Layoffs at iHeartMedia drive out ace traffic reporter Bart Shore

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Bart Shore

For 25 years he's been the most familiar and authoritative voice of traffic on Chicago radio. But after delivering his last report Wednesday morning on iHeartMedia hip-hop WGCI 107.5-FM, Bart Shore suddenly found himself over and out.

Shore was cut by Total Traffic & Weather Network, a unit of iHeartMedia, 10 months after he moved to North Carolina with his wife while continuing to work remotely.

In addition to his traffic reporting duties for various stations during the week he also worked as weekend host for iHeartMedia adult contemporary WLIT 93.9-FM.

"It was not my intent - nor my decision - for this to end my career in Chicago radio," Shore told me. "However, it was clear that this may have been a sticking point, and, at some point, the handwriting was on the wall. I was notified today, so I plan to sleep in tomorrow."

Best known for his 17-year run in morning drive on Audacy all-news WBBM 780-AM/WCFS 105.9-FM, the north suburban Wilmette native began here on WLAK — the forerunner of Lite FM.

"I started my career in Chicago radio on 93.9 WLAK in 1985, and it appears I've ended it at 93.9 WLIT," Shore said. "Funny how things go around."

Jordan "JRDN" Foster

Shore's departure coincided with a wave of layoffs this week at iHeartMedia radio stations nationwide.

Also cut Wednesday was Jordan “JRDN” Foster, nighttime personality at iHeartMedia Top 40 WKSC 103.5-FM.

A native of Syracuse, New York, and graduate of Syracuse University, Foster began his career as the rap artist Jay Foss before joining iHeartMedia Chicago in 2015. He was promoted to weeknights in 2019.

"I’m no longer with @1035KISSFM," Foster tweeted. "Beautiful ride. Chicago I love you so much. Talk soon."

In the latest Nielsen Audio survey, Kiss FM tied for 14th in evenings with a 2.6 percent share and cumulative weekly audience of 230,600.

iHeartMedia Chicago did not respond to requests for comment on plans for evenings at Kiss FM.

Wednesday's comment of the day: Mark Quinn: As perhaps WBBM Newsradio's biggest fan, I am hoping that my favorite station loses the competition for rights to broadcast Bear games. If they do, it will be nice to get some news on Fall Sundays rather than 3 1/2 hours of the Bear game and another six hours of gormless cheerleading for inept Bear management.