16 illinoisentertainer . com december 2017
IN REMEMBRANCE
I
t ’ s become a year-end tradition in this space to honor some of the broadcasters we lost in the past calendar year . All of them touched countless lives in the Chicago area , maybe even your own . The Chicago media community is diminished by their absence .
JOE COLLINS - Collins was a veteran traffic reporter in Chicago best known for his many years as the afternoon anchor at WBBM News Radio . A few years ago Joe was diagnosed with Muscular Dystrophy and his last few years on this earth were a tremendous challenge . We interviewed him for this column in 2013 . He was still working on the air , although his working days were quickly coming to an end . “ It ’ s nice to go to a job I still love every day and work with people I really care about , and I think we contribute something meaningful . I ’ m still here , and I really try to be a good person , which I know sounds a little corny , but as long as I can remain independent and can contribute something , I ’ m going to keep on doing it .” Joe was beloved by his fellow traffic reporters . He passed away this summer at the age of 58 .
MIKE MATHIS – In May of 2017 Mike Mathis was inducted into the WGN Walk of Fame . The veteran airborne traffic reporter ( from 1983-2008 ) passed away just two months later at the age of 67 . His good friend , former WGN morning man Spike O ’ Dell , had this to say about Mathis . “ It was impossible NOT to like this man . He greeted you with a smile and a friendly word when you passed him in the hallway . He was a model employee who never said no when you asked him to do something . .. There is a reason he was inducted into the WGN Walk of Fame . He DESERVED it ! Some people didn ’ t realize that he didn ’ t actually work for the Tribune Company . He was always “ on loan ” from the Cook County Sheriff ’ s Department . Although , all of us who worked with him every day at the radio station considered him family … because he was .”
MARTY ZIVIN – In January of 2017 , Marty Zivin passed away after a long bout with cancer at the age of 60 . Zivin worked at numerous radio stations in the Chicago area , and he was an internet pioneer . He was also a mentor and guide to a whole generation of Chicago broadcasters . One of those was Lisa Greene , who remembers Zivin very fondly . “ He was this wiry , gentle , grizzled tech genius who formed one of the first Chicago Radio message boards more than 20 years ago , and developed patents for internet radio as we know it , before anyone knew what it was , or could be . He was one of the sweetest , loveliest people you could ever meet : brilliant , quirky , and a family man . If I or any of my colleagues had some time on the beach ( unemployed ), he would excitedly offer , ‘ do you need to make or edit some demos ? Want to be on my internet stations to keep up on your craft til your next gig ? I ' ve got a studio in my basement if you ever need one for anything !!’”
BILL JUREK – Jurek worked in both television and radio in Chicago , first as a staff announcer at Channel 5 , and then at various different radio stations including WLIT . One of his colleagues at WLIT was the legendary programmer Mark Edwards . This is
By Rick Kaempfer
how he remembers Bill . “ Bill Jurek was truly one of a kind . While we worked together at WLIT , his vision began to fail him but he found a way to still do a radio show until it just wasn ' t possible anymore . He then found what will be his legacy , devoting his considerable talent to CRIS Radio , the service that provides reading services for the disabled and hosting a program that covered the important subject of living with disabilities . Few people have the talent , kind heart , and drive to help others that Bill did . It was an honor to work with him and see his tremendous contributions , first to Chicago media and later to the disabled community . He is sorely missed .”
Bill Jurek
KELLY SEATON – She was a trailblazer for women in Chicago radio , having served as a general manager ( WFYR ) and a sales manager for several Chicago stations . She passed in April . One of her former colleagues was traffic reporter Stephen Haas , who had this to say about her : “ Kelly was a kind and gracious lady , always willing to share knowledge of sales and radio in general . She was one of the first females in Chicago radio to break the glass ceiling , and she did so with class . We got to know each other just by passing in the halls of then Metro Networks . She was that kind of a person … easy and fun to know .”
GEORGE COLLIAS – In June of 2017 , the former founder of Century Broadcasting passed away at the age of 89 . Collias amassed a broadcasting empire that included a Chicago station ( WPNT , now known as WSHE ) before selling it in 1996 . He walked away a very wealthy man . Bob Heymann , the director of Media Services Group , remembers him well . “ George was a true gentleman and visionary in the radio industry . He was smart enough to recognize and capture the heightened value of WPNT-FM ( now WSHE ) when Century Broadcasting sold it for $ 75,000,000 in 1996 .”
We lost many more media figures this past year , including WBBM ' s Tom LaPorte , WIND ’ s Jim Gannon , WKQX ’ s Dick Penn , NBC ’ s Bob Walsh , WLS ’ Cliff Levine , WMAQ ’ s Ted Lauterbach , agent Robert Eaton , WBBM ’ s Alan Bickley , WCFL ’ s John Webster , WJOB ’ s Keith Middleton , WBBM- TV ’ s Mary Nissenson , FM 100 ’ s Darrel Peters , and so many more . All made their marks in the local media community , and it ’ s a shame we must enter 2018 without them .