If you never get up before 6 a.m., you may never heard any of these three syndicated radio news magazines. AITM and First Light are from Westwood One, while This Morning, America's First News with Gordon Deal is from Compass Networks and gets played on many iHeart talk stations.
Even though Westwood One got rid of its hourly newscasts, several of the newscasters and producers continue to work for the company by putting together these two morning hours. America in the Morning dates back to when Larry King was doing his overnight show and his newscaster Jim Bohannon stayed an extra hour to do America in the Morning. I guess it began as a Mutual show and got picked up by Westwood One. When Larry King left his overnight talk show and Bohannon took over, he continued doing AITH until a few years ago. That meant he'd have to come in early Monday morning, even though he didn't do the talk show hours earlier.
Currently John Trout, a former Westwood One News morning anchor, hosts AITM. Michael Toscano, also a former anchor on Westwood One News, hosts First Light. Nearly all Cumulus talk stations carry one or the other. In the Mountain and Pacific Time Zones, some stations carry both shows, one after the other. And in a few markets where a talk station can't afford a morning show of its own, it will carry these shows for the entire AM Drive: AITM at 5 and 7 a.m., First Light at 6 and 8 a.m.
For whatever reason, iHeart stations usually run TMAFNWGD, even though it is not a Premiere Networks show. Gordon Deal, a former newscaster on WOR New York, is the host with co-host Jennifer Kashinka. It started as an hour show at 5 a.m. syndicated by the Wall Street Journal. When the Journal gave up its radio division, this show got picked up by Compass Media.
Fox News Radio also provides a 5 a.m. show, although it has few affiliates.
I think all three shows are good wake up programs and are devoid of partisan politics. In some cases, it may be the only hour on its affiliates not purely partisan and right wing.
Even though Westwood One got rid of its hourly newscasts, several of the newscasters and producers continue to work for the company by putting together these two morning hours. America in the Morning dates back to when Larry King was doing his overnight show and his newscaster Jim Bohannon stayed an extra hour to do America in the Morning. I guess it began as a Mutual show and got picked up by Westwood One. When Larry King left his overnight talk show and Bohannon took over, he continued doing AITH until a few years ago. That meant he'd have to come in early Monday morning, even though he didn't do the talk show hours earlier.
Currently John Trout, a former Westwood One News morning anchor, hosts AITM. Michael Toscano, also a former anchor on Westwood One News, hosts First Light. Nearly all Cumulus talk stations carry one or the other. In the Mountain and Pacific Time Zones, some stations carry both shows, one after the other. And in a few markets where a talk station can't afford a morning show of its own, it will carry these shows for the entire AM Drive: AITM at 5 and 7 a.m., First Light at 6 and 8 a.m.
For whatever reason, iHeart stations usually run TMAFNWGD, even though it is not a Premiere Networks show. Gordon Deal, a former newscaster on WOR New York, is the host with co-host Jennifer Kashinka. It started as an hour show at 5 a.m. syndicated by the Wall Street Journal. When the Journal gave up its radio division, this show got picked up by Compass Media.
Fox News Radio also provides a 5 a.m. show, although it has few affiliates.
I think all three shows are good wake up programs and are devoid of partisan politics. In some cases, it may be the only hour on its affiliates not purely partisan and right wing.