With the upcoming retirement of Chris Allinger, Saga Communications’ Cayuga Media Group has announced a pair of promotions within its Ithaca NY cluster.

Joe Salzone rises from News Director for News/Talk 870 WHCU/97.7 W249DW to Operations Manager. Salzone joined the cluster in 2020 after previously holding on-air and production roles across the state of New York. He takes over that role from Allinger.

President/General Manager Chet Osadchey said, “Joe is an incredibly hard-working and knowledgeable broadcast professional. He will be a guiding force in our continued evolution as a local media source.”

Succeeding Allinger as Brand Manager of “103.7 Q Country” WQNY and Sports “96.3 The Buzzer” W242AB/WYXL-HD3 will be Justin Bertolero. Bertolero joined the cluster after graduating from Ithaca College in 2022 and currently serves as Brand Manager/afternoon host at CHR “Z95.5” WFIZ and midday host on WQNY.

Osadchey added, “Justin is a rising star in our building. We are all very proud of him and confident he will continue to elevate both our radio and social platforms. Both Joe and Justin have shown great pride and leadership in their work. It’s fulfilling and exciting to see them continue to grow professionally within this team.”