Veteran radio personality Mike McConnell, with a career spanning 50 years, is set to retire from his role as the morning host on iHeartMedia’s 700 WLW in Cincinnati on Friday, April 4, 2025.
He announced his retirement on-air during his Wednesday morning show, stating simply, “I am going to retire. Why? Because I’m old,” and adding that “50 years is enough.” McConnell, who turns 70 on May 16, 2025, had informed his bosses a year prior of his intention to step away in 2025, making his final broadcast a planned culmination of a long and storied career.
McConnell’s journey in radio began in Dayton, Ohio, where he started as a rock music DJ under the name Alan McConnell at the University of Dayton’s WVUD in the 1970s. He later moved to WTUE in Dayton, adopting the name Mike McConnell, before heading to Cincinnati in 1982 to work at WSKS (“96 Rock”). After a brief stint at WSHE in Miami, he returned to Cincinnati and joined WLW, initially filling in for Randy Michaels’ midday talk show. Michaels eventually handed the slot to McConnell, marking the beginning of his decades-long association with the station.
Mike has a special announcement - https://t.co/a0hjpFRqk5
— 700WLW (@700wlw) March 26, 2025
Over his career, McConnell spent more than 35 years at WLW across two stints. His first run lasted 25 years, from the mid-1980s until June 2010, during which he hosted the midday show, originally called The Mike McConnell Show and later Midday with Mike. The program was nationally syndicated by Premiere Radio Networks from 2006 to 2008, reaching about 20 stations at its peak, though it struggled to maintain a broad audience and was quietly canceled. In 2010, McConnell left WLW to join WGN in Chicago, reuniting with Michaels for a midday slot that lasted until 2013, when a regime change relegated him to a streaming-only show, leading to a buyout of his contract.
He returned to WLW in 2014, initially as a fill-in host, before taking over the morning slot from 5:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. in April 2015 following the retirement of longtime host Jim Scott. McConnell’s tenure in mornings solidified his status as a Cincinnati radio institution, blending news, talk, and a loose, approachable style that avoided the stuffiness of traditional news/talk formats. Known for his moderate political stance with libertarian leanings, he often tackled a wide range of topics—from serious social issues to quirky everyday observations—while occasionally challenging callers with exaggerated or poorly reasoned takes, regardless of their alignment with his views.
His retirement announcement comes amid a ratings surge for WLW, with the station posting numbers not seen since the 1970s, a testament to its enduring appeal and McConnell’s contribution. He plans to work every day through his final broadcast on April 4, forgoing any additional time off, and has expressed no regrets about his half-century in radio.
While no permanent replacement has been officially named, Thom Brennaman, who filled in for McConnell earlier in 2025, is considered a likely candidate for the morning slot.
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