Chicago Radio: Program Director Stephanie Tichenor Exits WLS AM

Stephanie Tichenor, Program Director of heritage news/talk station WLS-AM 890 in Chicago, has left Cumulus Media after seven years in the role.

A Cumulus Media spokesperson confirmed Tichenor’s departure to Media Confidential Friday evening. No reason for her exit was disclosed, and the company has not announced a successor or timetable for a replacement.

Stephanie Tichenor

Tichenor joined WLS-AM in March 2019 after serving as Director of News and Operations at crosstown rival WGN Radio. During her tenure, she guided the station through significant programming shifts, including a move toward more conservative syndicated content. 

In 2024, she oversaw the replacement of local shows such as “The Steve Cochran Show,” “The Closing Bell,” and “PM Chicago” with national hosts like Matt Walsh and Michael Knowles.

One notable success under her leadership was re-establishing Ray Stevens in morning drive. Stevens’ show became the station’s only remaining local weekday programming and gained traction in Chicago ratings.

Chicago ranks as the third-largest radio market in the United States, making WLS-AM — a historic brand known as “The Big 89” — a key property for Cumulus. The implications of Tichenor’s departure for the station’s future direction remain unclear as leadership evaluates next steps.

Further details on her plans or any interim programming adjustments at WLS-AM 890 are not yet available.

Detroit Radio: Jim O'Brien Exits Beasley's WCSX FM

Longtime morning radio host Jim O'Brien, known as "Big Jim," has ended his run at classic rock station 94.7 WCSX-FM, closing the popular "Big Jim's House" show after more than two decades on air.

O'Brien announced his departure Thursday, May 14, 2026, via social media, stating: "After an incredible run at WCSX, my time with the station has come to an end. I'm grateful to the listeners, teammates, clients, veterans, and Detroit community who allowed me to be part of their mornings for so many years. Detroit has been my home for 24 years, and I'm proud of everything we built together. More to come soon."

Jim O'Brien

The show, which aired weekdays from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. and featured co-host Jenny Jenny in recent years, was a staple of Detroit's morning radio lineup, blending rock music, local banter, community engagement, and O'Brien's signature personality.

O'Brien joined WCSX in 2002 and became one of the market's most recognizable voices. A U.S. Navy veteran who served eight years in the submarine service, he was deeply involved in local causes, raising millions for charities and supporting veterans' initiatives across southeast Michigan. He also contributed to naming local honors like Glenn Frey Drive and Bob Seger Boulevard.

The exit appears to be part of broader cost-cutting measures at owner Beasley Media Group, which has seen other veteran departures recently.

Despite leaving the station, O'Brien emphasized he is "not going anywhere" and expressed excitement for future opportunities. No immediate replacement for the morning slot has been announced by WCSX.

L-A TV: MLB Angels Fire Team Announcer

Patrick O’Neal, who has served as a television announcer for the Los Angeles Angels for the past 13 seasons, will not return to the club, the team has announced.

Patrick O'Neal

O’Neal, 58, rotated play-by-play duties with lead voice Wayne Randazzo and also handled pre- and postgame hosting responsibilities on Angels telecasts. He has simultaneously contributed to Los Angeles Kings hockey broadcasts.

“The Angels organization would like to thank Patrick O’Neal for his 13 years of dedication to the Angels broadcast team,” the club said in a statement. “He brought a sense of pride to each telecast, something that was felt by Angels fans watching at home.”

In a statement posted to X, O’Neal wrote: “Thank you to the Angels for the amazing broadcast opportunities. I cherish every moment and every friend I made. It’s the great people I will miss the most. Chopping it up talking baseball with some of the best to ever do it. It will be hard to replace that. Go Halos!”

NYC Radio WFAN Leads Off Subway Series With All-Day Broadcast

As New York’s most passionate sports rivalry takes center stage, WFAN (WFAN-FM/AM), the most listened-to sports radio station in America, is bringing fans directly into the action. On May 15, the station will broadcast live all day from the MLB Flagship Store (NYC), leading into the Yankees vs. Mets Subway Series matchup at Citi Field as part of MLB “Rivalry Weekend.”

The station’s entire weekday lineup will air at its regular schedule, including “The Warm Up Show” from 5:00 a.m. to 6:00 a.m. ET, “Boomer & Gio” from 6:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. ET, “Evan & Tiki” from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. ET and “The Craig Carton Show” with Chris McMonigle from 2:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. ET. All festivities at the flagship store lead fans to the New York Yankees pre-game show at 6:35 p.m. ET and the play-by-play broadcast with Dave Sims and Suzyn Waldman at 7:15 p.m. ET.

ESPN Promotes Mike Foss to EVP Sports News and Entertainment

ESPN has named Mike Foss to succeed the retiring David Roberts as Executive Vice President, Executive Editor, Sports News and Entertainment, with the promotion effective immediately. Roberts recently announced he would be retiring at the end of August. Roberts and Foss will work together on a transition of the role in the coming months.

Foss, who has been ESPN Senior Vice President, Sport Studio & Entertainment, since 2023, steering the creative and operational direction for ESPN’s daily programming, will report to Burke Magnus, ESPN President, Content.

“In his nine years with ESPN, Mike has continually demonstrated his collaborative leadership style and excellent organizational and management skills, as well as his boundless vision, innovation and creativity,” said Burke Magnus, ESPN President, Content. “I am confident that he will continue to do so in his new role and help make us better every day.”

Upon assuming his new role, Foss will gain oversight of ESPN’s vast news operation including sports news and coverage, investigative and enterprise journalism, research and digital editorial. He also will begin oversight of ESPN’s Creative Content Unit and Studio Enhancement Team.

Buffalo Radio: NFL Bills Choose 97 Rock As New Flagship

The Buffalo Bills are launching a fresh chapter in game day radio, partnering with Cumulus Media to make 97 Rock (WGRF-FM) the team’s official flagship station in Buffalo beginning with the 2026 NFL season. The move returns Bills broadcasts to FM radio and to the iconic 97 Rock, which previously served as the flagship from 1998 to 2011.This partnership marks the official launch of the Buffalo Bills Radio Network. 

For the first time, the team will produce and manage all radio broadcasts in-house, delivering expanded pregame, postgame, and in-game coverage with deeper analysis and storytelling throughout the season. In addition to 97 Rock in Buffalo, WSKO The Score 1260 will serve as the Syracuse affiliate. 

Additional network stations, including those in Rochester and Southern Ontario, will be announced in the coming weeks.

“As we prepare to move into Highmark Stadium, we’re thrilled to bring Bills football back to 97 Rock and expand our reach to even more fans across Western New York, Central New York, and Southern Ontario,” said Pete Guelli, Bills President of Business Operations. “This partnership guarantees our fans a best-in-class broadcast experience every game day.”

Disney Sells 10+ Super Bowl Ad Slots at $9M Each

Disney has secured more than 10 30-second advertising spots for the upcoming Super Bowl, selling them for approximately $9 million apiece after initially seeking $10 million per slot from advertisers.

The sales come as the entertainment giant pushes to capitalize on the NFL’s marquee event, one of the most expensive advertising platforms in television. While the final price landed slightly below Disney’s original asking rate, the deals still represent a significant haul potentially exceeding $90 million from just those 10+ slots.

D-C Radio: WTOP GM Joel Oxley Announces Retirement

Joel Oxley, president and general manager of WTOP and Federal News Network, announced Wednesday that he will retire later this year after nearly 35 years with the company, including 28 years as general manager.

Oxley, who turns 65 this year, made the surprise announcement during the station’s annual employee service anniversary celebration, where he first praised 25 colleagues marking 10 to 30 years with the organization.

“Because we are doing well, and because the best time to make changes is when you are doing well, and because I’m flipping 65, I’ve decided it’s time for me to hang up my cleats and retire,” Oxley told the newsroom. 

Happy TGIF: Check The Pulse for May 15

Radio Broadcasting

News Service Launches: Red Apple Audio Networks Launches 24-Hour Nationwide News ServiceRed Apple Audio Networks will debut the Worldwide News Network on Saturday, May 23, at 12:00 a.m., introducing a new 24-hour national radio news service focused on hard news, breaking headlines, and fact-driven reporting to affiliates across the country.

WTOP GM Retires: Joel Oxley, president and general manager of WTOP and Federal News Network, said Wednesday he will retire later this year after nearly 35 years with the company, including 28 years as general manager. Oxley, who turns 65 this year, made the surprise announcement during the station’s annual employee service anniversary celebration.

Non-Coms Settle: Miami-Dade School Board, SFPMG Reach 7-Year Settlement for WLRN. The long-running dispute between the Miami-Dade County School Board and South Florida Public Media Group (SFPMG) over NPR affiliate WLRN-FM Miami (91.3) has been resolved.

Israel Threatens To Sue NY Times For Defamation

The Israeli government plans to file a defamation lawsuit against The New York Times and veteran columnist Nicholas Kristof following the publication of an article accusing Israeli soldiers, prison guards, and settlers of systematic sexual violence against Palestinian prisoners.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced the move on Thursday, saying he had directed his legal advisers to pursue “the harshest legal action” possible against both the newspaper and Kristof, who reported the story from the occupied West Bank.

The decision marks a significant escalation in Israel’s response to international media coverage of its treatment of Palestinian detainees. Netanyahu’s office framed the article as containing false and damaging claims that constitute libel, potentially harming Israel’s reputation and the safety of its personnel.

Florida Radio: Parties Resolve Dispute For Non-Com WLRN

A long-running legal battle over the future of NPR affiliate WLRN-FM Miami (91.3) has been resolved through an out-of-court settlement.

In an agreement announced Thursday, the Miami-Dade County School Board — which owns the news/talk station — and South Florida Public Media Group (SFPMG), which manages it, have reached a new seven-year management contract for WLRN. 

The deal also ends their dispute over SFPMG’s planned purchase of urban AC station WFLM (104.7) in West Palm Beach.

R.I.P.: Claudine Longet, Actress, Singer, Married To Andy Williams

Claudine Longet (1942-2026)

Claudine Longet, the actress and singer best known for 1960s TV roles and a high-profile 1976 trial after fatally shooting her Olympic skier boyfriend, has died at age 84.

Longet’s nephew, Bryan Longet, announced the news on social media, writing in French: “You were a true source of inspiration in my life, and you always will be. One more star in the sky. Thank you for everything, Auntie.”

R.I.P.: Clarence Carter, Soul Singer Known For Bawdy Hits

Clarence Carter, the Southern soul singer and guitarist famous for his unabashed songs of adultery and lust such as the late-1960s hits “Slip Away” and “Back Door Santa,” died on Thursday. He was 90.

His death was confirmed by Rodney Hall, president of FAME Studios in Muscle Shoals, Alabama, where many of Carter’s hits were recorded. No further details were immediately available.

Blind from a young age, Carter stood out with his deep, declamatory baritone and a signature lecherous, full-throated laugh. He blended the fiery delivery of a backwoods preacher with the raw humor of a juke joint, most memorably on the extended spoken-word track “Making Love (At the Dark End of the Street).” 

Radio History: May 15

 ➦In 1923...WJZ moved to New York City.

The WJZ call sign was first used on what is now WABC in New York City. The original Westinghouse Electric Corporation, whose broadcasting division is a predecessor to the current broadcasting unit of CBS Corporation, launched WJZ in 1921, located originally in Newark, New Jersey.

WJZ was sold in 1923 to the Radio Corporation of America, who moved its operations to New York, and in 1926 WJZ became the flagship station for the NBC Blue Network.  NBC Blue would become the American Broadcasting Company in 1942. ABC later established WJZ-FM and WJZ-TV at the same time in 1948.

In 1953 ABC merged with United Paramount Theatres, and changed the call letters of their New York area stations to WABC, WABC-FM (now WPLJ) and WABC-TV. Four years later, Westinghouse Broadcasting acquired Baltimore television station WAAM (channel 13) and changed its call letters to WJZ-TV, which remained an ABC affiliate until 1995 when the station switched to CBS.

➦In 1933...the radio serial “Today’s Children” was heard for the first time.  The woman who would soon become a soap opera icon, Irma Phillips, who was an NBC Blue network program-features writer, starred in the role of Mother Moran.  Today’s Children became the #1 radio soap by 1938.

➦In 1961...Peter Tripp of WMGM 1050 AM in NYC found guilty of 35 counts of "commercial bribery".  Tripp was a Top-40 countdown radio personality from the mid-1950s, whose career peaked with his 1959 record breaking 201 hour wake-athon (working on the radio non-stop without sleep to benefit the March of Dimes). For much of the stunt, he sat in a glass booth in Times Square. After a few days he began to hallucinate, and for the last 66 hours the observing scientists and doctors gave him drugs to help him stay awake. Tripp suffered psychologically, after the stunt, he began to think he was an imposter of himself, and kept that thought for some time.

Red Apple to Launch New News Service

Red Apple Audio Networks is making a bold move into the national news arena with the May 23rd debut of the Worldwide News Network, the new 24-hour national radio news service built to deliver hard news, breaking headlines, and fact-driven reporting to affiliates across the country.

The service goes live at 12:00 AM on Saturday, May 23, immediately feeding stations professionally produced top and bottom of the hour newscasts every hour, seven days a week, while simultaneously igniting one of the most aggressive newsroom staffing initiatives in radio syndication.

Former CBS Radio broadcast journalists Michael Wallace, Cooper Lawrence, Bill Rehkopf, and Matt Pieper are the first major hires in what will be a rapid buildout of the network’s team of elite news anchors, correspondents, writers, and producers.