Airwaves Lose Two More Ladies

Breaking news today as WGN-AM radio in Chicago has abruptly announced the cancellation of the Kathy and Judy show. The girls are doing their final show on the air right now. This move means that there are virtually no major radio stations with prominent female hosts in the city of Chicago, and few elsewhere in the country. It also means an end to twenty years of Kathy and Judy on the air, which is just a shame.

I know that it may seem odd for me - supporter of the little gal, pro-nonprofit radio advocate - to wax poetic about two people who were on a big major commercial radio station like WGN, but I think its important to acknowledge the contribution that Kathy O'Malley and Judy Markey made to the airwaves. Particularly for the women of the baby boomer generation, like my mom, who was an avid listener of their program, it was the first time that they heard one of their own on the airwaves as the host, in control and not just a sideshow gimic. Kathy and Judy were also immensely talented at balancing a healthy and joyful embrace of the superficial (fashions on sports teams was always a favorite subject) with the serious, speaking frankly on marriage, divorce, sexuality, health, aging and parenting, all without lowering themselves to stunts or stereotypes. It is undeniable that some of what I tried to be on the WOW radio show was, consciously or not, influenced by Kathy and Judy's embrace of friendship and fun, while still addressing important issues with the dignity and respect that they required. So Kathy and Judy, I raise a glass to you, girlfriends!

The odd conincidence of their cancellation, the same week that WOW retired from the airwaves, is not lost on me. Ultimately, this underscores the need for more avenues for independent and diverse voices on the airwaves, which is why I'm working very hard with the Chicago Independent Radio Project to pass the Local Community Radio Act, which would expand low power FM nonprofit, community-run radio stations across the country. But that alone is not the answer - we need more diversity across all media, and that includes major corporate radio and television and print media as well as local community radio outlets. Ladies in journalism schools, businesswomen looking to invest in media ownership, programming directors in radio and tv and newsrooms across the country right now, are you listening? We need you!