Merlin Media launches Chicago's first all-news FM station

The radio venture, headed by former Tribune CEO Randy Michaels, began its 24-hour news programming on Sunday.

Merlin Media, the new broadcasting venture headed by controversial former Tribune CEO Randy Michaels, has launched Chicago's first all-news FM radio station -- one day ahead of the competition.

After six weeks of speculation, Chicago's FM News 101.1 officially began its 24-hour news programming on Sunday. CBS-owned WBBM Newsradio 780 is planning to simulcast its venerable news format on 105.9 FM beginning Monday.

"My favorite format has always been spoken radio," said Michaels, Merlin Media's chief executive officer, in a press release issued Sunday. "I've long had a nostalgic love affair with the big AM stations known for the format, and today – as music moves to the iPod– it's time for spoken word to move to FM."

In June, Merlin Media agreed to acquire Chicago's WKQX-FM 101.1 (Q101) and WLUP-FM 97.9 (TheLoop), along with New York's WRXP-FM, fromEmmis Communications. Merlin began operating the stations on July 15, and immediately pulled the plug on Q101's alternative rock format.

Many industry analysts had projected that Q101 would go news/talk, a trend that has picked up steam in recent years as music migrates to other digital media, and radio programmers seek to tap larger and younger audiences on the FM band.

WBBM-AM, the top-ranked and top-billing station in Chicago, has been honing its product since 1968. The transformation to FM will see some upgrades in production value, but management plans to stick with its tried-and-true formula.

FM News 101.1, which changed its call letters to WWWN-FM, has hired a number of well-known Chicago broadcasting personalities including Ed Curran and Rob Hart, formerly ofWGN-AM; Monica DeSantis, formerly of WLS-AM; Lise Dominique, formerly of WLUP AM & FM; and Debra Dale, formerly of WBBM-AM.


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