Massachusetts Broadcasters Hall of Fame announces 2025 class

Eight distinguished women and men will be inducted into the Massachusetts Broadcasters Hall of Fame (MABHoF) on Thursday, June 5, at the annual MA Broadcasters Association (www.massbroadcasters.org) luncheon and awards ceremony at the Sheraton Framingham Hotel.

The 2025 inductees are, alphabetically by last name:

The late EdmundAnsin, owner of Boston’s WHDH-TV, Channel 7, WLVI-TV, Boston’s Channel 56 and WSVN-TV, Channel 7 in South Florida. He owned WHDH for more than 25 years, and – it is said –  he “revolutionized local television news” in Boston, Miami, and across the country. Mr. Ansin is the 2025 recipient of the MABHOF “Pioneer Award,” which Hall of Fame Committee Chair Peter Brown explained is presented “to individuals who have distinguished themselves over decades for lasting contributions made to the broadcast industry and through a leadership role in their particular craft.”  Mr. Ansin’s children, Andy, James and Stephanie, now own and operate WHDH-TV, WLVI-TV and WSVN-TV. His sons will accept the Pioneer Award in honor of their late father.

Dale Arnold captured the excitement of the Boston Bruins with his play-by-play for more than two decades and offered his analysis of Boston sports on NESN studio shows.  Dale also enjoyed 30 years on Boston‘s WEEI Radio, primarily hosting midday sports radio programming. During his career, this versatile broadcaster is the only person to have called play-by-play for five Boston professional teams – the Red Sox, Patriots, Celtics, Bruins, and New England Revolution. He’s also called collegiate events like Boston College football and Hockey East competition.

Carol Moore Cutting, the CEO, President, and owner of WEIB 106.3 Smooth FM, in Northampton, MA, and a champion of local radio. She is the first African American woman in Massachusetts to operate a radio station. WEIB-FM has remained independent and stands as the only locally owned commercial FM radio station in the Greater Springfield market, the only female-owned FM radio station in Massachusetts, and the only African American-owned AM or FM radio station in New England.

Dennis Eckersley, whose 24-year Major League Baseball career stands out as one of the finest for any pitcher. Elected in 2004 to the Baseball Hall of Fame at Cooperstown in his first year of eligibility, he played during his career for the Cleveland Indians, Boston Red Sox, Chicago Cubs, Oakland Athletics and St. Louis Cardinals. Eckersley retired from pitching in 1998 and began working as a studio analyst and color commentator for the Boston Red Sox on NESN-TV. “Eck” became known for his unique commentary, nuanced insights and a no-holds-barred style. He was known for his on-air sayings like “cheese” for a fastball.  “Going bridge” was a home run, and a particular fan favorite was “a pair of shoes” for a batter left standing in the batter’s box after a called third strike.  His broadcasts have been described as poetry.

Rod Fritz, “a quintessential radio news anchor and radio news director” in Boston for more than 40 years. WBZ, WRKO, WEEI, and WHDH in Boston are among the radio stations for which he worked. He has been the recipient of several Associated Press Awards, RTNDA Awards, the United Press International Tom Phillips Award, New York Radio Festival Award, and the Massachusetts Teachers Association Award.  Twice he was elected by his fellow broadcasters as President of the Massachusetts Associated Press Broadcasters Association. In addition to serving as the midday news anchor at WBZ Radio from 2007-2018, he has held key news positions at all of the most prominent radio news stations in Boston. His strong and credible voice is known to listeners throughout the Boston area.

Larry Justice is an original WMEX “Good Guy” from the 60’s. He also worked as a DJ for WBZ and WROR radio stations in Boston. In 1983, he bought WCIB-FM on Cape Cod, and after growing Justice Broadcasting to five stations in Vermont, Massachusetts, and Florida,  he sold the company in the late 90’s. But Larry’s voice never retired, as he continued to voice local, regional and network TV and radio commercials. In 2020, he and  Anthony LaGreca bought WMEX 1510 from Ed Perry’s Marshfield Broadcasting, Inc., and before and since then, Larry has been back on ‘MEX with “The Halls of Justice” airing from 10 am to 2 pm, Monday through Friday.

Carolyn Kruse, or “Kruser,” as her fans know her best, spent 31 years playing country music on the Boston airwaves before she retired in 2024. When superstar Kenny Chesney heard that she was hanging up the headphones, he insisted she join him on stage at Gillette Stadium for night one of the final stop of his 2024 tour.She joined what was then Country 96.9/WBCS in 1993; the station changed dial positions 3 times and call letters twice before becoming Country 102.5, but Kruse remained a constant. Known for her artist interviews, she also championed local artists with a blog/social media feature called “Kruser’s Local Catch.” She has enjoyed ratings success wherever she’s been heard and was instrumental in helping the station win a CMA Radio Station of the Year award with recognition as one of the most influential country stations in the nation.

Randy Price is an award-winning journalist and was a fixture on the anchor desk at three of Boston’s TV stations. After a career that included leading positions at WBZ-TV and WHDH-TV, he spent more than a decade at WCVB-TV as co-anchor of the station’s ratings-leading “EyeOpener” newscast. He retired after nearly 50 years on local television. As the nation’s first openly gay TV news anchor, Randy is regularly invited to speak to a wide variety of audiences. He has been an emcee at numerous LGBTQ+ events, and he has served as Grand Marshal of Pride parades and celebrations in Boston, Worcester, Provincetown, and Salem, MA.  He’s also served as the Grand Marshal of the annual America’s Hometown Thanksgiving Parade in Plymouth. Randy has been honored with humanitarian and professional awards including the broadcast news industry’s highest honor — a national Edward R. Murrow Award for best newscast in a large television market.  As a longtime viewer favorite, Randy has also been featured in Boston Magazine as “Boston’s Best News Anchor.”

Hall of Fame Committee Chair Brown said of the 2025 inductee class, ‘We are delighted to welcome these talented and dedicated broadcasters into the Hall of Fame. Wehonor their creativity, innovation, and boldness, and embrace the endowment of a collective legacy that shines a light on their imprint of excellence in broadcasting.”

Tickets for the Hall of Fame luncheon cost $90 each.  Full tables of eight, nine, and ten are also available. Purchase of tickets and tables may be made at http://tinyurl.com/MBAHOF25.  For questions about tickets/tables or to purchase an ad in the event’s program book, please call Massachusetts Broadcasters Association Executive Director Jordan Walton at 800-471-1875.

The event will begin with an 11 am reception; the program’s opening remarks begin at 11:40 am, followed by lunch and then the induction ceremonies. The luncheon will be emceed by long-time Boston radio personality Jordan Rich.