
‘Chicks on the Right’ co-host to leave WIBC, leading to overhaul of popular program
The show will continue with a new name and a new co-host starting Nov. 2.
The show will continue with a new name and a new co-host starting Nov. 2.
After seeing its audience sliced by a third and its revenue in some cases cut in half in April and May, the ever-resilient radio industry has shaken the cobwebs out of its head and is standing upright.
The station, which had been identifying itself as 97.5 Kiss FM since August, is now known as Business News 97.5.
Some lawmakers and policymakers have complained that Paycheck Protection Program loans ended up in the hands of larger, publicly traded companies at the expense of small businesses that need them most.
The nearly 9-year-old radio show, which filled the 3 p.m.-to-7 p.m. drive-time spot on WNDE-AM 1260, was hosted by Jake Query and Derek Schultz.
Standard Media Group of Nashville, Tennessee, said it will buy stations in Arkansas, Indiana, Mississippi, New York and Tennessee.
Host John Krull announced on the air Tuesday that the twice-weekly radio show will end on July 11. That makes way for a new program, “All In,” that will be hosted by WFYI’s Matt Pelsor.
Dave O’Brien, a staple on local morning radio since 1996, is no longer with WLHK-FM after station owner Emmis Communications opted not to renew his contract.
With its pending acquisition of three Entercom Communications Corp. stations, Cumulus Media Inc. is set to become the biggest, most-listened-to radio company in the Indianapolis market.
A sports talk show host and drive-time disc jockey were among a dozen employees let go Tuesday as radio giant Cumulus prepared to take over the Entercom stations.
Listeners won’t immediately detect changes at top 40 WZPL-FM 99.5, adult contemporary WNTR-FM 107.9 and sports-talker WXNT-AM 1430, which Cumulus media has agreed to acquire.
Cumulus has made a deal to trade a station in New York and two stations in Springfield, Massachusetts to Entercom Communications in exchange for three Entercom stations in Indianapolis, including WZPL-FM 99.5.
Matt Socey plays several on-air roles at WFYI-FM 90.1, but from 8-10 p.m. on Saturdays, he spins blues tunes.
Michael Grady, a former sports reporter at WRTV Channel 6 and public address announcer for the Indiana Pacers, has co-hosted the “Grady & Big Joe Show” for eight years. Station owner Emmis has already lined up a replacement.
The Indianapolis-based media company reported a profitable third quarter despite a decline in revenue resulting from the sale of several radio stations.
Indianapolis-based Emmis Communications announced in October a decision to “dramatically reduce” the operations of NextRadio and TagStation after tens of millions of dollars in losses.
“The Bob & Tom Show” has aired weekday mornings on the iHeartMedia stations involved in the deal for at least 15 years.
After nine years, Jenny Skjodt is out as local market manager of Entercom Communication’s cluster of radio stations, which includes WZPL-FM.
The five stations with the highest market share in the Indianapolis market last month count people 45 or older as a considerable part of their audiences.
Emmis Communications spent nearly a decade and tens of millions of dollars trying to put together an industry-wide effort to make cell phones act like smart portable radios. In the end, CEO Jeff Smulyan said he couldn’t continue to “fund R&D for the entire industry.”