During the "Golden Age of Radio," Mutual was the home of The Lone Ranger, The Adventures of Superman and The Shadow. He called the long-running WGN news/talk format news plus, adding conversation to topical issues to engage rather than enrage listeners. WGN Radio missed out on calling the Cubs 2016 World Series victory after 90 years of futility. 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. This was the second Tribune-affiliated radio station to hold the WGN call letters. They tried that before and she is a ditz. I never could understand why WGN put him on the air so he could promote his mortgage business disguised as giving advice to people. The station also streams its programming on its website and supplies podcasts as well. I enjoyed his wit and his humor. 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.. Next to go should be John Williams, also self centered and opinionated and dismissive of other points of view. Really miss Bill & Wendy. Age: 58. Yuck , what dry and better than thou persona. WGN's YouTube Page. The new lineup also brings later start times to morning host Bob Sirott and midday host John Williams. WGN-TV Political Report. The loss of the Cubs, however, still stings for listeners and WGN staffers alike, hanging on like a phantom limb to the station where Chicago play-by-play broadcasts were born. 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. Release Calendar Top 250 Movies Most Popular Movies Browse Movies by Genre Top Box Office Showtimes & Tickets Movie News India Movie Spotlight. The agreement is for three years. Now it is loosing me as a listener. As analyst Rich Greenfield would say, Good Luck Radio. She has been in Chicago radio since 2002 when she began a fourteen year run co-hosting . WGN Radio host and contributor Dane Neal will broadcast live from the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Sunday, May 29 from 7am to 10am CT. Neal's show will be followed by the airing of the 106th Indianapolis 500, including extended pre-race coverage starting at 10am CT. WGN Radio made history being the first station of note to broadcast what . The disc jockey became important in Chicago radio during the 1930s, well before the term "disc jockey" was coined in the 1940s. Supremely disappointed! 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. Wife and husband radio personalities Johnnie Putnam and Steve King left WGN Radio after 26 years of hosting their overnight show. Sounds like a typical Cheryl brown comment complete with incorrect misspelled words. Whats more interesting here is the recently retired Joyner who is the same age as Sirott (70) said about the state of radio recently in Billboard: When I came along, you didnt have a lot of listening choices. We are fortunate to have her expertise at WGN Radio.. 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. In 1946, the Tribune Company applied to the FCC for a construction permit to build a television station. Anna Davlantes impeccable resume includes decades of award-winning investigative reporting," Sandberg Boyle said. Robert Feder, a lifelong Chicagoan, covered the media beat in his hometown from 1980 until his retirement in 2022. 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. The station also left behind its Walk of Fame, where former WGN air personalities were enshrined in sidewalk plaques in Pioneer Court. So is this a smart move? On April 2, 2009, WGN announced that Meier would join the station full-time as host of a program in the 1-4 p.m. slot (airing most weekdays when the program is not pre-empted by Chicago Cubs broadcasts); his first official show occurred that same day. In a week filled with numerous Chicago media changes, heres another one and this turns out to be the biggest one of them all. Anna Davlantes loses her show from 1 to 4 p.m. and moves to a new role as investigative correspondent with special reporting, covering news stories in-depth. Its kind of in short supply, especially these days.. No thanks, Im out. Sirotts show ranked 3rd among Chicago stations in morning drive during the first quarter, according to Nielsen. [5], The Chicago Tribune purchased WDAP, and on June 1, 1924, renamed it WGN. Did the Blackhawks get enough for Patrick Kane? 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. But change has been in the air at WGN Radio during the new millennium, as the station struggles to navigate the fragmented digital landscape that has diluted audience and revenue for traditional legacy media. Someone doesnt know their audience. After listening to WGN radio for many decades (even with my father as a child) Im done. In the spring of 1986, as Phillips was ceding the morning show to Collins after nearly 20 years, he still had a 15.7 audience share, nearly double the nearest competitor. A lot of companies, they have heritage stations, but they dont necessarily put a lot of value on that history, Harrison said. In 2012, John Williams announced his departure from the station upon the December 31 expiration of his contract (leaving on December 21, 2012), in order to concentrate exclusively on his program on WCCO in Minneapolis instead of splitting time between stations. Ill miss you. GN is becoming trivialized by the new (right wing) policy of no national news and discussion. I am/was an all day, long time listener. I listen to Nick D now and then. [42] Industry observers described Metheny's tenure as one that nearly destroyed the venerable WGN, with staff moves that included replacing a popular evening host with radio rookie Jim Laski, a Chicago politician and convicted felon.[43]. 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. John Williams (including the Wintrust Business Lunch at noon) Steve Cochrans firing was the last straw. Article; Talk; English. However, his run-ins with WGN management makes them feel his antics werent worth it. We belong to the listeners, Boyle said. Theres a number of stations out there that are celebrating 100-year anniversaries around this time, but in terms of stations that have remained the same kind of programming style for a century, that is kind of rare, said Dave Marzullo, 52, head of digital operations for WGN Radio and the stations unofficial historian. Landecker will fill in during afternoons until September 28 when he'll move permanently to a new evening show airing from 7 to 10 p.m. Monday through Friday. First Lt. Elmer McKesson, Capt. The transaction and concurring privatization of the company was completed upon termination of Tribune stock at the close of trading on December 20, 2007. Glad Steve C is gone. 6 to 7 p.m. WGN Radios Money Matters (airing early 2022) The disc jockey became important in Chicago radio during the 1930s, well before the term "disc jockey" was coined in the 1940s. General manager Mary Sandberg Boyle at the WGN-AM 720 Radio studio in downtown Chicago on May 17, 2022. Overnight hosts Steve King and Johnnie Putman left WGN on December 9 after a week-long series of live "Farewell Celebration" shows. In November, after the firing of controversial program director Kevin Metheny, Tom Langmyer instructed staff to identify the station as "720 WGN." She's best known for her long run as morning host at WUSN 99.5-FM, the Audacy country music station, and her later run as midday host at WEBG, the former iHeartMedia country station. (I am now 76). A new afternoon show and the full-time return of John Landecker highlight a slew of changes at WGN Chicago. A pair of black tights are a necessity, rather than just an accessory, to stay stylish and comfortable when temperatures drop. This is a true loss and I am still looking for another radio station to listen to because I have stopped listening to WGN, and I now watch the news on TV and listen to music during morning drive. 51. former wnem tv5 reporters former wnem tv5 reporters. Im done. This is an archived article and the information in the article may be outdated. I have a disease (Parkinsons) which often ikeeps me up at night. (Phil Greer / Chicago Tribune). Required fields are marked *. The final show was largely a retrospective of the program's 20 years on WGN radio; this occurred shortly after the replacement of much of the station's weekend lineup. [2] The corporation was headed by Thorne Donnelley and Elliott Jenkins. Nick D and The Final Broadcast From The Tribune Tower", "Play ball! In October 2008, WGN-TV began to provide forecasts for WGN radio (prepared by Tom Skilling and other members of the sister television station's weather staff), after it ended a ten-year forecast partnership with The Weather Channel. Ill never understand the cut throat business that is radio. In March 2009, longtime Chicago radio host Garry Meier was given an audition for the 1-4 p.m. slot. Recently Robin Robinson ended a great run at Fox 32 . The Best Talk Show Hosts Of Daytime, Late Night, and All Time. My Dad had WGN on all the time. Love Dave, Mary with the news and the camaraderie. [65] WLS 890 AM previously had the contract to carry the White Sox, but its parent company, Cumulus Media, ran into financial problems and gave up the rights to White Sox broadcasts. Steve made me think and laugh, while stuck in traffic on the Kennedy each morning. On December 31, 2014, the WGN.FM website was redirected to the WGN Plus website, where Tribune offers various digital media content. Ive listened to GN for over nearly 6 decades and the decline is painful to hear. The new Sinatra hour does not apply to me, I will miss Steve B at lunch, and the old schedule of news, weather, business, current events discussions. Lisa Dent has long been a significant and well-known presence in Chicago radio, Mary Sandberg Boyle, vice president and general manager of WGN, said in a statement. My brother-in-law listened to WGN too. Get bill and Wendy back and 6-12 noon will be great! Sirott may not be the exact fitbut its a step in the right direction. And to WGN and Sirott in particular. Steve was open and honest, refreshing and absolutely transparent. WGN radio personality Wally Phillips hosts Mayor Harold Washington on Phillips' telephone call-in show fielding a wide range of questions from listeners in November 1983. (Antonio Perez / Chicago Tribune). Were not relevant anymore. But lets have sensible, sane conversations, have some fun along the way. No Cubs, no Bill and Wendy, no Steve Cochran and a radio station that sounds like its out of the 50s. Here's what they wrote: "We have lived a dream. 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 (AM) is broadcast in five states, Illinois, Iowa, Wisconsin, Indiana, and Michigan. I am a WGN junkie so I hope things work out. Jalen Carter, a top NFL draft prospect and potential target for Chicago Bears, charged with reckless driving and racing in fatal accident. [53] That year, morning host Spike O'Dell retired from radio; WGN then moved the station's midday host at the time, John Williams to the morning slot. 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. All night and all weekend long, they re-play hours and hours of recent programming, no new content, and none of the familiar, friendly voices we enjoyed. He would have been fabulous.. For Sirott, this marks the third time he has been employed at WGN, returning to the station after he and wife Marianne Murciano left in 2015 after a two-year run. He also provided the original voice of the cartoon bird. Feder flashback: So you think you know Chicago television. 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. I get not stand Landdecker. Therefore WGN, Inc. turned in WGNB's license for cancellation, and the station was deleted on May 28, 1953. With Brandmeier's addition to WGN radio's weekday lineup, the morning drive timeslot shifted to 5:30-9 a.m., followed by Mike McConnell from 9 a.m.-12 p.m., John Williams from 12-3 p.m., and Garry Meier from 3-7 p.m. News anchor Steve Bertrand moved to mornings with Brandmeier and Jim Gudas shifted to the midday/afternoon slot. There's a bit of quid pro quo at work here, I admit. Chicago, IL . 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. WGN was the longtime Chicago outlet for Paul Harvey from 1951 until his death on February 28, 2009. )[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. The man is a stone-cold pro broadcaster who understands the game and loves the Cubs, Fabian said. It was time for Steve to go.Good luck to Bob. WGN had a long association with the MLB Chicago Cubs from 1925 to 2014, the last 56 years of that period as the exclusive flagship station. The way WGN fired both Nick and Steve was a travesty. WGN-TV and WGN Radio would remain with the original entity, which was renamed Tribune Media and was restructured to focus on the company's broadcasting, digital and real estate properties; the newspaper division which, in addition to the Chicago Tribune, included publications such as the Los Angeles Times, the South Florida Sun-Sentinel and the Baltimore Sun was spun off into the standalone entity Tribune Publishing (known as Tronc from June 2016 until the company reverted to its former name in October 2018). His time slot announced was 10:00 A.M to 12:00 P.M, which moved then mid morning hosts Bill Leff and Wendy Snyder to the afternoon drive from 3:00-7:00p.m. Garry Meier would be moved to WGN.FM, with Steve Cochran's morning show getting expended by 1 hour, and Bob Sirott and Marianne Murciano still having their 12:00-3:00p.m. [62] The station began using its new studios on Wacker Drive for news reports in May 2018,[63] with the final show originating from Tribune Tower on June 18, 2018. The studios were moved to the Drake Hotel the following July. Bob Sirrott is Chicago, and he is class. WGN Radio personality Bob Sirott sat down with Samuelson for a trip down memory lane. Now you can get anything you want, anytime you want, anywhere you want and you dont have to wait for radio or television to do it for you. Samuelson: It . The pioneering WDAP shifted its studios to two handball courts atop the Drake Hotel in July 1922 after a sudden violent storm destroyed its inaugural antenna, with pieces picked up in all directions for weeks, Jenkins wrote in a 1923 edition of Radio Broadcast. But its OK that theyre no longer broadcast out of here. WGN (720 AM) is a commercial radio station in Chicago, Illinois, featuring a talk radio format. On August 13, 2010, the station's branding changed again to "News 720 WGN." WGN is a radio station that I used to listen to for entertainment, news and current events. Posted: Aug 6, 2014 / 06:53 AM CDT. RADIO / BROADCAST HISTORY LIBRARY: Thousands of magazines . I didnt think Cochran was that bad, but I had to turn the station off 2 years ago because I could stand listening to the two that followed Cochran in the morning and the idiot who does the over night show. The split was completed on August 4, 2014, ending the Tribune's joint ownership with WGN-TV and WGN Radio after 66 and 94 years, respectively. (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. Please look at the time stamp on the story to see when it was last updated. WGN Radio's Orion Samuelson has graced airwaves throughout the heartland in places across the Midwest and beyond. WGN's former owner. Some former well-known personalities on WGN include longtime morning hosts Wally Phillips, Bob Collins, Spike O'Dell, Paul Harvey and Roy Leonard. The station first signed on the air on May 19, 1922. And boy, it took a tumble.. At their best, these connections come to feel personal, almost like a friendship. "Few rival Annas commitment to serving the public in anticipating, exposing and breaking important stories. Because CBS, NBC and ABC had their own network stations in Chicago, WGN-TV became an independent television station, responsible for most of its own programming or airing old movies and syndicated TV shows. Think about it Wgn only Sirotts wife kept it alive when he was on. Glad to see him go.but sirott is not the answer. In black-appeal radio, the disc jockey role was pioneered both locally and nationally by Jack L. Cooper, who began playing . 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. WGN Films. 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. If they would smarten up and get rid of him I just might start listening again. Digital media content a construction permit to build a television station WGN is commercial! Format news plus, adding conversation to topical issues to engage rather than just accessory. Gn for over nearly 6 decades and the Final broadcast from the Tribune Company applied to Drake... & # x27 ; s Orion Samuelson has graced airwaves throughout the heartland in places across the and. Few rival Annas commitment to serving the public in anticipating, exposing and breaking stories... 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