Chicago: Call Him Steve 'Digital' Dahl

Steve Dahl today announced that he will turn his podcasts into a subscription-based service.  Which means he'll stay with iNet and forego a return to traditional terrestrial radio.

Beginning Aug. 1, downloading the podcasts will cost  $9.95 per month. Dahl revealed his plans in a noontime announcement to his 13,000-plus Twitter followers.

Dahl, whose contract with CBS expired last week, had received about $1 million annually to stay off-air since being ousted from WJMK-FM in 2008, when it was using a Jack format.

He began podcasting from his basement in September 2009, producing some 7.5 million downloads of his daily 90-minute show, according to his spokeswoman.

Dahl's 30-year broadcasting career includes trailblazing tenures at WLUP-FM, WLS-AM & FM and WCKG-FM.  His candid, stream of consciousness style, incorporating subject matter ranging from current events to family anecdotes to workaday life at a radio station, has influenced many other American broadcasters.

Dahl followers will be able to continue downloading the current podcast until the new format is introduced. This revolutionary business model and new subscription-based format represent another notch in Dahl’s belt as a pioneer in the ever-changing media landscape.

“This is our way of staying one step ahead of the curve,” says Dahl. “I have the greatest fans -- they readily followed me to this new platform and I am confident that they will continue to support me as I embark on this new and exciting endeavor.”

The announcement coincides with the 32nd anniversary of Disco Demolition on July 12, Steve’s renowned marketing stunt that sparked the end of the disco era, and one of the most talked about events in radio history.