Longtime WMAY host and news director Jim Leach is departing the Springfield, Illinois news/talk station to become the public information officer for the Illinois Department of Public Health.
Leach hosted the 4:00-6:00 PM show on the station but noted to the Illinois Times that the role of a progressive talk show host doesn’t have a bright future.
“It was certainly my hope to make sure that we had a wide array of viewpoints and to make sure a lot of people’s views and opinions were heard, and I feel like we accomplished that,” said Leach. I find that a really gratifying part of the job. We opened up that platform and that ability to be heard to a wider audience.”
His departure concludes his second tenure with the station. He has hosted a daily show since 1996. Leach’s final program will be today, before beginning his work with the Illinois Department of Public Health on Tuesday, July 5th.
The new lineup at the Mid-West Family Broadcasting station does not include Frank McNeil. He hosted a one-hour daily program on WMAY directly following Leach. However, he claims he was offered another time slot by station management that “wasn’t acceptable”, and has also departed the station.
