It was reported earlier this morning that Q101 (WKQX-Chicago) and The Loop (WLUM-Chicago) were sold to Randy Michaels, former Tribune Company CEO. This is fact. The rumor floating around Twitter and “the blogosphere” (yeah, I just used that word) is that Q101 will SWITCH FORMATS to “Talk/News”. My mind is blown. My heart is broken.

Q101 is the station I grew up listening to. I vividly remember listening to Q101 in the early 90s and saying, “One day, I’m going to work there”. Well (some of you may not know this) this dream ALMOST came true. In 2005 right after I graduated from college and moved back home, I moved back in with my parents. While sending out “serious” resumes, I sent one out to Q101. I ended up interning at the station for over a year.

yeah. I worked for FREE for over year…

I was lucky enough to be the intern for Fook the afternoon jock at the time. My radio name was “Chicken Fingers” (that story another day).I got to be “on-air” and learned a lot about the business. I also learned how volatile and unpredictable the industry can be – Fook was fired, seemingly out of nowhere on (I think) a Wednesday afternoon.

For like three weeks I got to work as a “board operator” – but that gig ended quickly as apparently they didnt “need” board-ops at the time.

“Losing” that “job” led me to graduate school at Marquette, and it also ultimately helped me land my current gig at FM102/1 in Milwaukee.

I’m keeping my fingers crossed that the format doesn’t flip, but from what I’ve read and heard it doesn’t look good for the station that helped break bands like Smashing Pumpkins and Fall Out Boy, brought us Mancow (love him or hate him), and created so many memories and gave me my passion for the alternative format.