Posted by chicagomedia.org on November 10, 2008 at 15:19:20:
WLIT-FM makes switch ... to Gossett in afternoons
It wasn't the big switch WLIT-FM 93.9 listeners were waiting for Monday, but without any fanfare Kevin Gossett was installed as the Clear Channel station's new weekday afternoon drive host.
Gossett, who's originally from Anderson, Ind., will provide voice tracks mostly from Phoenix, where he is program director and afternoon personality of Clear Channel's KEX-FM, for Lite FM's 2-7 p.m. slot Monday through Friday.
Melissa Forman, who has been pulling double duty on the 5:30-8:30 a.m. and 4-7 p.m. shift since Oct. '07, now will be able to focus primarily handle just the 5:30-9 a.m. chores.
Forman's litefm.com blog said she was out Monday with a virus but expected to be back on the air Tuesday, and she teased that she'll be "practicing throwing the holiday switch" on her return. A WLIT spokeswoman said the key word there was "practicing."
The station's Web site continues to have a countdown clock indicating a Nov. 21 launch of its traditional Christmas music blitz, but history indicates that's no guarantee of when the phenomenally popular annual stunt actually will occur.
Other changes at WLIT accompanying the addition of Gossett include Robin Rock, who had been the chief bridge between Forman's shifts, cutting back to 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Forman held down the morning slot on WLIT for five years but was bounced in favor Whoopi Goldberg's nationally syndicated program in Aug. 2006. The station re-hired Forman in Feb. '07 for afternoons, then had her replace Goldberg in Oct. '07, doing the show live in the morning and voice-tracked in the afternoon.
(Phil Rosenthal, Chicago Tribune)