Less than a month after he started, Chris Carson is no longer hosting mornings at Midwest’s WIXX/101.1 (Green Bay). The station told FOX 11 and other local media outlets that it had “decided to move in a different direction.” Carson had taken over for longtime host Jim Murphy in mid-December, with Murphy’s former co-hosts now working at a competing station.
As first noted by RadioInsight, Mid-West is now simulcasting the longtime morning show from “95.7 The Rock” (WRQT La Crosse) on “92.9 The X” (WECL Lake Hallie-Eau Claire) under the new name “Rock Mornings.” La Crosse and Eau Claire are separate radio markets but in the same TV market.
Civic Media has added the Mid-West Farm Report, hosted by “Fabulous Farm Babe” Pam Jahnke, on seven of its stations. The hourlong program now airs at 5 a.m. weekdays on WAUK/540 (Jackson-Milwaukee), WRJN/1400 (Racine), WGBW/1590 (Denmark-Green Bay), WISS/1100 (Berlin-Oshkosh), WRCE/1450 (Richland Center), WBZH/910 (Hayward), WLAK/1260 (Amery), and their associated FM translators. The program and its agribusiness updates originate on several Mid-West stations in Madison and are also syndicated to 20 other stations around the state.
Audacy announced that it has filed a chapter 11 bankruptcy reorganization. It’s not immediately clear how the move will impact the company’s stations, which include groups in Minneapolis (WCCO, KMNB, KZJK), Milwaukee (WMYX, WXSS, WSSP), and Madison (WOLX, WMHX, WMMM).
Lilly Broadcasting CBS affiliate WZMQ/19.2 (Marquette) announced the hiring of sports broadcaster Mike Ludlum and account executive Mark Nebel.
The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports that Gabrielle Mays is departing “Real Milwaukee” on FOX O&O WITI/6.1 for a new job closer to her family in California.
Katrina Sperl announced her departure from Standard Media ABC affiliate KLKN/8.1 (Lincoln) for a new job with the Nebraska Emergency Management Agency.
TVNewsCheck profiled the annual Share Your Holidays drive at Gray CBS affiliate WSAW/7.1 (Wausau).
The Star Tribune reports that Garrison Keillor will host an event celebrating the 50th anniversary of “A Prairie Home Companion” in July. St. Paul is the last stop on a 12-city tour that began in Nashville on Jan. 11.
The Wisconsin Broadcasters Association reports that radio veteran Bill Vancil, best known for his work at Mid-West in Madison, has died at 82.
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- FCC Monitor: New FM Signal Signs On in Suburban Milwaukee
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Disclosure: Jon Ellis was an employee of Gray Media Group at the time this item was posted. The statements and views expressed in this posting are his own and do not reflect those of Gray Media Group.