Abe Kanan leads off Loop’s ‘casting call’

Abe Kanan

Abe Kanan

Cumulus Media is finally getting down to business in its search for a new morning personality at WLUP FM 97.9.

Starting Monday, the classic rock station will begin a series of four weeklong "tryouts," testing various potential hosts and inviting listeners to register their feedback. The morning slot has been open since last September when The Loop revamped its lineup and parted company with Benjamin Bornstein, who was known on the air as Maxwell. Continue reading

Carl Grapentine returns to WFMT Monday

Carl Grapentine

Carl Grapentine

Just in time for Groundhog Day, veteran morning host Carl Grapentine will make his long-awaited reappearance on classical WFMT FM 98.7 Monday. “I’ll pop out of my hole to return to the morning program!” he wrote on Facebook.

Grapentine, 65, has been out of commission since November when he underwent quadriceps tendon surgery on both legs. Wearing thigh-to-ankle casts he spent five weeks in hospitals and rehabs centers, and has been convalescing at home since mid-December. Continue reading

New Tribune stars align under editor Kern

Gerry Kern

Gerry Kern

Seven years into his run as editor of the Chicago Tribune, Gerry Kern has assembled a new team of seasoned insiders to help lead the city’s premier news organization.

On Wednesday he announced the promotion of a new managing editor and a new associate editor — both considered viable contenders to succeed the 65-year-old Kern whenever he decides to retire as editor and senior vice president of Chicago Tribune Media Group. Continue reading

Bob & Marianne pay homage to ‘Wally’s Black Box’ at WGN

Marianne Murciano and Bob Sirott

Marianne Murciano and Bob Sirott

In a throwback to one of the longest-running and most bizarre contests in Chicago radio history, Bob Sirott and Marianne Murciano are challenging listeners to guess the name they have locked inside a safe on display in their Michigan Avenue studio.

Whoever calls in to their WGN AM 720 midday show with the correct answer will win everything the Tribune Media news/talk station is giving away that day, along with all the DVDs, CDs, books and apparel in Sirott and Murciano’s office — and even the safe itself. Continue reading

Studs Terkel Awards 'celebrate good journalism'

Maudlyne Ihejirika

Maudlyne Ihejirika

Four distinguished Chicago journalists encompassing print, broadcast and digital platforms this week were named recipients of 2015 Studs Terkel Community Media Awards from the Community Media Workshop.

Cited for their work in covering Chicago’s diverse communities were: Maudlyne Ihejirika, urban affairs reporter and assistant city editor of the Sun-Times; Monica Eng, food policy, health and consumer producer/reporter for Chicago Public Media WBEZ FM 91.5; Sharon Cohen, Chicago-based national writer for the Associated Press; and Darryl Holliday, general assignment reporter/producer at DNAinfo Chicago and founder of The Illustrated Press. Continue reading