WJR HoF Host Smith Launches ''Focus,'' Moves to Middays

RADIO ONLINE | Monday, June 5, 2023

Paul W. Smith

Cumulus Media's WJR/Detroit will kick off the next generation of Michigan's best News/Talk on Tuesday, June 20, featuring a lineup of all local voices in primetime. Highlighting the changes, 760 WJR morning host Paul W. Smith will move to the newly created 12-2pm timeslot as host of "Focus." Smith replaces the syndicated Dan Bongino Show and moves into the post long held by the late Rush Limbaugh on WJR.

Paul W. Smith joined 760 WJR in the early 1980's, working weekends and filling in for his predecessor, JP McCarthy, eventually taking over the noon hour "Focus" show. Shortly after McCarthy's death in 1996, Paul W. was selected as the permanent host of the WJR morning show. Since then, "Michigan's Anchorman" has broadcast his show from around the world and hosted everyone from Presidents, CEOs, and entertainers to next-door neighbors.

WJR's Guy Gordon will move to mornings from his current position in the early afternoon timeslot as the host of "JR Morning" from 6-9am. 9am-noon is "All Talk" with Tom Jordan and Kevin Dietz and "Focus" from noon-2pm with Paul W. Smith. Next will be the newly created "JR Afternoon" Show with host Chris Renwick from 2-4pm, followed by WJR's Mitch Albom, host of "The Mitch Albom Show" from 4-6pm. To cap the day's all-local primetime lineup, WJR is bringing back "SportsWrap" with host Sean Baligian from 6-7pm.

Cumulus Detroit Vice President/Market Manager Steve Finateri said, "Launching the Focus show will give Paul W. Smith the opportunity to expand, on and off the air, his unmatched relationships with Michigan's most influential newsmakers, for the benefit of our audience and our advertising partners. WJR is The Great Voice of the Great Lakes and going 100% local is a big win for all Michiganders who count on WJR to inform and educate us about everything happening here in our state."

WJR Program Director Mike Wheeler added, "What a lineup. Each of our talent is a brand unto themselves and have a unique vision and take on the events that shape the news. We are absolutely living up to our claim that WJR is where Michigan comes to talk."