WLW - Former On-air Staff

Former On-air Staff

The station claims many well-known alumni, including Merle Travis, Doris Day, Rosemary Clooney, Ruth Lyons, Bob Braun, Wally Phillips, NBC sportscasters Cris Collinsworth and Al Michaels, longtime "Sportstalk" hosts Bob Trumpy and Andy Furman, former morning host Bill Wills (now with WTAM), Dale Sommers (better known as the "Truckin' Bozo"), J. R. Gach (who was fired for referring to Japanese as "yellow monkeys"), Mike McConnell (late-morning/midday host from 1985 until 2010), Gary Burbank (comedy talk host, impressionist, and creator of the nationally syndicated Earl Pitts monologues) and former Clear Channel radio CEO Randy Michaels. Rod Serling, the creator of the classic TV series The Twilight Zone, worked for WLW from 1947-48 producing historical documentaries, community profiles and commercials, before leaving to pursue other opportunities in the broadcasting industry.

Randy Michaels is credited for developing WLW from an MOR music signal into a successful all-local talk/adult contemporary music station in the early 1980s; music remained a regular part of WLW's broadcast day until the mid-1990s. In 2010 Michaels and McConnell were together at Tribune's WGN Chicago until Michaels resigned in October. Much of WLW's lineup has remained intact for several years. 700 WLW today is one of a select few radio stations left in the United States with original 24 hour locally produced programming, except on the weekends, making it unique and refreshingly creative. 700 WLW personalities (talk hosts) are stars in the Queen City, including Jim Scott, Bill Cunningham, Scott Sloan, Steve Sommers, Marc Amazon and former Cincinnati Red Tracy Jones. Program Director Darryl Parks fills in and hosts a Saturday morning show. WLW Radio has even made mini-stars out of select callers to its local talk shows. In October 2010, one of the more recent notable personalities, Eddie Fingers of the #1 afternoon drivetime slot, was abruptly terminated due to a contract dispute. 16 months later, Fingers was rehired by WLW and rejoined Tracy Jones in the 3pm-6pm slot on January 30, 2012.