Archive for the ‘Radio’ Category

“Big” Changes At Top Rated Oldies Station WRIT-FM

Posted by Duane Dudek
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In a surprising move WRIT-FM (95.7), the top-rated radio station in Milwaukee, is changing from Oldies 95.7 to Big FM.

The station posted a video by the morning team of Murphy and Meg  explaining the changes on page.

“But don’t worry,” says Meg, the station “will still be playing the music you love.”

In an email confirming the change, program director Brett Andrews said:

Yes, we’ve re-branded Oldies 95.7 as 95-7 BIG FM. We’ve become the BIGGEST radio station the Milwaukee market, and simply needed a name that better represented the evolution of the station. The music, line-up of local personalities, and overall format remain the same, we’ve simply gotten BIGGER.

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Milwaukee Media Notes: Radio ratings for August

Posted by Duane Dudek

I’m out of the office, but stopped by to drop in the just released A.C. Nielsen radio ratings for August.

Oldies WRIT-FM remains the top station, but just. 3 of a share point separate the next four stations.

WISN-AM climbed 1.1 share points into a tie for second place. Just spitballing here, but did interest in the Donald Trump candidacy and the Republican presidential campaign drive interest in the politically conservative talk radio station?

Did the dismal season for the Milwaukee Brewers drive WTMJ-AM into tie for fifth place, down .7 of a point? Country Music station WMIL-FM remains in a tie for second place despite dropping .1 of a share.

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Milwaukee Media Notes: Chase Cain Redux, “Live & Local” WKTI

Posted by Duane Dudek
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In my family we call this vacation weather.

And in fact we did take a few days off in a cloudy, cold Door County that was warmed considerably during a concert Monday by the Jayhawks, who turned in a solid performance like the road dogs they are.

We also rode bikes in Peninsula State Park.

And we saw “Ant Man” and “Mission Impossible” at the Skyway Drive-in theater (while @katflanigan snored) listening through the FM radio and the theater’s functioning Cylon-looking old school window speaker (which my automatic windows refused to accept.)

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WMYX Afternoon Jock Mason Replaces Kidd O’Shea Mornings

Posted by Duane Dudek
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WYMX -FM afternoon jock Mike Mason replaces Kidd O’Shea as morning show co-host with Elizabeth Kay, the station announced Monday.

O’Shea, a Milwaukee native, is leaving to become morning show social media director at WJLA-TV in Washington.

The station’s press release below is woefully short of details. WMYX is owned by Entercom.

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Mike Mason joins Elizabeth Kay for the new “Mike & Elizabeth” morning show on 99.1 The Mix!

 Milwaukee, WI —Mike Mason joined Elizabeth Kay for the new “Mike & Elizabeth” morning show weekdays from 5am to 9am this morning on 99.1 The Mix.  Mike previously did afternoons for 99.1 The Mix.

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Local Female Broadcasters Have Stalkers, Seek Restraining Orders

Posted by Duane Dudek

Stranger danger looms over the lives of local female broadcasters like a dark unknown.

“There is a reason we have a gate with barbed wire around the station,” one broadcaster said.

Almost every woman working in local radio and television that I contacted had a tale or two of being stalked or harassed by overzealous listeners.

“Stalking is a huge concern for many females in the business, especially cyberstalking since social media makes so much information available,” said one broadcaster.

“I’ve been lucky enough not to have to deal with it, though it is still scary going into work at 2 or 3 a.m. or leaving work at 11 p.m. and not knowing who may be waiting.”

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WKLH posts morning show job opening to replace Caine

Posted by Duane Dudek

“Are you an entertainer with the chops to share the stage with a proven, polished morning veteran in Milwaukee and hold your ground? Do funny, warm, witty, and edgy describe your on air persona?”

Then WKLH-FM wants you.

To replace Carole Caine, the 29 year morning show co-host whose contract was not renewed.

The former Classic now Hometown Rock station has posted an opening for her job on the website of Milwaukee Radio Group, owned by Saga Communications. (See the ad below).

Saga chairman Ed Christian recently confirmed the station is looking for someone to replace Caine as partner to Dave Luczak, the station’s talented morning show announcer.

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Scripps’ Wexler named among radio’s 40 “most powerful”

Posted by Duane Dudek
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Steve Wexler, E. W. Scripps vice president of radio, was named one of the “most powerful” people in the industry, according to the trade publication RadioInk.

Scripps’ also promoted the news on its own website.

Wexler squeaked into the top 40 at number 38.

Wexler grew up in the former Journal Broadcast Group.

In 1976 at the age of 16 he was hired as a gofer for announcer Jonathan Green and would ride his bike to the station.

He rose to the position of executive vice president of radio and television for the group which included WTMJ-AM (620) and WTMJ-TV (Channel 4).

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Milwaukee Media Notes: Christian, Lion & the Spanish Inquisition.

Posted by Duane Dudek
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What an interesting week it’s been. For me at least.

My first full week behind the Milwaukee Magazine paywall experiment was dominated by coverage of the WKLH-FM story. Both sides were heard.

The next angles will be former morning show co-host Carole Caine getting a new job and the station hiring a new co-host for Dave Luczak, per Saga CEO Ed Christian.

Saga owns Milwaukee Radio Group which owns WKLH.

I was told a couple weeks ago when outcry over Caine’s departure was at its height, that Christian might call and prepared a list of questions that were nowhere to be found when he finally did this week before I had my morning coffee. Nicely played.

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Saga CEO refutes misperceptions about Caine, WKLH

Posted by Duane Dudek
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WKLH-FM image control efforts went into overdrive Wednesday to correct what it believes are misperceptions and misstatements related to its decision not to renew Carole Caine’s contract.

In a statement in response to interviews that former morning co-host Caine conducted yesterday, Milwaukee Radio Group general manager and vice president Annmarie Topel said the station felt “compelled to correct the untruths shared with the press.”

Ed Christian, president and CEO of Saga Communications, which owns Milwaukee Radio Group, even called a reporter who hadn’t had his coffee yet Wednesday morning to set the record straight.

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Milwaukee Media Notes: Lions & Favre, Harvey & Harley, oh my!

Posted by Duane Dudek

Once summer at Boy Scout camp I went on a snipe hunt.

Adults sent me and others into the woods at night with a bag and flashlight to lure and capture the elusive snipe. Whatever they are.

When we returned to camp empty-handed, the adults were all eating S’mores and laughing at us from around the campfire.

News of a lion loose in the Milwaukee area feels a bit like a snipe hunt and invites comparisons to other myths and distractions, like Rhinelander’s Hodag and shark attacks.

But the visual evidence is compelling.

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