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Published on Saturday, 28 April 2012 20:41
In this weekend's News & Notes, there are ten stories from the local media beat, including: Steve Dahl trims down his staff; Steve Cochran trims down his work load; James D. Jones moves his tour bus down the dial; Dan McNeil supporting an Autism event; Shawn Knight finds a new radio job; Vocalo finds a new radio show; Bob Stroud's voice to be part of a new Chicago commercial; plus sad losses for Margaret "RadioGirl" Larkin and the families of Steve Wallace & Bob Granger. It can all be read just below...
* * Chicago radio legend turned trailblazing podcaster, Steve Dahl released three of his employees at the end of last week: producers Pete Zimmerman & Jim Ruffatto and assistant Stephanie Fallara. The moves were done for both creative and financial reasons. Zimmerman had worked with Dahl since 1996, Ruffatto since 2000, and Fallara since 2009 (plus she was an intern with Dahl for a year before that). Steve Dahl wrote a very honest blog about the tough firings and the reasons behind them earlier this week, which can be read
HERE.
* * Steve Cochran, who had been doing three radio shows a day, two for St. Louis' KTRS-AM and one for Chicago's WIND-AM will be getting a break. Starting Monday, he will only be doing his 10:00am-Noon show on KTRS-AM, as the station has made some dramatic changes to its line-up. This means that his WIND-AM show from 5:00pm-7:00pm, will now be 100% local. Since the show started on WIND-AM last October, the second hour of the show was simulcast on KTRS-AM. After he left the Chicago airwaves each night at 7:00pm, he would continue on the air in St. Louis for an additional two hours. He no longer has to worry about doing the St. Louis evening show. It was never in KTRS-AM's plans to have Steve Cochran do double duty at the station for long.
* * The "Magical Mystery Tour" is waiting to take you away... only on a new station and time. With WYKT-FM/The Kat 105.5 changed from a classic rock station into a more hard rock/heavy metal station under the guidance of Program Director/Music Director Freak, the Sunday morning Beatles show, "Magical Mystery Tour" with host James D. Jones is no longer there. However, the show is not gone. Starting tomorrow, it will be heard on sister-station WKAN-AM 1320. The new air time will be Sundays from 1:00pm-3:00pm.
* * WSCR-AM's Dan McNeil will be at the "Rock for Autism" charity event taking place at the Cubby Bear North (21661 N. Milwaukee, Ave., Lincolnshire, IL) from Noon-5:00pm. Local artists will be performing all day, including Jack Straw w/ Kevin Rosen, Johnny V & the Killer Bzzz, A Bloke Named Smokey, Mike Himebaugh (from Hello Dave) and Hunter Bruton. There will be a kids area set up with a moon walk bouncer, face painting and more. The $15 donation at the door goes to benefit the Northern Illinois Center for Autism. More information can be found
HERE.
* * Congratulations to Shawn Knight. The former WPWX-FM DJ lost his job
last June when station management took the odd advice of an out-of-state radio consultant and fired its entire weekday on-air staff. However, as of this month, he has found a new home. Shawn Knight is the new midday host for Columbus, GA's WKZJ-FM/K92.7. He can be heard on the air there each weekday from 10:00am-3:00pm and Saturdays from 9:00am-3:00pm.
* * This coming Thursday, May 3rd, WBEW-FM/Vocalo 89.5 will premiere a brand new show, "Reclaimed Soul." Hosted by Ayana Contreras, the program will feature guest interviews with people who are using our cultural/physical items of the past to help shape the future, all accompanied by a soundtrack provided by older vinyl albums. "Reclaimed Soul" will air each Thursday evening from 8:00pm-10:00pm.
* * Three Chicago icons have teamed up for a new local television commercial: WDRV-FM/97.1 The Drive's Bob Stroud, the three Smithe brothers, and Aliotta Haynes Jeremiah's "Lake Shore Drive." For a new summer commercial for Walter E. Smithe Furniture, the Smithe brothers are seen in the ad cruising down Chicago's famed Lake Shore Drive, listening to the the classic "Lake Shore Drive" song on their car stereo, and hearing Bob Stroud's voice as the radio station DJ. The commercial is set to air at the end of May and early June, and then again over the Fourth of July and Labor Day holidays.
* * Sincere condolences go out to Margaret Larkin, host of the RadioGirl podcasts, writer of the Metrolingua blog, and freelance production artist with WGN-AM. This week, Margaret Larkin's Mother passed away from an illness. Best wishes to her and her family at this difficult time.
* * Steve Wallace, who was a weekend DJ on WJMK-FM in the mid-80s, has passed away from a heart attack last week at the age of 58. He worked at radio stations all over Illinois, including Rockford, Freeport, and his native Carbondale. In addition to his years in Illinois, he also worked in a few markets in Wisconsin and elsewhere. He worked under the radio name of Steve Wallace, as well as his true name of Steve Siener. Condolences to his family, friends, and former co-workers.
* * Former Chicago newspaper reporter/writer/columnist Bill Granger passed away earlier this week at the age of 70. He wrote for Chicago newspapers for close to 20 years, including the the Daily Herald, the Chicago Sun-Times, and the Chicago Tribune, as well as for United Press International. Additionally, Granger wrote 28 books over a 20 year period, using his real name and two pen names.
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