Posted by The big K on June 30, 2009 at 20:40:33:
Long time non-Hispanic brokers at WCGO 1590 AM (formerly WONX) are at the edge of their seats wondering if they will be booted off the station replaced by Spanish programming. Kovas recently dumped the station's manager for Gus Rios (of WRLL) who has turned the station's overnight hours into a Hispanic jockless jukebox from midnight to 3 am weeknights. At 3, the station airs a Hispanic program that was recorded in LA. Rios has also begun several upgrades of the station's Evanston studios. The station has been brokered since 1980 at first targeting the South American radio market and later diversifying into Assyrian and Haitian programming. Some brokers have been with the station several years- Manjit Gill's Indian Jhankar has been airing on the station since 1975 (when it was still WLTD), The Jewish Community Hour since 1963 (when it was WNMP), and others with more than 10 years under their belts. With several Spanish programmed stations (many on FM) on the air in the Chicago market, who needs another one? Perhaps the smart thing for Kovas to do would be (if they really wanted to change things at their station) is to bring back the Timeless Favorites format that they abandoned when they shut down the original WCGO (1600 AM) several months ago. Frank must be rolling in his grave.