WVON’s new 24-hour talk lineup mixes new, familiar local and national voices
Santita Jackson to make her radio host debut

By Demetrius Patterson
Chicago Defender
(September 13, 2006) On Monday, the new WVON-AM/1690 24-hour radio format will take effect, promising listeners a constant barrage of information from Black radio personalities with a strong local and national presence.

The most radical change listeners will find on Monday morning is the timeslot switch of "The Roland S. Martin Show," now kicking off the listening day from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. Monday through Friday, and the station's staple, "The Cliff Kelley Show," keeping listeners company during the rush hour period from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. Monday.

"Roland and Cliff have both been100 percent in supporting this growth spurt we are having," WVON owner Melody Spann-Cooper told the Defender Tuesday. "And both were willing to do what was needed to make this change to 24 hours work.

"Roland is energetic. He is morning. I couldn't think of anyone else who would be better to inject that energy that listeners need in the morning.

"And of course, Cliff is legendary. Cliff obviously works in the morning here, but now that we have 24 hours, we have an afternoon drive. My listeners aren't use to hearing me in the afternoon. Cliff has such a large following that they will find him during any timeslot. So I had to put my ace in the afternoon drive. Cliff is my ace. He's a legend."

New faces in the new WVON lineup will include Santita Jackson, eldest child of the Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr. "The Santita Jackson Show" will air from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m., offering her worldly perspective of current events.

From 12 p.m. to 3 p.m., WVON's listeners will be treated to the nationally syndicated "The Al Sharpton Show," hosted by former presidential candidate and national activist Rev. Al Sharpton, one of several shows launched earlier this year by Syndication One, a unit of urban media powerhouse Radio One.\"He's got a national presence," Spann-Cooper said. "He is doing well in the other markets that his syndicated program is on, and Chicago loves Al Sharpton. The great thing about his show (which will be broadcasted from New York) is that he will be broadcasting live and the audience can participate by calling in."

Spann-Cooper added that Sharpton will actually give a special sermon on Sunday at 6 p.m. at Trinity United Church of Christ, 400 W. 95th St., to kick off the new "WVON 1690AM/The Talk of Chicago" programming. Sharpton will also broadcast his first show live from WVON's headquarters.

After Kelley's show, "The Michael Eric Dyson Show," another Syndication One show, will air from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m.

"Michael Eric Dyson is one of the most prolific intellectual minds of this generation," Spann-Cooper said of the former DePaul University professor. "And the only bad side is that his show actually broadcasts earlier in the day than what we have for his timeslot. So listeners will here a rebroadcast of his syndicated show, but won't be able to call in. But he shares so much wisdom that we believe our listeners won't mind. We just had to have him in the lineup."

As a University of Pennsylvania professor and author of books that analyzed the lyrics of slain rap icon Tupac Shakur - and that music's culture - Dyson has been called the "hip hop scholar."
WVON listeners will here a familiar voice from 10 p.m. to 12 a.m. during "On Target with John Daye."

From 12 a.m. to 3 a.m., listeners will listen to a unique take on the world of sports with "The 2 Stews with Doug and Ryan Stewart." The Stewarts, who are brothers and former athletes, have one of the most acclaimed radio sports talk shows in the nation, Spann-Cooper said.
Ending the 24-hour run from 3 a.m. to 6 a.m. will be nationally known and former Black Entertainment Television (BET) news talk show host Bev Smith, syndicated by American Urban Radio Networks.

"Bev Smith is a program that I wanted to clear in this market for a long time," Spann-Cooper said. "She has quite the following from her BET days. She's extremely intelligent and knows the issues. And for night owls, they will find Bev insightful and very entertaining."

Spann-Cooper and Earl Jones, regional vice president of Clear Channel Radio, announced in August a multi-million dollar five-year local marketing agreement deal that will allow WVON to lease the corporation's AM 1690 frequency, with an option to buy. The deal created a 10,000-watt daytime and 1,000-watt nighttime station dedicated African American talk radio.

"I'm excited about this lineup," Spann-Cooper added. "I think I have got all-stars. I don't know a lineup in Chicago that is as strong as this one coming out of the gate. We are coming out swinging. We are going to make a major impact in this market."


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