WLS AM/FM SOLD

[radioman148]

Do we know the date when the station will change hands?

All I've heard is sometime later this year, but maybe someone else has a handle on it.

 

[pjc1961]

Cumulus CEO Lew Dickey mentioned in the company's Quarter 1 conference call on May 16th that he hopes to close on the purchase of Citadel by Labor Day-9/5/2011.

 

[Dr Wayne]

I was hoping for a WLS Rewind this year. Even on the FM side would of been nice. I guess ever since WLS FM went to Oldies the AM side has stopped the Rewind.... Too bad.

Remember when stations played the Top 500 on Memorial Day Weekend?

 

[radioman148]

I was hoping for a WLS Rewind this year. Even on the FM side would of been nice. I guess ever since WLS FM went to Oldies the AM side has stopped the Rewind.... Too bad.

Remember when stations played the Top 500 on Memorial Day Weekend?

WABC which started the rewind idea in the late 90s also gave it up a few years ago.

 

[Dr Wayne]

The Chicago 500 which consisted of the playlist of the top 500 songs was that on WJMK? Did WIND back in the 70's do that for the memorial day weekend also? I don't recall WCFL or WLS doing that.

 

[radioman148]

The Chicago 500 which consisted of the playlist of the top 500 songs was that on WJMK? Did WIND back in the 70's do that for the memorial day weekend also? I don't recall WCFL or WLS doing that.

WJMK did do it almost every year and you're right about WIND doing a Top 500 also. I think they did it a couple of times and actually published a list around the mid 70s.

 

[Marv-L.A.]

CBS-FM/NYC & KRTH/Los Angeles are both doing top 500 countdowns this weekend.

If you're looking for the most accurate information on which stations carry both the 70s and 80s versions of 'Casey's Top 40', head on over to http://at40fg.proboards.com/index.cgi.

 

[Dr Wayne]

I know that The House of Blues now has rooms where WCFL studios used to be located. What is at the old WLS studios?

 

[radioman148]

I know that The House of Blues now has rooms where WCFL studios used to be located. What is at the old WLS studios?

I assume you are talking about the WCFL at Marina City, not the one that preceded it at the old Furniture Mart.

 

[Dr Wayne]

Where was the old furniture mart where WCFL was located?

 

[uncamark]

Where was the old furniture mart where WCFL was located?

680 N. Lake Shore, where Playboy is now.

The House of Blues club and restaurant is where WFLD's studios used to be (along with a movie multiplex). CFL's studios were on the top floor of the Marina City Office Building, which is now the House of Blues Hotel.

 

[Dr Wayne]

Dick Biondi will be broadcasting live on WLS this Thursday from the Museum of Broadcast Communications at 360 N. State Street.

 

[radioman148]

Dick Biondi will be broadcasting live on WLS this Thursday from the Museum of Broadcast Communications at 360 N. State Street.

And he will have many listeners as WLS-FM had a nice rating up move in May.

 

[Dr Wayne]

Looks like K Hits is still showing no true movemment yet but it is early. WLS continues to grow very nicely.

 

[Dr Wayne]

Movement to have Dick Biondi emcee the Paul Macartney concert in Chicago. Biondo was the first DJ to inroduc the Fab Four..

 

[radioman148]

Movement to have Dick Biondi emcee the Paul Macartney concert in Chicago. Biondo was the first DJ to inroduc the Fab Four..

Biondi was also the first DJ to play a Beatles record in the US.
He also introduced them at Hollywood Bowl.

 

[davideduardo]

Looks like K Hits is still showing no true movemment yet but it is early. WLS continues to grow very nicely.

It had a bump into the top 10 25-54 in May (driven by one really overperforming week out of the 4). It looks like it is back down to the more normal "14th zone" based on the first report from the June book.

 

[davideduardo]

Movement to have Dick Biondi emcee the Paul Macartney concert in Chicago. Biondo was the first DJ to inroduc the Fab Four..

Biondi was also the first DJ to play a Beatles record in the US.
He also introduced them at Hollywood Bowl.

That's interesting... I guess I am to young to remember that sort of thing.

 

[radiorob2.0]

Movement to have Dick Biondi emcee the Paul Macartney concert in Chicago. Biondo was the first DJ to inroduc the Fab Four..

Biondi was also the first DJ to play a Beatles record in the US.
He also introduced them at Hollywood Bowl.

Actually it was Carroll James at WWDC Washington in December 1963 (insert Four Seasons comment here). Biondi introducing the Beatles at the Hollywood Bowl did happen since he was at KRLA at the time.

 

[radioman148]

Movement to have Dick Biondi emcee the Paul Macartney concert in Chicago. Biondo was the first DJ to inroduc the Fab Four..

Biondi was also the first DJ to play a Beatles record in the US.
He also introduced them at Hollywood Bowl.

Actually it was Carroll James at WWDC Washington in December 1963 (insert Four Seasons comment here). Biondi introducing the Beatles at the Hollywood Bowl did happen since he was at KRLA at the time.

Nope not true. James was the first to play "I Want To Hold Your Hand" in Dec 63, but Biondi played "Please Please Me" in Feb 1963 on WLS a year before the British invasion took place.
If you check copies of the WLS survey from early March of 1963 you'll see that "Please Please Me" was on the WLS charts for several weeks.
It never got above #34. Biondi played all the new records below #30 on the WLS chart on his evening show.
In July of 63 Biondi took "Please Please Me" with him to KRLA (it was on Chicago's Vee Jay records). He played it on KRLA and was swamped with calls from listeners to get that crap off the air and play the Beach Boys.
Obviously America wasn't yet ready for the Beatles in early 1963 when Biondi played them.