Ready to wake up for 5 more years with Paul Castronovo? Big 105.9 bets you are
“Long term relationships” and “radio personalities” are not always commonly linked terms in South Florida radio, especially in these days of downsizing and shifting listening habits.
But Paul Castronovo has been a near constant on Florida airwaves since 1984, and iHeartMedia plans to keep that relationship going for another five years.
On Monday, iHeart announced that Castronovo has signed a long-term contract extension with the media company to continue hosting “The
Paul Castronovo Show” mornings at iHeartMedia Miami’s BIG 105.9 (WBBG-FM) through 2026.
“The Paul Castronovo Show,” is co-hosted by Heather Nelson — who re-upped for another two years with iHeart — and Mike Anderson. According to iHeart, “The Paul Castronovo Show” is a topranked morning show with listeners ages 25 to 54.
CASTRONOVO’S FLORIDA RADIO HISTORY
That means many of its fans were not even born when Castronovo co-hosted The Paul and Young Ron Show with Ron Brewer for 26 years from 1990 to 2016. The freewheeling program was one of South Florida’s defining radio morning shows and made Castronovo a star DJ soon
after it started on then rock station, WSHE 103.5 FM.
Castronovo, 61, started his radio career at WRUFFM in Gainesville playing rock when he was a student at the University of Florida. He jumped around the South Florida dial over the years, including at long gone but memorable stations like Zeta 4 (94.9 FM) which, like SHE, was the home for rock music in these parts.
Now that those songs are considered “classic rock” he’s on a station that spins them as oldies — Big 105.9, his radio home since 2006.
“I found my radio home at BIG 105.9 a long time ago and love it,” Castronovo said in iHeart’s news release. “How can you call this work? Who else gets to laugh with their buddies
for four hours a day and get paid for it? I’m excited to extend my relationship with iHeartMedia Miami for years to come.”
Added Ross MacLeod, Big 105.9’s program director: “Getting to work every day with a creative genius like Paul is a privilege.
‘The Paul Castronovo Show’ is a top-rated morning show with a massive following and is part of the Miami community, so knowing listeners get to wake up with Paul for several more years puts a big smile on my face.”
Castronovo graduated from UF in 1984 and was inducted into its College of Journalism and Communication’s Hall of Fame in 2013. He is a board member for the Guy Harvey Foundation and OCEARCH and a co-chair for the Miami Dolphins
Foundation’s Fins Weekend.
CASTRONOVO’S KEYS RELIEF
In November 2017, Castronovo and his crew broadcast his show from the bayfront Marriott Key Largo Resort, mile marker 103.8, to let his South Florida listeners know that two months after
Hurricane Irma battered the
Florida Keys, many of the island chain’s resilient hotels, restaurants and fishing guides were are up and running and ready for tourists.
Former Miami Dolphins coach Jimmy Johnson was one of that show’s guests.
“I’m in the Keys All. The. Time,” Castronovo said during a commercial break, FLKeysNews reported at the time.
Castronovo was once voted the person you’d most like to have a beer with by the former Miami magazine and he opened his own winery, Castronovo Vineyards, in the Abruzzi region of Italy a decade ago. Broward New Times readers voted Castronovo best FM radio personality in 2016.
CRAZY ON-AIR STUNT
One of Castronovo’s craziest on-air stunts? In 2010, Boca Magazine did a Q&A with the radio jock and he told the story of how a listener wanted to win a prize Big 105.9 was offering but he’d have to do something wacky to win that prize.
“He [and his wife] had a newborn baby and we replaced their newborn baby [in the crib] with a midget smoking a cigar and drinking a Heineken. And the mother came in and said ‘Good morning, sweetheart,’ and he said, ‘Sweetheart? I want some eggs!’” Castronovo told the magazine.
Paul Castronovo signs for five more years of hosting ‘The Paul Castronovo Show’ on WBGG-FM (BIG 105.9) through 2026.