Classic rock-formatted WLUP-FM (97.9) afternoon drive host Eddie Webb has gotten his big break. After a two-and-a-half-year stint with the station, he is leaving the Loop for New York, where he will be based to host a new nationally-syndicated classic rock show being developed jointly by Westwood One and VH1 that is set to launch on May 24. "It's a great break for Eddie," said WLUP general manager Marv Nyren, who also indicated the Loop has first dibs on Webb's show here in Chicago. Nyren said he will decide whether to pick it up after he listens to the pilot.

Webb's departure has precipitated some changes in WLUP's talent line-up. WLUP's current morning drive host John Kempf will shift to afternoon drive, which Nyren indicated is the time slot when more listeners now tune in to stations like the Loop. "Afternoons are the new morning drive," said Nyren. And the station's evening host Pete McMurray will move to the morning drive slot. All of these talent shifts will officially kick in on April 19. If Nyren picks up Webb's new classic rock show, that will become the Loop's new evening programming.