Windy City Radio
It must be the timing. Two years ago, in late July and early August, much of the then-staff of the Windy City Times walked out on the paper and started the highly successful competing gay weekly, the Chicago Free Press. Last year at this time then-Windy City Times owner Jeff McCourt sold the publication to its other competition, Lambda Publications, resulting in a merger between Windy City and OUTlines. This summer another change is on the air for Windy City Times, which announced last week that they'll be filling the gap left by the shutdown of LesBiGay Radio, with a new two-hour block of programming focusing on "gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and health issues." (Though LesBiGay radio was thought to be on hiatus, this is more of a merger, as Windy City Times publisher Tracy Baim says they have purchased the name from Diverse Communications in order to use it for future segments and special programs.) Scheduled for Sunday nights on 105.9-FM WCKG beginning August 19, the new programming will include the nationally syndicated AWARE Talk Radio (from 10-10:30pm), a roundtable of sexual health, HIV/AIDS and personal well-being information produced locally and syndicated to nearly seven million listeners in ninety cities. AWARE will be followed by the new Windy City Radio program from 10:30pm-midnight. Hosted by Amy Matheny (a three-year LesBiGay radio host), the program will feature many former LesBiGay radio staffers and a host of Windy City Times writers. Baim says the program plans to feature lively talk and entertainment segments, but will be very flexible in the first few weeks in order to adapt to the audience. Broadcasting on WCKG—now an all-talk station that covers the extended Chicago area, reaching parts of Wisconsin, Indiana and Michigan—gives the new programming a wider reach than LesBiGay's old AM slot, but high-wattage radio makes strange bedfellows: WCKG broadcasts Steve Dahl and is the Chicago syndicate of the Howard Stern show. Baim is unfazed: "We like that we're on this station with a macho, all-talk image. It's an interesting mix and provides great opportunities. Our hosts would love to be on Steve Dahl or Howard Stern. I know lots of gay and lesbian people who listen to Stern—he's an equal opportunity exploiter."

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