John Cody

The incomparable John Cody, regarded by many of his peers as the best radio reporter in Chicago, is retiring after 50 years in the business.

Cody, 71, told colleagues Friday his last day as a general assignment reporter at CBS Radio all-news WBBM AM 780/WCFS FM 105.9 will be March 13. He joined WBBM Newsradio in 1967 after two years at City News Bureau of Chicago. Continue reading →

Andrew Patner (1988)

The life of Chicago journalist and arts critic Andrew Patner will be celebrated March 18 in Orchestra Hall at Symphony Center, 220 South Michigan Avenue. Starting at 7 p.m., the event is free and open to the public.

Patner, who was critic-at-large at classical WFMT FM 98.7 and a contributing critic on classic music for the Sun-Times, died February 3 from a bacterial infection at age 55. Continue reading →

Chicago Sun-Times (Photo: Seth Anderson)

Fifteen editorial employees of the Sun-Times are leaving the newspaper after accepting voluntary buyouts, sources said Friday.

All 15 are represented by the Chicago Newspaper Guild, which was formally notified that the buyouts had been approved. All will be gone from the Sun-Times newsroom by Monday. Continue reading →

Erich Mancow Muller

Erich Mancow Muller wraps up his weeklong tryout as morning personality at WLUP FM 97.9 Friday knowing just one thing for certain: He won’t be back on Monday.

Other than that, the longtime Chicago radio personality swears he has no idea whether the job will be offered to him permanently — or whether he and his agent can come to terms with bosses of the Cumulus Media classic rock station if they do. Continue reading →

Jonathon Brandmeier

Culminating a day of Chicago radio bombshells, Cumulus Media has signed Chicago radio veteran Jonathon Brandmeier to a partnership agreement that will bring his show to WLS AM 890 and syndicate it nationally, the company announced Thursday.

“The Jonathon Brandmeier Show” will air from 9 to 11 a.m. Monday through Friday on the Cumulus Media news/talk station, starting sometime in March. It will replace John Kass and Lauren Cohn, whose final show aired on WLS Thursday. Continue reading →

Lauren Cohn

Lauren Cohn, whose midday show with John Kass was abruptly canceled Thursday, could be shifting to a new role at WLS AM 890 as a contributor to Big John Howell's morning show.

Both Kass and Cohn, whose show aired from 9 to 11 a.m. Monday through Friday, were called in for meetings with management of the Cumulus Media news/talk station after they got off the air Thursday. While Kass was told he was finished at WLS, Cohn was given the option of trying out for a spot with Howell, sources said. Continue reading →

John Kass and Lauren Cohn

John Kass and Lauren Cohn, who bridged the midmorning block between Big John Howell and Rush Limbaugh at WLS AM 890, have been cut from the Cumulus Media news/talk station.

No reason was cited for the move, but the two were told by WLS program bosses that they were finished after they got off the air Thursday. Their show aired from 9 to 11 a.m. Monday through Friday. Continue reading →

Jonathon Brandmeier

Veteran radio personality Jonathon Brandmeier, who’s been off the air and on the loose since late last year, may have just lost his last, best chance to return to Chicago radio.

Brandmeier, according to insiders, turned down a golden opportunity to host mornings on WJMK FM 104.3, the CBS Radio classic hits station known as K-Hits. Sources familiar with the offer described it as a “content partnership deal” that would have included revenue-sharing tied to Brandmeier’s digital platform. Continue reading →

Dennis Rodkin

Dennis Rodkin, who stepped down last fall after more than two decades as Chicago’s premier residential real estate reporter, soon will be back on the beat for Crain’s Chicago Business.

Rodkin, 53, said Wednesday he’s moving back to Chicago after six months in Monterey, California, where he’d relocated to run a plant nursery with his brother. “That didn’t work out,” he said of the venture. “Let me put it this way: Everybody says not to work with family and I found out that you shouldn’t.” Continue reading →

Dick Johnson and Allison Rosati

It’s unusual enough for a television news anchor to be missing in action during the February sweeps. But to be off the grid for election night coverage is practically against the law.

Rob Stafford was nowhere to be seen Tuesday during coverage of Chicago’s mayoral election on WMAQ-Channel 5, which was anchored by Allison Rosati and Dick Johnson. Continue reading →