Zakk Tyler
Zakk Tyler (born Dominic Joseph Zaccagnini) is an American broadcaster for WLUP-FM in Chicago and Sports Director for Merlin Media.
Radio career
Upon graduation from Indiana University of Pennsylvania (1990) he began his career in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (WRRK) and later in Louisville, Kentucky (WTFX-FM), Memphis, Tennessee (WMFS) and then in Greenville, South Carolina (WTPT) as both the station program director and morning show host. He then moved to San Francisco to rock radio network (KSJO) that was also broadcast to San Jose-Monterey-Contra Costa, California and the show was also distributed to company owned stations in Nashville, Tennessee and Greenville, South Carolina. In Chicago, the show aired afternoon drive on WLUP. Zakk hosted NFL Chicago Bears pregame show with Lou Canellis and was also a frequent guest on sports television show, "Sports Page". The "Zakk Tyler Show" aired at morning drivetime at WZGC (also known as "Dave-FM") in Atlanta, where Zakk was also the pre-game and post-game host for the NFL Atlanta Falcons which aired on over 30 stations throughout the Southeast and Midwest.
Zakk (Dominic Zaccagnini) hosted a nationally syndicated sports show with former NFL quarterback Jack Trudeau ("Zakk and Jack") from 2010 to 2012 that was carried throughout the Fox Sports Radio Network. In 2012, Zakk returned to WLUP in Chicago as an on-air personality and sports director for Merlin Media.
Acting
Tyler appeared as himself in the Black Sabbath documentary We Sold Our Soul for Rock ‘n Roll (2001). Zakk was credited as special consultant for episode 204 of the VH-1 sitcom Free Radio (2009) as storylines were based on his past radio experiences.
Current roles
Zakk is a radio personality for WLUP in Chicago and is also sports director for Merlin Media.
Radio awards
- 2004 Best Rock Personality (Radio & Records Awards)
- 2000, 1998, 1997 Best Local Radio Personality (Creative Loafing Magazine)
- 2003 Top 10 Radio Stunts of Year (Radio & Records Magazine)
- 1997 Program Director of the Year, runner-up (Billboard Magazine)
- 1997 Program Director of the Year for Active Rock, runner-up (FMQB Magazine)
Other notable recognition
- 2013 Top 50 Singles in Chicago ("Today's Chicago Woman" Magazine)