The Broadcast Pioneers of Philadelphia

Broadcast Pioneers member Jere Sullivan
Traffic.com offices
Tuesday, November 8, 2005

Broadcast Pioneers member Jere Sullivan began his adventure in broadcasting in the middle 1960’s in his hometown of Philadelphia. His first real paying job was in the mailroom of Triangle’s WFIL-AM-FM-TV where he worked the pre-dawn shift sorting mail for Broadcast Pioneers member George Koehler, Sally Starr and Chief Halftown (all three are inductees into our Hall of Fame). It wasn’t too long before Jere moved over to Channel 6 as a production staffer on a daily one hour morning show called “The World Around Us” with Anita Klever.

Following the cancellation of “The World Around Us” to make room for Captain Noah (also a member of the Broadcast Pioneers and an inductee into our Hall of Fame), Jere moved upstairs in the WFIL building to become a “board op” for the up and coming WFIL-FM, then known as POPular 102. While spinning records for WFIL-FM, Jere learned all he could about radio programming from WFIL’s Jay Cook and WFIL-FM’s Dave Klahr, a Broadcast Pioneers member. During this time, Jere learned actual hands-on production from the Master, WFIL’s Production Director Jerry Donohue, an inductee into our Hall of Fame.

Following the sale of WFIL-FM to Richer Communications, Jere went with the station to become the overnight disc jockey for the “new” WIOQ-FM which became known as W-102 “Stereo Island.” This is where Jere’s long radio career really began. Following WIOQ, Jere moved over to WCAU and when WCAU-FM flipped format and became Philadelphia’s “Disco Station,” Jere was in the perfect position to make the best of the opportunity and spent most of the 1970’s as the midday host on “Fascinatin' Rhythm” FM98, using the name C. Jonathan Morgan.

However all good things eventually come to an end, and by the end of the 1970’s WCAU-FM became “Hot Hits” with new programming and new disc jockeys. Jere accepted an offer to become the Music Director and evening host at NBC’s WYNY-FM in New York, itself having just gone through a format change. It was at WYNY that Jere worked again with friends Dave Klahr and long-time “Sounds of Sinatra” creator Sid Mark, a Broadcast Pioneers member and an inductee into our Hall of Fame.

After several years at NBC, Jere left New York for the sunshine of Miami, where he spent many years programming a variety of radio stations as well as running the radio network operations for The Miami Dolphins and The University of Miami Hurricanes. In the 1980’s, Jere programmed Miami radio stations such as adult standards WVCG and WYOR; news/talk/sports WIOD and contemporary 97A1A; oldies WMXJ and soft AC WJQY and WTPX.

In 1988, Sullivan returned to Philadelphia to program WSNI-FM and WPGR-AM, working once again with legends Broadcast Pioneers' Hall of Fame inductee Jerry Blavat, Broadcast Pioneers member Don Cannon, Broadcast Pioneers' Hall of Fame inductee Hy Lit and many of Philadelphia’s most talented personalities.

Along the way Jere Sullivan has also programmed or consulted for radio stations WCMC in Wildwood, NJ, WERA in Plainfield, NJ, WTTM in Trenton, NJ, KJQY in San Diego, CA, served as VP/GM of talk WBDN in Tampa. He has also produced television programs in Philadelphia and Miami; had roles in 2 movies and 3 episodes of Miami Vice.

Jere is currently the Director of Traffic Operations for Traffic.com, Inc., where he continues to work with many of the country’s most talented television and radio news and traffic anchors.

The e-mail address of the Broadcast Pioneers of Philadelphia is pioneers@broadcastpioneers.com