Johnny B.'s Loop future on the air in the air

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Posted by Bud on November 30, 2009 at 11:44:44:

Pete McMurray is expected to be on WLUP-FM 97.9 this morning in place of Jonathon Brandmeier, according to sources who said Sunday that Johnny B.'s contract negotiations with the Emmis Communications station broke down last week.

Marv Nyren, Emmis' Chicago boss, did not respond to a request for comment.

Brandmeier, who signed a one-year renewal extension in March, has around three months remaining on his contract. Robert Feder, blogging for Chicago Public Radio's vocalo.org, reported early today, however, that it's unlikely Brandmeier, 53, ever will return to the air on the Loop. (UPDATE: Brandmeier was scrubbed from the wlup.com Web site this morning after what would have been his shift.)

Nyren brought Brandmeier back to local airwaves in 2005 after a more than 4-year absence. For Brandmeier, it was a return to the station that had been his home from 1983 to 1997, when he was a force of nature in local media. He later hosted a show for CBS Radio's old WCKG-FM in Chicago from Los Angeles, which he gave up in 2001.

As in 1997, Brandmeier's 2001 contract renewal was reportedly all but signed until collapsing at the 11th hour. The WCKG show at the time was ranked No. 1 locally with men between the ages of 25 and 54, his target audience. But he has been less successful lately.

The one-year extension, negotiated for Brandmeier by John Malevitis, was a bet that economic conditions squeezing the radio business at the time might ease up. “Listen,” Brandmeier said of the deal, “I’m confident in my ability. I’m confident in the show’s ability. And I’m confident the economy will turn around."

Then as now, Chicago Tribune parent Tribune Co.’s WGN-AM 720 was seen as a possible option for Brandmeier. So is Citadel's WLS-AM 890. But Johnny B. also has occasionally expressed interest in trying other things and Nyren in March acknowledged that Brandmeier always has the option to walk away from any and all offers.

“Johnny’s in a position in his life where I don’t think he has to do anything he doesn’t want to do,” Nyren said.

(Phil Rosenthal, Chicago Tribune)

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: Pete McMurray is expected to be on WLUP-FM 97.9 this morning in place of Jonathon Brandmeier, according to sources who said Sunday that Johnny B.'s contract negotiations with the Emmis Communications station broke down last week. : Marv Nyren, Emmis' Chicago boss, did not respond to a request for comment. : Brandmeier, who signed a one-year renewal extension in March, has around three months remaining on his contract. Robert Feder, blogging for Chicago Public Radio's vocalo.org, reported early today, however, that it's unlikely Brandmeier, 53, ever will return to the air on the Loop. (UPDATE: Brandmeier was scrubbed from the wlup.com Web site this morning after what would have been his shift.) : Nyren brought Brandmeier back to local airwaves in 2005 after a more than 4-year absence. For Brandmeier, it was a return to the station that had been his home from 1983 to 1997, when he was a force of nature in local media. He later hosted a show for CBS Radio's old WCKG-FM in Chicago from Los Angeles, which he gave up in 2001. : As in 1997, Brandmeier's 2001 contract renewal was reportedly all but signed until collapsing at the 11th hour. The WCKG show at the time was ranked No. 1 locally with men between the ages of 25 and 54, his target audience. But he has been less successful lately. : The one-year extension, negotiated for Brandmeier by John Malevitis, was a bet that economic conditions squeezing the radio business at the time might ease up. “Listen,” Brandmeier said of the deal, “I’m confident in my ability. I’m confident in the show’s ability. And I’m confident the economy will turn around." : Then as now, Chicago Tribune parent Tribune Co.’s WGN-AM 720 was seen as a possible option for Brandmeier. So is Citadel's WLS-AM 890. But Johnny B. also has occasionally expressed interest in trying other things and Nyren in March acknowledged that Brandmeier always has the option to walk away from any and all offers. : “Johnny’s in a position in his life where I don’t think he has to do anything he doesn’t want to do,” Nyren said. : : (Phil Rosenthal, Chicago Tribune)

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