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 […]
Former WLS-AM “Superjock” Larry Lujack Dies Before voicetracking and corporate takeovers ruined the radio industry, there was quite a lot of personality in the medium. And from the late-1960’s to the mid-1980’s, one jock used his dry wit and sarcastic humor to win over a generation of Chicagoans… the one, the only “Superjock”… Larry Lujack. On Wednesday, Lujack died at […]
Don Wade, one half of the Don & Roma Morning Show passed away Friday at the age of 72, nearly one year after battling brain cancer. Wade began his Chicago radio career at WUSN-FM in 1982 before joining WLS-AM in 1985, when the station still had a contemporary-hit music format. A year later, he was joined by his wife Roma. […]
According to a post on Robert Feder’s Facebook page today, Bob Sirott and his wife Murianne Murciano are joining WGN Radio’s daily lineup. The couple already have a Sunday night program on the station. This is the latest move from program director Jimmy DeCastro’s continuing plan on making over WGN-AM’s schedule. No timetable has been set on where or when […]
Also: Brooke Hunter is hired by My 93.9 FM ; Susan Carlson heads to WLS-AM It has been a busy last few days in the Chicago radio – quite a bit of activity. So the next time someone tells you this medium is dead, point to this week – its never been more alive. – Steve Cochran abruptly resigned from […]
WLS-AM’s Jim Johnson calls it a career; Bob Newhart hits out of the park; Bob’s Burgers sold in off-network to Adult swim – Jim Johnson is calling it a career: after 45 amazing years as a newsman for WLS-AM, Johnson announced his retirement earlier this week, officially departing when his contract expires in June. Johnson joined The Big 89 in […]
Jim Edwards, who went by the moniker of Jake Hartford as a radio personality, died today at the age of 63 due to a heartattack. Edwards was a co-host along with Chicago Tribune columnist John Kass on WLS-AM weekdays from 9 to 11 a.m. Previously, Edwards had his own weekend morning show at WLS, but was canceled to make way […]
Yeah, it’s a great time to be in Chicago… Sunday, we complained about the Bears and their inept management after their loss to the hated Green Bay Packers. On Monday, we complained about the latest moves made by the inept management at WGN Radio. And this is one of them: after 39 years, Milt Rosenberg and his late-night Extension 720 […]
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 […]
Another all-local edition of the Grab Bag… including an item on a possible sale of some downstate TV stations: – Julian Nieh, one half of the duo of B96’s (WBBM-FM’s) The JNiice & Julian Morning Show, exited the station on Wednesday to pursue other interests. The seven-year veteran of the contemporary-hit station was paired with Jamar “JNiice” McNeil in January […]
Notes and news – in this mostly local edition of the Grab Bag: – As mentioned briefly in the Tribune bankruptcy post on Saturday, the Chicago Tribune was recently caught using fake bylines and plagiarizing and fabricating stories in TribLocal, the paper’s hyperlocal network of websites and print properties serving Chicago’s suburbs. On Friday, the Tribune announced it was parting […]
On the old PI Feedback forums at the former Mediaweek.com, a poster named “Twins12” often referred to the hit reality TV series Dancing With The Stars as Dancing With The Has-Beens, noting the program’s inability to land A-list celebrities, but those whose best days were behind them. In Chicago media, being a has-been can be beneficial – even if no […]
It’s a phrase we’ve been hearing for the last couple of years: it’s not a good day to be in the radio business. And no day was as brutal as this past Thursday. In addition to Cumulus cutting loose Chicago radio veteran Michael Damsky after four years at WLS-AM/FM, Clear Channel had to come and announce scores of layoffs – […]
NBC to launch Non-Stop Network; Bounce expands to N.Y. and L.A. Significant developments regarding digital subchannels on Thursday: – Don’t you wish it would stop? NBC announced it was overhauling its strategy for its nine-station Non-Stop digital subchannels, which is on the .2 (Channel 4.2, Channel 5.2, etc.) of all-NBC-owned stations except the Hartford/New Haven market, where […]
RTV: The R stands for “ruined”. – Good news for fans of Richard Roeper and Roe Conn – the duo at WLS-AM signed a three-year contract extension to continue their successful afternoon show through the year 2014. The move come as Cumulus is about to take over Citadel Communications, owners of WLS-AM and FM in a merger. If you want […]
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