No comment on layoffs at CBS Radio

CBS Radio eliminated more than 200 positions in companywide layoffs this week, including an unconfirmed number in Chicago.

Rod Zimmerman, senior vice president and market manager of CBS Radio Chicago, declined to comment on the layoffs or specify the number of jobs affected among the seven stations he oversees. Other managers contacted were not authorized to talk about them. Continue reading

Promotion director rises to general manager at ‘La Ley’

Leti Aguilera

Leti Aguilera

Three years ago Leti Aguilera was the marketing and promotion director at  WLEY FM 107.9. Today she’s vice president general manager of the Spanish Broadcasting System’s regional Mexican station known as La Ley.

Her rise is even more remarkable considering that Aguilera had been away from the station from August 2012 until last January, when she rejoined La Ley as local sales manager. Continue reading

Ira Glass owns all of ‘This American Life’

Ira Glass

Ira Glass

Twenty years after Ira Glass launched “This American Life” at WBEZ FM 91.5, the host and executive producer has just acquired full ownership of his iconic public radio program.

Chicago Public Media, parent company of WBEZ and production partner in the show since its inception, this week agreed to turn over its ownership stake to Glass in exchange for ongoing profits from “This American Life” and its podcast spinoff, “Serial.” Continue reading

Nick Digilio: ‘I’m gonna be fine’

Nick Digilio

Nick Digilio

Nick Digilio, who’s been off the air for weeks while battling an undisclosed ailment, said he hopes to return to his WGN AM 720 overnight show July 20.

Until then, he’s sharing little about the illness that caused him to lose 35 pounds and kept him off the Tribune Media news/talk station for much of June and all of July so far. Since his release from the hospital last week, he said, he has been staying with his parents. Continue reading

Marv Nyren gets Tribune Media job

Marv Nyren

Marv Nyren

Marv Nyren, a veteran broadcast executive who went out with a bang after heading two Chicago radio stations, has gone to work for Tribune Media.

Nyren started Monday as director of group sales and marketing for Chicago-based Tribune Broadcasting, which includes 42 television stations nationwide and WGN America.

As regional vice president and market manager for Emmis Communications, Nyren served as general manager of classic rock WLUP FM 97.9 and alternative rock WKQX FM 101.1 for seven years. He left in 2011 when the company sold The Loop and Q101 to Randy Michaels’ Merlin Media. Continue reading

Radio ratings: MeTV FM fans show ‘passionate engagement’

MeTV FM

MeTV FM

One year ago it was the laughingstock of Chicago radio, with ratings so small you needed a magnifying glass to see them. That’s when it was going nowhere as a sports/talk station known as The Game 87.7 FM.

Nobody’s laughing now. Rebranded in February by Weigel Broadcasting as soft rock/oldies Me-TV FM, WRME FM 87.7 is moving up fast. In Nielsen Audio ratings released Tuesday, the station more than tripled the audience share it had last June under Tribune Media. Continue reading