Rockford Radio: Steve Shannon Ends 3-Decades On WZOK

Longtime Rockford radio personality Steve Shannon is ending his three-decade run at WZOK 97ZOK after 31 years on the air, with his final broadcasts scheduled for March 23 and 24, 2026.

Shannon, the voice behind the popular morning program The Steve Shannon Show, announced his departure Friday. The station confirmed his last shows will air from 6–10 a.m., closing out a tenure that made him one of the most recognizable figures in Rockford radio.

Despite the exit, Shannon made clear he is not retiring, joking publicly that only a winning lottery ticket might change that. His departure appears to be a personal decision rather than an abrupt cancellation, though no detailed next step has been announced.

The station he leaves behind, WZOK 97ZOK, is a long-running Top 40 outlet serving the Rockford area and owned by Townsquare Media. Over decades, Shannon helped define its morning identity, becoming a consistent presence for listeners during the station’s peak contemporary hit radio years.

His exit marks the end of an era for the station and its audience, removing a familiar voice that has anchored mornings in the region for a generation.