Wednesday, May 15, 2013

Detroit Radio: There's Life After-WRIF For Drew & Mike

Detroit radio personalities Drew Lane and Mike Clark are expected to host their final "Drew and Mike" show 6-11 a.m. Friday on 101 WRIF-FM.

What happens to their careers after their curtain call on the rock station appears unclear, but, mlive.com reports at least two experts agree the colorful hosts could be successful at a new home.

"Drew and Mike are the WRIF," said Gregg Henson, a former program director at two Detroit radio stations. "It's not like they are 400 years old.  "And they don't necessarily have to go to a rock station - if they want to get back into radio. They could go to any station."

Henson was the program director at sports stations WDFN-1130 AM 1130 and WXYT 1270 AM, and wouldn't rule out "Drew and Mike" as a morning show at a station with that type of format.

"Dave and Chuck 'The Freak,'" formerly of Windsor station 89X-FM (88.7) will reportedly take over on the WRIF soon, according to various media reports, but a date for their debut hasn't been made public.

Art Vuolo, a Detroit-based radio historian, describes the end of "Drew and Mike" as "a shocker" because they maintained a loyal audience for more than two decades and still appear to have show that resonates with the region.

Vuolo said its hard to accept media companies' efforts to cut costs in an effort to improve the bottom line.

In this type of business, sadly, everyone can be expendable, Vuolo said.

"That's why all these old familiar faces are disappearing off of radio and television; they cost too much," Vuolo said. "Why do you think Diana Lewis is gone, Dick Purtan, Robbie Timmons?  All these people are gone because they were making too much money and the industry isn't doing so hot. All the management people are being brought in to cut costs and make the bottom line more attractive

Vuolo does, however, give the WRIF and owner Greater Media credit for giving "Drew and Mike" an opportunity to exit the station in a classy way and share on-air memories with their loyal fans.

And Vuolo wouldn't rule out seeing "Drew and Mike" at another station, possibly at sports station The Ticket WXYT-97.1 FM) or possibly rock station The D WDTW-106.7 FM.

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