Best of Akron: Best Radio Personality

Howie Chizek is not about shocking listeners, but he does work to keep them entertained. The self-proclaimed creator of ‘buffet style programming,’ Chizek decides which 10 or 12 controversial subjects to put on the table each day. He lets his audience choose which ones they want to talk about.

Chizek can rant and harangue with the best of ‘em, but he vents with a purpose in mind. “I try to get the subject under your fingernails… under your skin,” he says.

• On improving the state’s economy, Chizek suggests lowering the gambling age in Ohio to 19 to attract more out-of-state college kids.

• On the last presidential election, Chizek calls the democratic spoiler “a scandalous piece of crap.”

• On how to avoid getting scammed, he tells listeners “The best thing you can do when you go to bed is turn off the phone. If somebody died, they’ll be dead in the morning.”

Akron callers are reluctant to talk about issues that hit too close to home. “Other people’s troubles” seem to be more popular, he says. Only two people called in to discuss the Fair Finance scandal when Chizek brought it up. Plenty of callers had something to say about a similar scandal in Warren a few days later.

“And people are always happy to talk about LeBron,” he adds.

Six days a week, for nearly 40 years, listeners have been tuning in to hear Chizek. His show has been at or near number one for decades among the 25-49 demographic. This year, readers’ chose Chizek as our area’s “Best Radio Personality.” –Jane Day

Vitals: On the air at WNIR-FM 100.1 since 1974.

Show airs weekdays, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. and Saturdays 9 a.m. to noon.