Jonathon Brandmeier is Out at WLUP-FM/Chicago

RADIO ONLINE | , , | :am CT

Legendary air personality Jonathon Brandmeier is out of mornings at Emmis-owned Classic Rock WLUP-FM/Chicago. Fill-in host Pete McMurray was at the helm of Brandmeier's morning show on Monday, reports the Chicago Sun-Times. GM Marv Nyren told the newspaper that neither he nor Brandmeier could discuss his exit from mornings because of a confidentiality agreement. Nyren did say that middayer John Kempf, aka Byrd, will become the station's new morning host.

"He has the rock sound we want," said Nyren, who also commented that Brandmeier's departure does not signal the beginning of the end of personality-driven music radio in Chicago. "I just don't think we're going to have four hours of personality and 20 hours of music," added Nyren.

Kempf has been with WLUP for seven years, previously handled mornings for 11 months until Brandmeier's return to WLUP in 2005.