Shaw Media entered the northern Illinois radio market in April 2023 by acquiring a group of market-leading Illinois Valley stations. The addition of radio stations enhanced the company’s already vibrant mix of Northern Illinois digital and print media. The combination of print, radio, and digital offerings allows us to better serve our markets in unique ways. Our goal is to forge deep ties in our communities as we strive to help make them better places to live.
We are the proud owners of the third oldest, continuously owned and operated family newspaper in the nation. Our legacy of success dates back to our founding in 1851. We’re the number one source of independent local news and information in the communities we serve, and one of the nation’s largest newspaper publishers. That success is due to our talented group of employees who put their very best into Shaw Media’s award-winning daily and weekly print and digital publications located in Illinois and Iowa. Our history of success continues today.
The pedigree of Shaw Media reads like a fascinating lesson in American history—involving documented Mayflower ancestry and a government office in the Plymouth colonies; a daring, orphaned 14 year-old Pony Express rider turned printer/newspaper editor; the founding of the early Republican party; a partnership with Abraham Lincoln; and a determined businesswoman blazing professional trails in the early 1900s. It’s a story characterized by tenacity, drive, and vision—the same qualities that still define Shaw Media today.
The communities we cover make up a population of over three million people, and over one million households. We reach over two and a half million readers in print and online every month. We partner with thousands of small businesses, community non-profits, and municipalities to make our communities better places to live.
OUR STATIONS
Walls 102
WALLS 102 is your live and local country station! More people listen to WALLS 102 during the workday than any other station. You can hear your favorite country hits in and around Oglesby, Ottawa, LaSalle, Peru, and Streator. Your home for wall-to-wall country! WALLS 102 is streaming online at walls102.com and on IOS and Android apps at WALLS 102.
Mornings with Dani
Brought to you by: Steinberg Furniture, DJ’s Carpet Furniture & More, Koolmaster, Eureka Savings Bank, and Town & Country Services. Dani has been working in radio since she was a teenager! She loves a good cup of coffee, her daughters along with her clueless husband, and her dogs! You can listen to Dani, weekday mornings, 6am – 10am!
Walls Afternoons
WALS Afternoons is brought to you by: First State Bank. A Peru, IL native! Annie has worked in radio all over the place, from Arizona to Oregon. Her guilty pleasure is watching the latest trashy t.v. show. Join Annie every weekday from 3pm – 7pm.
Crook & Chase Countdown
Each weekend, Crook and Chase count down the top 30 songs as reported by Mediabase 24/7. The show features four hours of hits, humor, and artist interviews. Listen every Sunday, 7am – 10am.
zMAX Racing Country
A weekly two-hour music intensive variety show featuring insights and interviews from behind the scenes of NASCAR and Nashville. Race to Walls 102 for zMAX Racing Country, Sundays 10am-Noon.
Q Hit Music
Q HIT MUSIC is your Top 40 station with all the hits all the time! Playing all the hits in LaSalle, Bureau, and Putnam County! Q Hit Music is live, local, and streaming at qhitmusic.com and on the app for Apple and Android at Q Hit Music.
Q Hit Mornings
Q Hit Mornings is sponsored by DJ’s Carpet Furniture & More, and Eureka Savings Bank LaSalle. Wake up with Zane weekday mornings! Catch him during Q Hit Music’s Morning Show from 6am –10am.
The Afternoon Daydream
The Afternoon Daydream brought to you by Marquette Academy. Day is a Waukegan, IL native. Music is one of his lifelines. It keeps him going. Getting to talk about it to the masses is a plus. Hang out with Day, weekdays 3pm – 7pm.
Classic country wglc
CLASSIC COUNTRY WGLC is the area’s choice for classic country! Tune in for local spots, news, and agriculture. WGLC spreads to Northern LaSalle and Bureau Counties and is streaming online at wglc.net and on the app for Apple and Android at WGLC Classic Country.
The Breakfast Show
The Breakfast Show is sponsored Liberty Village of Peru and Mendota Area Senior Services. Wake up with Chuck! Originally from Toledo, Ohio. You can catch him hangin’ out with his wife and son or doing a little bass fishing. The Breakfast Show – Mornings from 6am – 10am.
classic hits 106
CLASSIC HITS 106 is the greatest “feel good” hits of the 80’s & 90’s. Bon Jovi, Cyndi Lauper, Journey, Madonna and more. From the 106-minute commercial free Lunch Run. From the 5 After 5 with Chuck O’Brien in the Afternoon to Annie at Night playing all the hits.
Chuck O’Brien in the Afternoon
Chuck has been in the region since 1984. In addition to holding down the fort on Classic Hits 106 weekday afternoons, Chuck can be heard hosting specials on Sirius/XM’s Elvis Radio. Chuck is also Program Director for WBZG, WSPL and WYYS, and is a 5-time recipient of Small Market Morning Show of the year from the Illinois Broadcasters Association.
Annie at Night
Annie was born and raised here in LaSalle/Peru. Annie has also worked for stations in Arizona and Oregon, including a stint with the Real Country Network owned and operated by the late Buck Owens.
98.5 SPL
98.5 SPL is a good times, great oldies kind of station, you won’t be disappointed. Beatles, Beach Boys, Motown, and the greatest music ever made.
100.9 FM rocks!
100.9 FM ROCKS! is your all-around great rock radio station. Every city should have a Classic Rock station like this. Since 1970, WBGZ has been rockin’ the Illinois Valley. Generations of Classic Rock fans have grown up with this station. Back in the day WBZG helped launch the careers of groups like Head East and REO Speedwagon.
OUR STAFF
Dani Holland
Program Director/On-Air Radio Announcer, Shaw Local Radio
2024 marks my 18th year as a broadcaster. I grew up in Geneseo, IL where I got interested in radio when I was in high school. I dipped my toes into broadcasting by being second chair in announcing for my high school basketball team. My first radio job was in Kewanne, IL at Virden Radio Group in 2006 and I fell in love with it. I went to Western Illinois University for Broadcasting and Music Bussiness, where I was on-air for my college station and for the local stations in Macomb, IL. After college, I moved to Bloomington, IL where I worked for a Cummulus Media station. My old college roomate was leaving a radio station in Peru, IL and told me I should apply. So I did. I got the job and from there, my husband and I moved to the Illinois Valley. I have been on-air in the Illinois Valley since 2015. I am the Walls 102 morning show host from 6am – 10am, Monday through Saturday. Walls 102 is a Music Row reporting station, where I take calls from Nashville music promoters each week to add new and upcoming music to our country station. I organize interviews with up-and-coming country music artists as well. I schedule all the music and imagery for Walls 102, Classic Country WGLC, and for Q Hit Music 97.7 & 103.3. Since moving to the area, my husband and I have bought a house and have two beautiful daughters. We love this area and are proud to raise our girls in such a tight-knit community.
Chuck O'Brien
Program Director/On-Air personality, Shaw Local Radio
I grew up in Toledo, OH where I jumped into the business at the ripe old age of 13. It all started behind the scenes as a studio board operator running Sunday morning church programming and Casey Kasem’s American Top 40. Since then, I have had a wonderful career working for great stations from Toledo to Quad Cities U.S.A. From being on the air to commercial production and station imaging to general programming … and yes, even sales, radio has always been in my blood. Even today, my greatest thrill is getting to tell a community’s story through the magic of our industry.
On a side note, I have served as a special projects host for Sirius/XM’s Elvis Radio since 2010.
Jeff Billig
Sales and Marketing Manager, Shaw Local Radio
Jeff has a passion for sales and marketing, and has dedicated his career to helping and serving his clients through marketing. Jeff has been in radio since 2006. With a love of music, finding a position in radio was a plus for Jeff. One of the many favorite things about this industry is meeting new people, and creating fun dynamic radio commercials for so many different kinds of businesses. Jeff has a history of creating some pretty fun commercials, and events for his clients.
Outside of work, Jeff loves spending time with his wife Cathy. They have two adult children outside of the house, Hanna in Illinois and Blake Oregon. Jeff and Cathy enjoy adventures and traveling from the east coast to the west coast. One of our favorite trips was a drive from Portland Maine, to Boston Mass, with a night in Kennebunkport Maine. Such a beautiful country we live in. Jeff also loves spending time at home cooking on his Big Green Egg, and working on his property
Tina Devine
Traffic Manager, Shaw Local Radio
Tina Devine grew up in Bourbonnais, IL. She moved to the Illinois Valley area in 1994. She started her career in radio as a Traffic Programmer and has spent the last 19 years learning all she could about the business.
Holding the position as Traffic Manager is demanding, yet she enjoys every minute of it. Traffic managers play a critical role in radio operations. Her duties are plentiful and include organizing content, scheduling advertising & programming, and ensuring accuracy in commercial logs to deliver the best content the listeners deserve.
Her goal is to make sure clients are happy with their commercials and that their radio advertising experience is a success.
When she is not working behind the scenes with her Shaw Media family, she is enjoying her own family including her Boston Terrier Emmitt. Yes, she is a Dallas Cowboy fan!