At least Kathy and Judy got a chance to wrap things up. In June 2013, Tribune Broadcasting CEO Larry Wert hired Jimmy DeCastro as WGN radio's president and general manager. In 1982, he became full-time meteorologist for the radio station. [18] In July 1941, WGN was given tentative permission to operate FM station W59C[19] on 45.9 MHz,[20] pending the outcome of an FCC review whether newspaper ownership of radio stations should be restricted. Where sports, pop culture, and media meet, Sirott returns to morning shift; Cochran canned for second time from WGN. [5], The Chicago Tribune purchased WDAP, and on June 1, 1924, renamed it WGN. Rivian expects a loss of $4.5 billion in 2023, Post Kane era starts with 4-1 loss to Coyotes, Video: Morning shows annual toast to Bob Collins, City of Chicago Election Results: Key Races, Chicago Mayor Lightfoot ousted; Vallas, Johnson in. The station is profitable, she said, but declined to disclose revenue. . The original WGN began operating on the evening of March 29, 1924, after the newspaper took over programming of the former WJAZ. Please look at the time stamp on the story to see when it was last updated. Jonathan Brandmeier and Garry Meier were released and their programs canceled immediately, with repeat shows airing through the end of December. In a week filled with numerous Chicago media changes, heres another one and this turns out to be the biggest one of them all. On Thursday, WGN-AM 720 celebrates its 100th anniversary, still going strong as the Voice of Chicago after a century of broadcasting that spans the dawn of radio to the digital age, using a format that has essentially remained unchanged. Like you said the ratings were great. You would have never seen Collins or ODell in this venue . The Best Talk Show Hosts Of Daytime, Late Night, and All Time. Cuts from JAM jingle packages Top News, Talktrax, Talking Points, Non-Stop Power, You'll Like Our Style, Follow The Leader, Variety Pack, Nothing But Class, and Ameritalk are regularly featured in station identifications, sounders, and promotions. Anchor and reporter for WGN Radio, where I host "The Opening Bell" business hour from 5-6am weekdays and then anchor . Article; Talk; English. )[28][29][30][31][32], In November 1958, WGN became the first radio station in Chicago to broadcast helicopter traffic reports featuring Police Officer Leonard Baldy. Above: Political analyst, Paul Green. Dent will join Steve Bertrand in the 2-6pm slot starting Monday, January 3, 2022. I used to listen to WGN 24/7 and liked nearly everyone I heardnow, I can only tolerate bits and pieces and tune elsewhere the majority of the day. He sounded lost and confused. WGN Films. I enjoyed his wit and his humor. Phillips, whose people helping people mantra personified the station, rose to the top of the ratings after camping out at the station during the blizzard of 67, and hitting the airwaves the next morning while all of Chicago including his competition was snowed in, Fabian said. Ive listened to GN for over nearly 6 decades and the decline is painful to hear. The station also streams its programming on its website and supplies podcasts as well. Reveal contacts of top WGN Radio AM 720 managers and employees. After all, success in radio is based on building and maintaining connections between hosts and the audience. Veteran Chicago News Anchor Bill Kurtis was replaced in his role as voiceover talent by New York based voiceover artist Steve Kamer. Despite his firing, Cochran is still under contract through 2020. John Williams pulls us in to listen. It ended later that year when she left the station for an acting career in Hollywood. Dee Dee Myers (former White House Press Secretary; now a political commentator for MSNBC) Rob Reynolds (now a correspondent for Al Jazeera English) Al Roker (now weatherman for the Today show on NBC) Marci Rossell (was contributor for Squawk Box until she left CNBC in 2003) Carol Roth (Closing Bell, host of The Noon Show on WGN Radio) The Bill and Wendy Show airs Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to noon, then streaming from noon to 1 p.m. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. We have talked about life in America's greatest city, interviewed the famous and the not-so-famous, expressed disappointment in our sports teams, examined the intricacies and foibles of the human condition and made fun of ourselves and each other, gloriously. This is not at all a GOOD thing. You can find Bill and Wendy on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. The short-lived tenure of Metheny, a well-traveled program director dubbed Pig Virus by shock jock Howard Stern, led to the exodus of key on-air personalities amid growing resentment from longtime listeners. Heres everything you need to know about The Grinch sequel, plus the best books your kid can check out now. Dont need the negativity heading into work. WGN ranks 11th in Chicago with a 3.1 share in April, according to the most recent Nielsen ratings. Above: A few of the WGN Radio Newsroom reporters (I to r) Steve Bertrand, Dave Stewart, Rod Sierra and Wes Bleed. Lisa Dent, who's been a popular Chicago radio personality for two decades, will sign on as Monday-through-Friday afternoon host at WGN 720-AM in the new year. thrown. [59] On May 21, WGN Radio announced that their schedule would change again effective May 27, 2014, which includes the return of John Williams to the airwaves of WGN Radio that he will pretty much do the show live from Minneapolis, while still doing his afternoon show on WCCO 830. Robservations: Bertrand, Landecker round out new WGN Radio lineup, My childhood dream became the honor of a lifetime, Robservations: Sun-Times moving to Old Post Office; ABC 7 opens weekend anchor slot; Medill tracks local news decline, Robservations: StreetWise raises cover price; Sventoonie takes a break; Friends of Chicago Reporter mark 50. Miss Bill and Wendy a lot. Thats across the board.. Since then, WGN Radio has been an integral part of the conversation and culture in Chicago, broadcasting news, sports, entertainment and major events across the Midwest with 50,000 watts of power. There is a need for a radio station that caters to the seniors; though Ive been listening to GN since I was in high school. Chicago News Anchors: Past and Present. Not a Sirott fan, so Ill be looking for a new morning station. was dropped from the station and replaced by a returning Bob Sirott, returned to Chicago radio in a weekend/fill-in role at WVAZ-FM, dropping Bill Leff and Wendy Snyder from middays. Monday through Friday, it carries Rich Valds, America at Night from Westwood One during late night hours. In the fall of 1937, WGN was one of several Chicago radio stations to donate airtime to Chicago Public Schools for a pioneering program in which the school district provided elementary school students with distance education amid a polio outbreak-related school closure. Larry Wert has said he has not decided on naming a successor to DeCastro, so for now the sales and programming operations will report directly to Wert. Steve was too negative constantly focusing on the political scene from Only his prospective. Part of a successful radio talent is not only wit and intelligence, but also an appealing voice. Former morning host Greg Jarrett was released from the station. [2] WGN has a news/talk format, along with broadcasts of Chicago Blackhawks hockey and Northwestern University football and basketball. (WGN handout). Sirotts show ranked 3rd among Chicago stations in morning drive during the first quarter, according to Nielsen. Flying Officer Baldy was killed in a helicopter crash, while on duty, on May 2, 1960. Phillips, Collins and Leonard have all moved on to that radio booth in the sky, and the Cubs pulled up stakes for CBS Radio and their new home at the Score nearly a decade ago. it is broadcast in its local area of the Chicago metro, and in Northern Illinois and parts of Central Illinois, and is also broadcast in Southeast and Northeast Wisconsin, parts of Eastern Iowa, and Northwest Indiana. The new WGN Radio owners, Nexstar, are a Dallas-based TV station group that purchased Tribune Media, the former broadcast parent of Tribune Publishing, for $4.1 billion in 2019. But Sirott being hired again reminds me of something I wrote some time ago saying Chicago radio has become a nursing home for broken-down talent who refuse to leave the stage. Sadly, this is truer now Chicago radio simply sticks with the same tired wheel of safe personalities, even as we head into the next decade. Its kind of in short supply, especially these days.. Robert Feder, a lifelong Chicagoan, covered the media beat in his hometown from 1980 until his retirement in 2022. Next to go should be John Williams, also self centered and opinionated and dismissive of other points of view. Morning producer Mary Boyle was appointed General Manager of the station after former Station Manager Todd Manley was terminated on the first day of Nextar's takeover. Jalen Carter, a top NFL draft prospect and potential target for Chicago Bears, charged with reckless driving and racing in fatal accident. Whatever happens to newspapers and magazines Im sorry to say it, but I think radio is next on the list. On July 25, 2017, it was reported that WGN would leave Tribune Tower in 2018 and relocate to a new studio and office across the Chicago River. But with few people owning FM radio receivers in that era, management did not think WGNB would become profitable. [9] In 1926, WGN broadcast Sam & Henry, a daily serial with comic elements created and performed by Freeman Gosden and Charles Correll. (By the way, STILL waiting for the promised Lou Malnattis $25 coupon-I won from WGN years ago)-Obviously, WGN doesnt care at all that their words & deeds are aligned. Agree with canning Cochrane. But the station is hewing closer to its radio roots these days under Mary Sandberg Boyle, 46, a veteran radio producer and executive who became the first female GM at WGN Radio in 2019. So is this a smart move? I sure dont want to listen to theMrs if the Mister is dry as clay. Bill and Wendy talk about the history of the WGN Radio with Roe Conn, Patti Vasquez, Steve Bertrand, Justin Kaufmann, and Roger Triemstra. On May 22, 2009, WGN announced the cancellation of The Kathy and Judy Show effective after that day's broadcast. WGN joined with WOR New York City, WXYZ Detroit and WLW Cincinnati to form the network, a rival to NBC and CBS. Fabian, who tried to hire Sirott at least six times over the years to work at WGN Radio, said the versatile Chicago air personality is the rightful heir to the morning chair. WGN's studios are located in the Chicago Loop, while the transmitter is in Elk Grove Village. I have no interest in Sirott so I guess I will not be listening. [10], By the fall of 1928, the owners of the Tribune company and its sister publication, Liberty magazine, controlled two stations in addition to WGN in the Chicago area: WLIB and WTAS. I certainly dont patronize their advertizers! WDAP was originally located at the Wrigley Building. Jenkins and Donnelly are at their transmitter in the Wrigley Building in 1922. Music programming was phased out during the 1980s, and by 1990, the station's lineup mainly consisted of talk shows. General manager Mary Sandberg Boyle at the WGN-AM 720 Radio studio in downtown Chicago on May 17, 2022. Jerald McNair: We dont want to incarcerate youth. So disappointed in the new morning showthought Id give it a couple of months but it hasnt improved. The station first signed on the air on May 19, 1922. If you've ever wondered what your favorite radio personalities look like, scroll down or check out the slideshow. A lot of companies, they have heritage stations, but they dont necessarily put a lot of value on that history, Harrison said. Unless the make so extreme changes to the new line up. Its schedule was primarily a simulcast of the AM station, with some FM-only music shows broadcast as well. In addition, Bob Sirott and Marianne Murciano's program moved to the weekday lineup and Steve Cochran was announced to be returning to WGN. Local hosts on WGN include morning host Bob Sirott along with John Williams, Lisa Dent, John Records Landecker, Rollye James and Dave Plier. The changes are an attempt to shift WGN closer to the programming format it had prior to Kevin Metheney and Randy Michaels' tenure with WGN and Tribune, while placing more emphasis on new media; this included the move of Mike McConnell's program to the station's secondary Internet radio station WGN Plus (formerly WGN-2) until the remainder of his contract was bought out around October 10, 2013,[58] the move of Jonathon Brandmeier's morning show to a new station branded "The G" (which has since launched as an additional Internet-only station but is planned to eventually move to an FM frequency to be acquired by Tribune) in favor of Cochran, and increased synergy with WGN-TV (including the replacement of WGN radio's "Voice of Chicago" slogan with WGN-TV's longtime slogan, "Chicago's Very Own"). Born in Dallas, Brown arrived in Chicago enrolling in Evanston's . Daytime Chicago. Backstory with Larry Potash. Her vibrant personality and warmth, understanding of the city and an ability to authentically connect on a personal level with listeners makes her a natural fit for afternoon drive on WGN as we embark on our 100th year of being the voice of Chicagoland.. 6 to 10 a.m. Bob Sirott One of the first African-Americans to break the color barrier at a mainstream Chicago radio station has died. Last edited on 22 February 2023, at 02:08, Sousa Archives and Center for American Music, University of Illinois at UrbanaChampaign, "Double Call Letters Are Being Eliminated", "Chicago Tribune - Historical Newspapers", "Perspective | In Chicago, schools closed during a 1937 polio epidemic and kids learned from home over the radio", "Actions of the Federal Communications Commission: Decisions. When I first heard the sappy Nexstar jingle I suspected WGN radio was doomed. So long WGN youve lost another listener! After listening to WGN radio for many decades (even with my father as a child) Im done. In 1946, the Tribune Company applied to the FCC for a construction permit to build a television station. Youd hate it even more now, the entire schedule is repetitive! WGN is a radio station that I used to listen to for entertainment, news and current events. Over the years, WGN has waffled between the 1922 and 1924 origin stories to mark significant anniversaries, but settled on 2022 for the centennial, Marzullo said. (The trust was dissolved in January 1975, with a majority of the trust's former beneficiaries, including descendants of the McCormick and Patterson families, owning stock in the restructured Tribune Company entity which assumed oversight of all properties previously overseen by the trust afterward. While Brandmeier was reportedly not under contract with Tribune Media at the time of his release, Meier's contract with Tribune continued through September 2015. On June 15, 2009, the station announced that Greg Jarrett would become its new morning-drive host starting on June 22, with John Williams being shifted to Kathy and Judy's former late morning timeslot. They are a mixture of WGN-TV and WGN Radio personalities. Posted: Fri Aug 27, 2021 7:01 pm. After a protracted four-year process, on December 31, 2012, Tribune formally exited from bankruptcy under the control of its senior debt holders, Oaktree Capital Management, JPMorgan Chase and Angelo, Gordon & Co.[48][49][50], On July 10, 2013, Tribune announced plans to split off its broadcasting and newspaper interests into two separate companies. On May 15, 1933, after the FRC requested that stations using only one of their assigned call letters drop those that were no longer in regular use, WLIB was eliminated and the station reverted to just WGN. The Bill and Wendy Show airs Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to noon, then streaming from noon to 1 p.m. Will she be dragged along as well? But lets have sensible, sane conversations, have some fun along the way. Posted: Aug 6, 2014 / 06:53 AM CDT. Loved Wally, Bob, Spike and Steve. Overnight hosts Steve King and Johnnie Putman left WGN on December 9 after a week-long series of live "Farewell Celebration" shows. Glad Cochran is goneso self aggrandizing and self centered the world did NOT center on him and his opinions!! Yuck , what dry and better than thou persona. I agree. Some former well-known personalities on WGN include longtime morning hosts Wally Phillips, Bob Collins, Spike O'Dell, Paul Harvey and Roy Leonard. On December 2, 2011, WGN announced that Jonathon Brandmeier was named the new morning drive time host, effective December 9. [11] WTAS was deleted,[12] and the other two stations were merged with a dual call letter assignment of WGN-WLIB, although the latter call sign would be rarely if ever used. Insane! WGN 720-AM, the Nexstar Media Group news/talk station, chose the Friday night of a three-day holiday weekend to drop the bombshell that it's overhauling its weekday afternoon and evening lineup. WGN Radio is just another radio station. WGN Radio host Judy Markey poses with her plaque as WGN Radio honors 10 inaugural walk of fame inductees to celebrate the station's 90th year on June 27, 2014. Glad to see pompous, arrogant, argumentative Cochran gone. Really miss Bill & Wendy. [45][46][47] On December 8, 2008, Tribune filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, citing a debt load of around $13 billion making it the largest media bankruptcy in American corporate history that it accrued from the Zell buyout and related privatization costs as well as a sharp downturn in revenue from newspaper advertising. Cant stand that snotty, conceited Sirott. 9, while former on-air personalities including Lyle Dean, Spike ODell, Orion Samuelson and Max Armstrong will make guest appearances on the radio station during the day. Chicago radio personality Art Hellyer, circa 1966. . they could record and edit farewell messages before airing them. Bring back Cochran and Wendy. I listened recently to Sirott and found the program so boring!!!! I got tired of him and his staff treating Cochrun like he is the Holy Messiah! The Rockford native was inducted in the Country Radio Hall of Fame in 2016. [13], On November 1, 1931, WGN's network affiliation changed from NBC to CBS as a result of NBC's purchase of a half-interest in WMAQ, which then became Chicago's NBC station. Text is available under the Creative Commons . Steve Cochrans show was the only thing making my morning drive into the city somewhat bearable. Ill never listen to either one. Trump lovers love him no matter what he does and dont want to hear facts when it conflicts with their convictions. Sirott may not be the exact fitbut its a step in the right direction. I would miss tuning in. Now it is loosing me as a listener. Nothing against Bob Sirott but he his somewhat insipid and totally a follower, which also can mean he falls right in line with what some TIGER would tell him to do. (Antonio Perez / Chicago Tribune). The reason I bring this up is that on Wednesday news talk station WGN-AM 720 fired its midmorning team of Bill Leff and Wendy Snyder, and I want to give them a chance to address their audience one last time. In March 2009, longtime Chicago radio host Garry Meier was given an audition for the 1-4 p.m. slot. He was notified after he got off the air Friday that it was his last show. Lets work together on policies to protect them. Meier hosted four shows, which is believed to have caused a surge in interest among younger people, who traditionally rarely listened to WGN. Here's what they wrote: "We have lived a dream. : Brink, Scotty -Former midday personality at WRLL-AM Chicago. But he left WGN to take a job on 97.1 FM the Drive on their morning show. Therefore WGN, Inc. turned in WGNB's license for cancellation, and the station was deleted on May 28, 1953. Cochran becomes the highest-rated host to be canned in Chicago radio in years; in 2007, Howard McGee was released from WGCI despite finishing first in adults 18-34 in morning drive and was replaced by Steve Harveys syndicated morning show (McGee has since returned to Chicago radio in a weekend/fill-in role at WVAZ-FM, WGCIs sister station.). Williams' former timeslot, 1-4 p.m. was left vacant for several months, with the station's other radio hosts filling in on a rotating basis including weekend host Nick Digilio, and Bob Sirott, who formerly hosted "The Noon Show" on the same station, in addition to a weekend program that is pre-recorded with his wife, Marianne Murciano (Sirott was also a prominent news anchor at NBC owned-and-operated station WMAQ-TV, channel 5, and later at Fox-owned WFLD, channel 32). WGN's former owner. [23], On June 27, 1945, the FCC announced the reassignment of the FM band to 80 channels from 88106MHz, which was soon expanded to 100 channels from 88108MHz. Thats just my opinion. And boy, it took a tumble.. And unfortunately it didnt work out. We have stood in front of microphones and spoken our minds. (Chicago Tribune historical photo). Morning drive host and longtime Chicago on-air personality Bob Sirott at the WGN-AM 720 studio on May 17, 2022. Many people do not get along well with the boss, especially initially lots of changes with new owners and thus new Management. Triemstra retired in 1998. Now I can listen to the station again Did the Blackhawks get enough for Patrick Kane? Sounds like a typical Cheryl brown comment complete with incorrect misspelled words. I have been listening to WGN since high school. No Cochran = Happy 2020. WGNs hiring of Sirott tells us there is a lot of truth to what Joyner said because quite basically, relying on the same ol limited list of names to keep your radio station relevant is particularly asinine at a time when radio is failing to attract the next generation of listeners. A perennial ratings powerhouse, WGN Radio had double-digit audience shares and millions of regular listeners from the 1960s through the 1980s, when Wally Phillips, Bob Collins, Roy Leonard and other legendary broadcasters ruled the airwaves. [68] On September 1, 2020, WGN Radio dropped ABC News Radio in favor of being an "audio news hub" for the co-owned NewsNation TV channel. . . Over the last decade, his Miller. 51. I can remember being 10 years old and thinking how boring. I thought of my Dad often as I tuned in every morning. I stopped listening to the morning show when Cochran came on. Stupid decisions. Coinciding with the hire of Jarrett, WGN dropped its "News/Talk 720" brand and began identifying itself simply as "Chicago's WGN Radio 720." Reports surfaced Cochran had personality conflicts with WGN boss Sean Compton, who was appointed the station's GM shortly after Nexstar took over the legendary AM station as part of the company's $4.1 billion takeover of Tribune Media, WGN's former owner. (I am now 76). WGN-TV Political Report. It was time for Steve to go.Good luck to Bob. He was annoying and loud. With the format switch to talk, WLS had joined several other stations in Chicago doing the same format, including WGN-AM (720), WLUP-AM (1000), WVON-AM (1450) and WJJD-AM (1160), home of former WLS program director Clark Weber. Nick D and The Final Broadcast From The Tribune Tower", "Play ball! The reason I got into this business was listening to Cubs broadcasts growing up, said Sirott, 72.

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