Popularity isn’t exactly overrated as 2021 ends a wild year in media Like mystery of the sphinx or crop circles, you just can’t explain the continued popularity of certain things despite questionable changes. After the firing of Mark Giangreco and seemingly public disdain for one of her former co-anchors, ABC 7 remains on top of local Chicago news ratings, […]
Plus: Classic Hip-Hop loses ground as Soft AC makes a comeback; Tribune Media bidding heats up; another cable channel is in the works In a move widely anticipated, conservative talk show host and podcaster Ben Shapiro is joining WLS-AM’s weekday afternoon lineup. Beginning January 7, Shapiro has been slotted in the 2 to 5 p.m. slot replacing Steve Dahl, who […]
The “contest” saw Mancow beat out three other competitors. Was the fix in? Given this is Chicago, you knew the outcome before this was even thought of. To no one’s surprise, Erich “Mancow” Mueller has won WLUP’s morning personality search (The Chicago Way, of course), beating out three other competitors jockeying for the job: former WKQX jock Abe Kanan; former […]
Ready or not, here comes Bruce & Dan Longtime radio morning team (and husband and wife) Don & Roma Wade are stepping down from their post at WLS-AM and are being replaced by interim hosts Bruce Wolf and Dan Proft, and this comes as the Wade’s contract is set to expire at the end of this month. The change is […]
It’s safe to say this now: FM News 101.1 is the biggest bomb in the history of Chicago radio. But you knew that already, right? Merlin Media pulled the plug on its all-news stations Tuesday at WIQI-FM (101.1) here in Chicago and WEMP-FM (101.9) in New York City, nearly a year after their underwhelming debuts, which saw them still stalled […]
Rosie is over and out; Canadian media consolidates further; and other items of note A lot of items to cover in this week’s Grab bag: In a move that was speculated for some time, struggling cable network OWN finally canceled The Rosie Show after five months on the air. The series’ future was questioned after Rosie O’Donnell sold her Lakeview […]
Twentieth’s game shows canceled, and other news of note For the first time in a long time, it’s time for The Grab Bag – items not good enough for individual posts – but good enough to be written here: – Ricki returns. In a report confirmed by B&C and TVNewscheck, Ricki Lake signed a deal with Twentieth Television to launch […]
Mancow Mueller has wore out his welcome at yet another Chicago radio station. He and his on-air partner (former WBBM-AM personality Pat Cassidy) were shown the door at WLS-AM after their show concluded today, ending a run of only sixteen months (or nine more months than The Tonight Show with Conan O’Brien.) As of Thursday morning, Cisco Cotto will replace […]
Here’s some more info regarding Erich “Mancow” Mueller’s new gig at WLS-AM from 9 to 11 a.m.: – Mueller’s contract is for two years. – Mueller’s syndicated show will continue but is now on a tape-delayed basis for its affiliates. The program begins taping at 5a.m. and wrap up at 8:55 a.m. – just in time to start his WLS […]
Feder called it. Erich “Mancow” Mueller, who left alternative rock WKQX-FM in 2006, is returning to Chicago radio. Beginning Monday, Mancow will front a new morning talk show running from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. on Citadel’s WLS-AM. For the first week, he’ll be paired with WBBM-AM alum Pat Cassidy. Mueller replaces Jerry Agar, who has been dropped from the […]
One thing yours truly has learned about this business in recent years: There’s no summer vacation when it comes to media news (particularly in July), especially when it pertains to comings and goings. Today, yet another big name has left a media outlet. Pat Cassidy, who was co-anchor at WBBM-AM with Felicia Middlebrooks for the last eight years, has left […]