Merlin Media Launches Chicago's Only 24-Hour All-News Station With FM News 101.1

Merlin Media Launches Chicago's Only 24-Hour All-News Station With FM News 101.1

NEW YORK, July 31, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Merlin Media, a new multiplatform, multimedia company, today launched FM News 101.1 as Chicago's only 24-hour all-news station.

Whenever listeners tune in to Chicago's FM News 101.1 they will experience credible news, jargon-free traffic reports, and accurate weather. Listeners will engage with information from leading experts on subjects such as health, family, career, money, entertainment, beauty and more. The station's terrific content will be accessible through many platforms including online video, social media, mobile, and tablets. Advertisers will become part of a highly effective mix that includes sponsorships, billboards, endorsements, Internet, mobile, tablets, and live reads.

"My favorite format has always been spoken radio," said Randy Michaels, CEO, Merlin Media. "I've long had a nostalgic love affair with the big AM stations known for the format, and today - as music moves to the iPod - it's time for spoken word to move to FM. I'm proud to be part of Chicago's only 24-hour all-news station."

Walter Sabo, COO, Merlin Media added: "Busy adults have told us they need their information on FM, online, and through social media. Our team is prepared to serve them with unparalleled content on every stage."

"We've put together a stellar group of Chicago information news hosts, writers and producers," said Andy Friedman, VP of Programming, Merlin Media. "They will identify precisely the stories our listeners demand."

Assembled by Merlin Media's team of veteran executives who have deep experience in companies like Harpo Productions and Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, FM News 101.1's content will be delivered by some of the best talent in the business, including:

-- Mary Ellen Geist is an award-winning broadcast journalist having worked
at ABC and CBS radio stations. Geist's many honors include national and
regional Edward R. Murrow Awards and Associated Press Awards for best
newscast, live coverage, investigative reporting, and Reporter of the
Year.
-- Ed Curran is a veteran of Chicago media, having been on-air since the
mid-'70s at WEFA-FM, WGCI-FM, WIND-AM, and WGN-AM, where he worked
alongside Bob Collins and co-hosted "The Al & Ed Show" with Al Lerner.
-- Rob Hart has been a news anchor, reporter, and talk show host over the
course of his career at two famous radio stations - WTMJ in Milwaukee
and WGN in Chicago. He first went on-air as a sophomore at Marquette
University.
-- Dave Williams is an award-winning anchor who has received multiple
Golden Mike and Mark Twain awards as Best News Anchor in a Major Market.
For 20 years at Sacramento's KFBK, he was the highest-rated radio
personality in the city's history.
-- JoAnn Genette has consistently worked in Chicago radio, most recently
hosting her own radio talk show. Her big break was a co-host and news
reporting role with Chicago radio legend Robert Murphy.
-- Monica DeSantis has been in radio for 18 years, most notably as a
morning anchor at WLS-AM and several other Chicago news and sports
stations. The longtime Chicagoan hails originally from Toronto, Canada.
-- Brett Larson is an Emmy® Award winner and one of the nation's most
familiar names in technology and environmental coverage. Larson is a
recognized voice on the radio from coast-to-coast.
-- Charlie Meyerson has delivered the news to the Chicago area for several
decades having spent time at WXRT-FM, WNUA-FM, and ChicagoTribune.com.
Meyerson is the winner of dozens of journalism awards, including a
national UPI award for investigative reporting.
-- Annette Flournoy is a Chicago native, having previously served as the
News Director and afternoon news anchor of WVON-AM. Flournoy has worked
as an award-winning Associate Producer of "Oprah & Friends" with Harpo
Radio.
-- Lise Dominique has worked with some of the best on-air talents in
Chicago radio as a traffic reporter and newsperson on WLUP-AM/FM with
Jonathan Brandmeier, Kevin Matthews, Steve Dahl and Garry Meier, as well
as on WTMX-FM with Ron Britain and Brant Miller.
-- Diana Bodkins is a household name outside of Chicago, having worked as a
morning show producer at WFYR-FM and program director for WLS-AM and
WLS-FM. Bodkins will play a key role as a programmer at FM News 101.1.
-- Scott Miller is a top-rated morning show host who worked as a producer
for Harpo Radio since its inception, most notably for the "Gayle King
Show" on XM radio. He also worked as a producer for WCKG-FM.
-- Debra Dale has been a Chicago radio stalwart for the past 25 years,
having worked for WBBM-AM since 1992 as a traffic reporter and as a news
reporter and anchor. Prior to that, she spent six years with WUSN-FM.
-- Sam Sylk is a radio veteran and Chicago-native, beginning his career on
WKKC-FM in the early '90s. Sylk worked on WGCI-FM as an afternoon host
and in 2009 began working his "Sylky Style" on the afternoon drive shift
on WPWX-FM.
-- Ryan Burrow recently worked as Online National News Producer for the
Tribune Co. and has served as a radio reporter at Clear Channel,
NewsRadio 600 WREC, and WFVA/WBQB. The Chicago native will take his
skill set to the streets as a reporter for FM News 101.1.
-- Jeff McKinney was the news anchor for WCCO-AM in Minneapolis, Minnesota
for nearly 16 years.
-- Guy Bauer worked on Comedy Central's famous "Crank Yankers" and with
Jimmy Kimmel and Adam Carolla on "The Man Show." Bauer became Executive
Producer of Jonathon Brandmeier's morning show on L.A.'s KCBS-FM in
2004, and moved to WLUP-FM/Chicago in 2005. Bauer also hosts "The Guy
Bauer Half Hour," which was featured in Time Magazine.
-- Veronica Carter is known by late-night listeners as a deft news reporter
and weekend anchor on WGN-AM's overnight show. In that capacity, the
California native worked alongside Steve King and Johnnie Putman.
-- Sarah Jersild is a writer, blogger, and podcaster for a number of
well-known online outlets. She was a Senior Producer for Tribune
Broadcasting and will cover entertainment news.
-- Victoria Keelan has spent the last five years on Sirius XM's Cosmo
Radio, bringing audiences the latest and hottest trends in the world of
fashion, beauty, lifestyle, and food on "Cosmo Life with Victoria."
-- Anne Kelly has worked as a reporter for WCIA-TV in Illinois and KFYR-TV
in North Dakota. The young talent will be the northwest suburbs bureau
chief for FM News 101.1.
-- Katherine Kelly will be the western suburbs bureau chief for FM News
101.1. She has worked as a producer and operations manager at Harpo
Radio, and was a morning news anchor and producer for WUSN-FM.
-- Brant Miller spent 15 years as one of Chicago's top DJ's on WLS-AM and
then WLS-FM. In 1989, Miller became a meteorologist with WFLD-TV, later
serving as WMAQ-TV's Chief Meteorologist.
-- Jennifer O'Neill is a Chicago native who began her career in 1999 as a
producer and writer for WBBM-AM.
-- Art Porter is an experienced Chicago radio producer, having worked on
morning shows for WVAZ-FM and WGCI-FM. Porter produced Crazy Howard
McGee's well-known morning show and the "Morning Riot" show.
-- Jill Urchak is a popular Chicago-based news and traffic reporter having
worked on WLS-AM and WLS-FM. She was also a DJ on WABT-FM.
-- Mike Wilson began his career as one of the youngest producers in Chicago
at WLS radio. He comes to FM News 101.1 as a respected news reporter
from WOWO-AM and will now do overnights.

About Merlin Media LLC

Merlin Media LLC (www.merlinmediallc.com) was formed in June 2011 by leading private equity firm GTCR in partnership with Emmis Communications (NasdaqGS: EMMS), a diversified media company, and Randy Michaels for the purpose of acquiring and operating media assets. The company begins with a base of three properties - two in Chicago and one in New York - and intends to develop a combination of media across the country.

Contact for Merlin Media LLCKyle GiuntaMediaLinkO: 646-259-3006M: 845-453-4877kyle@medialinkllc.com

Edward AdlerMediaLinkO: 646-259-3006edadler@medialinkllc.com

SOURCE Merlin Media LLC

Merlin Media LLC

Web Site: http://www.merlinmediallc.com

-------
Profile: intent