The Grab Bag: Steve Dahl returns to WLS-AM

Also: Fox buys “Seattle” station and cancels local Mancow show

– In news breaking exclusively Tuesday evening at RobertFeder.com, Steve Dahl is returning to WLS-AM in an afternoon slot now occupied by Roe Conn and Richard Roeper, who each were let go from the station. In addition to his new WLS gig, Dahl would continue his podcasts and retain the pay model he has had in place since 2011.

As part of the deal, WLS-AM owner Cumulus Media will become a partner in the Dahl Podcast Network.

This would mark the second tour of duty for Dahl at the Big 89 – he held sway in the afternoon time slot with former partner Garry Meier in the mid 1980’s when WLS was still a Top 40 station. When morning personality Larry Lujack shifted to afternoon drive in January 1986, Dahl and Meier wound up in midday – and promptly stopped showing up for work. The duo returned to WLUP shortly thereafter.

The last time Dahl was on Chicago terrestrial radio was an unsuccessful morning stint at WJMK-FM, which ended in 2007.

For more information (subscription is required), click here and here.

– In a very long overdue move, WPWR-TV has quietly canceled Mancow Mueller’s morning show, effective immediately. This comes as Mancow’s contract with the Fox duopoly (WFLD/WPWR) is expiring, but he may be considered for other roles.

During the week of September 22, Mancow achieved a landmark 0.0 household rating and a 0 share – basically hash marks, practically earning its cancellation stripes. In fact, Mancow’s show never achieved above a 0.5 rating in its two years on the air.

Last month, the Fox duopoly canceled the weekend version of the show, Mancow Mashup.

Mancow’s TV and radio shows were generally taped at the ground floor of WFLD-TV at 205 N. Michigan Ave. Over the last few days, the studio has been darkened and the shades pulled.

Syndicated fare replacing Mancow on WPWR this week is Storm Stories, reruns of The Office, and back-to-back episodes of Right This Minute.

Mancow’s TV Show was inducted into the T Dog Media TV Hall Of Shame in September.

– In an unusual move, Fox is purchasing a little-watched station in “Seattle”. The outlet being bought is KBCB-TV Channel 24 in Bellingham, Wash., a city nearly 90 miles north of Seattle, whose OTA signal actually covers the Vancouver and Victoria, British Columbia markets in Canada. Fox is relying on cable and satellite coverage to bring its signal to the Seattle market. KBCB is one of two stations in Bellingham; the other is heritage KVOS-TV, which has a stronger signal and was a former CBS affiliate until the 1980’s.

A few weeks ago, Fox served a termination notice to Tribune-owned KCPQ-TV, its current affiliate in Seattle as the network continues its strategy of buying stations with NFC NFL teams as Seattle is home to the Seahawks. Fox even tried to swap WPWR here to Tribune for KCPQ, but obviously couldn’t agree to a deal. As a result, WPWR will stay with Fox and KCPQ becomes an independent station.

What was unusual about this announcement was Fox did not comment on the deal.

Meanwhile, Fox finally closed on its deal Tuesday to trade WFXT in Boston and WHBQ in Memphis to Cox for KTVU in San Francisco.

– Here’s a news “flash” for you: The premiere of CW’s The Flash Tuesday night scored the highest rating for any debut of the network in five years with a 1.9 rating in adults 18-49, placing third in its time period, easily beating                                                                         ABC’s Selfie and Manhattan Love Story.

In addition, Flash also beat ABC’s limp Marvel’s Agents of Shield, which hit a season-low 1.7. Flash also outdrew Fox’s New Girl (1.4) and Mindy Project (1.0). In fact, even CW’s Supernatural (1.1) outdrew Mindy.

Given the success of Arrow and the strong start thus far of The Flash and Fox’s Gotham, it seems DC Comics’ has a better idea on how to develop their properties for television than Marvel does.

On next week’s Agents Of Shield: Agents Coluson and May dance with each other.

Anything happening on Elementary lately?