WLUW - Previous Format

Previous Format

In the 1980s through the mid 1990s, the station had a contemporary hit and dance music radio format (High Energy 88-7 FM and then Energy 88-7 FM), modeled after commercial radio stations such as B-96 in Chicago, with a full staff of student disc jockeys and news anchors/reporters. During this period, WLUW broadcasted from the Loyola Water Tower Campus Communication building at 26 E. Pearson in Chicago.

Many notables from that era were Station Manager, morning man, and "Super CFL" Creator Jym Geraci, Denise Jerger, Wayne Magdziarz, Sue Cavi, SJ Peters, Jim Lemon, Art Therios, Tom Gaines, Ed Varga, Joe Weiss, Lorraine Kleba, Tim Garrity, Vince Parisi, Chris Kerr, Joe Blaney, Patty Sands, Bobby Brady (Rob Creighton), Tony Compton, Billy Levere, Steve Burrell, P J Bozak, Griff Madigan (whose father was the then Vice President of the Chicago Tribune), Jim Domo (Jim Domalgowski), Todd Jackson, Bill Rancic of "The Apprentice" fame, Karen Karas, Brandon Cox, Jerry Riles, Jeff Andrews (Grossman as listed above), Adam Wilde, J R Rizzo, and Keith Jeffries (Keith Forshaw).

In the early 1990s, WLUW attracted the attention of a few major recording artists who sat down for on-air interviews at the Pearson street studio. Chris Kerr visited with the Pet Shop Boys, while Tim Garrity interviewed Curt Smith from Tears for Fears, Erasure, The Information Society, as well Donny Osmond, who was making a come back with his hit single "Soldier of Love." These interviews were highlighted in the Summer and Winter 1990 editions of Radio Chicago Magazine, which further enhanced WLUW's reputation as an influential college radio station in the Chicago market.

Many of its alumni went on to professional broadcasting careers, including:

• Maureen Maher, news correspondent with CBS News' 48 Hours

• Susan Carlson, now a WBBM-TV CBS 2 Anchorwoman in Chicago

• Diane Carbonara, an award-winning news producer for WFLD-TV in Chicago, and a former anchorwoman with WIFR-TV in Rockford, Illinois and WMTV-TV in Madison, Wisconsin

• Jeff Hagedorn, a play-by-play announcer for the Houston Rockets and Houston Comets

• Lou Canellis, a Chicago TV sports and entertainment personality with Chicagoland Television (CLTV) and WLS-TV

• Matt Smith, is Chief Spokesman for Mayor Daley's Department of Streets & Sanitation in Chicago and the former Director of Newsflow Analysis for Clinton-Gore '92.

• Brian Wheeler, a Portland, Oregon sports personality who is in his tenth season as the radio play-by-play voice of the Portland Trail Blazers(Link: http://www.nba.com/blazers/fans/brian_wheeler.html )

• Mercedes Soler (Martinez), former news anchor/correspondent for Univision's Premier Impacto and now one of the successful Florida-based authors of the book "The Miami Bombshells: Dish and Tell."

• Tomas Martinez, Vice President/General Manager for Radio Caracol 1260 AM Miami (WSUA)

• Tony Compton, Former WLUW station manager and afternoon jock

• Jym Geraci, Imaging/Production Director at KSTP-FM in Minneapolis. Former WXLC-FM (Hot 102.3) on-air talent and manager. Beloved WLUW Station manager in the 1980s.

• Joe Blaney, Associate Professor of Communication at Illinois State University, former on-air talent at WXLC-FM (Hot 102.3). Currently on-air talent for B104 in Bloomington-Normal.

• Ed Varga, Former WXLC-FM (Hot 102.3) on-air talent

• Keith Forshaw (a.k.a. "Keith Jeffries"), Former WXLC-FM (Hot 102.3) on-air talent

• Tim Garrity, Former WXLC-FM (Hot 102.3) on-air talent

• Robyne Robinson, Co-anchor for Fox affiliate KMSP in Minneapolis-St. Paul

• Edna Ho Director of Chicago's Municipal TV Programming and Executive Producer of the program "Chicago Works."

• Ernie Manouse, Emmy nominated and Katie Award winning TV Interviewer/Producer of the PBS show InnerVIEWS with Ernie Manouse

• Amy Sweezey, broadcast meteorologist at WESH-TV (NBC) in Orlando, Florida.

• Jeff Grossman (Jeff Andrews) is the Owner and President of Sheet Happens Prep. Most recently morning man at WINK-FM/Ft Myers.

• Jerry Riles sports reporter, columnist, air personality, program director and producer with such companies as CLTV, WSCR-AM and WVON-FM.

• Steve Niketopoulos Production Coordinator at CAN TV Chicago.

• Rob Creighton Program Director and Morning Show Host at 97-3 YES! FM (KLZK) in Lubbock, Texas.

• Sue Cavi Production Assistant WBBM-TV News, PIA Radio Network, Voice Talent.

• Emma Sofia Crisci, Writer; Marketing Specialist; Production Assistant and On-Air Talent at WQHT; Videography Assistant at Blue Flame Ad Agency: A P. Diddy Company.
• Angenette Natkowski General Sales Manager for a 6-station cluster with Clear Channel Media + Entertainment in St Louis (6 years), previously with MAN Marketing Chicago (3 years), CBS Radio Chicago (9 years) and Tribune (1 year)