Radio hosts on hold

The big news at sports radio station WEEI this week was supposed to be its sixth Jimmy Fund Radio Telethon, run in conjunction with NESN Thursday and Friday.

But that has been overshadowed by the fact that WEEI management is keeping morning hosts Gerry Callahan and John Dennis off the air this week -- and maybe longer. The contracts of both hosts expire next month, so this could mark the end of the highly-rated eight-year-old show.

Nobody is saying much, which is fitting, since Dennis and Callahan aren't yapping away as usual on their morning show.

Callahan has been a no-show since May, when he had throat surgery. But he said in a recent e-mail that he was actually looking forward to getting up at 4 a.m. again, and especially to being back for the annual Jimmy Fund event.

But it looks as though that's not going to happen. In the past few months, Callahan's chair has been filled by a variety of cohosts to work with Dennis. Then subs filled in for both when Dennis took a recent vacation.

Then Dennis and Callahan were told at the end of last week that they needn't bother coming in this week, according to a source close to the contract negotiations, which have reached a standstill. The source said the station and the talkmasters have traded salary numbers for the past year. But the timing of this move is bizarre, in light of the fact that it comes just before the telethon, one of station's crown jewels.

Jason Wolfe, vice president of Entercom Boston, declined to comment on the negotiations.

Rumors have been swirling as to who might take over the morning show; one is that Bob Neumeier will be reunited with Dale Arnold (who would slide over from middays). Craig Mustard and Larry Johnson hosted the morning show yesterday, although the drop-ins continued to tease the "Dennis & Callahan Show," as they have all summer.

Entercom Radio, which owns both WEEI and WRKO, has a recent history of playing hardball with its hosts. It is suing WRKO afternoon host Howie Carr to prevent him from joining WTKK-FM as morning host next month. He apparently is countersuing the station.

Susan Bickelhaupt can be reached at bickelhaupt@globe.com.