No word on a replacement Hubbard Radio’s vice president of brand and content Jimmy Steal is exiting the position at the end of the year and is starting a new consulting business for the company, focusing on new talent. Steal was in charge of two of Hubbard’s stations: Hot AC 101.9 The Mix and 90s/2000s Pop Hits Throwback 100.3. Steal […]
Station shifts music to 1990s-2000s to attract younger listeners As first reported by Radio Insight, Hubbard-owned WSHE-FM adjusted its music playlist Thursday to feature pop hits from the 1990s and 2000s and rebranded itself as Throwback 100.3. WSHE is also promoting the new format by launching a promotion where listeners have a chance to win a “throwback experience” and qualify […]
WGN-TV hires new traffic reporter; NBC Sports Chicago adding alternative Blackhawks telecasts; New Orleans Pelicans latest Bally team to seek an over-the-air TV deal The PPM ratings survey for November was released this week and to no one’s surprise, iHeartMedia’s 93.9 The Lite is ahead of the competition. WLIT took first place from Hubbard’s The Drive as the Gold AC […]
Replaces Jeff Enguland, who steps down Minneapolis-based Hubbard Radio announced Friday a management change at the executive suites at its Chicago cluster, with Keith Lawless taking over as Market Manager for Hot AC 101.9 The Mix/WTMX, Classic Rock 97.1 The Drive/WDRV/WWDV, and Classic Hits WSHE-FM. “We are pleased to welcome Keith to Hubbard Radio and look forward to watching him […]
Also: WTMX defamation suit ends; The CW likely to move again in San Diego; Bubble Bustin’ Week is underway as CBS axes two shows; The much ballyhooed and ridiculous attempt to turn a bunch of lottery balls into a TV show paid off for the NHL: Monday’s televised draft lottery aired by ESPN and produced by the NHL Network […]
Also: Ali Matta departs Q101 A touch of Christmas has led iHeartMedia’s 93.9 The Lite (WLIT-FM) to tie Hubbard’s The Drive (WDRV-FM) for first place in the overall ratings for the second time this year. The last time the two tied for first in the overall ratings was in September. Both stations came up with even 6 shares in the […]
But a Santa ratings wave is coming to 93.9 Lite FM In the final ratings period for 2022 not impacted by holiday music (in other words, before Lite 93.9 FM dominates the ratings and demos for the next two months), Hubbard’s classic rocker The Drive (WDRV-FM) topped the ratings charts, despite a month-to-month drop. Lying in wait to take over […]
Also: The Drive promotes Janda Lane to middays; Nexstar closes the deal to buy The CW; NATPE files for bankruptcy; Svengoolie is hiring! The move was expected for months, and now it’s official: The Chicago Sun-Times announced Thursday it is removing the paywall for all stories. This comes as the newspaper and Chicago Public Media’s WBEZ-FM announced a non-profit merger […]
The Drive wins overall; WLS-FM finishes first in 18-34s At the start of the year, no one would ever guess Hubbard’s The Drive (WDRV-FM) would top the ratings, let alone dominate them. And as it turns out, the classic rocker is performing a clinic on how to dominate. In September, The Drive’s ratings topped all Chicago radio stations, speeding up […]
The Drive is tops for the third straight month; WOJO dominates demos Who needs Rudolph anyway? That’s the attitude iHeartMedia’s classic hits heavy-AC outlet WLIT has after scoring its highest non-Christmas ratings in years. According the July Nielsen Audio numbers released Monday, WLIT place second, up 13 percent from June, finishing behind Hubbard’s The Drive (WDRV-FM). Generally, WLIT dominates in […]
Also: Peoria’s WEEK absorbs rival’s news operation; name change ahead for CBS Media Ventures?; L.A. independent TV station ends long run [Editor’s Note: An earlier post had the incorrect title of a Beyonce song as the word “Ring” was replaced with…something else. It has since been corrected. – T.H.] It’s not a format change per se, but a slogan one: […]
WDRV-FM opens up a nearly two-point share lead on WBBM-AM/WCFS-FM In the May survey, Hubbard’s Classic Rock station The Drive (WDRV-FM) scored their first-ever ratings victory in their 21-year history, dislodging Adult R&B V103 (WVAZ-FM) as Chicago’s top-rated music station. Not only they repeated the feat again in June, they expanded their lead over their competitors. The Drive topped the […]
Police-reality show and Cops return two years after George Floyd Two years after the death of George Floyd ended the runs of several reality-based police shows, it looks like the genre is making a comeback. Earlier this week, the producers of Live PD announced a deal with Reelz Channel for a new version of the show with the working […]
WLS-AM, WXRT name new morning hosts; WDRV’s Bob Stroud calls it a career (somewhat) It was a busy Tuesday morning in Chicago radio with tons of personnel moves. To start, Audacy-owned WXRT-FM announced the promotion of Marty Lennartz to mornings beginning on June 13 to replace the departing Richard Milne, who is exiting Friday to take care of his ailing […]
Decision is a blow for sexual harassment case It looks like it’s back to square one for Melissa McGurren after her $10 million defamation suit against WTMX and parent Hubbard Broadcasting was dismissed by a federal judge. McGurren sued Hubbard after executives slandered her in e-mail messages regarding her harassment claims against now-departed morning host Eric Ferguson. In a ruling handed […]