Randy Michaels' All News FM Station Launches

By Chuck Sudo in News on Aug 1, 2011 6:40PM

While the rest of the city was out enjoying the weekend, former Tribune Co. chairman Randy Michaels and his aptly named Merlin Media launched his latest assault on local media with the signing on of WWWN, FM News 101.1 FM.

Time Out Chicago's Robert Feder, who's been a burr in Michaels' saddle for quite some time, listened to the leadup to Friday's launch and remarked, "I’ve heard college radio stations deliver smoother newscasts." What we've heard in the handful of times we've tuned into the FM News 101.1 indicates that, despite their claims to want to provide the news listeners want to hear, they aren't necessarily reinventing the wheel. And while the station's website is pretty bare bones at the moment, they're using facebook to solicit requests from listeners as to what they want the station to cover.

It's still early in WWWN's tenure, but industry insider RBR.com says that, if Michaels is meticulous in his research, the station could be a powerhouse and rake in revenues. Feder minced no words and said that WWWN was one reason CBS Radio moved up the simulcast launch of WBBM-AM on 105.9 FM today. WGN-AM is also looking at bringing back its on-air slogan as "The Voice of Chicago." Feder also speculates that there could be some listeners lost to WWWN and the 'BBM simulcast from WBEZ as listeners now have other options on the FM dial.