Michael Kay will remain on double duty for several years to come. Kay inked a three-year deal as one of the main voices on ESPN New York 98.7 FM/WEPN. Kay hosts the afternoon slot from 3 to 7 p.m. with Don LaGreca, in a pivotal sports talk battle with the venerable Mike Francesa on WFAN.

“We’re delighted that Michael Kay will remain with ESPN New York 98.7,” WEPN VP/general manager Dave Roberts tells FishbowlNY. “Michael’s work ethic and his overall knowledge of sports in New York are key ingredients for nothing but success. He is a true professional and a winner.”

A Fordham University graduate, Kay has been the Yankees TV voice since the YES Network debuted in 2002. That same year, Kay launched his drive time show on ESPN Radio in New York.

For several years, Talkers magazine has compiled the “Heavy Hundred” talk radio hosts. With sports such a huge radio genre, the magazine is unveiling its first list of 100 Most Important Sports Talk Hosts in America.

Numerous New York personalities dot the survey. But you can start right at the top, as Mike Francesa (left) is selected as the best. The WFAN afternoon host has been in the driver’s seat alone since 2008 when Chris Russo (a.k.a. Mad Dog) bolted for SiriusXM.

Russo failed to get the same support from Talkers, landing at number 39. He was surpassed by WFAN’s morning team Boomer Esiason and Craig Carton, in the high rent district of number 4.

Other WFAN hosts on the inaugural list include: Joe Benigno and Evan Roberts at 42, and original host Steve Somers at 56.

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The first Arbitron PPM ratings since the changes for WBLS and WEPN are out.

Inner City’s WBLS powered up the survey to number four. The Urban station leaped 2.2. It was the first full month since 98.7 was purchased by ESPN. Picking up the KISS/WRKS slack, ‘BLS added several personalities from 98.7.

As for ESPN, on the surface, it could be deemed a disappointment for the sports station still simulcasting on 1050 AM. The 98.7 frequency with KISS ended with an overall 4.0, while WEPN only managed a 1.8. WFAN increased slightly to a 3.2.

The cume (listenership) dropped from just shy of 2 million in April as an R&B station, to 1.4 million as ESPN Radio’s flagship.

“That’s because they [KISS] probably … [had] a lot of women listeners, which is typical of an Urban format,” Dave Roberts, ESPN New York GM, tells FishbowlNY.

That cume, though, has nearly doubled from a year ago among the people 12+ category.

“That’s a nice foundation [on which] to build new, loyal listeners,” Roberts says.

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Here’s a look at what FishbowlNY stories made the most buzz this week.

1. YES Network’s Michael Kay (left) Goes to Blows on Twitter with College Student, June 7
2. Longtime Mets Announcers Howie Rose and Gary Cohen Bask in Franchise’s First No-Hitter, June 2
3. Sue Simmons Final Day at WNBC is June 15, June 4
4. Roger Ailes Cancels Paper Subscription Out of Spite, June 1
5. Gawker Changes Commenting System (Again), Commenters Go Crazy (Again), June 4
6. Jonah Lehrer Departs Wired for The New Yorker, June 5

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Courtesy: web.yesnetwork.com

Yankees announcer Michael Kay got into a war of words on Twitter. The flap took place early Monday when Kay tweeted followers for their choice of lead topic on his ESPN/98.7 FM radio show the next afternoon.

He got into the “virtual” shouting match with 21-year-old Joey Hendler.

Hendler shot the first salvo tweeting, “I’ll b listening 2 [Mike] francesa like every1 else.”

“I just happened to be laying in my bed at 1 o’clock in the morning,” Hendler tells FishbowlNY. “…He responded with a quick remark. Then I responded back. [Kay] was delivering heavy blows, and I was firing them back.”

One of the blows that Hendler fired back took their Twitter fight into an online street brawl. Hendler wrote on the social media site: “look at you responding to a random person like that. Just shows your insecurity. Go cry yourself to sleep with your ugly wife.”

Hendler realizes that may have crossed the line, ripping Kay’s famous spouse.

“I shouldn’t have said that comment at the end,” Hendler admits.

That “ugly wife” remark is the one line for which Hendler is willing to offer an apology to Kay, but everything else tweeted he stands behind.

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In a complicated radio maneuver, ESPN Radio announced today that it will be moving to the FM frequency at 98.7 in New York, the longtime home of KISS FM. The switch to the FM dial begins at 12:01 a.m. Sunday. ESPN’s lackluster 1050 AM signal, which had equally lackluster ratings since competing against all-sports station WFAN in 2003, will simulcast ESPN Radio programming until September. Then, to coincide with Hispanic Heritage Month, ESPN will debut a 24-hour Spanish sports talk station.

“The bottom line is we’re extremely delighted that the company is providing this resource,” David Roberts, ESPN New York general manager, says. ”…We have to make sure that we produce the kind of content and programming that will not only get sampling, but to get people to come back more often.”

Part of the programming will have new times for Stephen A. Smith and Ryan Ruocco, together from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., as the lead-in to The Michael Kay Show.  The station also announced Patrick McEnroe will do a Saturday show from 10 a.m. to noon, beginning May 5.

As the rumors about ESPN’s move became more widespread this week, so did the speculation about bringing the Yankees on board in 2013. Traug Keller, senior vice president, production, business divisions, tells FishbowlNY in today’s conference call that no deal is in place.

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While WEPN/ESPN 1050 is hardly declaring victory, the upstart All-Sports station wants it known that there is growth in them thar hills!

ESPN held a press junket yesterday at the new MLB Fan Cave in Greenwich Village. FishbowlNY met 1050 general manager David Roberts and ESPN Radio SVP and general manager, Mo Davenport.

The WEPN call letters were born in 2003, but ESPN Radio was heard full-time on 1050 dating back to 2001. Despite the powerhouse name attached to the station, WEPN struggled to find its voice, and an audience to hear that voice.

WEPN was born to challenge rival WFAN and to provide a platform to all things ESPN.

Now nearly a decade after officially purchasing the station, ESPN 1050 is pleased to finally make some headway.

“The station is seeing real positive growth,” Roberts tells FishbowlNY.

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Popping the cork on a milestone, the YES Network airs a special March 13–10 Years of YES.

The two-hour program takes viewers down memory lane from the past decade.  The regional sports network debuted March 19, 2002.

Along with some memorable moments from YES telecasts, game announcers will recount their own tales of standout moments.

The show will focus heavily on Yankees coverage, but not exclusively. There will be highlights from the Nets, plus interview show Centerstage with Michael Kay, and Yankeeography with John Sterling.

Segments include:

• A look at the 2009 Yankees’ World Series winning season, along numerous milestones during the season, none bigger than Derek Jeter‘s 3,000th hit.
• Recalling the Nets back-to-back NBA Finals appearances
• A roundtable discussion with YES broadcasters Kay, Ken Singleton, John Flaherty, Ian Eagle, and Bob Lorenz reflecting on their favorite on-air moments.
• Interviews with Mike Francesa and Chris “Mad Dog” Russo about their pioneering WFAN simulcast on YES.

The YES Network will televise Jorge Posada’s retirement press conference tomorrow at 11 a.m. The longtime Yankee catcher will address the media at Yankee Stadium. The YES Network’s Michael Kay and Bob Lorenz will be on hand for the event.

Posada, 40, a five-time All-Star and five-time World Series winner, played all 17 years in the majors with the Yankees.

Photo credit: Ellen Wallop/YES Network

Longtime YES Network broadcaster Ken Singleton is set to receive a special career award. Singleton has been named winner of the Denzel Washington Lifetime Achievement in Sports from the Boys and Girls Club of Mount Vernon.

The honor is part of the Boys and Girls Club of Mount Vernon’s 100th annivesary gala on March 24, 2012.

Two-time Oscar winner Washington, who hosts the event, and Singleton are products of Mount Vernon and distinguished alumni of the Boys and Girls Club.

“His outstanding career on the baseball diamond and in the broadcast booth have distinguished him as a true champion,” Boys and Girls Club President Danny Sawh and executive director Lowes Moore said in a joint statement. “The Boys and Girls Club of Mount Vernon has been a bulwark against delinquency and a recreational outlet for youngsters for a century, and we hope today’s y0ungsters will follow in his giant footsteps.”

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