Posted: July 3rd, 2008

Starting Monday (7/7/08) veteran Philadelphia Radio air personality Mike Bowe will host mornings LIVE on Martini Lounge Radio WHAT 1340 AM. The new show, “The Morning Martini” will feature the station’s “Hip Standards” music format mixed with entertainment, contests, interviews and trivia. The Morning Martini will also include news headlines, sports updates, business news, weather and traffic reports.

Mike Bowe’s voice has been heard on Martini Lounge Radio since late last year on the afternoon program “Happy Hour.” In his new, expanded role, Bowe will host The Morning Martini and continue Happy Hour from 5 to 6pm. About the rarity of an independent, locally owned radio station in a major market like Philadelphia, Bowe says, “This place has that ‘small town’ radio feeling about it. The building, the staff, the listeners and the advertisers are like ‘family’. The growth that it’s shown in the short amount of time it’s been on the air is really quite remarkable today.”

Since WHAT started its Martini Lounge Radio format in September 2007, the total audience has quadrupled. Since February 2008, its average weekly listener base is growing at the rate of 32% per month. Mike Bowe’s friendly, raspy voice is familiar to many in Philadelphia, New Jersey and Delaware. His 30+ years broadcasting career has included air time on WMGK, WPEN and WJBR.

In Philadelphia and across the country, Standards from the Great American Songbook are enjoying resurging popularity among maturing Baby Boomers in their 40’s and 50’s. Many of Martini Lounge Radio’s younger listeners are familiar with the music because of their exposure to it as children as their parents listened to WIP and WPEN. According to station owner and General Manager, Tom Kelly, “Young people find Martini Lounge Radio to be a fun, refreshing family alternative to music played on other radio stations.