Cox Media Group Connecticut Provides Round-the-Clock Coverage on Music Stations throughout Hurricane Sandy

MILFORD, CT – – Cox Media Group (CMG) Connecticut makes 24/7 coverage a priority by abandoning music formats and focusing on news, weather and emergency information. Starting Sunday, Oct. 28, 24 hours before the storm hit, all three music stations (WEZN-FM STAR 99.9, WPLR- FM 99.1 and WFOX-FM 95.9) hit the air with wall-to-wall coverage and all air staff on deck.

“While these three stations are usually music focused, it is imperative that in times of crisis we step up and deliver important news, weather and emergency information to our listeners,” said Keith Dakin, CMG Connecticut’s Operations Manager. “Hurricane Sandy caused havoc on the shoreline of Connecticut, and our staff from our morning shows to engineering to part-timers did an amazing job of keeping everyone informed and up-to-date”

CMG Connecticut’s partnership with the CBS affiliate WFSB Channel 3 provided constant invaluable updates to our listeners as we braced for the storm. “We want to help the people of Connecticut recover from this storm,“ said WFSB-TV Vice President and General Manager Klarn DePalma. ”Our first priority will always be news and information. Working with our partners at Cox Media Group is another way we can help rebuild from Sandy and service our viewers.”

Once the storm hit, CMG Connecticut’s seasoned engineering team, led by Chief Dom Bordonaro, kept all stations on the air continuously, despite massive statewide power outages. Currently, all three transmitter sites and studios are still running on generator power.

On the air, the stations provided vital information delivered by Governor Malloy, utility spokespeople, and other state officials in impacted towns. Morning shows returned in the afternoon to provide a comforting balance of information and entertainment as 630,000 people were without power.

Behind the scenes, CMG Connecticut utilized in-house producers to book key guests and answer questions from listeners who reported that the stations were their only news and information source. In addition, CMG Connecticut coordinated a massive social media effort as in many cases listeners only had their smartphone to stay connected.

“As a radio group, the single most important service we can provide during this type of emergency situation is on-going, timely information for our community, and we take this responsibility seriously,” said VP and Market Manager Kristin Okesson. “Sandy was an unprecedented storm in Connecticut, as the damage was extensive and widespread. With so many people out of power and displaced, our listeners depend on us to inform, entertain and comfort them during this difficult time.”

To view our behind the scenes video montage click here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ix9PvdYKvkc

About Cox Media Group
Cox Media Group is an integrated broadcasting, publishing, direct marketing and digital media company that includes the national advertising rep firms of Cox Reps. Additionally, CMG owns and operates Valpak, one of North America’s leading direct marketing companies. With $1.7 billion in revenue, the company operations include 15 broadcast television stations and one local cable channel, 86 radio stations, eight daily newspapers and more than a dozen non-daily publications, and more than 100 digital services. CMG operates in more than 30 media markets and reaches approximately 52 million Americans weekly, including 30 million TV viewers, more than 4 million print and online newspaper readers, and 18 million radio listeners. For more information about Cox Media Group, please check us out online at www.coxmediagroup.com.