Townsquare Media, the parent company of NJ 101.5, confirmed on Thursday morning that Bill Spadea is returning to the morning show. after taking a hiatus to run for governor.
Spadea’s return date is Tuesday, September 2nd.
In a statement released by Townsquare, the radio conglomerate pledged that “Spadea will once again bring his signature blend of hard-hitting political commentary and Jersey-focused conversation to the airwaves and digital platforms across the Garden State.”
“I’m excited to be returning to the airwaves with New Jersey 101.5 and the largest audience in the state,” said Spadea in the Townsquare statement. “I’m looking forward to continuing our mission of fighting for common-sense solutions to save New Jersey. Our show has always been about the listeners, and I’m ready to keep amplifying the voices of small business owners, parents, teachers, first responders, nurses, and everyone else committed to digging in and staying in New Jersey. Stay tuned — there’s more to come!”
It remains to be seen what Spadea 2.0 looks like… and how impactful the once potent morning program will be?
The returning host got his doors blown off in June, losing the race for the GOP gubernatorial nomination to Jack Ciattarelli by a 3-to-1 margin (Spadea garned only 22% of the statewide primary vote in what was functionally a three-man race); the Associated Press called the race only 17 minutes after polls closed. In fact, Spadea lost every county including those situated in the station’s core listening region.
A key unanswered question is whether Spadea’s refusal (thus far) to endorse Ciattarelli will enhance or hinder his audience reach. Spadea had unapologetically criticized – some would say undermined – Ciattarelli throughout the 2021 general election cycle and even suggested voting for the Republican over Governor Phil Murphy wouldn’t make a difference. Few expect him to change his tone through the final two months of the 2025 race. Station manager and newsman Eric Scott has been hostile to Ciattarelli in recent days due, at least in part, to Ciattarelli’s apparent decision to decline an on-air appearance with Scott while he’s filled in during Spadea’s absence.
