Doug Banks returns to Chicago

A Chicago radio icon in coming home - well, at least on the air.

Chicago radio veteran Doug Banks is back on the airwaves thanks to a deal with Urban Adult Contemporary WVAZ-FM (V103), which will see it become the first station to carry his new syndicated radio show, which is being distributed by ABC Radio Networks (which is actually owned by Citadel.) WVAZ is owned by Clear Channel Communications.

Beginning Monday, Banks and co-host DeDe McGuire will appear weekdays on WVAZ from 2 to 6 p.m. The move puts him in direct competition with Michael Baisden's syndicated show (also syndicated by ABC Radio Networks), airing on WSRB-FM (Soul 106.3).

Doug Banks had a syndicated morning show syndicated by ABC for eleven years, but that ended on Dec. 31. WPWX-FM (Power 92) was one of Banks' affiliates, but dropped the program a few years ago to launch their own morning show. The program hasn't been heard in Chicago since.

Despite the loss, Banks has still been viable on the local media scene here, as a contributor to ABC-owned WLS-TV's 190 North magazine show and co-host of the station's recent New Year Eve countdown special.

Banks got his Chicago radio start at the old WBMX-FM in 1982, and later jumped to WGCI-FM where he later became morning host. He reunites with another WGCI alum - Tom Joyner - who worked afternoons at WGCI from 1985 to 1993 (as well as morning jock at KKDA in Dallas.) Joyner's morning syndicated show is heard on WVAZ.

Banks' and Joyner's programs will continue to based from Dallas.

Lineup Adjustment

To make room for Banks' new show, WVAZ made some adjustments to its weekday lineup - with Joyner continuing from 5 a.m. to 9 a.m., but now adds a extra hour exclusively for Chicago listeners at 9 a.m. The rest is as follows:

- Troi Tyler, 10 am-2pm
- Doug Banks, 2pm-6pm
- Ramonski Luv and Joe Soto 6pm-9pm (previously heard from 2pm-7pm)
- Irene Mojica 9pm-1am (also Saturdays from Noon-5pm)
- Ericka Campbell, 1am-5am

The moves come as WVAZ turned in a not-so-great performance in the recent Fall Arbitron book, where the station slipped from fifth place to eighth.