For news/talk station, ‘The Answer’ is blowing in the WIND
It's not certain what the question is, but WIND-AM (560), the conservative news/talk station owned by Salem Communications, is rebranding itself AM 560 The Answer.
Effective at noon Monday, WIND will debut its new image on the air and in all of its marketing, following a similar move by the company’s stations in other markets, including New York, Los Angeles and Dallas.
Sun-Times ad gives new meaning to long-term planning
Robservations on the media beat:
- With all its attention focused on new technology, what the Sun-Times really may need is a good old-fashioned calendar. A half-page ad on Page 15 of Friday’s edition touted the paper’s “exclusive coverage” of the presidential inauguration — on Tuesday, February 22. The original ad included the date underlined for emphasis. Since the actual inauguration is taking place this Monday — January 21 — that would make the Sun-Times’ coverage a month late. (February 22 isn’t even a Tuesday. It’s a Friday.) A corrected version of the ad ran on Saturday.
- On Monday, the Sun-Times is expected to raise its weekday newsstand price to $1 — up from 75 cents.
Jepsen ending ‘storied run’ as Illinois Entertainer media critic
Cara Jepsen, the talented and respected Chicago free-lance writer, is stepping down after 20 years as media critic of Illinois Entertainer, the free music and entertainment monthly. Her final column will appear in the March issue.
Chicago stations lose six staffers in Hubbard layoffs
Even the best radio company in America has to bow to business pressures.
Layoffs hit Hubbard Radio in Chicago for the first time last week, eliminating the jobs of six off-the-air staffers at hot adult-contemporary WTMX-FM (101.9), classic rock WDRV-FM (97.1) and adult hits WILV-FM (100.3).
Weisman's 'Review': Still getting raves after 35 years
Despite all the changes in the Chicago news business over the last 35 years, one reliable constant has been the man in charge of Chicago Tonight: The Week in Review.
Each week since January 20, 1978, Joel Weisman has presided over a roundtable of reporters, dissecting the week’s news and putting it in perspective. (Technically, he was a guest on that first show and took over as host and senior editor the following week.) It’s an unparalleled run in local television.
WIND may draft Joe Walsh as talk show host
Robservations on the media beat:
- We haven't heard the last of tea party firebrand Joe Walsh. The one-term former GOP congressman, who was defeated for reelection last November by Democrat Tammy Duckworth, may be headed for a new career as a radio talk show host. Walsh is close to signing with WIND-AM (560), the Salem Communications conservative news/talk station, to host a Monday-through-Friday nighttime talk show. If it's a hit, insiders said, national distribution could follow. Walsh said last month he's been encouraged to run for Dick Durbin's U.S. Senate seat in 2014.
Musical chairs: Jocks swap jobs at Mix, Rewind
Robservations on the media beat:
- Two of Hubbard Radio’s highest profile female air personalities are switching stations and swapping jobs this week. Cara Carriveau, who’s been hosting middays on hot adult-contemporary WTMX-FM (101.9), will shift to evenings on adult hits WILV-FM (100.3). And Lisa Allen, who been hosting evenings on Rewind 100.3, will shift to middays on the Mix. "In making this move, we feel that we have improved and reinvigorated each brand, and we're doing it with two terrific on-air hosts and two terrific people,” Greg Solk, senior vice president of programming for Hubbard Radio, told staffers in a memo Monday. Also at the Mix, Solk announced, the nightly U-Mix It social media request show has been dropped after two years. Andrew Finnigan continues as evening personality.
Jim Edwards, aka Jake Hartford: 1949-2013
From Walter Jacobson to John Kass, some of the biggest names in Chicago media are forever indebted to James Edwards for making them look good time and time again.
As Jim Edwards, he was an award-winning investigative producer for CBS 2, a mentor to numerous journalists, and a confidante to governors, anchormen and columnists.
As his alter ego Jake Hartford, he was a uniquely gifted radio personality who reached a career peak with his promotion just one month ago to Monday-through-Friday midday host at news/talk WLS-AM (890).
But colleagues are remembering him mainly as a true Chicago original and a “great, loyal and honest friend” who never took his success for granted.
Now you see it: Mirage returns as Sun-Times flashback
Robservations on the media beat:
- The most famous undercover investigative series in Chicago newspaper history is getting a digital replay — in real time. Thirty-five years ago this week, the Sun-Times began a blockbuster 25-part series about the Mirage Tavern, a bar the newspaper opened at 731 North Wells Street for the purpose of recording demands for bribes from city inspectors and other officials. Working with the Better Government Association and 60 Minutes, the Sun-Times documented a parade of shakedowns and shoddy inspections. Now Sun-Times digital editor Marcus Gilmer is reposting every story on the day it ran 35 years ago as a daily blog called The Mirage Archives.
Chicago podcasters skyrocket from Q101 to Howard 101
Radio Hall of Famer Howard Stern is more than just the King of All Media. He’s also a kingmaker.
Four goofy guys from Chicago owe their national radio success to Stern, who plucked them from obscurity and gave them a shot on Sirius/XM Satellite Radio.
