For 17 years, Mike Scott anchored the newscasts for a Salem Media Group conservative Talk station serving the nation’s third-largest market. He did so through a relationship with Total Traffic and Weather Network and NBC News Radio.
On Friday, that arrangement between iHeartMedia-owned TTWN and Salem will end. But, Scott’s not going anywhere, as “The Answer” is engaging in an “overhaul” of its news and traffic operations.
Scott is transitioning to a role as a full-time Salem Media Group employee. It’s a move that makes him News Director of WIND-AM 560 “The Answer” in Chicago.
As a TTWN employee, Scott anchored newscasts heard between 5am and Noon and was doing so for 17 years. Scott will continue to do so while anchoring traffic reports, starting January 1.
“I’m incredibly gratified to be able to continue in my role on the air with AM 560 and Salem Media,” Scott said. “We have some of the best listeners in all of Chicago radio and some of the best on-air talent. I look forward to providing the first look at the day’s news for our audience.”
Scott will also assume anchoring duties for the Salem Podcast Network’s Daybreak Insider Podcast, which launched in September.
However, his continued presence on “Chicago’s Morning Answer with Dan Proft & Amy Jacobson” is the bigger takeaway, as WIND has gained audience — and attention — from Jacobson, who successfully regained access to COVID-19 press briefings conducted in mid-2019 by Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker. Jacobson had been barred from the briefings due to what the governor’s office said was her participation in a protest of COVID-19 shelter-in-place restrictions that attracted neo-Nazi sympathizers. In the view of Jacobson, it was retaliation for her reports on the governor’s questionable travel during the height of those restrictions.
Amy Jacobson is not related to RBR+TVBR Editor-in-Chief Adam R Jacobson.
GENETTE KISSES NEW HOME
The hiring of Scott at “The Answer” isn’t the only big move for WIND, which vigorously competes against troubled Cumulus Media Talker WLS-AM 890 (which has a 0.8 share in Nielsen Audio’s December 2021 ratings report), Nexstar-owned WGN-AM 720, and to a more limited extend NPR member station WBEZ-FM.
JoAnn Genette, formerly heard in mornings at iHeartMedia’s WKSC-FM “103.5 KISS FM” and the stations seven-year Public Affairs Director, will now serve as WIND’s afternoon news anchor through an agreement with Remote News Service. Genette will anchor weekday afternoon newscasts through 6:30pm. Genette has been heard on a number of Chicago stations, including WLIT-FM, WLS-AM & FM, and WBBM, the all-News station.
Additionally, longtime Chicago traffic reporter Jill Urchak will now handle afternoon traffic reports. Urchak has spent close to 25 years as a traffic reporter in Chicago, and has worked at WGN-AM, WBBM-AM, WSCR-AM and WLUP-FM, as well as at WBBM-2.
“News and traffic are cornerstone elements for our format and for our radio station,” said WIND-AM RVP/General Manager Jeff Reisman. “Keeping Mike Scott on our team while also adding Joann and Jill solidifies our commitment to serve our audience. We have a team of veteran broadcasters with experience and insight that our listeners can trust.”
