Ric Cengeri Credit: Courtesy

After 12 years at Vermont Public Radio, producer and guest host Ric Cengeri was fired on Thursday, he told Seven Days.

Cengeri was probably best known to public radio listeners as host of “VPR Café,” a weekly segment focused on food and agriculture that was axed in July. His primary job was producing the station’s daily public affairs program, “Vermont Edition”; he also occasionally guest-hosted it.

According to Cengeri, VPR president and chief executive officer Scott Finn intercepted him in the station’s Colchester parking lot Thursday as Cengeri was returning from vacation. Finn led him into a conference room, terminated him and did not allow him to clean out his desk, Cengeri said.

“It was a surprise. It was definitely a surprise,” he said. “There was no warning that there was anything amiss.”

Cengeri declined to provide the explanation Finn gave him, saying, “I’ll let them explain.” Reached Friday, Finn said, “We respect our employees’ privacy, so we don’t talk about personnel matters in the media.”

Former “Vermont Edition” managing producer Sam Gale Rosen recently left the program for another position at VPR, which means that two of three producer positions are now vacant. But according to Finn, the station remains committed to the show, calling it “an extremely key part of VPR and its service to the community.”

Cengeri, who previously worked in public relations, marketing and as a morning host at the Point FM, said he doesn’t know what’s next for him. “I’m almost 60 years old, so at this point, it’s hard to figure out what you do with your life,” he said.

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One thing that won’t change for Cengeri is his role as the namesake of and mascot for Citizen Cider’s popular ginger-infused beverage, the Dirty Mayor.

“I’m still the mayor,” Cengeri said. “I’m still the Dirty Mayor.”

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Paul Heintz was part of the Seven Days news team from 2012 to 2020. He served as political editor and wrote the "Fair Game" political column before becoming a staff writer.

22 replies on “Media Note: VPR Fires ‘Vermont Edition’ Producer Ric Cengeri”

  2. Ive been a member of WAMC for years. Much better programming and variety. VPR is Vermont Boring Radio.

  3. I have listened to WAMC Northeast public radio out of Albany, NY for years. I invite anyone to give it a try, 91.9 fm.

  4. One more reason why I prefer WAMC Public Radio 91.9 out of Plattsburgh and 104.9 out of Ticonderoga, and North Country Public Radio 88.1 out of Peru and 90.5 out of Bristol (VT).

    Seems like lots of turmoil at VPR and VPT in recent years. We prefer TV from the other side of the lake as well, WCFE Plattsburgh.

  5. I think we all know the real story: Wertlieb got mad when Cengeri called him “The Wordy Mayor”. Wertlieb threw a bagel at him and Cengeri taunted him for his small “sustaining membership” amount which he called “a shortcoming”. fists flew and it got reported that Cengeri dealt it, though word on the street is that Wertlieb smelt it.

  6. Never liked VPR’s I’m so cool pretense. Never had nor will give a penny in donations. I’ll listen to public radio out of New York state.

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