Chicago Radio: WLS-FM, Eddie&Jobo Deal Falls Apart

Eddie & Jobo

The deal that would have brought Ed Volkman and Joe Calborn to mornings at WLS 94.7 FM has fallen apart.  Not only that but the Eddie & Jobo partnership apparently has come to an end.

The news first came in a weekend post From Chicago media blogger Robert Feder.

Two bumps in the road:

• An apparent rift between the duo.
• Jobo reluctance to get back into the routine. As eager as Volkman was to accept the deal, he couldn’t convince his longtime partner to agree.

Well, that's all, folks. There will be no Eddie & Jobo anymore. The offer was there but only one of us wanted it. Hope he finds happiness.
— Eddie Volkman (@EddieVolkman) June 28, 2014

Sources told Feder the duo had been offered a 2½-year deal to host mornings on classic hits WLS FM 94.7. As first reported here last week, talks began in May when the two met with John Dickey, co-chief operating officer and E/VP of Cumulus Media. According to Volkman, the deal would have paid each one of them $200,000 through January and another $500,000 a year for the next two years after that.

The two have been off the air since December 2012 when CBS Radio dropped them from classic hits WJMK 104.3 FM. Since then, Colborn moved full-time to Freeport, Illinois. Volkman continues to live in Chicago.

As for the deal, “Who turns that down?” Volkman asked rhetorically. “They offered him a microphone from his house, everything . . . Apparently Jobo saved his money while I put four kids through college and paid child support. Also he’s terrified of Jan Jeffries,” referring to the senior VP corporate/programming for Cumulus Media and PD of WLS FM.

The duo are best known for their 26 year run at WBBM 96.3 FM B96, for 24 years from 1984 to 2008. They were fired from B96 in 2008 and were hired by WLS-AM as Saturday night talk show hosts in 2010.  On March 10, 2011, it was announced that the duo would be returning to the CBS Radio Chicago cluster as the morning show on the new WJMK 104.3 FM K-HITS starting March 14, 2011. It was announced on December 6, 2012 Eddie & JoBo had their last day on 104.3 KHiTs.

Thanks to all the people who've ascertained that my talents haves been overshadowed by a loudmouth blowhard all these years. New chapter!
— Eddie Volkman (@EddieVolkman) June 29, 2014

For the first time in more than 25 years, Volkman is now seeking work solo.