News

WGN in Chicago has signed a contract extension with Steve Cochran through 2020. He's hosted mornings since 2013. Cochran has also worked early morning hours in Miami, Baltimore, St. Louis, Minneapolis, and New York City. The Cochran Morning Show team includes co-anchor and reporter Andrea Darlas, news by Steve Grzanich, sports by Dave Eanet, and traffic by Mary Van De Velde.

Joan Hamburg does a lot of things extremely well. Wife, mother (she has a National Mother of the Year award for that), broadcaster, friend, advocate, and humanitarian. Joan Hamburg has succeeded at many roles throughout her storied career. And in 2016 she was named Radio Ink's MIW Legend.

Elizabeth Hamma started her radio career as a promotions director in Syracuse, NY. When she realized the salespeople were making good money on her ideas, she quickly moved into sales at WSYR. That decision would put Hamma on the fast track to success in the radio industry. Today she is an extremely successful manager in West Palm Beach working for Larry Wilson's Alpha Media. We caught up with Hamma recently to get her insight on what it takes to become a successful manager in radio today.

(By Jeff McHugh) Stay aware of the people you encounter and your biggest lessons in life and career may come from peers, perfect strangers, and momentary encounters. Here are some valuable things I learned along the way...

One hundred people showed up to UW-Madison’s Memorial Union for the final airing of the show Whad’Ya Know? The show first aired in 1985, hosted by Michael Feldman. The Wisconsin State Journal reports Wisconsin Public Radio executives told Feldman his live comedy quiz show would be cancelled due financial reasons. A hundred stations across the country were paying WPR to run it. Fifteen years ago, 330 radio stations carried the show.

(by John Garziglia) In a notice of proposed rule making that impacts existing US radio broadcasters in only a most ancillary way, the FCC is proposing to streamline and make more transparent its review and coordination of foreign ownership applications, including those for broadcast stations, with the Executive Branch.

The VP of Content & Programming has extended his contract with the Chicago station through 2019. GM Jimmy de Castro said, “Todd makes it fun to come to work every day. He’s a content musician that drives our incredible spoken-word content across a multitude of platforms.” Manley has held his VP position at WGN since 2013. He's also worked at WXRT in Chicago and KTRS in St. Louis.

iHeartMedia Nashville is bringing on Morgan Huelsman as Digital Program Director. Huelsman will work with the iHeart Nashville programming and sales teams regarding the cluster's mobile content strategy. Previously, Huelsman served as the Digital Content Director for iHeart's four stations in Wichita.

This goes back to the December 2015 charges against the former Opie & Anthony host. He pleads to two misdemeanor charges of assaulting his girlfriend, third-degree assault, and blocking someone’s breathing. Newsday reports Cumia will have to do six months of outpatient alcohol abuse treatment and a six-month batterer’s intervention program. Cumia is 55. His girlfriend at the time was 26.