Peter Bolger

The Titanic of Talk Radio just got a new first mate.

Peter Bolger, a 30-year veteran of radio programming, Thursday was named operations manager and program director of WLS AM 890, the Cumulus Media news/talk station.

Bolger, who’s been director of AM programming for Clear Channel stations in San Antonio, steps in to WLS at a historic low point in both ratings and morale. The once mighty 50,000-watt powerhouse languishes in 27th place among listeners between 25 and 54 with a 1.4 percent share. Among other setbacks, the losses of longtime morning star Don Wade, who died in September, and midday personality Jim Edwards (aka Jake Hartford), who died in January, continue to be felt by listeners. Continue reading →

So much for Chicago’s grand experiment with socialized newsgathering.

Since May 2009, four local stations — CBS-owned WBBM-Channel 2, NBC-owned WMAQ-Channel 5, Fox-owned WFLD-Channel 32 and Tribune Broadcasting WGN-Channel 9 — have been pooling camera crews, assignment editors and other resources in order to share run-of-the-mill news content on the cheap.

Anyone with half a brain could tell it was a bad idea from the start, and now two of the four stations are calling it quits. Continue reading →

Carla Leonardo

Colleagues and fans are remembering Carla Leonardo for her love of music, her generous spirit and her fabulous voice.

The veteran Chicago radio personality died Saturday of acute myeloid leukemia at 63. She was on medical leave as weekend host at WDRV FM 97.1, where she worked since 2001. In earlier decades, she had been a mainstay of the former Q101 and the Loop. Continue reading →

Christa Robinson

The main mouthpiece for Chicago-based Tribune Co. won’t be based in Chicago anymore.

Christa Robinson, former head of communications for CNN Worldwide, was named Monday to the newly created position of chief communications officer for Tribune Co. In announcing her appointment, the company said she will work out of its New York offices.

“Day 2 at Tribune,” Robinson tweeted Tuesday. “Great people. New coffee shop. Flowers from my hubby. What could be better!” Continue reading →

Keith Moreland

For the second time in three years, the search is on to find a new partner for Pat Hughes.

Keith Moreland’s decision to leave the Cubs broadcast booth has WGN AM 720 on the fast track to select his replacement as color analyst alongside play-by-play announcer Hughes.

Bosses of the Tribune Broadcasting news/talk station hope to have the position filled in time for the 2013 Baseball Winter Meetings, which start Dec. 9. Continue reading →

Under pressure to raise cash quickly, the parent company of the Sun-Times is about to begin selling off some of its suburban publishing assets, according to insiders.

Sources said the first to go likely will be the Joliet Herald-News, one of seven suburban daily newspapers owned by Sun-Times Media. A deal to sell the paper to an unidentified local owner is expected to be announced before the end of the year. Continue reading →

Garry Meier

People Garry Meier thanked Saturday in his Radio Hall of Fame acceptance speech: Continue reading →

Liza Minnelli, Sammy Davis Jr. and Irv Kupcinet on “Kup’s Show”

No one embodied Chicago or celebrated it as much as “Mr. Chicago” Irv Kupcinet. And when he died 10 years ago today, the city lost a little of its greatness and a lot of its heart.

Though newcomers to town may know only of the Wabash Avenue Bridge that bears his name or the statue of him astride its southern end, it’s impossible to overstate the impact Kup had during his 60-year run as a columnist for the Sun-Times. Continue reading →

Craig Wall

Chronic technical problems plaguing WFLD-Channel 32 turned a reporter for the Fox-owned station into a refugee from Blue Man Group last week.

An image captured from Craig Wall's bizarre blue-tinged live shot on Wednesday's 9 p.m. newscast became an instant sensation on the station's Facebook page until management ordered evidence of the mistake to be taken down. Continue reading →

Jim Pastor, who headed WMVP AM 1000 for five years before moving up to senior vice president of ESPN Radio, is taking charge of the sports/talk station again.

Under a reorganization of ESPN Audio to be announced Monday, Pastor will oversee ESPN Local, encompassing ESPN Radio 1000 and ESPNChicago.com as well as company-owned stations and websites in New York and Los Angeles. He will continue to be based in Chicago.

The role of general manager at all three stations will be eliminated in the restructuring. Continue reading →