WLS-AM Morning News Anchor Gale Rises to News Director

RADIO ONLINE | Tuesday, January 19, 2021

Nick Gale

Cumulus Media promotes award-winning broadcast journalist Nick Gale to News Director for WLS-AM/Chicago, IL. He'll continue to serve the station as morning news anchor, a post he's held since 2020. Gale previously worked as News Director at a five-station radio group in LaSalle-Peru, IL, and later as a reporter and anchor at WOKV-AM in Jacksonville, FL. He then spent six years with the Illinois Radio Network covering state government for 50 affiliates, and also worked part-time at WLS before joining full-time in 2013.

A native of suburban Glenview, IL, Gale has been behind a microphone since 1994, when he got his start in broadcasting at Glenbrook South High School radio station WGBK-FM. After graduating from Southern Illinois University with a B.S. degree in Radio and Political Science. He's covered a wide range of stories, including NASA's return to space after the Columbia disaster, flooding on the Mississippi River, the horrific mass shooting at NIU, and the Blagojevich corruption trials. He has contributed stories to the Associated Press, ABC, BBC and FOX, and has been recognized for his work by the Associated Press and the Illinois Broadcasters Association.

WLS-AM Program Director Stephanie Tichenor said, "There's a spot in Chicago, below Michigan Ave, where the sun rarely shines, and the conversation is always flowing. It's the Billy Goat Tavern, a haven for the kings and queens of Chicago print and on-air journalism, and it's where for the past 8 years, Nick Gale has ordered a fried egg sandwich to go as he began the short walk to the NBC Tower to start his news shift at 890 WLS-AM. Nick, like the Billy Goat Tavern, is reliable, relatable, and fulfilling. That is why he's the perfect person for the News Director position at 890 WLS-AM. He is exactly what Chicago news needs right now and I look forward to working with him to enhance our news product for our listeners."

Gale commented, "As the great John Dempsey signs off, it is humbling to even have been considered for the position that he and others synonymous with Chicago radio and WLS have held (think Jennifer Keiper, Steve Scott, Bud Miller). I am proud to say that all have been my mentors over the years (thanks, Bud, for setting up a tour of the station with Steve when I was just a kid in college; thank you, Jen, for giving me a chance all those years ago; and Dempsey... well... you're just the best! Congrats on your retirement!)."

He added, "I have big shoes to fill and look forward to working with our newsroom team in keeping the 'Big 89' a place where Chicago can turn to for all the news and information they need through the day. Thank you to Stephanie, Marv and the rest of the management team at Cumulus for the opportunity."