Rich Shertenlieb has exited Beasley Media’s “98.5 The Sports Hub” WBZ-FM Boston’s “Toucher & Rich” show after seventeen years in the market partnered with Fred Toucher.
Toucher made the announcement at the start of their show today. Toucher, who signed a contract extension in late October, noted that “”Rich is not coming back.”
The relationship between the two became strained this year after he missed time with throat problems. Toucher stated, “Earlier this year, Rich said some stuff on and off the air about me I didn’t like. So I texted him some things that I had been holding on to from the course of our relationship that he did not like.” That led to the duo having meetings with management and Shertenlieb’s requesting that each negotiate with Beasley separately in their contract negotiations.
Beasley released a comment, “We value Rich’s contributions to the show over the years. Beasley offered to renew his contract for multiple years on terms better than his existing contract. He never accepted. We wish him the best.”
Toucher stated the show will be revamped after the holidays saying, “I’ve talked to management and some people around the industry about the future of this show and I have to be honest with you, I’m extraordinarily excited. There’s a tremendous amount of talent in here, a talent that is sometimes overlooked by everyone. They’re incredibly valuable and incredibly good at what they do and I hope they stay. I believe in their talent and I believe in them sticking around and I’m excited about that.”
Toucher and Rich both worked at Alternative “99X” WNNX Atlanta. They would move together to 104.1 WBCN Boston in 2006 as afternoon hosts and move to mornings in 2008. They would then take over mornings at “The Sports Hub” when it launched in 2009 replacing WBCN with a frequency move. The show was syndicated regionally from October 2021 until earlier this year with affiliates in Massachusetts and Maine. Prior to teaming with Toucher, Shertenlieb served as morning show producer at WNNX and on the Kidd Kraddick Morning Show.
Update: Shertenlieb has commented:
HEY GUYS HEY- I’ve got nothing but gratitude for the 98.5 The Sports Hub listeners that have shared their mornings with us. My thanks to the listeners, and to each member of the Toucher & Rich show and the team at the station. To the T&R team, I’ve appreciated your efforts and waking up early every day and sharing all the fun we’ve had together. You’re an incredible group of guys.
There’s a lot to say and a lot more fun to have, and when we connect again every day, my commitment to you will be the same as it’s always been, to have a great time together. It was not my decision to not say goodbye on the radio, nor was it my plan to leave the program and station this soon, but just know that I’ll be announcing my plans in the near future. But for today, know that I TRULY LOVE YOU ALL and appreciate you sharing your time with me and the guys, and I can’t wait to share what’s next.
