Ric Tyler

Ric Tyler has been broadcasting in Maine for more than 25 years. He was born in Presque Isle but landed his first job in radio at WBME-AM Belfast. While earning his degree in broadcast journalism at the University of Maine, Ric worked and later managed the campus radio station WMEB-FM Orono. He simultaneously worked on-air and reported news for WKSQ-FM Ellsworth (Blueberry Broadcasting’s Kiss 94.5) and turned an internship into an associate producers post at WLBZ-TV Bangor.

After graduation, Ric joined Kiss 94.5 full time, working his way up from weekend announcing and weekday reporting, to morning drive and assistant program director. Through his more than 11 years with Kiss 94.5, Ric continued to host the Saturday night programs, Kiss n the 60s and Kiss n the 70s.

WVII-TV Bangor called in late 1994 asking if Ric might be interested in filling in for their vacationing meteorologist. In the spring of 1995, Ric left Kiss 94.5 to take the position of full-time weathercaster for the abc television affiliate. Ric’s duties while at abc7 Bangor included proving radio weathercast for WHCF-FM Bangor, WHMX-FM Lincoln, WGUY-FM Dexter, WVOM-FM Howland (Blueberry Broadcasting’s Voice of Maine) , WQCB-FM Brewer and WBZN-FM Old Town.

WLBZ-TV Bangor offered Ric the opportunity to return to reporting and the privilege of anchoring newscasts in the spring of 1999. Occasionally Ric was invited to anchor statewide newscasts from WCSH-TV Portland, WLBZ’s Gannett-owned sister station. Ric enjoying being part of the NewsCenter family for five years.

In March of 2004, on his oldest son Ian’s first birthday, Ric left WLBZ to join his wife in launching her marketing and public relations firm Blue Paper Communications. A short time later, Elizabeth’s company merged with CM Weston to form Sutherland Weston Marketing Communications, a company at which Ric continues to serve as a creative consultant and an audio/video editor.

In the Summer of 2004, Ric returned to the WKSQ-FM family as a weekend host. Then in early November of that year, Ric joined WVOM-FM to co-host Maine In The Morning with veteran broadcaster George Hale. They began pushing each other’s button, pushing the boundries of decent radio, and the program, now titled The George Hale/Ric Tyler Show toward its potential.

We’ll see how long it is before one of them kills or seriously injures the other.