Eric Von Haessler gets weekday show, Mark Arum an earlier time slot on WSB

The changes start Monday, January 9, 2017.

Von Haessler joined WSB about two years ago with a weekly Sunday show. He had been let go from Rock 100.5's Regular Guys in late 2013, disgruntled with a long partnership that had curdled over time.

"I couldn't be happier," he said of his new gig. "This is all I wanted. I feel really great about the show we're going to do and I feel really lucky I ended up here."

He said he always wanted as his next step to do a political talk show at WSB. "This is the only station I wanted to work for," Von Haessler said. Fortunately, he developed a good rapport with WSB Program Director Pete Spriggs, who has been a long-time fan of Von Haessler's.

After his final enervating years with the Regular Guys, Von Haessler said he felt like a "battered puppy." But Spriggs instilled faith in him that he could develop his own successful show.

Spriggs two years ago was honest with Von Haessler: he had no weekday openings at the time. But Von Haessler was willing to bide his time and build his chops on political talk radio with a weekly Sunday show. (His last Sunday show is this weekend.)

Called the Von Haessler Doctrine, his show is news focused with Von Haessler's signature Libertarian-edged rants and moments of humor. Tim Andrews, a fellow former Regular Guy who joined him a few months ago on the Sunday show, will join him on the weekday one. Autumn Fischer will remain part of Von Haessler's team as well. English Nick is committed to 97.1/The River, where he recently took the mid-day spot.

"He's doing what Paul Harvey used to do: appointment listening," Spriggs said. "It's an entertaining way to present the news from the mouth of Eric."

Despite working on air only one day a week, Von Haessler was soon placed on WSB's full-time pay roll, an indication of faith that he would eventually get more airtime on the AM/FM dial. In the interim, he has been doing podcasts to supplement his on-air show. He has also been a primary fill-in host for Cain and Erick Erickson, which enabled WSB weekday listeners to know he was a growing presence at the station.

While Von Haessler is starting with a one-hour daily show now, he'll likely get more hours down the road. Cain, who took over for Neal Boortz in 2013, is dropping his syndication deal come January 1 and will be heard on just four Cox Media Group radio stations including WSB. Cain is under contract for an additional year.

Arum, a long-time morning traffic reporter for WSB and Channel 2 Action News, got a radio show with a Cox radio station in Connecticut (remotely) a few years back for 18 months. That gave him a chance to build his chops as a radio host. He was then given the 10 p.m. WSB show in early 2014. It meant brutal hours for him and a split sleeping schedule, but he said he has always had brutal hours.

"I am very excited," said Arum, who signed a five-year deal.

Moving to 7 p.m. just means a bigger potential audience for his show, which Arum describes as a "lighthearted take on the news. I try to make people laugh and not get angry. Just trying to entertain Atlanta for two hours has always been my goal."

He said consumer advocate Howard, whose daily two-hour show is being pushed back later in the evening, has been nothing but a big supporter of Arum's' from the moment he walked in the door at WSB 19 years ago. "He's so gracious and just truly the nicest guy you'll ever meet," Arum said. "He's always been there to give me advice."

WSB and The Atlanta Journal-Constitution are both part of Cox Media Group. 

Credit: Rodney Ho

Credit: Rodney Ho

Credit: Rodney Ho

Credit: Rodney Ho

UPDATE: Tim Andrews posted a thank you note on Facebook today: