WJBC in Bloomington, Illinois is mourning the loss of longtime morning host Scott Laughlin, who died Tuesday after a lengthy bout with cancer.

Laughlin spent 40 years working in Central Illinois, including nearly two decades hosting mornings on the Cumulus-owned news/talk outlet. Before joining the station, he worked at sister station WBNQ from 1982 to 1996.

Laughlin retired from the station in May 2019 after being diagnosed with kidney cancer.

A passionate supporter of The Salvation Army, the organization created the Scott Laughlin Spirit Award in 2023 to honor its top fundraiser through its famous red kettle campaign, according to the station.

Scott Laughlin was 65 years old.

It’s a homecoming for Mike Gallagher, as his nationally syndicated show from Salem Radio Network is joining the station where he got his big break 35 years ago, 98.9 WORD.

Beginning on Monday, May 6th, The Mike Gallagher Show will be heard from 10 AM-Noon on the Audacy-owned Greenville, South Carolina news/talk station.

“This community is where I met my wife, where we raised our kids, and will always be home to me,” Gallagher said. “To return to the same station where my ride began all those years ago is simply incredible. Many thanks to Audacy Market Manager Steve Sinicropi and Ops Manager Mark Hendrix for putting this deal together. I can’t wait to get back on the air there. Who says you can’t go home again?”

Mike Gallagher was previously heard in the market on 94.5 The Answer. However, Salem Media Group sold the WGTK-FM signal — along with two others in the market — in August of last year to Christian broadcaster Educational Media Foundation for $6.775 million.

The program hosted by Gallagher replaces Straight Talk with Bill Frady in the 98.9 WORD lineup. He joined the station in a full-time capacity in the 10 AM-Noon timeslot last March. Frady is stepping into the 12-3 PM timeslot previously occupied by The Erick Erickson Show.

Additionally, 98.9 WORD is adding former 94.5 The Answer host Joey Hudson as an early morning host, anchoring Sunrise Carolina with Joey Hudson from 5-6 AM ET.

“I’m ecstatic to join the team at this heritage station,” said Hudson. “It’s especially gratifying to join my longtime friend and mentor Mike as he makes his triumphant return to the Upstate. As a lifelong resident of the area, I’m fortunate to continue serving the community I love as part of The Voice of the Carolinas. Thank you to Steve Sinicropi, Mark Hendrix and the 98.9 WORD family for welcoming me back to the airwaves.” 

Talk radio in the Twin Cities is alive and well, represented by two respected brands, WCCO and Twin Cities News Talk. The two stations battled for the top spot in several different demographics during the winter ratings period. The latest results from Nielsen paint a picture of a very competitive marketplace.

Beginning with Persons 12+, WCCO saw an 8.0 share during the morning drive (6-10a) daypart, helmed by The Morning News with Vineeta Sawkar and the first hour of the Adam and Jordana, hosted by Adam Carter and Jordana Green. That marked a third-place finish in the market for the Audacy-owned brand. The station also earned an 0.8 (Persons 25-54) and 1.3 (Persons 35-64).

Meanwhile, the morning daypart on Twin Cities News Talk features Jon Justice and the first hour of The Glenn Beck Program. Combined the two shows earned a 2.5 share in the Persons 12+ category, and shares of 0.5 (Persons 25-54) and 1.8 (Persons 35-54).

In middays (10a-3p), WCCO’s pairing of Carter and Green, as well as The Chad Hartman Show from 12p-3p produced a 5.1 share, good for a seventh place tie among Persons 12+. The result was lower with Persons 25-54 and 35-64, with the station recording a 0.7 and 1.0, respectively. On the iHeartMedia-owned Twin Cities News Talk, the station aired the final two hours of Glenn Beck’s program, The Clay Travis & Buck Sexton Show, and the first hour of The Sean Hannity Show during the window. The trio delivered a 3.3 share with Persons 12+, and a 2.5 share (Persons 35-64) and 1.5 share (Persons 25-54) in the key demos.

Afternoon drive featured the tightest battle between the two stations. Both WCCO’s Drivetime with DeRusha led by Jason DeRusha and programs helmed by Sean Hannity and Joe Pags were tied with a 1.1 share with Persons 25-54. When WCCO’s stream is added, the station finishes with a 1.2 share in the daypart. Among Persons 35-64, DeRusha’s show finished with a 1.7 share, while Hannity and Pags earned a 1.5 share. With Persons 12+, WCCO scored a 3.2 share, nine-tenths of a share higher than Twin Cities News Talk, which had a 2.3.

In weekday prime (M-F, 6a-7p), the stations jockeyed for position depending on demo. In Persons 12+, WCCO earned a 5.4 share, good for eighth. Twin Cities News Talk finished with a 2.8 share. However, in the Persons 25-54 demo, the outlet bested WCCO with a 1.0 share, compared to a 0.9. Similarly, in the Persons 35-64 demographic, the iHeart-owned brand pulled a 2.0 share, compared to a 1.2 from WCCO.

Finally, the full week ratings (M-Su, 6a-12a) saw WCCO earn a higher share in Persons 12+ with a 5.0, compared to the 2.2 share garnered by Twin Cities News Talk. But, just like the weekday prime sector, Twin Cities News Talk rebounded in Persons 35-64 with a 1.8 share, compared to a 1.5 for WCCO. In Persons 25-54, WCOO’s number was a 1.1, compared to an 0.9 by its competitor.

All numbers reported include both over the air and streaming. Ratings data for Salem Media Group’s AM 1280 The Patriot and Freedom 1570 was not available this quarter.

Ratings reports and analysis are written by BNM and sponsored by Crowd React Media, a division of Harker Bos Group. Learn more about the different ways media research can benefit your station and cut through the noise by clicking here.