Chicago PPM report: 93.9 The Lite on top as Christmas music season begins

Sister station 103.5 KissFM remains on top in demos As iHeartMedia’s AC 93.9 The Lite (WLIT) kicked off its 25th annual Christmas Music format Tuesday, the station has already perched itself on top of the overall PPM ratings for October and won’t be budging from that position anytime soon.  WLIT topped all comers with a 4.9 rating, and for the third […]

Chicago PPM Report: Immigration blitzes and ICE protests sends listeners to news and talk stations

The Drive tops overall ratings while Kiss 103.5 FM is first in 25-54s With the continuing ICE enforcement and National Guard drama in Chicago, listeners tuned in to the city’s news, talk, and information stations in increasing numbers during the month of September in PPMs released earlier this week.  Operation Midway Blitz was fanned across the nation’s third-largest radio and […]

Audacy stations land on iHeartRadio’s platforms

Agrees to stream on archrival’s platform  Starting today, Audacy’s 200+ radio stations will be available on the iHeartRadio app.  Joining iHeartMedia’s local stations on the platform in Chicago are sports talker 670 The Score (WSCR-AM), Newsradio 105.9 FM (WBBM-AM 780/WCFS-FM 105.9), Adult Album Alternative 93XRT (WXRT-FM), Top 40/CHR B96 (WBBM-FM), Country US99 (WUSN-FM), and Classic R&B/Hip-Hop 104.3 Jams (WBMX-FM).  Other […]

The Media Notepad: “The Food Guy” exits NBC 5

Steve Dolinsky takes job at Levy Restaurants; Chicago Sky expands distribution; 93.9 The Lite returns to the top of the PPMs [Editor’s Note: The first item of this piece was updated on May 22 to add Facebook post.] “The Food Guy” has reviewed his final plate on Chicago television. Steve Dolinsky announced this week he was departing NBC 5 (NBC-owned […]

March PPMs: Q101 maintains hot streak

Best ranking since the return to 101.1 frequency The March PPMs were released on Tuesday and showed an interesting trend: the resurgence of Q101.  The Cumulus-owned Alternative station is on a hot streak. WKQX scored an overall ratings increase for the fourth consecutive month and finished in a tie for eleventh place with WBEZ – the highest overall ranking since […]

Chicago radio ratings: News outlets surge

  WBBM-AM, WBEZ are up from Holiday survey; increasing number of streams showing up in ratings With the Christmas music season over and audience patterns returning to normal, two trends have emerged in Nielsen’s January PPM numbers. The change in Presidential administrations and the Los Angeles wildfires has sent ratings for all-news and news/talk stations upward, with WBBM-AM/WCFS-FM (Newsradio 105.9) […]

FCC approves controversial Audacy bankruptcy deal

Audacy to go private  The FCC approved a controversial Audacy bankruptcy plan in a politically divided three-to-two vote in which Soros Fund Management becomes the biggest shareholder in the company with a 57 percent stake through the Laurel Tree Opportunities Corporation.  As a result, Audacy – who filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy last year, will go private and David Field […]

Former US99 personality Drew Walker heads to Free Country

Alpha Media lures him away from Audacy – despite ongoing layoffs across the company  As first reported by Radio Insight, Alpha Media announced Friday it was flipping its Hot AC WXLC-FM (102.3 FM) to Country and simulcasting the signal of WCCQ-FM (98.3 FM), based in southwest suburban Crest Hill and Joliet, now branded as “Free Country Radio”. The new Country […]

The Media Notepad: Bulls, Blackhawks, and White Sox go a different direction to launch new RSN

Also: Daily Herald makes changes; CBS releases fall sked early; US 99’s Drew Walker exits  The new proposed regional sports network featuring the Blackhawks, Bulls, and White Sox now may have a behind-the-scenes change. In a surprising move reported by The Athletic Saturday night, the new regional sports network Jerry Reinsdorf is looking to launch will now be handled by […]

The Media Notepad: Audacy, Cumulus merger afoot?

Also: The Talk to end after 15 years; NCAA Women’s Championship draws record high; NHL team headed to Utah With the future of Paramount Global all the chatter, there could be some radio merger and acquisition action, too. A report in Radio Insight suggests Audacy – soon to be controlled by Soros Fund Management after coming out of bankruptcy – […]

Audacy files for Chapter 11

Move was expected; no immediate effects  With all the headlines focused lately on linear TV’s decline, there is another traditional communications medium who is also struggling, though it doesn’t generate the exact number of headlines.  Audacy – who owns and operates more than 200 radio stations in the U.S., including several in the Chicago area, officially filed for Chapter 11 […]

Audacy Chicago makes executive moves

Rachel Williamson promoted to President Of Local Sales Strategy and Innovation; Kevin Cassidy to succeed her as Chicago market president Audacy Chicago announced Tuesday the promotion of Rachel Williamson to a newly created role as President Of Local Sales Strategy and Innovation from the Chicago Market President. Replacing her is Kevin Cassidy, who comes in from a similar role in […]

Chicago Radio Ratings: WLIT finishes second overall

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 […]

Chicago radio ratings: The Drive motors up to record high ratings

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 […]

Report: WTMX’s Eric Ferguson sued by former staffer

Case raises questions about the way Ferguson treats female co-workers WTMX’s main morning personality Eric Ferguson is now embroiled in a lawsuit from one of his former on-air staffers.  As first reported by the Chicago Tribune in great detail, Ferguson has been accused by former staffer Cynthia DeNicolo of sexual harassment, including codewords for oral sex and to babysit his […]