In the mid '90s, a DJ who had moved from Chicago to St. Louis asked me, "What is it about the St. Louis radio and TV market? It seems like a lot of personalities stay here for decades."
"That's true," I replied. "A lot of people who live in St. Louis were born here, and when they get to know and like an on-air personality, they tend to want that personality to stay here. Familiarity and loyalty often count for a lot here."
"It's not like that as much in Chicago," the DJ responded. "Usually, you're either good all the time, or you're gone."
Admittedly, Chicago is a big media market, and from a business standpoint, I understand the reasoning he described as typical of media there. However, if you're a radio or TV personality and you're still reasonably good at what you do, why shouldn't the good will you've earned with your audience count for something?
