Mancow Muller exits WLS-AM; Bruce St. James to replace him

Pandemic, expiring contract forces end of show [Editor’s Note: This post was updated on November 21 as Muller’s replacement was named on Friday.]  The last time Mancow Muller found himself out of a job was two and a half years ago when the station he worked for was sold and flipped to a Contemporary Christian music format. This time, it’s […]

“Arsenio Hall” canceled

Once again, Arsenio’s “bark” has lost its “bite”. To the surprise of some since it was renewed for a second season (but not others), CBS Television Distribution canceled The Arsenio Hall Show Friday after nine months on the air, official ending his comeback attempt – twenty years after he departed his original show. This comes after several station groups belonging […]

Mancow off the air at WCKG

Mancow Mueller’s run on west suburban WCKG-AM has come to an end – for now. According to a local media website, Mancow’s syndicated morning radio show has parted ways with its distributor, TRN. WCKG, which has aired Mancow since 2011, has replaced him with a rerun of Alex Jones’s syndicated show according to the station’s website – which now features […]

T Dog’s Grab Bag: Alternative rock returns to 101.1

It’s official: the alternative rock format, which vanished from the 101.1 frequency in 2011 after Merlin Media took over, returned Friday morning at 9 a.m. prompt, simulcasting sister station WKQX/87.7 FM for a period of 30-45 days.  The move came a week after Cumulus announced it was taking over operations of three Merlin Media stations in Chicago. According to Radio […]

Cumulus takes over Merlin Media’s remaining stations

The reign and terror of Randy “Court Jester” Michaels in radio has finally come to an end. In a blockbuster move, Cumulus announced Friday morning it was taking over operations of Merlin Media’s two remaining stations immediately: classic rocker WLUP-FM (97.9) and Variety Hits WIQI-FM (101.1), which was once home to the failed “FM News” experiment. The deal also gives […]

Chicago radio gets Q’d

For the last few months, Chicago-area radio listeners had no alternative rock station. As of Sunday night, Chicago-area radio listeners have… two? In a surprise move, Elmhurst-based WJJG-AM (1530) flipped from talk to Alternative Rock Sunday night – a day before Merlin Media was supposed to launch its new Alternative format on WKOX-LP (formerly Smooth Jazz outlet WLFM-LP, on 87.7 […]

Grab Bag: Savage wrestles down a new outlet in Chicago

Can you smell… what WJJG is cookin’? You most certainly can as another edition of The Grab Bag is upon us… -Mancow Mueller now has a new tag-team partner at WJJG-AM (1530 AM) with syndicated radio host Michael “Macho Man” Savage. Beginning October 3, the duo will enter the ring every day to grope and piledrive their liberal opponents into […]