'SouthCoast Tonight' Will Bring New Bedford Talk to the Nighttime

Chris McCarthy is returning full-time to the WBSM airwaves, partnering with his friend and fellow WBSM host Marcus Ferro for a new program that will expand local talk radio into the night.

SouthCoast Tonight debuts on Monday, July 11 and it will feature McCarthy and Ferro mixing it up with guests, callers and each other on all of the issues of the day, with a strong focus on things happening right here at home. It will air immediately after The Howie Carr Show, weeknights from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. on 1420 AM and 99.5 FM, streaming on the WBSM app and at WBSM.com, and will also have a daily podcast of the program as well.

Ferro, who began at WBSM as a contributor to The Chris McCarthy Show before becoming the host of his own Marcus Ferro Show on Saturday afternoons, sees the program as an opportunity to talk to the movers and shakers of the SouthCoast, while also giving the listening audience a time when they can sit down, really dive into the topics being presented, and call in and share their own thoughts without having to take time out of work or family in order to call.

“The show offers a unique opportunity for local talk radio,” Ferro said. “The time slot is very accessible for both the guests and the audience to engage in conversation about the issues that impact our community the most.”

McCarthy said many WBSM listeners at that time are usually tuning into some of the nighttime shows on cable, such as Fox News, CNN and MSNBC. Unlike those programs, SouthCoast Tonight will have a mostly local focus, and most importantly, will be interactive.

“Unlike what’s on television at that time, SouthCoast Tonight will let you speak to the hosts and the guests,” McCarthy said.

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McCarthy went off the air in March 2021 for what was expected to be just a normal bout of COVID-19, but it quickly became clear to his doctors that something was very wrong. McCarthy was hospitalized for months, literally fighting for his life and battling not only COVID but also multiple heart attacks and strokes as a result of the virus. It’s been a long road to recovery, but he’s finally ready to get back behind the mic full-time after returning on a part-time basis as a contributor to The Tim Weisberg Show.

“It’s so exciting to be working with Chris again,” Ferro said. “Chris has been a great friend and mentor. His journey back to the airwaves is a story of courage and resilience. I’m honored to be a part of his triumphant return.”

With a brand new-time slot, McCarthy and Ferro are excited about the chance to be able to break down all the news of the day, provide real-time reaction to important meetings and events, and to be a stop on the campaign trail in the upcoming primaries and general election.

“We will host candidate forums, live coverage of municipal, state and national elections, and get live reactions to city council meetings and other day-to-day operations of local government,” Ferro said. “The SouthCoast is a very civically-engaged community with a strong talk radio listenership. That will be key to the show’s success.”

An announcement will be made at a later date as to the future of Ferro’s Saturday afternoon program.

Listen to the announcement made on-air during the WBSM Roundtable on The Tim Weisberg Show:

A Night for Chris McCarthy at The Vault in Downtown New Bedford

Listeners, radio station staff, community members, politicians and special guests came together at The Vault in downtown New Bedford on March 10 to raise money to help WBSM's Chris McCarthy pay for the medical bills he has amassed in his year-long fight against COVID-19 and its after effects.