Friday, October 1, 2021

Reno Radio: KTHX Flips To Adults Hits, Call Change Coming


Lotus Radio AAA KTHX-FM 100.1 The X Reno, NV has flipped to a listener driven format as Adult Hits "100.1 We FM." The call letters will change to KWEE on October 5. The new station will play a mix of genres from Pop and Rock to Country and Hip Hop.

"Thanks to the evolution of digital music servers, a new kind of radio station is debuted in Reno at 10am PT," said OM Jave Patterson. "We've encouraged feedback from the listening audience during our days of 'cleansing' since the AAA format was pulled at 5:15 on MONDAY and most of the responses have been what we expected: 'We want music that We know, We don't want a ton of commercials, We don't need DJ's that talk too much or try to be funny, We want music that We grew up with but We also want to hear the best of the new music too.'"

GM Mike Murray added, "We are excited to work with the listeners of Northern Nevada to create a station for everyone to enjoy. That's why We're calling it 100.1, We FM."

SLC Radio: KSL Radio Lands Utah Jazz Broadcasts


The Utah Jazz and Bonneville International Corporation announced a partnership shifting day-day-day operations management of The Zone Sports Network to KSL Sports, under the Bonneville umbrella.

The partnership creates a powerhouse for fans and will bring Utah Jazz games and the rest of The Zone’s lineup to more fans across the state.

The Zone Sports Network 1280 AM / 97.5 FM will continue to broadcast all Jazz games and will be joined in a simulcast on KSL NewsRadio 1160 AM / 102.7 FM for a select number of regular-season games as well as all potential Jazz playoff games.

“Bonneville is proud to partner with the Utah Jazz, and we are grateful for the trust the Jazz have placed in us with their radio assets,” said Darrell Brown, president of Bonneville International Corp. “Our two companies are uniquely aligned, sharing deep roots in Utah and a focus on serving local audiences with a commitment to high-quality content and operations. We look forward to bringing The Zone Sports Network together with KSL NewsRadio, KSL TV, and KSLSports.com to create a new Utah sports powerhouse.”

This historic partnership completes an all-star line-up of sports across KSL properties: KSL NewsRadio is the radio home for BYU football and basketball, KSLSports.com is the exclusive streaming partner for RSL and high school sports, and KSL TV is Utah’s place to watch the NFL and the Olympics.

“Our radio and streaming alignment with the KSL platform for Utah Jazz games is a tremendous opportunity to bring our team to more fans over a much larger broadcast footprint,” said Jim Olson, president of the Utah Jazz. “The Zone has been the top-rated sports radio station in the market, and this partnership with KSL’s digital assets, equipment and experience will only further enhance the listening experience for Jazz and sports fans.”

Canadian Radio: Sportsnet Revamps


  • Ailish Forfar, Nick Kypreos, Will Lou, Blake Murphy and Alex Wong join Sportsnet as show hosts, contributors and content creators –
  • New audio strategy features flexible slate of programming that caters to fans’ personal interests
Sportsnet has announced an original slate of multiplatform audio content featuring both new and familiar names and voices. Whether on live radio or on-demand podcasts, Sportsnet’s new audio content plans replace the traditional radio lineup in Toronto in favour of seasonal, sport-specific and spontaneous programming so that fans can consume the content that matters most to them on their preferred platforms, beginning this Monday, Oct. 4.

“This is a fan-inspired approach to programming that will focus on team-centric content, recognizing that audiences are most interested in listening to shows that talk about their favourite teams and players,” said Dan Toman, Director of Audio Programming, Sportsnet. “Our new slate of programming is more podcast-friendly and personality driven as we continue our efforts to build a community of sports fans.”

Flexibility is the name of the game with Sportsnet’s new audio content in Toronto as shows can and will move timeslots and increase or decrease frequency to reflect the news of the day. Many of the shows will offer on-demand only episodes, ensuring the conversation continues when and where fans are having it outside the live broadcast windows.

Sportsnet’s new and returning audio shows include:

The FAN Morning Show with JD, Blake & Ailish | Weekdays - Sportsnet 590 The FAN’s new morning show features resident Sportsnet host JD Bunkis joined by two newcomers to the network – former Raptors beat reporter for The Athletic Blake Murphy and former Yahoo! Sports digital host Ailish Forfar. The morning show will air live Monday to Friday from 6-10 a.m. ET and be available on-demand.

Blair & Barker  | MLB Season - Jeff Blair and Kevin Barker talk all things Blue Jays on Sportsnet’s flagship MLB show. During baseball season, Blair & Barker will air Monday to Friday from 5-7 p.m. ET on Sportsnet 590 The FAN and be available on-demand.

Jays Talk | Blue Jays Season - Sportsnet 590 The FAN’s popular Blue Jays postgame show will expand this fall and next spring to include daytime episodes hosted by Ben Ennis from 10-Noon ET, in addition to the post-game edition which will now be hosted by Blair and Barker.

Real Kyper and Bourne | NHL Season - Former Toronto Maple Leaf Nick Kypreos returns to Sportsnet, teaming up with hockey analyst Justin Bourne to bring fans the preeminent Leafs talk show. During the hockey season, Real Kyper and Bourne will air live on Sportsnet 590 The FAN Monday to Friday from 3-5 p.m. ET and be available on-demand.

The Jeff Marek Show | NHL Season - Sportsnet insider Jeff Marek is joined by a rotating cast of contributors during this new national NHL show airing daily across the Sportsnet Radio Network and available on-demand. The Jeff Marek Show will be live Monday to Friday from Noon-2 p.m. ET in Toronto, 9-11 a.m. PT in Vancouver and 10 a.m.-Noon MT in Calgary during the hockey season.

The Raptors Show with Will Lou | NBA Season - Sportsnet 590 The FAN’s new Raptors-dedicated program features former Yahoo! Sports podcaster and blogger Will Lou, who will also host Raptors postgame shows. Lou is joined by writer and NBA personality Alex Wong, who will produce The Raptors Show and host an episode weekly. The Raptors Show will air live Monday to Friday from 2-3 p.m. ET and be available on-demand during the basketball season.

The FAN Drive Time | NHL & NBA Seasons -  Sportsnet’s new afternoon drive show will feature former Good Show host Ennis and award-winning journalist Stephen Brunt. During hockey and basketball season, The FAN Drive Time will air Monday to Friday from 5-7 p.m. ET and be available on-demand.

Leafs Nation Post-Game | NHL Season - Leafs Nation returns with hosts Brent Gunning and Gord Stellick providing pre- and post-game coverage this NHL season on Sportsnet 590 The FAN.

All shows to be made available on-demand wherever fans consume their podcasts including Sportsnet.ca, the Sportsnet App, Apple and Spotify.

“We are incredibly excited to start this new chapter of audio programming at Sportsnet,” said Toman. 

“However, in making these changes, we are saying goodbye to some incredibly talented and valued colleagues. We would like to thank those individuals for their unwavering passion and the dedication they have shown to entertaining our listeners day in and day out, especially through the challenges of the pandemic over the past year and a half.”

Super Bowl 2022’s Half-Time Show To Feature Hip-Hop


Prepare for a Hip Hop Half-Time Show At The super Bowl.

The NY Post reports Kendrick Lamar, Eminem, Mary J. Blige, Snoop Dogg and Dr. Dre will grace the stage together for the show at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, Sunday, Feb. 13, 2022.

The monumental performance of legends was announced Thursday by Pepsi, the NFL and Roc Nation.

It’s also a big moment for Los Angeles, since it’s the first time the City of Angels will host the Super Bowl in nearly 30 years, Variety reported, noting that Dre, Snoop and Lamar are LA natives.

“The opportunity to perform at the Super Bowl halftime show, and to do it in my own backyard, will be one of the biggest thrills of my career,” Dr. Dre said. “I’m grateful to Jay-Z, Roc Nation, the NFL, and Pepsi as well as Snoop Dogg, Eminem, Mary J. Blige and Kendrick Lamar for joining me in what will be an unforgettable cultural moment.”

“On February 13, 2022, at the Super Bowl LVI in Inglewood, CA, in the new SoFi Stadium, Dr. Dre, a musical visionary from Compton, Snoop Dogg, an icon from Long Beach, and Kendrick Lamar, a young musical pioneer in his own right, also from Compton, will take center field for a performance of a lifetime,” Shawn “Jay-Z” Carter said. “They will be joined by the lyrical genius, Eminem and the timeless Queen, Mary J. Blige. This is the Pepsi Super Bowl Halftime Show. This is history in the making.”

While the performance is sure to have everyone from coast to coast jamming, there’s a charity aspect to the show, too.

Pepsi, the sponsor for the event, and the NFL have partnered with Dr. Dre to support Regional School No. 1, a south LA magnet school founded by the rapper and Interscope Records co-founder Jimmy Iovine. The school, set to open next fall, offers an education with a focus on integrated design, technology and entrepreneurship, according to Variety.

“This year we are blowing the roof off the concept of collaboration,” said Adam Harter, Senior Vice President of Media, Sports and Entertainment at PepsiCo. “Along with the NFL and Roc Nation, we continue to try and push the limits on what fans can expect during the most exciting 12 minutes in music; this year’s superstar line-up is sure to deliver a mind-blowing performance.”

Akron Radio: Tim Daughtery EXITING WONE-FM

Tim Daugherty
Tim Daugherty, known by many in Akron as "The Rock & Roll Authority," is departing Rubber City Radio Group's classic rock station WONE 97.5 FM after more than 30 years.

One of the original on-air personalities of WONE after it's transition from an easy listening format to the current rock format, Daugherty's voice has been a staple of the local airwaves since Jan. 1, 1985. He also spent time as the WAKC TV 23 weatherman in addition to his other projects and adventures.

News5 reports Daugherty will be relocating to Portland, Oregon with his wife Sue Wilson, who left Rubber City Radio Group's country station WQMX in 2018.

Over his years with WONE, Daugherty has held numerous positions and his voice was heard on every shift, having worked mornings, afternoons, evenings, and overnights throughout his career. He currently can be heard weekday afternoons from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Daugherty's last day at WONE will be Oct. 13.

"I'm proud of all the accomplishments, the great folks I've worked with, on air & off, all the great music & listeners I've met along the way. You'll stay in my heart forever," Daugherty wrote on Facebook.

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Riverside-San Bernardino Radio: Donna D Exits KOLZ


Radio personality Donna D, who joined the Jesse Duran In The Morning! show on KOLA 99.9 FM in February 2018, bid a tearful goodbye to her radio family on Thursday, Sept. 23.

Donna DeCoster first came to the Redlands-based KOLA and sister station KCAL 96.7 FM in August 2017, handing weekend shifts and filling in as needed elsewhere on the air.

The Press-Enterprise reports DeCoster is leaving for a job at a nonprofit that will allow her to work from home, she announced on the air on Thursday, Sept. 23, one day before her final shift on Friday.

Donna DeCoster
“Donna is going to be leaving our show,” Duran said. “And you’re leaving on your own; you obviously have a great opportunity to pursue. This is going to be really hard on myself and all of our listeners, but it’s extremely hard for you.”

DeCoster, struggling to compose herself, agreed.

DeCoster said her first stop will be Cincinnati to be with her twin sister and family. DeCoster’s nephew, who is also her godson, and his wife are expecting a baby in January, so that will keep her here in Ohio at least until then, she told listeners.

“And then I’m gonna spend some time on a beach somewhere,” she said.

DeCoster is a radio veteran, who worked at KXKL “KOOL” 105 in Denver before landing at KOLA. The new gig, though, was too good not to take, she said.

“I think when an opportunity comes that is almost too good to pass up you gotta jump, and that’s what I’m doing,” DeCoster said.

“I’ve never been part of a radio station that’s been such a family,” she said. “It’s been so wonderful. If you’ve ever had to quit a job that you love it is tortuous on some level.

“It’s exciting and it’s awesome, and you’ve got to take chances in life too, but this is hard.

Houston Anchor Dominique Sachse Ready To Retire


After nearly three decades on Houston's KPRC 2, anchor Dominique Sachse is leaving the show. The anchor will sign off for the last time at 6 p.m. Oct. 29 on KPRC 2, the show announced in a news release Thursday. 

The Houston Chronicle reports the Emmy award-winning journalist began her career in local radio as a metro traffic reporter and joined KPRC in 1993 as a morning show traffic correspondent. Sachse went on to anchor KPRC 2 News at 6 and 10 p.m. During her tenure, she was honored with the title "Best Television Personality" by the Houston Chapter of American Women in Radio and Television in 2002 and 2007. 

Sachse wrote in a statement about everything she will miss working on the show. 

"I have spent most of my adult life at KPRC, and the staff here is like family to me," she wrote. "It takes a team effort to produce a quality news product, and I’m so proud of this team’s character, integrity, and accomplishments. But it’s mainly service to community, which is how I’ve always seen my role and will continue to do so in my new endeavors. I sincerely can’t thank the viewers enough for welcoming me into their homes for as long as they have and making me feel like their friend or neighbor. Truly blessed.”

KPRC vice president and general manager Jerry Martin added his own well wishes in the release.

"You always know that days like this will come in the television business," Martin wrote. "That doesn’t  make it any easier to say goodbye to someone who feels like Houston’s sweetheart. We wish Dominique all the best; she will always be considered a Houston institution and a part of our KPRC 2 family.”

Sachse's next focus will be a book titled "Life Makeover: Embrace the Bold, Beautiful, and Blessed You," which she has been working on since 2018, according to the release. She also plans to continue sharing videos on her YouTube channel, which has amassed 1.52 million subscribers. 

R.I.P.: Ed Mason, Former Edmonton Radio News Voice

Ed Mason
Ed Mason, the man who kept Edmontonians informed for decades Corus radio stations has died. He was 75, reports Global News.

Mason retired in 2014 after nearly 50 years on air, almost 40 of that in the morning on CHQT 800 AM and CHED 630 AM.

“Even though I haven’t met someone of you, and even though I can’t hear most of you, this is the best place on earth and I’ll miss you,” Mason said to colleagues after his final newscast.

“Ed Mason was the ultimate newsperson,” former Corus Edmonton radio news manager Bob Layton said. “I say that not because he is gone, but because it is true.”

Layton remembered staff joking that Mason should take an extra day off every week “just to have the phone surgically removed from his ear.”

“When he finished one of his always creatively written newscasts, he never seemed to relax,” Layton said. “He would immediately be back on the phone, looking for something fresh for the next hour; maybe an update, a clarification, or just to ask what else was happening.”


Layton praised Mason for his mentorship of newer journalists in the newsroom, saying Mason taught them to write for CHED’s audience, while still being accurate and fair.

October 1 Radio History


In 1909...Everett H. Sloane born in NYC (Died – August 6, 1965). He  was a character actor who worked in radio, theatre, films and television. He was also a songwriter and theatre director.

Sloane's radio work led him to be hired by Orson Welles to become part of his Mercury Theatre. Sloane recorded one program with The Mercury Theatre on the Air and became a regular player when the show was picked up by a sponsor and became The Campbell Playhouse

In the 1940s, Sloane was a frequent guest star on the radio theater series Inner Sanctum Mysteries and The Shadow, and was in The Mysterious Traveler episode "Survival of the Fittest" with Kermit Murdock.

Reportedly depressed over the onset of blindness, Sloane committed suicide in 1965 at age 55.

WJZ - 1922

In 1921...WJZ Radio signed-on. WJZ 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, and was located originally in Newark, New Jersey.

WJZ was sold in 1923 to the Radio Corporation of America, who moved its operations to New York City, and on January 1, 1927, WJZ became the flagship station for the NBC Blue Network.

NBC Blue would become the American Broadcasting Company in 1942.  In 1953, ABC merged with United Paramount Theatres, and changed the call letters of their New York area stations to WABC.  Today, the WJZ call sign is assigned to 1300 AM in Baltimore.  It is owned by Entercom and airs  CBS Sports Radio.


➦In 1922...“The Radio Digest,” a daily news program got started on WBAY in New York City, which is now WFAN 660 AM.

In 1942…'People Are Funny' host Art Baker was replaced by Art Linkletter on the NBC Radio Network.  Linkletter remained with the show on radio until 1960 and hosted a TV version of the program on CBS from 1954 to 1960.

In 1952...'This Is Your Life' which aired on NBC radio from 1948 to 1952 began airing on NBC TV (until 1961).  Each show began with Edwards surprising some unsuspecting person. The show  would then be present their life story, complete with friends and relatives.

In 1975...Seattle radio station KOL changed its call letters to KMPS,surrendering forever the three-letter call that had served the Puget Sound well for nearly 50 years. While the modern incarnation of 1300 AM uses KOL as its ID, the official call sign is KKOL.

In 1979...the RKO Radio Network began operation.


The newscasts, aimed at a young adult audience, had a conversational, high-energy style developed by co-founders Vice President and News Director Dave Cooke, and Vice President of Programming Jo Interrante.

RKO was popular from the start, signing up hundreds of affiliates coast to coast. Its base was the RKO General-owned radio stations in New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco and other large markets. RKO initially purchased downlink satellite dishes for its affiliates, creating the nation's first satellite-delivered commercial radio network.

The original network, which fed newscasts at :50 repeated at :00, became known as RKO 1 when RKO 2 debuted on September 1, 1981. RKO 2 fed newscasts at :20 repeated at :30 and was aimed at an older audience. Both networks offered sportscasts, music, public affairs programming and closed-circuit affiliate feeds of news and sports correspondent reports and news-maker actualities.

The networks were home to three groundbreaking long-form programs. NightTime America with Bob Dearborn was the first live, daily, satellite-delivered music show in radio history. Dearborn produced and hosted the five-hour adult contemporary show from January 9, 1981 until 1984.

January 9, 1981 was also the premier of America Overnight, a six-hour interview and call-in show hosted by Eric Tracey in Los Angeles and Ed Busch from Dallas. It was the first national talk show delivered by satellite. It also marked the first time a network offered simultaneous overnight programs.

Dick Bartley created, produced and hosted the first live national oldies radio show, Solid Gold Saturday Night.

In 1982...First CD players are sold in Japan

In 2003...Rush Limbaugh, host of the nationally syndicated conservative talk show,  resigned from ESPN over comments about black quarterback, Donovan McNabb of the Philadelphia Eagles.

Julie Andrews is 86

🎂HAPPY BIRTHDAYS:

  • Actor-singer Julie Andrews is 86. 
  • Actor Stella Stevens is 83. 
  • Saxophonist Jerry Martini of Sly and the Family Stone is 78. 
  • Jazz bassist Dave Holland is 75. 
  • Actor Yvette Freeman (“ER”) is 71. 
  • Actor Randy Quaid is 71. 
  • Singer Howard Hewett is 66. 
  • Drummer Tim O’Reagan of The Jayhawks is 63. 
  • Singer Youssou N’Dour is 62. 
  • Actor Esai Morales (“NYPD Blue”) is 59. 
  • Actor Christopher Titus (“Titus”) is 57. 
  • Model-actor Cindy Margolis is 56. 
  • Singer-guitarist Kevin Griffin of Better Than Ezra is 53. 
  • Actor Zach Galifianakis (“The Hangover”) is 52. 
  • Actor Sherri Saum (“The Fosters”) is 47. 
  • Actor Katie Aselton (“Legion,” “The League”) is 43. 
  • Actor Sarah Drew (“Grey’s Anatomy” ″Everwood”) is 41. 
  • Actor Carly Hughes (“American Housewife”) is 39. 
  • Comedian Beck Bennett (“Saturday Night Live”) is 37. 
  • Actor Jurnee Smollett (“Underground,” ″Wanda at Large”) is 35. 
  • Actor Brie Larson (“United States of Tara”) is 32. 
  • Singer Jade Bird is 24. 
  • Actor Priah Ferguson (“Stranger Things”) is 15. 
  • Actor Jack Stanton (“The Mick”) is 13.

Thursday, September 30, 2021

Orlando Radio: WTKS' Russ Rollins Rushed To Hospital With COVID-19


Russ Rollins from The Monsters in the Morning on WTKS 104.1 FM in Orlando has been hospitalized after a several days bout with COVID-19. 

Russ Rollins
According to a posting on the station website, Rollins was on a road trip with his wife in their RV for an eleven-day vacation when it was cut short six days after Russ started having breathing problems and severe fatigue that he talks about in this video on his Real Radio Monsters YouTube Channel.

He was unable to drive the RV and had to get a hotel for the night but eventually gained the strength to finish the drive. Upon returning home he stayed in bed and was taken care of by his wife. Then things went from bad to worse on Monday September 27th, when he was told by his doctor to go to the local emergency room. 

According to Russ who communicated via text, that "fluid was filling up" and "this is not good."

Russ Rollins has been a staunch supporter of vaccinations and has gone on air in Orlando many times asking for his audience to get vaccinated. Russ himself has been vaccinated for some time but has been working remotely due to concerns with the pandemic. He has said this "is the worst I have ever felt" and is happy with his decision to get vaccinated as it alleviates a lot of his concern because he knew breakthrough cases can happen, but the more serious risks happen at a much lower percentage to vaccinated individuals.

Other more conservative radio hosts have died recently but Rollins has been very proud of his pro-mask and pro-vax stance and hopes his listeners continue to follow CDC guidelines.

Longtime member of The Monsters in the Morning Carlos Navarro will be temporarily heading the show from his home in DeLand with Angel Rivera and Ryan Holmes in separate rooms at the iHeart Studios.

Tenga Deal Faces Anti-Trust Scrutiny


An auction of the Tegna TV-station empire has been thrown into doubt as the company has questioned whether a prospective sale to a leading bidder would face antitrust concerns from US regulators, The NY Post has learned.

The broadcasting giant — spun off from newspaper chain Gannett in 2015 as a separate, publicly traded company that now operates 64 TV stations and two radio stations across 54 US markets — announced Sept. 21 it had received buyout proposals and that it planned to review them.

Nevertheless, more than a week later Tegna has not begun negotiations with a key bidding bloc that consists of hedge fund Standard General and buyout firm Apollo Global Management, two sources close to the situation said. That’s despite Standard General and Apollo expressing a willingness to increase their $22-a-share fully-financed offer, which currently values the company at upwards of $4.8 billion, sources said.

Instead, sources said Tegna is asking Standard General and Apollo questions around whether their bid can withstand antitrust scrutiny from the Federal Communications Commission.

As for the antitrust concerns, the FCC’s national media ownership rule prohibits any entity from owning commercial television stations that reach more than 39 percent of US television households nationwide, with a discount given to stations operating on UHF channel 14 and above.

The proposed buyout, when combining Tegna’s stations with those that Standard General and Apollo already own, would exceed that number. The suitors, however, claim they are not planning to roll most of their existing stations into the post-Tegna company, sources said.

 Cox Media Group overall says it reaches 52 million households. Standard General only owns three stations, which would become part of the new Tegna, according to the source. There is no geographic overlap with the four television stations that would be combined with Tegna, sources said.

Still, Apollo’s Cox owns the ABC affiliate in Atlanta and Tegna an NBC affiliate in Atlanta so the FCC would need to get comfortable with a Standard General-owned Tegna in which Apollo owns a stake being truly separate from Cox, a source said.

If FCC-related concerns derail talks, it would be the third time in recent years Tegna started a sales process only to cut it short. In 2019, Tegna confirmed it rejected a takeover offer from Apollo. In early 2020, Tegna started a sales process getting bids from Gray Television and Apollo at reportedly $20 a share. Tegna cancelled that process when the COVID pandemic started and debt markets became choppy.

Meanwhile, Byron Allen and his bidding partner Ares Management have not come up with all the money to fund their $23-a-share bid, sources said. Allen is finding it difficult to raise the preferred equity he needs, and is believed to be more than $1 billion short, sources said. Part of the difficulty is Allen Media owes debt equal to about seven times its earnings giving the Weather Channel owner little equity value, sources said.

Chicago Radio: Public Media Intends to Acquire The Sun-Times


The Chicago Sun-Times and the parent company of public radio station WBEZ will explore a potentially historic partnership under a non-binding letter of intent that could create one of the largest local nonprofit news organizations in the country.

The two legacy Chicago media outlets announced the signing of the letter Wednesday night, following a closed meeting of the board of Chicago Public Media, WBEZ’s parent company. A final deal would make the Sun-Times a subsidiary of Chicago Public Media.

Still, that final deal has yet to be reached, according to a news release from the two companies. The goal is to complete the merger by the end of 2021, Chicago Public Media CEO Matt Moog said in a combined interview with Sun-Times CEO Nykia Wright.

Moog also said he would expect the two newsrooms to operate independently “out of the gate.” But he said, “a lot of the organizational things, frankly, depend on the input of the staff.” He stressed there are “no plans for job reduction at all.”

Wright said the potential deal is the result of a years-long effort to put the Sun-Times on more sound financial footing.

Both CEOs said the partnership could help each newsroom engage with a wider audience and expand on its work. Wright described it as a “collaboration” rather than a “transaction.”

Moog also pointed to Chicago Public Media’s established base of supporters. The joint news release said early support for the plan has come from Sun-Times investor Michael Sacks, the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation and the Pritzker Traubert Foundation.

The news release said the combined organization “would invest in journalism through expanded capacity to better serve Chicago; expand and engage with diverse audiences throughout the region, and expand digital capabilities to deliver a compelling digital experience across platforms and reach audiences where they are.”

It also said WBEZ and the Sun-Times would share content from both newsrooms across multiple platforms, including broadcast, print, websites, podcasts, newsletters, mobile apps, social media and live events.

“Once together, the Chicago Sun-Times and WBEZ would reach millions of Chicago-area residents, connecting them to each other and to the news that impacts their communities,” it said.

The newspaper has been publishing under the Sun-Times banner for roughly 74 years. It has been owned since the summer of 2017 by a group of labor unions brought together by businessman and former Ald. Edwin Eisendrath (43rd) to block a bid by the Chicago Tribune’s parent company to take over its competitor.

WBEZ’s history dates back to 1943, when it was established as an extension service of the Chicago Board of Education, according to its website. It became one of the first charter member stations of National Public Radio in 1970, and it adopted the name Chicago Public Media in 2010.