Former WRKO News Director Passes Away
by Brian Maloney, July 7th, 2008 at 12:50am
In another sad reminder of the days when WRKO had a full, functioning newsroom, former news director Roger Allan Bump has passed away. The Globies have the details here:
He worked at several local radio stations, first as a disc jockey and then working his way up to reporter, news director, and eventually public affairs director at WRKO-AM. He worked at WRKO for 29 years.
“I think what Roger did best was inspire people to be better at this craft [of broadcasting],” said his former student and colleague Jordan Rich, now a talk-show host at WBZ-AM. “He gave people the kind of support that no classroom could ever provide.”
Peter Casey, director of news and programming for WBZ radio, said: “He was quite a gentle man and a gentle soul. I think the personal touch was important to Roger, and I think we worked in radio at a time when that was much easier to do.”
Mr. Bump was born in Brockton and graduated from Brockton High School in 1949. He served in the Navy for two years and then enrolled at Curry College in Milton, graduating in 1952.
In addition to WRKO, Mr. Bump worked at radio stations in Brockton, Nashua, and Marlborough.
Entry Filed under: WRKO
4 Comments
1. Celtic Frost | July 7th, 2008 at 7:24 am
It’s a sad time when folks like Roger pass on. Time was when radio was chock full of pro’s pros, like Roger (and like our own Pat Lucci). These men knew their craft inside and out, and they had seen and done it all.
Since then, however, the capitalist pigs invaded radio, and they are slaves to the almight buck and to the street and to their bonus plans. Every little bit that can be cut from budgets gets cut, and the quality of the product suffers greatly. Air America tried to be different, and certainly NPR. But the vast, right-wing conspiracy is in high dudgeon, trying to get those worthwhile endeavors shut down… sad.
2. Brian has no control over this site... | July 7th, 2008 at 1:21 pm
Wake up dumbass.
3. Dan Zee | July 9th, 2008 at 12:36 pm
It’s interesting that the Globe couldn’t get anyone at WRKO to comment about Roger Allen’s passing, despite the fact he spent the majority of his career there as news director. They had to go to WBZ!
Oh, wait. Could it be because WRKO doesn’t even have a news department and no one there knows who Roger Allen was?
Roger Allen was kind to me when I was a teenaged intern running around WRKO, WROR and WNAC-TV in the 1970s. He let a bunch of us host a monthly public affairs show with little interference. He didn’t mind sharing what he knew and he ran a pretty good news department considering it had a small staff at a rock ‘n’ roll station.
Seems like news directors aren’t needed these days as fewer and fewer stations do their own news.
4. Miss. Lauzier | July 12th, 2008 at 1:24 am
There is no way to SAVE WRKO. That dream doesn’t exist. When you fired someone and never gave him the chance to say good bye to his listners, is cruel.
I love my Red Sox, but I dont listen to them on WRKO.
I am moving in less than 2 months, I will be away from SOX, but I can tell you one thing. The Red Sox, is a better family than Entercom.
When I work in PA, I have sign I put on my car,
Entcom Radio,SUCKS.
They are an age discrimation company, You fird my dad and never said why.
Your company is coward, I hate cowards and more. I wish you all to get off air and look at the Picture.
Boy, I thought I missed my dad on WRKO, but I can tell one thing, hearing in Providence, is the best thing.
You lost a great guy, and the sad part is, you dont have anyone on air like my dad and you will never again.
I went to work a lot with my dad, the President issue, 9/11, and few other things. I have done my things with my dad, I never and will never be a snub.
I wish WRKO the best wishes, but the sad things, is you lost a good guy.
My dad was there for many, and I was there with him for 90% of things I have done.
You think money or ratings were bad. LOL. TO funny.
WRKO you SUCK…….