Gospel host Effie Rolfe brings inspiration to Moody Radio

Effie Rolfe

Effie Rolfe

Effie Rolfe, Chicago radio’s “Voice of Inspiration” for more than two decades, has a worldwide pulpit for her message now.

Rolfe has been named program director and operations manager of Chicago-based Moody Radio’s Urban Praise, a 24/7 Internet channel of soulful and inspiring music “that exalts Christ and encourages the believer.”

In her new role, Rolfe will oversee music and content for the channel, “putting a strong emphasis on increasing our promotional and social media outreach to build audience across the country and beyond,” said Denny Nugent, national program director of Moody Radio. “We look forward to the impact she will create.” Continue reading

All act surprised: Sun-Times to endorse Bruce Rauner

Chicago Sun-Times

Chicago Sun-Times

After insisting for nearly three years that it would no longer endorse candidates for political office, the Sun-Times is reversing itself and formally backing Republican Bruce Rauner for governor.

The Sun-Times announced Friday that its Sunday edition would carry its choice for governor. Although the announcement stopped short of saying whom the newspaper would endorse, sources confirmed that Rauner would get the nod enthusiastically over Democrat Pat Quinn. Continue reading

CBS names new marketing director at WBBM Newsradio, Score

Ashley Fields

Ashley Fields

The potentially game-changing addition of Cubs broadcasts to the WBBM AM 780 lineup also brings a new marketing and promotions team to the top-rated CBS Radio all-news station.

Ashley Fields has been promoted to marketing director of WBBM Newsradio, simulcast partner WCFS FM 105.9 and sports/talk WSCR AM 670. She also will oversee integrated marketing and non-tradition revenue efforts for Cubs baseball and Bears football on WBBM Newsradio and White Sox baseball on the Score.

Fields, who joined CBS Radio Chicago as a sales account executive out of Northwestern University graduate school, most recently has been director of marketing at the Score. Continue reading

With Roe & Roeper gone, radio turns off Ron Magers

Ron Magers and Roe Conn

Ron Magers and Roe Conn

The sudden demise of Roe Conn and Richard Roeper’s afternoon show on WLS AM 890 last week also brought an end to Ron Magers’ daily in-studio appearances on the Cumulus Media news/talk station.

For more than 16 years, the Chicago television news legend was a star attraction with Conn and his various co-hosts, often providing the best half-hour of conversation in all of radio. But with the latest turn of events, Magers says he’s through with radio and plans to focus on his duties as 5 and 10 p.m. news anchor at top-rated ABC-owned WLS-Channel 7. Continue reading

NBC 5 ‘strongly objects’ to Quinn commercial

Carol Marin

Carol Marin

Newsrooms generally cheer when their exclusives get picked up and credited by others. But in the case of a recent WMAQ-Channel 5 investigative report, the NBC-owned station isn’t happy about how it’s being used at all.

At issue is a 30-second commercial that began airing throughout Illinois Friday for Democratic Governor Pat Quinn in his campaign for reelection against Republican challenger Bruce Rauner. The commercial excerpts an NBC 5 report about Rauner and includes the voice of political editor Carol Marin. Continue reading

McPherrin lands on top in Fox 32 shuffle

Corey McPherrin and Darlene Hill

Corey McPherrin and Darlene Hill

A year ago it looked like Corey McPherrin’s days were numbered at WFLD-Channel 32. Now the Fox-owned station is turning to him to help save its tanking morning show.

After stumbling around with a bunch of relatively inexperienced newcomers, Fox 32 just put two familiar faces front and center on “Good Day Chicago.” McPherrin and Darlene Hill, both 20-year veterans of the station, this week were promoted to anchor the show’s 7 to 10 a.m. hours as well as Fox 32's noon newscast Monday through Friday. Continue reading