Posted by chicagomedia.org on July 24, 2008 at 10:45:28:
Not so fast
Don & Roma are in no hurry to leave WLS morning show
If Don and Roma Wade are leaving their morning show at news/talk WLS-AM (890), it's news to them.
Widespread speculation to the contrary, the husband-and-wife team say they have no desire to step down when their contract expires in early November with the Citadel Broadcasting station.
"I've loved being here for 23 wonderful years -- and I look forward to 23 more," Don Wade said this week from the couple's vacation home in Florida.
Rumors of the Wades calling it quits have gained such currency that newspaper columns and message boards touting the likes of Mike North, Mancow Muller, Don Imus and others routinely ignore the possibility of WLS sticking with the current hosts.
On Wednesday, that possibility increased significantly with the release of ratings for June under the new Portable People Meter electronic measurement system.
Those figures show the Wades in third place in mornings with a 6.0 percent audience share. That's way up from the seventh place finish and 3.2 share they had in the spring quarter under Arbitron's paper diary method.
Mike Fowler, president and general manager of WLS, has said the new PPM ratings will weigh heavily in any decision about the morning show.
In the end, the Wades may be faced with moving to another time slot or leaving the station altogether if Fowler and program director Kipper McGee choose to shake up the morning lineup.
But at a time of disruption at other Chicago stations -- topped by the impending exit of Spike O'Dell from Tribune Co.-owned news/talk WGN-AM (720) -- the consistency and stability of Don & Roma look better than ever.
(Feder)