Jammin’ Oldies is back (updated)

I guess you can’t keep a bad format down for so long…. WILV, 103.5 The Beat, oops… I mean 100.3 LoveFM launched a new ad campaign and website designed to boost its sagging numbers… That’s a great “what worked in 1999 can work in 2007 approach.” Yeah, and there was a dot-com bubble then too. On the bright side, former […]

Spike O’Dell out at WGN – three years from now

Times may change, but many things stay the same in Chicago year after year – Daley in City Hall, Democrats controlling Cook County, WLS-TV topping in the Nielsens and WGN-AM ruling the roost in morning drive. But a change in morning drive at WGN is coming – three years from now. Spike O’Dell told the Trib’s Phil Rosenthal that he’s […]

Fall Arbitron books (Updated)

The Arbitron radio books are out today for Chicago, Milwaukee, Peoria, Rockford, South Bend, Bloomington, and The Quad Cities. Robert Feder analyzes the Chicago book for the Sun-Times, while Tim Cuprisin does the same for the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel. Chicago Winners: Urban Contemporary WGCI-FM Chicago’s tops the fall ratings book. WLIT ought to thank Santa for its Christmas music-fueled ratings jump. […]

Allan Stagg Dies

The first post of the new year, and sadly, like much of the posts I wrote last year (particularly last month)…. an obituary. Allan Stagg (1951-2007) A true Chicago radio legend.

Chicago, Milwaukee Arbitrends out (Part 2)

From Radio and Records, the Arbs Part 2 from Chicago and Milwaukee.Thoughts: News-talk rules in this region as WGN and WTMJ top the charts. Among CHRs, WBBM-FM (B96) is tops while WKSC (Kiss 103.5) slips a little. WZZN’s oldies format is a big winner — best ratings for that frequency in 18 years. WKQX (Q101) may be headed for a […]

Springer done with radio

TV talk show sleaze king Jerry Springer quits his radio show today, to pursue other opportunities. Surprisingly, his decision to exit radio and politics is not because of the Democrats’ winning Congress, or declining ratings, but because of his stint on Dancing With the Stars. Springer is eager to regain his pop-culture status he had in the late 1990’s, when […]

CLEAR CHANNEL SOLD

This has ramifications for both the television and radio industries. Details here: Clear Channel Sold for $26.7 Billion May’s Family Finds Buyers for Clear Channel, TV Stations for Sale Clear Channel Goes Private in $26.7 billion deal List of TV Stations to be sold by Clear Channel (courtesy of Michigan Buzzboard) List of radio stations to be sold by Clear […]

Chicago Arbitrends

First Arbitrends ratings radio report for the fall season: WGN and WGCI are tied for first, WZZN’s Oldies format is starting to pay dividends (best ratings for that frequency I’ve seen in least 18 years), The “feel good music” revolution is making WILV (Love FM) and WLIT feel bad, and WLUP (The Loop) and WKQX (Q101) continue to s(t)ink. Where’s […]

WLIT flips to Christmas Music early

Yes, it’s only November 3, but WLIT has decided to flip to Christmas Music — fifty-something days until Christmas. A quote from Feder’s column in today’s Sun-Times: “When I saw a snowflake this morning, that’s when I decided,” said Darren Davis, vice president of programming and operations for Clear Channel Chicago. “I hadn’t planned on it. It just felt right.” […]

Don’t feed the morons

This guy would be better qualified to run a radio station than some of the “professionals” on these radio message boards. Or to become governor of Illinois. Click on this link here: http://www.radio-info.com/smf/index.php/topic,52168.0.html#top Yep. A Story that’s not true. (yet, anyway.) A post that’s on the front page of this website. Considering the poster is probably some in-bred redneck idiot […]

Deplorable!

If you read Robert Feder’s column yesterday, or logged on to radio-related message boards on the Internet, you probably know by now that Cara Carriveau was fired from WLUP-FM (97.9), “The Loop” — all because she wrote a letter to Mr. Feder decrying the state of radio in Chicago. (The story actually broke last night in the Chicago Tribune courtesy […]

Rover Is Over in Detroit

He Gone! (From the Motor City) Rover drops dead in Detroit — Cleveland’s Morning Glory, who bombed here in Chicago on WCKG-FM earlier this year, is now as done in the Motor City as the Lions are: http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060918/UPDATE/609180424Opie & Anthony replaces him immediately.

Jack meets Jim

Jack meets Jim Today, Chicago’s dumbest radio station meets Chicago’s unfunniest comedian. The “You Don’t Know Jack” promotion from 7:30am – 5:30pm on WJMK-FM (or Jack FM) in Chicago today featured alleged actor/comedian Jim Belushi’s voice tracks promoting the syndication premiere of According to Jim on WGN-Channel 9, tonight at 6pm. Whoopee! What a surprise! Genius idea, isn’t it? F-level […]