WGN Radio Walk of Fame
Robservations on the media beat:
Lou Boudreau and Vince Lloyd, the late, legendary sportscasters on Tribune Broadcasting news/talk WGN AM 720, will be among 10 honorees added this year to the WGN Radio Walk of Fame. Others are overnight host Nick Digilio, news anchor Judy Pielach, sports producer Jack Rosenberg, crime reporter Larry Schreiner (posthumously), and traffic reporters Leonard Baldy (posthumously), Lincoln Hampton, Mike Mathis and Anne Maxfield. They’ll join other WGN stars enshrined with bronze plaques embedded in front of Tribune Tower at 435 North Michigan Avenue. The induction ceremony May 25 will air live at 10 a.m. on WGN.
BIA/Kelsey
Following up on Tuesday’s report on radio revenue for 2016, BIA/Kelsey has released estimates for the five top-billing stations in Chicago. CBS Radio all-news WBBM AM 780/WCFS FM 105.9 was first with $45 million (up 2.7 percent from $43.8 million in 2015), followed by Hubbard Radio hot adult-contemporary WTMX FM 101.9 with $32.5 million (up 1.8 percent from $31.9 million in 2015), and WGN with $25.2 million (up 2.8 percent from $24.5 million in 2015). Tied for fourth were CBS Radio sports/talk WSCR AM 670 with $24 million (up 9.5 percent from $21.9 million in 2015) and iHeartMedia urban adult-contemporary WVAZ FM 102.7 with $24 million (up 0.4 percent from $23.9 million in 2015).
Ben Joravsky
Ben Joravsky, the Chicago Reader political writer who debuted this week as afternoon host on Newsweb Radio progressive talk WCPT AM 820, is about to get a second run. Starting April 3, his show will air twice daily — from 2 to 5 p.m. and repeated from 9 p.m. to midnight. The rebroadcast will fill the slot previously held by syndicated host Alan Colmes, who died of cancer February 23 at 66.
Bruno Cohen
Bruno Cohen, president and general manager of CBS-owned WBBM-Channel 2 from 2008 to 2012, is retiring after 40 years in broadcasting. Cohen, 65, announced he’ll step down as general manager of CBS-owned KPIX and KBCW in San Francisco. He also oversaw KSTW in Seattle. “As someone who grew up in the Bay Area and raised my sons here, it has meant a lot for me to be able to return to KPIX, put the exclamation point on an enjoyable and fulfilling career and now bow out on my own terms,” Cohen said.
Rummana Hussain
After 16 years as a Sun-Times reporter — including a long run on the criminal courts beat — Rummana Hussain has moved up to assistant metro editor. Earlier she was assistant to columnist Michael Sneed. The Chicago native and graduate of Loyola University and Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism previously worked for the Chicago Tribune and City News Bureau of Chicago. She’s married to Sun-Times reporter Mick Dumke.
Fox Rocker
A northwest suburban radio station is getting its own beer. WFXF FM 103.9, the Matrix Broadcasting classic rock station known as The Fox, has teamed with Crystal Lake Brewing to create a red ale called Fox Rocker. Starting in April it will be available on tap and in six-packs at locations from the Mississippi River to Lake Michigan. “We're looking forward to lifting a pint with our listeners all over Foxland,” said program director Alex Quigley. A portion of profits will benefit 1pet1vet, a nonprofit agency that matches Northern Illinois combat veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder with trained service dogs.
Lou Boudreau and Vince Lloyd