Posted on 06/21/2006 4:31:47 AM PDT by Chi-townChief
Of all the stations on Chicago radio's "watch list" (if there were such a list, that is), the one in most critical condition has to be Clear Channel Radio's "Real Oldies" WRLL-AM (1690).
Nothing is official, but insiders say it could be only a matter of weeks before Clear Channel bosses pull the plug on the format and a talent lineup that includes such personalities as Larry Lujack, Tommy Edwards, Scotty Brink, Tom Murphy and Ron Smith.
Plagued from its inception in 2003 with a substandard signal that barely covers the metropolitan area, "Real Oldies" has languished at the bottom of the ratings all along. Arbitrends released Tuesday show the station tied for 36th place with a 0.5 percent share and with a cumulative weekly audience of 116,200.
Any hopes of growth were dashed when ABC turned its WZZN-FM (94.7) from active rock to "True Oldies" last fall. Despite its lackluster lineup and promotion, WZZN wins by default with its superior signal.
John Gehron, who put "Real Oldies" on the air, nurtured and protected the format as Clear Channel's regional boss here. Once he left the company (only to resurface as head of Oprah Winfrey's Harpo Radio), the station's days were numbered.
No decision has been made on a new format, but the most likely scenario would turn WRLL into a time-brokered outlet that would lease all of its air time to an outside company.
Most common time-brokered formats include religious, ethnic and foreign language programs.
If Clear Channel does pull the plug on oldies, at least one of the station's stars shouldn't be idle for long.
Edwards, the Chicago radio legend who serves as morning personality, program director and operations manager of "Real Oldies," already has been approached about a drive-time on-air job at a bigger and better local station, sources said.
Too bad he won't be able to bring Ol' Uncle Lar along with him this time.
Dialing: Changing channels
*As if it weren't already hard enough to find Dick Biondi and the other great jocks who've been relegated to the Internet and HD Radio, now CBS Radio is switching their Web address.
Starting next week, Biondi, Greg Brown, Fred Winston and Connie Szerszen will be moved to a new site at www.OldiesChicago.com. They had been streaming oldies at www.wjmk.com since their old station, WJMK-FM (104.3), morphed into adult hits "Jack FM" last year.
"Since WJMK is 'Jack's' call letters, we want to distinguish the two entities more for clarification in the ratings process," said John Sebastian, program director of "Jack FM."
*Look for WGN-Channel 9 morning weatherman Paul Konrad and entertainment reporter Dean Richards to make special guest appearances on Steve Cochran's "Clean Comedy All Stars" show this weekend.
Cochran, a seasoned standup comic and midday personality at Tribune Co.-owned news/talk WGN-AM (720), will be the headliner at 8 p.m. Saturday at the Genesee Theatre in north suburban Waukegan.
*Radio One Communications, which owns and operates four stations in northwest Indiana -- WXRD-FM (103.9), WLJE-FM (105.5), WZVN-FM (107.1) and WAKE-AM (1500) -- has begun construction on expanded studios and offices in Valparaiso.
Tracking: 'Hippo' gets bigger
*"Nude Hippo: Your Chicago Show," an offbeat local treat on cable since 1997, is gaining a new outlet on WMAQ-Channel 5's Web site. Starting Thursday, segments from the weekly half-hour comedy/talk show will be streamed at www.nbc5.com.
Hosted by Tony Lossano and Amy Zanglin, "Nude Hippo" still airs at 7 p.m. Thursdays on Chicago Cable Channel 25.
*Janet Davies, entertainment reporter and host of "190 North," will be joined by Terri Hemmert, midday personality at adult rock WXRT-FM (93.1), in co-hosting WLS-Channel 7's coverage of this weekend's 37th annual Gay Pride Parade. The one-hour special will air at 11:35 p.m. Sunday on the ABC-owned station.
Grand marshal of the parade will be George Takei of "Star Trek" fame.
*The Museum of Broadcast Communications has received a $40,000 grant from the Chicago Community Trust to help create an exhibit on Chicago's radio and television history.
Bingo! We have a winner!
They recently dropped the last "oldies" station here in Buffalo, WKBW 1520 AM which was one of the 50,000 watt tower of powers during the heyday of rock 'n roll on the east coast and replaced it with, are you ready, Left Talk! That's right, those idiots from Air America et al. Guess since this IS one of the Bluest states in the USA they think it might have a chance. I removed it from my preset buttons in my cars. Oh,well. I still have XM.
My iTunes radio connects me to 16 streams w/ 50s -60s formats. No charge other than your broadband connection.
Granted you can't listen to it in the car.
Just an FYI.
Would these be "Uncle Lare" and "Snotnosed Tommy"??
You can say what you want about us boomers.Much of it is likely to be correct.But we had,in the 50's and 60's,the greatest music ever known to civilization.
Absolutely.
Sad! If that's what some think, then they missed most of it. I like Motown as much as anyone, but, it was merely an extension of what others a decade before them had created.
XM or Sirius?
Awwwwww.
How about for the 10,000,000,000,000,000,000,001 time? Just for OLD TIMES sake.
I know you wanna leave me,
but I refuse to let you go
If I have to beg and plead for your sympathy,
I don't mind coz' you mean that much to meAin't too proud to beg, sweet darlin
Please don't leave me girl, don't you go
Ain't to proud to plead, baby, baby
Please don't leave me, girl, don't you goNow I heard a cryin' man,
is half a man with no sense of pride
But if I have to cry to keep you,
I don't mind weepin' if it'll keep you by my sideAin't to proud to beg, sweet darlin
Please don't leave me girl, don't you go
Ain't to proud to plead, baby, baby
Please don't leave me girl, don't you goIf I have to sleep on your doorstep
all night and day just to keep you from walkin' away
let your friends laugh, even this I can stand
cause I want to keep you any way I canAin't too proud to beg, sweet darlin'
Please don't leave me girl, don't you go
Ain't to proud to plead, baby, baby
Please don't leave me girl, don't you goNow I've gotta love so deep in the pit of my heart
And each day it grows more and more
I'm not ashamed to come and plead to you baby
If pleadin' keeps you from walkin' out that doorAin't too proud to beg, you know it sweet darlin'
Please don't leave me girl, don't you go
Ain't to proud to plead, baby, baby
Please don't leave me girl, don't you go
Baby, baby, baby, baby (sweet darling)
Remember - NO dancing on the tables.
(If you have any other MOTOWN requests, speak up - I have them all)
>>...vinyl
>>>...needles
Amen brothers! Second best: http://www.angelfire.com/retro2/croonerjd/FullList.htm
All free, downloadable, huge selection, and none of that RealPlayer crappe.
Unfortunately, finding anything from that era on broadcast is near impossible today - and its the preferred music of my parents and grandparents, who are still alive. You'd think there'd be a market for playing that music.
I was born in 1966, and I'm also a fan of the old stuff. The only radio station I know that consistently plays that kind of thing anywhere is in the Shenandoah Valley, where I don't live. But every time I'm about there, I'm finding "Music of our Life." I think it's 105.7, but I forget.
I would think the fan base is there. When I travel around the country, one things that strikes me is that there are lots of people who don't give a darn about top 40 or what Hollywood says. Just last month, for example, I was at a bluegrass festival in Georgia. It was a three-day festival and had at least 1,500 people there. The festival had almost no promotion and was held in a very rural area, but drew people from all over the east coast.
WMTRam-1250 in Morristown has a weak signal, but they do a nice internet stream. Great playlist!
http://www.wmtram.com/index2.htm
Edison cylinders are so neat. My husband has a collection and they're a hoot.
I carried that radio on my paper route, and when the sun went down, the big boomers came in. All batteery operated. No AC at all.
Thanks, Don-o!
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