On The Dial | Radio People and Programming
Michael Bennett has survived enough format changes at Philadelphia’s 96.5 FM to qualify for frequent-flyer miles without ever leaving the building. After thirteen years, several station identities, and enough musical reinventions to make a record store dizzy, Bennett is moving across the Audacy hallway to take over afternoons at AC powerhouse B101, WBEB. The move follows Friday’s retirement of longtime afternoon personality Bill Tafrow and gives Bennett a familiar destination after his former station, The New 96.5 WTDY-FM, recently abandoned Hot AC for country music.
And somewhere in Philadelphia, Michael Bennett is probably relieved that his new station has a name that doesn’t require explaining what it was called three formats ago.
Thirteen Years and More Station Names Than Most Broadcasters Have Jobs
Bennett’s history at 96.5 is practically a walking tour of modern radio branding.
During his thirteen-year tenure, the frequency operated under identities including Wired 96.5, 96.5 Amp Radio, Today’s 96.5, 96.5 TDY, and The New 96.5.
He worked mornings, middays, and afternoons through those changes.
That’s an impressive demonstration of adaptability.
Consider what that means.
Different formats.
Different audiences.
Different programming strategies.
New logos, new imaging, new slogans, and probably enough revised station email signatures to qualify as an occupational hazard.
Through it all, Bennett remained part of the Philadelphia radio landscape.
Now, with WTDY-FM’s move to country, Audacy has found another home for him within its cluster.
And it’s not entirely unfamiliar territory.
Bennett previously hosted the noon-to-2 p.m. shift on B101, making this something of a return engagement.
Following a Familiar Philadelphia Voice
Bennett steps into afternoons following the retirement of Bill Tafrow, whose departure closes a chapter in B101’s programming history.
Replacing a longtime personality presents its own challenges.
Listeners develop habits around familiar voices, and afternoon radio is particularly personal. It’s the soundtrack to school pickups, commutes, errands, and the final stretch of a workday that occasionally feels like it began sometime last Tuesday.
But Bennett brings extensive Philadelphia market experience and familiarity with the Audacy operation.
That’s an advantage.
He understands the market, knows the company, and has already spent time on B101.
Rather than introducing an entirely unfamiliar personality, Audacy is moving an established local broadcaster into the opening.
Sometimes the Smartest Move Is Keeping Good People
I’ve watched enough format changes over the years to know that they don’t always end well for the personalities caught in the middle.
A station changes direction, the music library gets replaced, and suddenly somebody with years of experience is standing in the parking lot wondering whether the company remembered to deactivate the employee badge.
That’s why this move deserves attention.
Audacy had an experienced personality available after changing WTDY-FM’s format and an afternoon opening at WBEB.
Instead of losing that experience, the company found a way to retain it.
A format change may eliminate a position, but it doesn’t erase the talent of the person who held it.
That’s a lesson radio management would do well to remember.
And Bennett’s career illustrates another important truth: versatility matters.
Being able to adjust to different formats, audiences, and dayparts can make all the difference in an industry where the only thing that seems permanent is the possibility of another change.
Congratulations to Michael Bennett on his new afternoon home at B101, and best wishes to Bill Tafrow in retirement.
After thirteen years of musical chairs at 96.5, Bennett has landed somewhere familiar.
Now let’s hope somebody gives him a little time to unpack.
Because when you’ve survived that many format flips, you shouldn’t have to update your résumé every time somebody changes the playlist.
At On The Dial, we believe experienced local personalities are among broadcasting’s most valuable assets. Audacy’s decision to move Michael Bennett into B101 afternoons is a reminder that retaining proven talent can be just as important as finding new talent. Congratulations to Michael on the move, and thank you to Bill Tafrow for his years behind the microphone.
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