The Southern Ontario/WNY Radio-TV Forum » After 24 Yrs., Tom Bauerle Is Out At WBEN-AM

RadioActive · August 16, 2026 4:35 pm

His contract was about to expire and he was convinced he would be renewed after speing almost a quarter century at 930 AM. But that's now over and someone new will be taking the 3-6 PM timeslot. Some here may remember his time as a rock jock at WGR-AM.

His public life has not been without controversy, and he had some suspected mental difficulties earlier in his career, but he's been a stalwart presence at the station for a long time.

Until now.

"The Buffalo News reports that Bauerle was let go one week ahead of his contract expiring after returning from a station sponsored trip to Italy with listeners. His wife told the newspaper that he was told in May that he would be offered a new contract in July but it never came. He had been asking for a five year deal without a raise."

In a Facebook statement, Bauerle acknowledges 42 years on air in the same city, a remarkable achievement, and vows to be back - somewhere. "I will be a competitor," he vows.

Controversial talk show host Tom Bauerle fired from WBEN after 24 years

Chrisphen · August 16, 2026 5:55 pm

On one hand, good riddance.

On the other hand, he's an unwell person that the station exploited like a dancing bear for far too long.

RadioActive · August 16, 2026 6:06 pm

What will the secret surveillance people do now?

ckg927 · August 17, 2026 10:57 am

RadioActive wrote:
What will the secret surveillance people do now?

Do you want a polite answer, or a rude answer that might get me in trouble?

RadioActive · August 17, 2026 11:22 am

ckg927 wrote:
RadioActive wrote:
What will the secret surveillance people do now?
Do you want a polite answer, or a rude answer that might get me in trouble?

I can imagine them both.

Do you think Buddy Shula is going to make him an offer for The Patriot 1270? Didn't he more or less promise that format wasn't staying on WUSW? When might those changes take place? (Labour Day is always a popular choice for format changes...)

ckg927 · August 17, 2026 6:05 pm

RadioActive wrote:
ckg927 wrote:
RadioActive wrote:
What will the secret surveillance people do now?
Do you want a polite answer, or a rude answer that might get me in trouble?
I can imagine them both.

Do you think Buddy Shula is going to make him an offer for The Patriot 1270? Didn't he more or less promise that format wasn't staying on WUSW? When might those changes take place? (Labour Day is always a popular choice for format changes...)

Honestly? No, but stranger things have happened.

RadioActive · August 27, 2026 6:36 am

Not sure how many here care about this, but losing an afternoon drive host after more than two decades has lead to a major shift in well, shifts at WBEN-AM in Buffalo.

WBEN Revamps Schedule Afer Tom Bauerle Exit

Shorty Wave · August 27, 2026 7:36 am

Yesterday afternoon I was sorting my garage and had WBEN on for a few minutes. Joe Beamer was on and I stayed tuned as he was dissing Brian Lilley from the Toronto Sun. Lilley had been on their morning show and said he didn’t feel good about going to a Bills game, which is tonight. Beamer’s reaction to this was so over the top, then he went on to show just how little he knows about Canada, and he’s on-air in Buffalo, just across the border? They really have to learn about the world outside their country, especially if they’re shooting their mouths off about it on-air, very unprofessional.

Chrisphen · August 27, 2026 9:10 am

Yeah, even without Bauerlie the stations 'talent' are all feeble MAGA degenerates.

67GreenRambler · August 27, 2026 11:20 am

David Bellavia has been awarded the Medal Of Honor. The highest award for courage in combat by the United States government.

If this means nothing, for say, the International Socialists among us, the talented Mr. Bellavia was also conferred a NATO Medal for peacekeeping.

mojo55 · August 27, 2026 4:19 pm

The vast majority of U.S. commercial AM stations like WBEN are a vast wasteland. Long commercial breaks and one-sided MAGA conversations. What a waste of frequencies, transmitters and personnel.

RadioActive · August 27, 2026 4:56 pm

mojo55 wrote:
The vast majority of U.S. commercial AM stations like WBEN are a vast wasteland. Long commercial breaks and one-sided MAGA conversations. What a waste of frequencies, transmitters and personnel.

And yet they're in third place in the past few ratings books. So much as I dislike a lot of their programming, someone is listening.

ckg927 · August 27, 2026 7:49 pm

67GreenRambler wrote:
David Bellavia has been awarded the Medal Of Honor. The highest award for courage in combat by the United States government.

If this means nothing, for say, the International Socialists among us, the talented Mr. Bellavia was also conferred a NATO Medal for peacekeeping.

To quote Ariana Grande: "Yes. And?"

ckg927 · August 27, 2026 7:51 pm

RadioActive wrote:
mojo55 wrote:
The vast majority of U.S. commercial AM stations like WBEN are a vast wasteland. Long commercial breaks and one-sided MAGA conversations. What a waste of frequencies, transmitters and personnel.
And yet they're in third place in the past few ratings books. So much as I dislike a lot of their programming, someone is listening.

Odds are, WBEN's listener base is getting up there in years and it's NOT being replaced by the young folks.

RadioAaron · August 27, 2026 9:05 pm

ckg927 wrote:
RadioActive wrote:
mojo55 wrote:
The vast majority of U.S. commercial AM stations like WBEN are a vast wasteland. Long commercial breaks and one-sided MAGA conversations. What a waste of frequencies, transmitters and personnel.
And yet they're in third place in the past few ratings books. So much as I dislike a lot of their programming, someone is listening.
Odds are, WBEN's listener base is getting up there in years and it's NOT being replaced by the young folks.

It's also #3 in a market where three major FMs aren't listed. And their CUME ranks way lower than their share.

There's a reason they expanded and shuffled shifts rather than hiring a replacement.