For someone who spent his entire career behind a microphone, “Superjock” Larry Lujack left a remarkable legacy of work in front of the camera, too.

From his television commercials to his movie theater trailers and from his talk show interviews to his Hall of Fame acceptance speeches, Ol’ Uncle Lar invariably proved as charming and delightful on screen as he did on radio. Continue reading →

Bruce Rauner

Bruce Rauner = GTCR = Merlin Media = Randy Michaels. Continue reading →

Kenard Karter

Ten years after he began his career as a weekend overnight personality and promotions assistant at WGCI FM 107.5, Chicago native Kenard “K2” Karter is returning to the Clear Channel urban contemporary station as program director.

Karter, who rejoins WGCI March 3, spent the last four years as assistant program director and midday personality at Clear Channel’s KMEL FM in San Francisco. Continue reading →

The Beatles' first American television appearance 50 years ago next month — said to be the most significant moment in pop music history — also marked a turning point for Top 40 radio.

Nowhere was the British invasion welcomed more warmly than at WLS AM 890, where the Fab Four dominated the Silver Dollar Survey on Chicago’s 50,000-watt giant for rest of the decade.

Here is the piece I wrote for the Sun-Times on Feb. 5, 1984 — days before the 20th anniversary of the Beatles’ debut in America. (Posted with permission.) Continue reading →

It was a Christmas to remember for WLIT FM 93.9.

More than 3.2 million listeners tuned in to the Clear Channel station each week in December while it played nothing but Christmas music around the clock for the 13th consecutive year. Continue reading →

Jane Monzures

Jane Monzures, the multitalented Chicago television and radio host, has been hired as afternoon personality at WILV FM 100.3.

Monzures started Monday at the Hubbard Radio adult contemporary station, replacing Brian Middleton, who signed off Jan. 8 after seven years. “We are excited to hear Jane’s wit, energy and positivity every day from 2 to 7 p.m.,” program director Marty Bender said in announcing the appointment. Continue reading →

Brandon Copple

In what appears to be the final nail in the coffin of Grid, veteran Chicago journalist Brandon Copple is out as general manager of the Sun-Times’ digital and print business news venture.

Jim Kirk, publisher and editor-in-chief of the Sun-Times, confirmed Monday that Copple has left the company to pursue other opportunities.

“Brandon came here with some great new content ideas across different areas,” Kirk said in a statement. “Grid content continues in the form of the Grid 12 business report in the paper as well as our early morning newsletter roundup. Brandon was a terrific colleague and friend and we wish him nothing but the best.” Continue reading →

Bob Sirott (1983)

If you thought the “Radio Wars” video posted here last month was something, wait till you see this.

The appearance of that WBBM-Channel 2 feature on the up-and-coming radio stars of 1983 sent Bob Sirott on a quest to find the entire three-part sweeps series it came from. He wrote, produced and reported “Radio Wars in Chicago: Jockeying for Your Morning” just three years after he left his own successful radio career to join the CBS-owned station. Continue reading →

Rick Bayless and Steve Dolinsky

Famed Chicago chef Rick Bayless and veteran Chicago restaurant critic Steve Dolinsky have cooked up a new podcast together on (what else?) food.

Billed as “food news, recipes, author interviews, celebrity food chats, spirits and a ‘final bite’ that will literally make your mouth water," “The Feed” debuted online Friday in both video form and audio form: Continue reading →

In another year of declining revenue for Chicago radio, CBS Radio’s all-news simulcast of WBBM AM 780 and WCFS FM 105.9 retained its crown as Chicago’s top-billing station.

Though down more than 8 percent from last year, the Newsradio combo produced $41.9 million in advertising income — leading the way for CBS Radio, which had four of the top seven revenue-generating stations in the market.

Overall Chicago radio revenue dropped about 2.5 percent from $430,911,000 in 2012 to $419,715,000 in 2013, according to figures compiled by the accounting firm of Miller, Kaplan, Arase & Co. (based on revenue reports submitted by station groups). The only year-to-year growth was in digital advertising — up 10 percent to $28,175,000 in 2013. Continue reading →