Tom Joyner Morning Show Cancelled, But Not Gone

The syndicated “Tom Joyner Morning Show” is being taken off the air at V103, Chicago’s WVAZ-FM 102.7, the station has announced. It will be replaced with “The Steve Harvey Morning Show” starting next week.

Tom Joyner Fired

Tom Joyner’s 13-year run with V103 ends next Tuesday. “The Steve Harvey Morning Show,” currently aired on WGCI-FM 107.5, will be simulcast on both stations through the end of March, Clear Channel tells Chicago-area media outlets. After that point, a replacement program is expected to be named for the timeslot in WGCI.

The V103 program director described Tom Joyner as “great partner” with the station, “making it difficult to part ways.” He did not provide a reason for the decision.

“The Steve Harvey Morning Show” has been on WGCI since 2007. Harvey, interestingly, has replaced Joyner before, too: He took over for him at WGCI as on on-air personality in 1996, the Chicago Tribune reports.

What’s Next for Tom Joyner

Tom Joyner isn’t giving up his gig altogether. The host writes on his blog that his radio program will still be produced and available online. The following is Joyner’s statement in response to the cancellation:

“We always say that when we come back from vacation something big has either happened or is about to happen. Well, this one topped them all. After 16 years, the Tom Joyner Morning Show won’t be broadcast on a local Chicago radio station at this time.

For Sybil and me, our relationship with the Chicago radio listeners goes back more than 20 years and believe me it has not ended by any stretch of the imagination. Friends and family in the Chicago market will continue to listen to the Party with a Purpose every morning on www.BlackAmericaWeb.com. So this isn’t the end, it’s just a change, so please pass this e-mail along to them.

Even though we’re heard in more than 100 markets around the country, Chicago is home, it’s the Mother Ship, the Flagship, all those words that mean it is the place that launched the TJMS. It’s where we came from and where we always could go back to. And we’re still there, just in a different way-for now!

We’ve had great times in Chicago and we’ll be there soon to officially thank the thousands and thousands of you who made us what we are, and will be here with us as we take this to another level. We got where we are by knowing who you are, what you want and by Super Serving our audience, just like my mentor John H. Johnson taught me to do.

This world is changing, but doing the right thing never does, and we will continue to do what we’ve always done for the African American Community.

Tom