on Long Island — just under a 9 rating in May, according to Nielsen figures, or three rating points ahead of second-place WALK/97.5 FM. WBLI, however, was in eighth place in May, with a 3.3 rating from 6 a.m. to midnight.
Radio and music industry website RAMP247, which first reported Levine's departure last week, said “budget-related personnel cuts” also hit Cox Media Group radio stations in Miami and Jacksonville, Florida, and San Antonio.
By any measure in radio — notorious for cycling through talent and formats even in the best of times — Levine's run at BLI was extraordinary. He began his career in 1983, with stops at various Connecticut radio stations in Mystic, Hartford, Norwalk, New London, and New Haven, and later in Boston. He joined WBLI on Feb. 5, 1995, when “Al Levine on the Scene” began. The show aired weekdays, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. As host at night, afternoon and midday, Levine has been a constant on-air presence, and from 2015 to 2020, he was also a midday and afternoon host for Cox-owned stations in Athens, Georgia, and Tampa, Florida. Over the years, he was also music director and assistant music director for WBLI.
Asked about his on-air longevity, Levine said: “The business changes and you need to evolve with it. Each day you need to do something different as the listeners change too. When you're programming Top 40 [WBLI's format] your demographics stay the same, but the people [listening] may change and you need to keep up with what's happening.”
He added, “I'd love to get back on radio — that's what I do — and will gather up as many leads as I can and figure out what's going on.” Of BLI, Levine said, “They are great people in that building, capable of great things. I wish them the best.”
In 2021, Ted Lindner, WBAB's news and traffic director — and a key member of the station's popular “Roger and JP” morning show — left after a nearly 20-year run. WBLI morning co-host Dana “MJ” Parisi also was let go.
A spokesman for Cox Media Group did not respond to an email request for comment about the latest round of station layoffs.