On The Dial: ESPN Aims To Expand "The Herd" To More Locally Owned Stations

Blogger Ed Sherman cited sources as saying that ESPN wants to give "The Herd" radio host Colin Cowherd "more visibility on its locally-owned stations." Chicago "could be the next major market" to get the show, which airs from 10:00am-1:00pm ET. It is "expected" that ESPN Radio 1000 Chicago will "shift the Tom Waddle-Marc Silverman duo" from 9:00am-1:00pm CT to the afternoon drive. That would "leave an opening to slide in Cowherd’s national show in the morning slot." ESPN Radio 103.3 Dallas "recently did a similar move, going with Cowherd’s show live instead of tape delay" (SHERMANREPORT.com, 3/4).

MIAMI VICE: In Ft. Lauderdale, Dieter Kurtenbach reports WQAM-AM has "fired show host Dan Sileo after 11 controversial months." Sileo yesterday wrote on his Twitter feed, "Want to thank the Folks at WQAM for having me...We differ on content...WISH them WELL and GOOD LUCK..I WILL NEVER CHANGE!!!!" He followed that tweet with "others calling the station 'soft' and that 'WQAM isn't for me' because it feared him." Kurtenbach notes Sileo was "suspended by WQAM in January after sending sexist tweets" to Fox Sports' Erin Andrews. WQAM Program Dir Jorge Sedano said that the station will "take its time in finding a full-time replacement for Sileo." Sedano added that "both in-house and outside candidates will be considered" (South Florida SUN-SENTINEL, 3/5). Sileo tweeted, "FIRED FOR SPEAKING MY MIND BABY!!!! Love it!!" Sedano said that Kevin Rogers and Brando Guzio will "temporarily fill" Sileo's former 10:00am-1:00pm time slot (MIAMI HERALD, 3/5).

GOODBYE, MR. AUTOMATIC: CBS Sports Radio's Jim Rome yesterday announced Jason Stewart, who has worked on Rome's show for nearly 14 years, is leaving the program Friday. Rome said Stewart has been a “critical part of this show, he’s been a critical part of this brand.” Stewart said, “I’d love to make this an incredibly fun week, kind of a goodbye week, a send-off week.” Stewart said being at the show for 14 years “is an eternity in any industry” and the decision to leave “was something I thought about long and hard.” Stewart: “I just kind of came to this point where I turned 40 in the fall and I’ve been doing this so long it was just time to move on.” Rome said it has “been an amazing run (and) you don’t see that in this industry very much.” Rome said there was no “drama” involved in Stewart’s decision to leave and “this is going to end very, very well." Rome: “A lot of you have grown up with the show, so you know Stew. So I wanted to make sure we had an entire week to talk about this and share this” (“The Jim Rome Show,” 3/4).

WHO SAYS YOU CAN'T COME HOME: In Birmingham, Bob Carlton reported former WJOX-FM Program Dir Ryan Haney, who left the station six weeks ago to join ESPN Radio 97.3 Birmingham, "returned to WJOX" yesterday following a "breach-of-contract lawsuit filed by Citadel Broadcasting." Haney had been with WJOX since '98 and worked as PD since '04. He left the station on Jan. 21 and started at ESPN Radio "a week later." The two sides "appear to have reached a settlement" (AL.com, 3/4).

CALIFORNIA DREAMIN': In Atlanta, Rodney Ho reported WZGC-FM morning host C.J. Simpson is "leaving Atlanta to go west" to work with the WNBA Sparks. Simpson will work as "in-game host" for the Sparks' radio broadcasts in L.A., and as host on Time Warner Cable SportsNet L.A. Tomorrow will be her final day with WZGC. Simpson is the "first departure on the main lineup" for the station since it switched to a sportstalk format "just over four months ago" (ACCESSATLANTA.com, 3/4).