Alan Cox (radio Personality) - WKQX Chicago

WKQX Chicago

In August 2006, Cox was hired to return to Chicago as the host of The Morning Fix, a new conceptual ensemble show at heritage alternative WKQX-FM (Q101). (Ironically, this put Cox down the hall from his former mentor Brandmeier, who returned to host mornings at sister station WLUP after the station was purchased by Emmis in 2005.) The Morning Fix combined the sensibilities of improv and stand-up comedy with traditional radio elements and replaced the outgoing Mancow Muller, who had been Q101's morning host for nearly a decade. In November 2007, after 14 months of turbulence, the ensemble members of the Morning Fix were let go, citing high cost and insufficient ratings. Cox and sports anchor Jim Lynam were asked to stay and create a more music-intensive show. The new show was a more conversational and caller-intensive incarnation of the former show, and more reminiscent of Cox's solo show. On August 1, 2008, Cox & Lynam's "Morning Fix" was canceled. They were replaced temporarily by Q101 weekend DJ Alex Quigley until August 11, 2008, when Q101's former late afternoon duo Sherman and Tingle took over the WKQX morning duties. Ironically, the ratings at the time of their dismissal placed Cox and Lynam in the top 5 rankings, leading some to speculate that the change was financially motivated, due to Emmis's sagging stock price coinciding with the end of Cox's expensive contract.

Unwilling to leave Chicago, Cox briefly took a job working in the ad sales department of Clear Channel Chicago's smooth jazz station, WNUA 95.5 until January 20, 2009 when he was one of 1,800 employees the media giant laid off nationwide. He continued to perform standup comedy around Chicago and worked two seasons with the WNBA as the arena host for the Chicago Sky. His blog, The Alan Cox Amateur Hour is at alancox.blogspot.com.