New stars at night for Kiss FM, Big 95.5

Erik Zachary

Erik Zachary

More people are listening to WKSC FM 103.5 at night than any other radio station in Chicago, according to the ratings. Now the iHeartMedia Top 40 station has a new voice at the mic when the sun goes down.

Erik Zachary has been named host from 6 to 11 p.m. Monday through Friday on 103.5 Kiss FM, starting Monday. He most recently hosted nights on WEBG FM 95.5, iHeartMedia's country station, and weekends on Kiss FM.

A native of northwest suburban Bartlett who attended Columbia College, Zachary began as a programming intern and promotions assistant for iHeartMedia Chicago. “Erik is a top-notch talent who grew up in the Chicagoland area,” Tommy Austin, senior vice president of programming for iHeartMedia Chicago, said in a statement. “He understands the needs of our listeners and the community.”

Zachary was quoted as saying: “I love Chicago and I’m excited to begin 103.5 Kiss FM’s new show for local pop music fans. Words cannot explain what it means to join the dream team lineup at the station that I grew up to listening to all the time.”

Emily Bermann

Emily Bermann

On Thursday iHeartMedia Chicago also announced the promotion of Emily Bermann to replace Zachary as evening host and serve as assistant program director at Big 95.5. She has been promotions director and fill-in on-air personality at the station since August 2015.

Bermann, a graduate of Flagler College in St. Augustine, Florida, previously hosted overnights and weekends at iHeartMedia’s WXXL in Orlando, and was digital assistant and promotions manager at iHeartMedia Nashville.

“I am so excited to spend my nights on Big 95.5,” Bermann said in a statement. “I have been with the station from the beginning and it is an honor to start this new chapter with [program director] Steve Stewart taking Big 95.5 to the next level.”

In the latest Nielsen Audio ratings, Kiss FM led the market at night with a cumulative weekly audience of 690,800. The station’s 5.8 percent share ranked fourth. Big 95.5 was 14th at night with a 2.6 share and 260,800 weekly cume.