Steve Downes

Saying it’s “time to take that next step,” Steve Downes is retiring after 44 years in radio — including the last 14 as morning personality on classic hits WDRV FM 97.1.

Downes, 64, said Thursday he'll be stepping down from his job at the Hubbard Radio station “within the next month or so” and plans to travel with his wife, spend more time with his grandchildren in Colorado and pursue other interests. Continue reading →

David Kaplan and David Haugh

One day after Dan McNeil rejected an offer to return to CBS Radio sports/talk WSCR AM 670 as midday host, David Kaplan has withdrawn from consideration for the job, too.

Kaplan, who’s marking his 20th year with Tribune Media news/talk WGN AM 720, said Thursday he’s agreed to extend his contract to continue the show he hosts with Chicago Tribune sports columnist David Haugh on WGNplus.com and Comcast SportsNet Chicago. Continue reading →

Dan McNeil

Dan McNeil won’t be returning to the Score after all.

The mercurial Chicago radio personality turned down a multiyear contract offer to reclaim his old job as midday host at CBS Radio sports/talk WSCR AM 670, sources said Wednesday. Continue reading →

The last editor of Today’s Chicago Woman is the latest hire at Tribune Content Agency.

Carrie Williams

Carrie Williams, whose tenure with Today’s Chicago Woman ended when the monthly magazine ceased publication after 32 years in January, has signed on as an editor/designer at the syndication and licensing unit of Tribune Publishing.

John Barron, general manager of Tribune Content Agency, said Williams started Monday and would be working on all of the company’s products. Continue reading →

Andrew Patner

Veteran Chicago journalist Andrew Patner, a bright light on the local arts and culture scene for decades, died unexpectedly Tuesday at 55.

He most recently was critic-at-large at classical music WFMT FM 98.7 and a contributing critic on classical music for the Sun-Times. Continue reading →

Chicago Sun-Times

No one’s laughing about the comics at the Sun-Times today.

Monday marked the third time in nine months that the paper published the wrong comics pages. In this case, it reran the three pages from the previous Monday. Continue reading →

Tribune Tower

It’s a big day for more than 1.2 million print and digital followers of the six daily and 32 weekly suburban newspapers now under full control of the Chicago Tribune.

Readers of the six dailies will wake up Monday to discover that their papers have expanded from tabloid format to full-size broadsheet publications. And one of the six — the SouthtownStar — has reverted to its former name as the Daily Southtown. Continue reading →

Dick Biondi

Dick Biondi is back — and all is right with the world.

The indomitable rock ’n’ roll radio legend, who’s been sidelined with health issues since mid-December, will return this week to his WLS FM 94.7 nighttime show, officials of the Cumulus Media classic hits station confirmed Sunday.

His show airs from 11 p.m. to 2 a.m. Monday through Friday.

In a phone interview last week, the 82-year-old Biondi said he was eager to return pending approval from his doctor. “To be very honest, I’m going crazy sitting here and waiting to go back to work,” he said. His absence marks the longest Biondi has ever been off the air for health reasons. Continue reading →

Patrick Mannelly

Former Chicago Bear Patrick Mannelly is stepping down after five months as Matt Speigel’s midday co-host at CBS Radio sports/talk WSCR AM 670, sources said Friday.

Mannelly is expected to announce Monday that he plans to drop his full-time duties at the Score but will continue as a Bears pre-game host and contributor during football season. Continue reading →

Abe Kanan

Cumulus Media is finally getting down to business in its search for a new morning personality at WLUP FM 97.9.

Starting Monday, the classic rock station will begin a series of four weeklong "tryouts," testing various potential hosts and inviting listeners to register their feedback. The morning slot has been open since last September when The Loop revamped its lineup and parted company with Benjamin Bornstein, who was known on the air as Maxwell. Continue reading →