Free Republic

It's good to hear radio legend Dick Biondi again--even if it's only over the phone. Silenced with the rest of the WJMK-FM 104.3 crew when Viacom's Infinity Broadcasting pulled the plug on the station's longtime oldies format June 3 in favor of the new not-as-old oldies format known as Jack FM, Biondi is biding his time for now. "The one thing I want to do is get back on the air and do my thing," he said Thursday. It appears his wait is near an end, if only in a technical sense. Station management is targeting the end of next...

There are many moments in life when you realize that you and your generation are officially moving beyond the fringe of popular culture, or at least to a place where big advertisers no longer feel the intense need to reach you. If you live with a teenager, there's a blazing neon line between advertisers' interest in them (intense) and you (not so much). Teens are relentlessly courted to buy the latest fashions, music and other trendy stuff, while the aging parents are just as relentlessly ignored, except for news about the latest arthritis treatments. That you will bankroll the teens'...

When big corporations have bad news to announce, they often hold off until as late as possible on a Friday afternoon. By burying the story over the weekend, they hope to minimize criticism from the press and outcry from the public. That no doubt figured into the timing of Infinity Broadcasting, which waited until 4 p.m. Friday to blow up two of its heritage oldies stations -- WJMK-FM (104.3) in Chicago and WCBS-FM in New York. With absolutely no warning, their popular and successful formats were replaced with a trendy pop/rock hybrid known as "Jack FM." Make no mistake about...

Infinity launched the Jack format in New York City and Chicago today. WCBS-FM in New York City made the switch at 5 p.m. ET, kicking off the new programming with "Fight For Your Right (To Party)" by the Beastie Boys. In Chicago, WJMK-FM launched Jack at 4 p.m. CT. The WCBS-FM Oldies format will continue to exist as an online radio station (www.wcbsfm.com). WJMK-FM will also transfer its Oldies format online at www.WJMK.com. "New York deserves a radio station that is equally as eclectic as its listener's personalities and attitudes," said WCBS-FM VP/GM Chad Brown. "Jack-FM promises to be unlike...