Chicago’s June PPM results

Remember, these are based on are 6+ numbers. Winners: WGN-AM, WTMX-FM (The Mix), WLS-FM, WUSN-FM, WSCR-AM (The Score), WSRB (Soul 106.3), WXRT-FM Not an impressive debut: WNUA-FM (Mega 95.5) Losers: WPPN-FM, Q101 and any music station not in the winner’s circle Analysis: The Cubs may be the lovable losers, but they’re anything but when it comes to local radio in […]

More on-air staff cuts at Q101, The Loop

Here we downsize again: Emmis made another round of staff cuts at its two Chicago rock stations today. From WKQX-FM (Q101), the cuts included Alex Quigley (who did weeknights 7-10), and Kevin Manno who did afternoons with his brother Ryan. Instead, Q101 hired Tim Virgin to do afternoons from 3-7 p.m. with Ryan Manno moving into Quigley’s 7-10 p.m. slot. […]

Chicago’s May PPM results

This is based on the 6+ numbers provided by Arbitron and Stationratings.com (don’t forget – Radio & Records – who also provided numbers – no longer exists.) Winners: WBBM-AM, The Mix (WTMX), V103 (WVAZ), WUSN-FM, Kiss 103.5 (WKSC), The Loop (WLUP) Honorable Mention: Soul 106.3 (WSRB-FM – thank you, Tom Joyner) Losing Steam: WLS-AM, The Drive (WDRV-FM) Losers: Power 92 […]

WGN-AM names new morning host

In a surprise (and shocking move), WGN-AM announced today the hiring of Greg Jarrett, formerly of KGO-AM in San Francisco in morning drive. But wait a minute, you ask. Isn’t that the slot John Williams holds? Yes it is, and he’s moving to the 9 a.m. – noon slot formerly occupied by Kathy O’Malley and Judy Markey. Williams only started […]

Chicago DJs rally for peace

Three competing local morning radio personalities gathered together yesterday to rally for peace on Chicago’s streets. Organized by Father Michael Pflager, Soul 106.3’s Tom Joyner, WGCI’s Tony Sculfield, and Power 92’s Trey held a rally at Daley Plaza, urging an end to the violence that has plagued Chicago’s (and even some suburbs‘) streets this year. Even though serious crimes have […]

Dan McNeil returns to The Score

He’s back home. Dan McNeil, who was with WSCR-AM from 1991-2000, has returned to the station and assumed the midday shift at the station.McNeil was previously at rival WMVP-AM (ESPN 1000) until last January after the station declined to pick up the last year of his contract. The return of McNeil is good news for the sports talk station, whose […]

Radio & Records folds

We all could use some R&R. But in this economy, even that’s going away. The Nielsen Company announced today it was ceasing publication of Radio & Records after 36 years. The move takes place immediately; the Radio & Records website has been shut down and redirected to sister website Billboard.biz, where some of the airplay charts are available (subscription required.) […]

T Dog’s Groovy Grab Bag

Another edition of T Dog’s Groovy Grab Bag: – As you know by now, Jay Leno’s final Tonight Show was last night. Courtesy of TV Barn, here’s a short transcript of Leno’s monologue from his final program, and here’s an article on how Jay Leno’s reign of The Tonight Show didn’t change much during its 17-year run. And the best […]

Kathy & Judy out at WGN-AM

On a morning when WNUA-FM flipped to a Spanish format, came another bombshell: WGN-AM canceled the long-running Kathy & Judy show after 20 years. While Kathy O’Malley’s and Judy Markey’s mid-to-late morning program drew a loyal audience, the show – like WNUA-FM’s format – may have become a casualty due to Arbitron’s new Portable People Meter system. The last hour […]

WNUA-FM to flip to Spanish-language format

After 22 years as a pioneering “Smooth Jazz” outlet, Clear Channel-owned WNUA-FM is changing formats to Spanish Pop, effective Friday at 9:55 a.m. The station is being branded as “Mega 95.5”. and is being made available online at Mega955.com. The move is being made as other stations across the country are dropping the Smooth Jazz format. On Tuesday, Clear Channel […]

Power 92 surges in April PPMs (updated)

Click here to see the results. Keep in mind these are numbers based on Persons 6+. Winners: WBBM-AM, WGN-AM, Power 92 (WPWX-FM), Kiss (WKSC-FM), WVIV-FM, The Score (WSCR-AM) Down, but not out: The Drive (WDRV-FM) Waiting For The Axe to Swing: WNUA-FM Losers: Q101 (WKQX), WIND-AM, WCPT and their repeaters – Because of the focus on the network upfronts this […]

T Dog’s Four Pack: Cheers! (and Jeers)

The past week’s winners and losers: Four cheers of the week – Bulls-Celtics Playoff Series. Even though the Bulls did not win, admit it: It was the most entertaining playoff series in years. Thanks for the ride. – … but the Blackhawks are still in! They advanced past Calgary in the first round and now facing Vancouver in the second, […]

More Clear Channel cuts

Gone are 590 jobs nationwide, including longtime WVAZ-FM (V103) veteran Troi Tyler and Irene Mojica; and WGCI-FM overnighter Ericka “Sundance ” Campbell. Clear Channel also let Jeff “Smash Ditty” Murray go as music director and on-air personality of WKSC-FM. Don’t know about you, but if this keeps up, their might be nobody left at CC’s Chicago outlets – including their […]

Chicago PPMs for March

Winners: WBBM-AM, WLS-AM & FM, The Drive (WDRV-FM), The Mix (WTMX-FM) Honorable Mention: Power 92 (WPWX-FM), WNUA-FM, WVIV-FM Losers: WGCI-FM, WFMT Analysis: WBBM continued to ride the top of the PPM chart into the month of March with a 16% advantage over second place WLS-AM. If anyone tells you AM radio is dead, send them here so they can see […]

Tom Joyner heads to Soul 106.3

It’s official: The Tom Joyner Morning Show, which was bounced off of WVAZ-FM (V103) after 13 years last month, is heading to WSRB-FM (Soul 106.3) effective Wednesday (and was predicted here – and well, everywhere else.) No details were available on the terms of the deal between The Fly Jock’s syndicators (Reach Media and Radio One) and Crawford Broadcasting, the […]