He would know

Rick, your #eckhartzpress is tremendous. You and David know how to build and promote big time. It’s a pleasure to be a member of your team

— Chet Coppock (@ChetCoppock) August 10, 2018

British Airways Firing

A worker for British Air was fired...for having a man bun.

I stand with the British Air managament on this one.

Sinclair Merger Officially Dead

Tribune Media officially ended the merger this morning, and did it with an exclamation point. From Adweek...

This comes after roughly 15 months of Sinclair revising of its local station divestiture plan in an effort to appease the federal government’s longtime concerns. But Tribune finally took matters into its own hands and walked away.

In addition to Tribune officially terminating the merger, the company has sued Sinclair for breach of contract. Tribune filed a lawsuit against Sinclair alleging the broadcast titan ‘engaged in unnecessarily aggressive and protracted negotiations with the Department of Justice and the FCC over regulatory requirements.’

On behalf of Chicago's two WGNs (TV & Radio), let me just say..."Whew!"

Chet's Event

A few highlights from last night's sold-out jam-packed Chester W Coppock book event in Arlington Heights. A few members of Chet's boyquarium (Steve & Garry's nickname for Chet's bevy of producers) came out to surprise him (L-R: Mike Davis, Jim Modelski, and Tom Serritella. Also, I thought this was clever. Doug Bensing paid for Chet's book "Your Dime, My Dance Floor" with actual dimes. In addition, I didn't get a picture of this, but Dobie Maxwell drove in all the way from Wisconsin to give Chet a 1971 Bucks championship mug because Chet was a producer for the radio broadcasts of that team. What a fun night. Chet was really touched by all the good will and positive vibes. Thank you everyone who came out!

Tonight

RIP Stan Mikita

Sad news. One of my earliest heroes. Good ol' #21...

RIP #Blackhawks legend Stan Mikita

He is 1 of 8 players in NHL history to play 1,300 games exclusively with a single franchise for an entire career pic.twitter.com/USYQSU3bEA

— Sportsnet Stats (@SNstats) August 7, 2018

HGTV Buys the Brady Bunch House

It was on the market, and there was at least one bid from Lance Bass (remember him?), but HGTV swooped in with the highest offer and bought the Brady Bunch house.

They plan to restore it to it's former 1970s glory.

Gotta say--that's a show I'll watch. Smart move.

8/8/88

Thirty years ago tonight, the Cubs turned on the lights at Wrigley Field for the first time.

I was there with Steve & Garry. We were doing a live broadcast from the parking lot across the street from Murphy's Bleachers. Our show ended at 7, and by 7:01 I was in the bleachers.

It was quite a spectacle, remembered nicely in this video...



As you probably know, the game was eventually rained out. It started pouring in the third inning or so, and they called it a few hours later. The official first night game was held the following night.

But for me, 8/8/88 will always be the first night, and I was there.

8/8/88: lights on at Wrigley (rained out)
8/9/88: 1st official game under lights
8/8/89: Anthony Rizzo born
8/9/89: Jason Heyward born#Cubs

— Christopher Kamka (@ckamka) August 8, 2017

Tommy Edwards

Thanks so much to Robert Feder for the mention of Tommy Edwards' upcoming book...

Chicago radio legend Tommy Edwards has signed with Rick Kaempfer and David Stern’s Eckhartz Press to publish his memoirs. Set for release next year, the yet-untitled book will feature untold stories about Lil’ Tommy’s “Animal Stories” partnership with Larry Lujack as well other radio adventures. He’ll also recount his long run as public address announcer for the Chicago Bulls. Edwards retired as midday host at the former WJMK in 2014, capping a 54-year career as a major market star. Eckhartz Press has published books by radio veterans John Records Landecker, Bobby Skafish, Mitch Michaels, Chet Coppock, Dobie Maxwell, Rich King and Kipper McGee.

Bobby Bones Coming to Chicago

I was there at the Radio Hall of Fame ceremony when Bobby Bones was inducted, and thought "Who is this guy? And how did he already make it into the Hall of Fame at age 38?"

Well, he's a syndicated country music host, and he's finally making it into a top 3 market morning slot. Right here in Chicago. From today's RAMP newsletter...

The syndicated Bobby Bones Show is headed for morning drive in Market No. 3, as iHeartMedia Country WEBG (BIG 95.5)/Chicago moves the Premiere-syndicated show up from overnights to mornings, starting Monday, August 13. "Welcome to BIG 95.5 Mornings, Bobby Bones," said Matt Scarano, President of iHeartMedia's Chicago Region. "We are excited to add the most recognizable name in Country radio to our morning lineup."

PD Lance Houston commented, "The Bobby Bones Show really connects with the core Country audience more than any other show that I have ever seen throughout my career. I am truly confident that Bobby Bones and team will be an entertaining morning show for our one million-plus weekly Country radio audience in Chicagoland, introducing them to popular features like 'Tell Me Something Good' and 'Pimpin' Joy.'"

I have heard good things, and he could do well in Chicago. There's certainly an opening for a show like his. But I still think his induction into the Radio Hall of Fame was premature.

Elderly Krauts

This story was posted on my facebook page, and I believe the implication is that this could be me in a few years.

Hate to say so, but yeah, could be.

Here's the headline: Elderly German men escape nursing home to go to Wacken metal festival

Chicago Radio Ratings

Robert Feder breaks down Chicago radio ratings here, including the top ten in all day parts.

Great numbers for the Drive and WLS-FM, who both lost their direct competitors, and Me-TV FM, which is still shocking people by getting huge numbers with a really diverse playlist of oldies.

Also, note that Brian Hanley's last book as morning co-host at the Score has that show in 9th place overall in the mornings. I've never heard of someone getting fired from a top-ten show, but so be it.

Here's the report from Tom Taylor's NOW column...

Chicago keeps the same look – a clear leader and then a compressed pack of stations. The leader is iHeart’s urban AC “V103” WVAZ (5.9-6.0-6.1), and #1 from 3pm to midnight and on weekends. Then the scrum. Two “classic” stations are tied for second, with a spectacular rise for Cumulus classic hits WLS-FM (4.3-4.2-4.9, up from a February book 3.4 share and now #1 middays). The 4.9 is its best share since January 2009, says Chris Huff. Hubbard’s classic rock “Drive” is also at a 4.9 (4.8-4.8-4.9). Right behind is Hubbard’s hot AC “Mix” WTMX (4.7-4.9-4.8, and still #1 mornings). Fifth is Entercom’s news WBBM/WCFS (4.9-4.8-4.6, and second mornings). Then there’s a drop to sixth-ranked regional Mexican WOJO (Univision, 4.6-4.3-4.0) and Entercom’s two tied-for-seventh stations, country “US99” WUSN (3.3-3.5-3.9) and classic hip-hop/throwbacks “104.3 Jams” WBMX (3.4-3.6-3.9). Jams is now tied for second on Saturday/Sunday. Ninth place is shared by Entercom’s adult alternative WXRT (3.5-3.7-3.7) and Weigel-run easy oldies WRME-LP (3.5-3.3-3.7). Cubs flagship WSCR is tenth. That’s Entercom’s sports “Score” (3.6-3.5-3.4), just beating out iHeart CHR “Kiss” WKSC (3.6-3.5-3.3). Want a couple more? iHeart has AC WLIT (3.4-3.5-3.1) and tied-for-fourteenth urban WGCI (3.1-3.3-3.0). Also at that level are Hubbard’s AC WSHE (2.7-3.0-3.0) and Tribune’s talk WGN (2.2-2.4-3.0). The Score is tied for third at night, while WGN ties for fifth in mornings. The Windy City’s cume leader is CHR Kiss (down a bit, to 1,793,400). Among the non-subscribers now dropped from “the book” is Salem.

Alex Jones

Alex Jones is NOT a martyr for free speech. He's a man who screams "Fire" in crowded theaters.

That Facebook, YouTube (finally) and iTunes have taken him off their platforms is long overdue.

This is the guy who created the Pizzagate story (that Hillary was running a child sex ring out of a Washington Pizza place) which actually caused someone to show up there with a gun. This is the guy who traumitized the already suffering parents of those first graders at Sandy Hook by saying that the whole thing was a false flag operation, and the kids were actors. How he didn't get pulled immediately after that, is the mystery to me.

He still has his (absolutely crazy) right to spew. But Facebook, YouTube and iTunes have the right not to be complicit. YouTube bans people for using unlicensed music, for crying out loud. The only controversial part of this story is that it took so long.

Another Eckhartz Press Signing

(Lil' Snot Nose) Tommy Edwards signs with Eckhartz Press. Some great stories! Can't wait to bring this book to print.

Richard Reeder on the Radio

Thanks so much to Playtime with Bill Turck and Kerri Kendall on 1590 AM for having Eckhartz Press author Richard Reeder on their show this weekend. It was a really entertaining interview.

Here's the audio.

Eckhartz co-publisher David Stern was there and took a few photos...

Come on out and meet Chet

Readin' and eatin', drinkin' and thinkin'...