my block
Find an event

<p></p>
rss feed for Radio showman Dahl ready to lift the curtain on his next act Tweet

Previous post
Next post

Radio showman Dahl ready to lift the curtain on his next act

Posted in Robert Feder | Chicago Media blog by Robert Feder on Jul 6, 2011 at 12:00am

Robservations on the media beat:

 

  • Chicago broadcast legend Steve Dahl (pictured above), whose 2½-year payout by CBS Radio ends this week, is about to begin a new chapter in his career. And if you believe what he tweets, he’ll announce his plans to the world at noon Monday. Dahl, 56, has been off terrestrial radio since December 2008 when CBS dropped his morning show on WJMK-FM (104.3). While still under contract, he’s been hosting a daily podcast from his home since September 2009. On Tuesday’s podcast he joked that he planned to take over the CBS 2 morning show now that news anchor Steve Bartelstein is gone. Hey, maybe they could call it It’s Too Early.
  • It’s down to the wire again at CBS Radio sports/talk WSCR-AM (670). This time the contracts of morning duo Mike Mulligan and Brian Hanley have expired while their agents negotiate a belated offer from Rod Zimmerman, senior vice president and market manager of CBS Radio Chicago. Although a renewal agreement is expected, it’s becoming standard procedure for contracts of the Score’s key talent to lapse before station bosses get around to finalizing new deals.
  • The newest place to listen to radio is on your television: On Tuesday, WLFM-LP, the smooth jazz station heard at 87.7 FM, officially began simulcasting on Comcast/Xfinity Channel 877. While the station’s format of soft vocals and contemporary instrumentals streams around the clock, digital cable viewers see real-time traffic updates along with time and temperature information. The simulcast, which began on a trial basis June 15, was billed as “Chicago’s only full-time live traffic channel with the relaxing musical sounds of Chicago’s exclusive Smooth 87.7 FM,” according to Pat Kelley, senior vice president and general manager. NBC’s Chicago Nonstop digital subchannel also streams Roe Conn and Richard Roeper’s afternoon show from news/talk WLS-AM (890).
  • Chicago Public Media added four new bloggers to its lineup at WBEZ.org Tuesday, including food writer Louisa Chu, a former Steve Dahl radio producer who went on to work with Anthony Bourdain and write for Gourmet magazine. She succeeds Steve Dolinsky, who stepped down after 18 months at WBEZ blogs. Also joining the lineup under senior content developer Justin Kaufmann are Mark Bazer, creator and host of The Interview Show at The Hideout, John R. Schmidt, former history professor at Roosevelt University and Unknown Chicago blogger for ChicagoNow, and Claire Zulkey, a humor and pop culture writer and performer at The Hideout.
  • Lester Munson, senior writer and legal analyst for ESPN.com, will moderate a panel of reporters discussing the Rod Blagojevich trial following Sunday’s matinee performance of The Front Page at the TimeLine Theatre. Participants will include Elizabeth Brackett of WTTW, Paul Meincke of ABC 7, Rob Wildeboer of WBEZ, and Janan Hanna of Reuters and the Chicago News Cooperative. They’ll consider how Chicago journalism and politics have changed — or not — since the 1920s setting of the Ben Hecht and Charles MacArthur classic comedy.
  • Kirsten Miller, a Chicago journalism gem, has resigned as interactive manager and senior web producer at Fox Chicago News to join Edelman public relations as senior account supervisor on the digital strategy team. She previously was assistant managing editor of interactive and web editor at the Sun-Times.

 

 

Comments (28)
Categories
Chicago Media blog
Keywords
Previous post
Next post
07/06/2011
Share with your network
Comment
Comments
Good luck to the Stever! I know he was willing to consider reuniting with his former co-host Garry Meier a couple of years ago and that would have been the smart move by both of them. Neither one of these Chicago radio legends can carry a whole show by themselves! The sum of the parts, (that will never reunite), leaves one big broadcasting HOLE!
By It's Too Late, To Be Too Early (not verified) on 7/06/2011 at 8:30 am
The Stever may be coming back to radio? OH PLEASE make is so, and make it a new show on that Q101 station starring Steve and the Semi-Lovely Melissa Forman! Can you imagine how great it would be to start your day with S&M in the morning? I bet the big guys at Merlin Media have already thought about this, but I'd like to offer the idea up to them and Mr. Dahl. That would be the best thing on the radio since, well, when Melissa Forman skyrocketed WLIT to great success while working there until that mean old geezer Tony Coolio got rid of her. Please let it be that S&M will come on Q101! I bet I could reduce my Wellbutrin dose by half and someday go home to my own apartment if something that stimulating was on the radio. Please Mr. Feder, please tell the people who can make it happen that Katie wants S&M on the radio bad. Thank you.
By Katie Logan Richards (not verified) on 7/06/2011 at 8:46 am
Steve Dahl has been doing improv/reality comedy practically everyday since the beginning of time. Take a second to realize what a gift he has. Come back to radio Steve...the vast wasteland can be saved by a true original!
By Be Accountable (not verified) on 7/06/2011 at 8:57 am
Please oh please oh please, I hope Steve Dahl finds a home on the Chicago radio waves. While I love his podcast, I really miss him on the radio.
By Marie (not verified) on 7/06/2011 at 9:57 am
The report of Danny Mac being off the air due to not having a contract now seems overblown, in that he showed up the next day. Now, the actual explanation is that CBS is just late--not another Garry Meier/Diann Burns episode. Also, WLFM-LP is actually a television station, broadcasting on analog Channel 6. My digital FM radio tuner does not go down that far. So, the only news is that Comcast is using or wasting one of its digital channels on it, not the so-called simulcast.
By jack (not verified) on 7/06/2011 at 11:24 am
old Steve Dahl? As the goofs at WSCR used to say, "if a tree falls - does anybody hear it?"(!) Good to see you got your weekly mention of Justin Kaufman in!
By Justin This-Just-In (not verified) on 7/06/2011 at 12:06 pm
So Dahl tweeted that he'd be announcing his career plans? To me that sounds like an announcement of "his" plans going forward which is essentially saying, he's got nothing that resembles a terrestrial contract, right? But at least he's planning something. If I had to guess, I'd say, it's the STEVE DAHL PODCAST CLUB MEMBERSHIP PLAN. Now even if he sold it for a reasonable $4.95 a month for 20 days of 90 minute Dahlcasts,I'm guessing he'd lose 1/2 his regular audience immediately. I hazard to guess how many people are regular listeners to his show, but I'd be surprised if it was more than 3000, so a 50% loss of audience leaves him with 1,500 subscribers @ $4.95 for a monthly revenue stream of $7,425. Now multiply that X 12 months and that equals $89,100. annual gross for STEVER CASH! Pete, Mary, Jim Kid, Brendan, Stephanie, Ed Zila @ 7.50 an hour = roughly $90. per day if you give them two hours each on the clock. That's $1,800. a month employee expense X 12 months = $21,600 annually, (which is not bad for six warm bodies to make fun of everyday, particularly if they are tax deductible.) So Steve is now left with $89,100. gross minus $21,600. = $67,500. After taxes and the expenses incurred for getting the podcast on line each day, he's left with enough money to buy dog food for the pets he used to beat with a broom! Sounds like a career plan to me, no? PS - WGN's Garry Meier has a weekly walk up window and he's been known to give away prize packages that are worth $200. Steve probably has enough costumes in SRD Wardrobe Inc. to gain an additional monthly income of $800.
By Better Than Ever (not verified) on 7/06/2011 at 12:09 pm
PLEEEEEESE.....someone hire Steve!!! He is a legend and we need him back on the radio NOW!!!! What a sad state of affairs that a talent like this is not being broadcast on terrestrial radio. ROB MAKE IT HAPPEN - tell the forces that be to hire him before he gets away!!!!
By Dee (not verified) on 7/06/2011 at 12:22 pm
Personally I've been ripped on many times (in the old days) by both Steve Dahl and Garry Meier, but I too would love to see him back on the air. However, I agree that he needs someone to bounce off of and if it's not gonna be Garry...Melissa Forman would be ideal and the S&M name would be great as a marketing tool. Steve on Q-101 in the morning and Johnny B. on WLUP sounds good to me, but let's not stop there...John (off the Records) Landecker is available along with Steve Cochran, Mancow and many others!!!
By AnonymousART VUOLO, JR. (not verified) on 7/06/2011 at 12:50 pm
Just for future reference @ "Better Than Ever", My legal team and I could have gotten Mr. Dahl off on those alleged Broom Wielding Dog Beating Charges if he would have contacted our offices back in the nineties. No DNA and it's a slam dunk for Jose Baez! Steve doesn't have any tatoos, am I right? Does anyone have Stever's first wife's phone number? She was Mexican right?
By Jose, Not Joan, Baez (not verified) on 7/06/2011 at 1:55 pm
Steve will save radio!! His unique brand of humor will attract the desired Adult 18-34 audience that is difficult to reach via radio. I mean what 24 year old woman does not want to hear about about some fat dude's package or his dining options at the Sox games? The Stever is the best..oh, the way he went over the the time he saw a gola at a hawks game was priceless.
By Anonymous (not verified) on 7/06/2011 at 2:36 pm
@ It's Too Late, To Be Too Early - agree with your post except that Steve can clearly hold a show on his own and did it admirably once he settled in with his supporting cast of Buzz & Co. We've had too many notable public events to not have Steve's live daily commentary to help us through.
By SWSIDEFAN (not verified) on 7/06/2011 at 2:57 pm
This scumbag has been gone long enough to have just about everyone forget about him. How does the saying go again? Remember when Steve Dahl used to be interesting?...No, neither do I. Why can Chicagoans put out to pasture old relics that should be shot and put out of their misery?
By Jonathan (not verified) on 7/06/2011 at 2:59 pm
Chicago radio needs Steve Dahl back in a BIG way. Listening to his show, Brandmeier, etc was a joy. Whether he goes to GN or Merlin, nobody cares; as long as he is on something bigger than a podcast. While radio talent doesn't get paid the way they used to, nor does anyone else. Come back, Steve!!!
By Tom (not verified) on 7/06/2011 at 3:35 pm
If Steve does come back to the radio, he could go pure oldies and get Chet Coppock to be his sports update guy. All the steaks from Carmichael's that they can eat!!
By Confucius Jackson (not verified) on 7/06/2011 at 6:28 pm
Dahl looks good. Has that photo been verified?
By Confirmed (not verified) on 7/06/2011 at 7:02 pm
Forget Dahl, bring back Brandmeier!
By Kevin (not verified) on 7/06/2011 at 8:17 pm
Thank you Mr. Feder - it's really been too long. But I need to add a clarification: I was Steve AND Garry's producer. I know you understand why that's important. And coincidence that you led this post with news about Steve? Or do you believe in fate?
By Louisa Chu (not verified) on 7/06/2011 at 9:24 pm
Sorry but Steve Dahl Sucks....he is not funny. He''s show is too slow. I prefer Gary he's real funny and very quick. I would love it if they got together, but that might be wishful thinking. Plus Gary is doing pretty well now, why spoil that. Steve just retire buddy.
By Mo (not verified) on 7/06/2011 at 11:46 pm
Steve and Garry were by far, the most talented and clever radio hosts Chicago has ever had. I agree they are better together than apart on the air. My Q101 line up would be as follows. Steve Dahl: Mornings Big John Howell: Middays John Landecker: Afternoon Drive Mancow: Evenings
By RADIOGEEK DAVE (not verified) on 7/06/2011 at 11:50 pm
Wasn't Steve always making fun of Uncle Lar', Wally, Eddie etc. for their stale careers and not knowing when to retire? Well pot, meet kettle.
By Abe Froman (not verified) on 7/07/2011 at 9:04 am
"It's Too Early" was a great morning show and far ahead of its time. The closest to date, and 1st to succeed, is "U and Me in the Morning" (which includes Melissa Forman. So is it irony that she's getting the mentions here, or enlightenment?) Steve & co. had gotten pretty dull and routine by the time he was gone. And I'm saying this as an original Coho Lips card carrier. But a couple years later, with radio as a whole having grown stale and less influential, it's worth seeing if bringing him back will re-energize him and the whole scene. Where should he go (WGN, Merlin), who should he be paired with, who else should come back (Johnny, Matthews, Loftus)? Random commentary in the social space is nice but only research will tell. Any decision-makers out there can reach me at ORC Elk Grove if interested in pursuing.
By P.K. (not verified) on 7/07/2011 at 1:42 pm
Enough classic rock already. The Loop should become Classic Talk. My fantasy radio-station league line-up: 6A-9A-------Brandmeier 9A-12N------Bruce Wolf 12N-3P------Kevin Matthews 3P-6P-------Steve Dahl (& Garry?) 6P-9P-------Buzz Kilman 9P-12M------Nick Digilio 12M-3A------Steve Cochran 3A-6A-------Jay Marvin
By Anonymous (not verified) on 7/07/2011 at 3:42 pm
Wow, Steve is half the man he used to be and I mean that in a good way! He looks like he lost 100 lbs since the last picture I remember seeing, unless that shot is somehow a fotoshop job? Thanks so much for providing the link to his podcasts Mr. Feder. I knew Steve was off the air, but I had no idea he was still "in the air" with daily podcasts on the internet. I look forward to checking those out and hopefully on Monday, I'll find out that I can go back to my traditional methods of listening to Steve Dahl on radio.
By Sally (not verified) on 7/07/2011 at 4:02 pm
The best radio I have ever heard was during the old WLUPam days. Steve & Garry truly had a special chemistry - which came back for one day during their reunion show. It was amazing how quickly they clicked back - and how good radio was again. The individuals never equaled the sum of the parts. I love Steve, but without Garry or a good second (Bruce Wolf tried) he just sounds tired. I wish it wasn't the case. It kills me that Stern never gave him the credit he deserved and the ROHF never lets him (and Garry) in for the revolutionary broadcasters they are. I hope Steve makes it back to radio - talk radio is now all politics and hate - good local radio has been replaced by national syndication of Rush, Hannity and other people that give me a headache. It would be nice to have entertainment on the radio again - but maybe radio is dead and there are no "personalities" left unless they yell about Obama for 4 hours a day. It would be interesting to see if even a Steve & Garry could make it nowadays - probably they could because that was a true gift. But to Steve's point during the reunion show "who would pay Garry?". Two headliners will want more more than radio (with their massive layoffs) can afford in the 2010's. Regardless, I'll be looking forward to Steve's tweet and I'm hoping he gets a second chance. I prefer to see him go out on top and not fade away.
By S&G fan (not verified) on 7/09/2011 at 7:41 am
Garry wants nothing, I repeat NOTHING to do with Steve Dahl. He won't even mention his name on the WGN airwaves. If anything is said about him, it's not positive and it's always "....my former partner". And Roe Conn doesn't even reach former partner status in Garry's mind. Steve is right about Garry. He's a weird dude!
By Ya Can't Go Back (not verified) on 7/10/2011 at 10:04 am
GARRY IS FUNNY PERIOD! STEVE IS NOT!
By Anonymous (not verified) on 7/10/2011 at 8:03 pm
Please for the love God do not keep Mully and Hanley on the air. They are the lamest, unfunniest, bunch of dorks I have ever heard.
By Don Gibb (not verified) on 7/15/2011 at 11:16 am
Have an Opinion? Let's hear it
Comment
About Robert Feder
Robert Feder has been keeping tabs on the media for more than three decades, including 28 years as a reporter and television/radio columnist for the Chicago Sun-Times. He's a lifelong Chicagoan and graduate of the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University. At age 14, he founded the first and only Walter Cronkite Fan Club.
Subscribe via e-mail

Browse the archives

Browse through Feder's archives

Copyright © 2012 Time Out Chicago Partners LLLP