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Winnipeg Free Press - PRINT EDITION

Power 97 morning show's three hosts resign

By: Rob Williams

Posted: 09/13/2012 1:00 AM | Comments: 0 | Last Modified: 09/13/2012 8:49 AM | Updates

Power 97 morning host Dave Wheeler gives the two thumbs up for his on air partners Philly and Rena (rear) in their Portage Avenue studio in this 2010 photo. The trio resigned Wednesday. (RUTH BONNEVILLE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS ARCHIVES) Photo Store

THE wheels have come off the Power 97 morning show.

Wheeler in the Morning with Philly and Rena has ended its three-year run after the trio handed in their resignations Wednesday after signing off for the last time just before 10 a.m.

"Unfortunately we couldn't come to contractual terms with Corus Entertainment and Rena, Philly and I are no longer employed with Corus," Dave Wheeler said Wednesday afternoon.

"We feel really confident in our product and we thought we were better suited as a team and decided to stay that way."

The trio's contract expired Aug. 31, but Power 97's owners, Corus Entertainment, and the morning show crew couldn't agree on a new contract, so the three resigned en masse.

Neither side would say what the main sticking points were, but Power 97 program director Matt Cundill said the show would go on without them.

"We'll keep broadcasting. There's a lot of talent in this building," he said, without naming an immediate replacement.

Wheeler has been on the modern rock station for nearly 10 years. He first moved to Winnipeg from Lloydminster, Alta., in January 2003 to be one half of the Wheeler and Hal Show with Hal Anderson.

Anderson moved to CJOB in 2009, which led to the hiring of Phil Aubrey and Rena Jae to make up the new morning team.

Any references to the morning show have been removed from Power 97's website.

Wheeler said the trio doesn't yet have a plan in place for its next move but would be looking at all offers in Winnipeg and elsewhere as a team. A picture of a "for sale" sign in front of Wheeler's house was Tweeted by his wife Wednesday afternoon.

"I consider this home but I'm not averse to having a conversation with anybody. As much as I've shown my loyalty to Corus the past 10 years I think the loyalty to Philly and Rena will really stand the test of time," he said.

The trio's departure comes in the midst of the BBM Canada fall radio survey schedule, which started Sept. 3 and runs through Oct. 28, and is when many radio stations pull outrageous stunts in order to boost ratings.

rob.williams@freepress.mb.ca

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition September 13, 2012 D5

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Updated on Thursday, September 13, 2012 at 8:49 AM CDT: Added picture.

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