As we write this, temperatures are pushing close to 40 degrees in the early morning hours. Time to grab a space heater…
CHICAGO SPECULATION: Former Cleveland radio personality Maxwell is out of a job in Chicago.
The former Clear Channel rock/talk WMMS/100.7 afternoon driver, who had a cup of coffee in mornings at CBS Radio classic rock WNCX/98.5, is no longer hosting mornings at Cumulus classic rock WLUP/97.9 “The Loop” in Chicago.
Chicago media reporting guru Robert Feder has details of the move, part of an extensive lineup change at the station:
Mornings will remain open while The Loop conducts a nationwide search to replace Maxwell (Benjamin Bornstein), whose last day also was Friday.
Hmm.
The story of Maxwell is told pretty well by the Chicagoland Radio and Media blog, which posted this item on his departure from the WLUP morning show. A clip:
The man called Maxwell, like Merlin Media’s CEO Randy Michaels, was an Ohio “shock jock.” A few times before, Maxwell had previously worked with Michaels, who enjoys rehiring the same people he previously worked with and who do not question his often-questionable decisions.
Maxwell was brought to Chicago in 2012 by Michaels and then-Operations Manager Jim Richards to quickly become the new morning show host at WLUP-FM, regardless of McMurray’s past popularity and local familiarity.
Merlin Media does not run WLUP or sister alt-rock WKQX/101.1 anymore. Cumulus took over both stations, bringing alt-rock back to the former Q101 from the 87.7 FM dial position (analog TV 6, like WLFM-LP here) under the moniker “101 WKQX”. The “Q101” brand was bought and is retained by an online station, and Channel 6/87.7 in Chicago is now a sports talk radio station operated by Tribune.
And thus, though Maxwell initially survived the change, the Randy Michaels Radio Support System under his feet eventually turned into a trap door leading to his exit from WLUP. Ask any number of Randy Michaels associates no longer at Tribune talk WGN/720 Chicago about that.
Move ahead to Cleveland, where the Chicagoland Radio and Media blog notes:
He may be best known for his years as the afternoon drive “hot talk” shock jock on Cleveland, OH’s WMMS-FM. “The Maxwell Show” ran on that station from April 2004 until he was released in November 2009. (His show was eventually replaced by Chicago’s former Q101 personality Alan Cox, who has since enjoyed great success there.)
Of course, Maxwell’s Chicago run was not a morning drive “hot talk” show.
And at least one of our social media followers has made a connection between Maxwell’s release and Alan Cox’s contract, which will end later this year (see our item from 2012 about that), thinking that Cox may return to Chicago.
Well, OK…interesting thought, but there are several pieces not in evidence for that speculation right now.
We did note in 2012 that Alan Cox actually wanted a one year deal. Clear Channel wanted three, and the sides split the middle at two years.
That may or may not mean that Cox is itching to leave Cleveland, to return to Chicago (where he was morning driver at the station known as Q101 at the time) or to go anywhere else. It may just mean Cox wants control of his own destiny/timeline.
And it’s probably too early to speculate that WLUP’s “nationwide search” for Maxwell’s replacement would lead them to Cleveland, for Cox or anyone else.
We were around some years back when management said they were conducting a “nationwide search” for a local executive’s replacement, but they ended up hiring someone from roughly five miles away.
The term “nationwide search” is about as solid a radio cliche as you can find…
IS HE GONE?: The long-ago announcement that weekend anchor Mark Zinni was leaving Tribune Fox affiliate WJW/8’s “Fox 8 News” may have had some wondering – “I thought he already left”.
But no, Zinni’s last day is today, and his last day as anchor of the weekend editions of “Fox 8 News in the Morning” was Sunday.
(screen shot: Instagram/garithfulham)
The station said goodbye to Zinni on-air on Sunday, with a farewell cake and everything.
We tease Mark, of course, who is an admitted OMW reader:
.@ohiomediawatch for real…it's a long goodbye. too long, haha!
— Mark Zinni (@MarkZinni) September 14, 2014
After presumably cleaning out his desk and saying goodbye to his weekday colleagues today, Mark heads for Meredith CBS affiliate WFSB/3 Hartford CT on October 1st.
As we noted in our previous item on his new destination, Mark will co-anchor the 5:30 PM weekday newscast at WFSB with someone else who used to work at WJW, former “NewsCenter 8” anchor Denise D’Ascenzo…
ARTIFACTS: Are you someone with a collection of Cleveland radio artifacts and memorabilia?
The Cleveland Association of Broadcasters would love it if you’d share them with the world, or at least interested people in Northeast Ohio.
The group is looking for things to exhibit as part of a wide-ranging showcase next spring.
Details are in the press release below…and yes, you’ll get your items back when the showcase has completed:
The Mission of the Cleveland Association of Broadcasters (CAB) is to work collaboratively in the industry to continue to advance excellence in Cleveland broadcasting through education, social interaction, recognition, and philanthropy.
As part of our ongoing effort to educate the community on the rich broadcasting history in Cleveland, the CAB will be sponsoring a temporary exhibit featuring notable broadcast memorabilia and artifacts for Clevelanders of all ages to enjoy. With several high-profile venues in the works to house the exhibit, our goal is to unveil the showcase in the Spring of 2015.
But, we can’t do it without your help! If you have programs, artifacts, documents or memorabilia that you believe would a great addition to the CAB’s exhibit or would like more information, please email the CAB at [email protected] describing the content, size, condition, format, and historical significance (and when appropriate, photographs).
All contributions will be insured, secured and returned following the close of the exhibit.
The deadline for submissions is October 15, 2014. We look forward to hearing from you!
The Cleveland Association of Broadcasters
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