KSWD has announced that “Mark In The Morning” will debut on Monday, February 2.

As previously announced, current KSWD middayer Andy Chanley will join Mark Thompson in the morning slot. The duo will also be joined by Gina Grad, who is currently filling-in on Adam Carolla’s daily podcast, and Thompson’s daughter Katie as “Chick On The Street”.

Bonneville International’s Los Angeles Classic Rock radio station KSWD, 100.3 FM “The Sound” will broadcast its new morning show Mark In The Morning, hosted by legendary Los Angeles morning radio personality Mark Thompson, beginning Monday, February 2, it was announced jointly today by Peter W. Burton, Vice President and General Manager, and Dave Beasing, Program Director. This marks not only Thompson’s return to Los Angeles following his departure from KLOS-FM in August of 2012, but also his return to broadcast radio.

In addition, Thompson has announced that he will be joined on-air by a team that includes popular 100.3 The Sound on-air personality Andy Chanley (previously announced), plus new hire Gina Grad, who has been featured as guest co-host, panelist, news anchor and field reporter on numerous radio shows throughout Southern California. In addition, Thompson’s new show will incorporate field pieces hosted by his 22 year-old daughter, Katie, who will serve as the show’s “Chick On The Street.”

“As my previous 25-year LA run has taught me,” said Thompson, “a great morning show takes more than just one guy and a microphone. Being funny and entertaining at 6:00 am ain’t easy, but Andy and Gina have kept me laughing all week as we have been working (if you want to call it that) on plans for the show. That’s a very good sign. Plus, we’ve got great Classic Rock music, and that stuff never fails to get the old morning motor revving.”

Added Grad, “Even though I had no idea who Mark Thompson was until he dragged me down to Hollywood Blvd. and made me look at his star on the Walk of Fame, I was thrilled to be offered a full-time gig, so needless to say, I took the job.”

Andy Chanley said, “Let’s face it, anyone who’s enjoyed 25 years of radio success like Mark has, really needs to be taken down a peg or two. If I can do that every day for Southern California, I think everybody wins.”

Even Katie Thompson had something to say about being named Mark’s “Chick on the Street”: “I know this is just my dad’s way of getting me off the Thompson family dole. But, growing up, I couldn’t believe my dad actually got paid to do all those shenanigans. And it has been my goal not to have a real job either.”

“Mark in the Morning” will air each Monday through Friday. Listeners can count on a rich mix of music and fun conversation, celebrity interviews and comedy. Above all, it will be four hours each day with one of the most relatable superstars of radio.

About Andy Chanley:
In 2008, Andy Chanley was hired as the first on-air host at KSWD. Prior to joining The Sound, Chanley worked for LA stations KLYY and KACD-FM while working as a voice-over actor in numerous television series, video games, commercials and films. Chanley hails from Greenwood, Indiana, and attended Purdue University in West Lafayette. He began his radio career at WKHY-FM in Lafayette, and later worked at WRZX in Indianapolis.

About Gina Grad:
Over the past eight years, Gina has made quite a name for herself among LA’s Radio elite, having worked alongside noted radio talent Tim Conway Jr., Adam Carolla, Dr. Drew Pinsky and Arsenio Hall. Throughout that time, she has served as fill-in co-host and news reporter for The Adam Carolla Show, and for more than two years she served as nightly news reporter on “The Conway and Whitman Show” and “The Tim Conway Jr. Show.” Other gigs Gina’s done include “Valentine In The Morning,” “The Sixx Sense Radio Show,” “The Cash Daddy Show,” “The Bill Carroll Show” and the HLN Network TV show “Dr. Drew On Call.” She’s well known to gamers as the voice of “Rose” in the popular video game Street Fighter IV.

About Katie Thompson:
Katie Thompson is radio personality Mark Thompson’s youngest – and according to her, his favorite – daughter. And while she has absolutely no professional credits to her name, she already scored her first TV guest spot, appearing on GOOD DAY LA with dad on Wednesday, January 14

Original Report 12/8: One half of the esteemed Mark & Brian show is returning to Los Angeles radio.

Mark Thompson, who spent 25 years in mornings at 95.5 KLOS with Brian Phelps, will join Bonneville Classic Rock “100.3 The Sound” KSWD beginning in February 2015. “Mark In The Morning” will pair Thompson with KSWD’s current midday host Andy Chanley. Uncle Joe Benson will slide from mornings to middays in February.

Since exiting KLOS in August 2012, Thompson and his wife Lynda have been hosting a daily podcast. He is one of many former KLOS personalities to shift over to KSWD joining Benson, Rita Wilde, and Cynthia Fox.

Bonneville International Corporation’s radio station KSWD, 100.3 FM “The Sound” has signed legendary Los Angeles morning radio personality Mark Thompson to host an all-new morning show for the top-rated Rock station in the market, it was announced jointly today by Peter W. Burton, Vice President and General Manager, and Dave Beasing, Program Director. This marks not only Thompson’s return to Los Angeles following his departure from KLOS-FM in August of 2012, but also his return to broadcast radio.

“For me to return to mornings on LA’s white-hot radio station, The Sound, is beyond exciting,” said Thompson. “I want to thank Peter Burton and Dave Beasing for their unbridled passion in making this happen. To all my old and new listening friends in LA: You should brace yourself, my people, because there is an entertainment storm coming and an umbrella won’t help you.”

“Mark’s return is probably the biggest thing to happen to LA radio since his departure. There’s been a huge void in local morning radio,” said Burton. Added Beasing, “The Sound will continue to be all about the music, and Mark will create a daily shared experience that Classic Rock fans won’t want to miss.”

“Mark in the Morning” will air each Monday through Friday. Listeners can count on a rich mix of music and fun conversation, celebrity interviews, comedy — and the type of spontaneous moments that happen naturally when Mark Thompson and a radio mic appear in close proximity. Above all, it will be four hours each day with one of the most relatable superstars of radio.

The new morning show comes at a time when 100.3 The Sound is posting its best ratings since it appeared on the scene in 2008. So far in 2014, the station’s audience has increased a remarkable 77% (6A-Mid Mon-Sun 6+ Average Quarter Hour, Nielsen Audio). Overall, The Sound is the top-ranked Rock station in Los Angeles. The readers of Classic Rock magazine recently voted 100.3 The Sound as their favorite station in a large market.

About the team he’ll be working with at The Sound, Thompson said, “I will once again embrace my dear friends Joe Benson, Rita Wilde, and Cynthia Fox from my KLOS days.” Thompson is the latest of several iconic Rock DJs to join The Sound staff, including Uncle Joe Benson (formerly of KLOS and KCBS), Cynthia Fox (KMET, KLSX) and Rita Wilde (KLOS, KEZY). As hosted by Benson, The Sound’s morning show audience has grown 97% this year. Starting in February, Joe will segue to middays on The Sound, beginning each program at 10 AM with The Sound’s “10 at 10,” featuring “10 great songs from 1 great year.” Middays on The Sound are currently hosted by Andy Chanley, who will join the cast of “Mark in the Morning” working with Thompson. Julie Slater will continue to host afternoon drive on The Sound.

About Mark Thompson:
Mark has been working in radio for 45 years and been doing morning radio for 35 years, 25 of which were spent here in Los Angeles.

Mark received the Marconi award, considered to be the Academy Award of the radio business, and was named “Air Personality of the Year” by Billboard Magazine on two different occasions. He won an Emmy Award for co-hosting the Andy Griffith Christmas Special for Fox, and he received his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, located directly in front of the Hollywood Wax Museum.

Mark was part of NBC’s fall schedule in 1991, starring in “The Adventures of Mark and Brian.” He has appeared in numerous other television shows, including “Reba,” “Cheers,” “Wings” and “Dharma and Greg.” His feature film work includes roles in “Rocky V,” “Escape from LA” and “Princess Diaries.”

Mark wrote and starred in two independent films. “Mother Ghost” received four best picture awards, and Mark received an award for Best Screenplay. Leonard Maltin reviewed the film saying, “How refreshing to find an American film that’s willing to deal with a real-life, adult situation in a way that’s both mature and entertaining. I admired this film — and I enjoyed it too.” Mark’s second film is the psychological thriller “2:13.” He stars in the film along with Teri Polo, Kevin Pollak and Dwight Yoakum.

In his latest venture Mark has launched “M and L Studios,” which is home to numerous Podcasts or Internet audio shows. The shows include, “The Mark and Lynda Podcast,” which Mark does with his wife of 32 years, “Cool Stories In Music,” which is soon to be syndicated, “The Pro Football Slam With Mark and Sam,” and “I Really Love Movies.