Chaz & AJ Now Straddle Long Island Sound
• Connoisseur Media announced that the long-running, nationally recognized Chaz and AJ Show, based at WPLR/New Haven, CT, will expand its reach and virtually return to Long Island in morning drive on Rock sister WWSK (94.3 The Shark), beginning Monday, March 9.
Born and raised on Long Island, AJ (right) grew up listening to local radio stations as well as WPLR beamed across the Sound. He interned at WBAB and later worked at WMJC (now 94.3 The Shark). Ironically, Chaz (left) joined WRCN in January 1996, replacing AJ in morning drive. A year later, Chaz invited AJ to join him, launching a successful partnership that has now spanned nearly three decades. Together, they hosted mornings on WRCN from 1997 to 2003 before moving to WPLR.
“The Chaz and AJ show began on Long Island and it just makes perfect sense to have them return home,” said Keith Dakin, SVP of Programming for Connoisseur Media. “The show has always been for and about the listeners, and now we get to add a whole bunch more to the party. The connection between Chaz and AJ and their audience runs deep, and bringing Long Island back into that community is something we’re really excited about.”
Often jokingly referred to as “the Billy Martin of Long Island Radio,” hired and fired more than once — AJ has had resilient and memorable career on the Island. In a joint statement, Chaz & AJ said, “We are thrilled to get back to our roots on Long Island. Now we’ll wake up audiences on The Shark and on WPLR in New Haven — it truly feels like the best of both worlds. We’re grateful to our CEO, Jeff Warshaw, for the opportunity to expand the show and bring it home. We’re going to work hard every day to earn the trust and ears of Long Island listeners. For decades, we’ve believed they deserve a better show — and we intend to bring it.”
It was concurrently announced that Chaz has signed a new five-year agreement with Connoisseur Media, reinforcing the company’s long-term commitment to the show’s continued growth.
