Tom Joyner, whose syndicated radio show was dropped by WVAZ-FM (V103) Monday, doesn’t seem to be bitter about the move, according to an interview he gave to the Chicago Tribune’s Phil Rosenthal on Friday.
Joyner said he has been fired before, but the cancellation of his radio show by WVAZ was “different from the others.”
Tuskegee, Ala. – born Joyner landed in Chicago radio at the old WVON-AM in 1972, and worked for practically every black-oriented radio station in the market, including WJPC-AM, where he was noticed by the station’s owner, the late John H. Johnson – the same John H. Johnson who ran Johnson Publications, who published Ebony and Jet magazines.
Joyner of course, became “the fly jock” – the monkier he earned after commuting back and forth every day between radio gigs in Chicago and Dallas (the “fly jock” name was actually given to him by the late Richard Pegue, a collegue of Joyner’s. Pegue died on February xx.)
Joyner said in the interview he understood why the decision was made to drop his radio show (syndicated by Radio One) and replace him with Steve Harvey (syndicated by Premiere Radio Networks – who is owned by Clear Channel – the same owner of WVAZ), saying he would’ve done the same thing if he was in CC’s position. He also talks about how urban radio stations are suffering under the new Portable People Meter systems (PPMs) – though WVAZ’s ratings have remained constant under the new measurement.
No word on when – or if – another Chicago radio station will pick up Joyner’s program (hello, WSRB Soul 106.3 – are you listening?)