WGN (AM)

Edit links
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by Tdl1060 (talk | contribs) at 00:18, 27 August 2018 (→‎Overview: WGH was licensed later, so it followed in WGN's pattern, not the other way around.). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

This article is about the radio station. For the local Chicago television station, see WGN-TV. For the cable channel, see WGN America. For other uses, see WGN.
WGN
File:WGN 720am logo.jpeg
Broadcast areaChicago market/Northern Illinois/West Michigan/Northwest Indiana
Frequency720 kHz
Branding720 WGN
Programming
Language(s)English
FormatNews/Talk/Sports
Affiliations
Ownership
Owner
History
First air date
  • May 19, 1922 (1922-05-19) (WDAP)
  • March 29, 1924 (1924-03-29) (first Tribune/WGN)
  • June 1, 1924 (1924-06-01) (WDAP becomes WGN)[1]
Former call signs
WDAP (1922–1924)[1]
Call sign meaning
World's Greatest Newspaper
Technical information
Facility ID72114
ClassA (clear channel)
Power50,000 Watts
Transmitter coordinates
Links
Webcast
Website
WGN Previous Logo

WGN, 720 kHz, is a commercial AM radio station in Chicago, Illinois, United States. The station is owned by Tribune Broadcasting (as the company's sole remaining radio station) and is one of several properties owned by the locally based Tribune Media. The station's studios are located on the 18th floor of 303 East Wacker Drive[2] in the Chicago Loop, while its transmitter is located in Elk Grove Village.[3] Since around 1990, WGN has maintained a news/talk format. WGN does not broadcast in HD.[4]

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.[5] The station began using its new studios on Wacker Drive for news reports in May 2018,[6] with the final show originating from Tribune Tower on June 18, 2018.[7]

Overview

WGN is a clear channel Class A station operating with the maximum AM Radio power of 50,000 watts, using a non-directional antenna. During daytime hours, it can be heard as far as Windsor, Ontario, around 250 miles away, and during the nighttime hours, is often audible over much of the central United States and Canada. The station also streams its programming on its website (although some spot breaks may be different online).

In addition to WGN's online stream, Tribune also operates an additional internet-only stream, WGN Plus (URL wgnplus.com) which carries additional content as a talk-oriented internet radio station.

The WGN call letters refer to the Chicago Tribune (meaning "World's Greatest Newspaper"), following the pattern of other stations such as WLS (World's Largest Store for Sears).

History

The predecessor to WGN was WDAP, which signed on the air on May 19, 1922, and was founded by Thorne Donnelley and Elliott Jenkins. Originally based in the Wrigley Building, the station moved its operations to the Drake Hotel in July.[1]

WGN's main studio in the Tribune Tower, c. 1930s -1940s. It could seat 600 people.

On May 12, 1923, the Zenith Radio Company signed on radio station WJAZ from the Edgewater Beach Hotel. However, after this brief period, the Tribune switched its operations to WDAP, and the Zenith station became WEBH,[1] the license eventually being deleted on November 30, 1928.[8] Early programming was noted for its creativity and innovation. It included live music, political debates, comedy routines, and some of radio's first sporting event broadcasts, including the Indianapolis 500, and a live broadcast of the 1925 Scopes Trial from Dayton, Tennessee. In 1926, WGN broadcast Sam & Henry, a daily serial with comic elements created and performed by Freeman Gosden and Charles Correll. After a dispute with the station in 1927, Gosden and Correll took the program's concept and announcer Bill Hay across town to WMAQ and created the first syndicated radio show, Amos 'n' Andy.[9] WGN served as a founding member of the Mutual Broadcasting System.

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.[10] During this period, Count Cutelli installed one of the most advanced sound effects system to date into the WGN studios, the same system used in Hollywood films.[11]

On April 5, 1948, sister station WGN-TV Channel 9 signed on the air.

Officer Baldy and the WGN traffic copter in 1959.

In November 1958, WGN became the first radio station in Chicago to broadcast helicopter traffic reports featuring Police Officer Leonard Baldy. Flying Officer Baldy was killed in a helicopter crash, while on duty, on May 2, 1960.[12][13][14] Eleven years later, WGN suffered another helicopter-related tragedy when Flying Officer Irv Hayden and his pilot were killed on August 10, 1971, after their helicopter struck a utility pole in the Chicago suburb of Bellwood.[15][16][17]

In 1961, the WGN radio and television stations moved to a studio facility on West Bradley Place in the North Center neighborhood, a move undertaken for civil defense concerns in order to provide the station a safe base to broadcast in case of a hostile attack targeting downtown Chicago.[18] WGN radio moved back to North Michigan Avenue in 1986, relocating its operations to a studio in the Pioneer Court extension (WGN-TV remained at the Bradley Place facility, where that station operates to this day).[19] The former WGN annex onto Tribune Tower is now used as a retail space containing Dylan's Candy Bar.

Over many decades, WGN was a "full service" radio station. The station played small amounts of music during the mornings and afternoon hours, moderate amounts of music on weekends during the day, aired midday and evening talk shows, and sports among other features. The station aired middle of the road (MOR) music until the 1970s, when its switched to more of an adult contemporary-type sound. Music programming was phased out during the 1980s, and by 1990, the station's lineup mainly consisted of talk shows.

Some former well-known personalities on WGN include longtime morning hosts Wally Phillips, Bob Collins, Spike O'Dell, Paul Harvey and Roy Leonard. Orion Samuelson has been the station's farm reporter since 1960. Late-night hosts over the years have included Franklyn MacCormack, Ed "Chicago Eddie" Schwartz, Don Vogel and the husband-and-wife team of Steve King and Johnnie Putman.

The Sousa Archives and Center for American Music at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign holds the WGN Radio Station Studio Orchestra Music Library and Records, 1925–1956,[20] which consists of scripts, programs, production notes, correspondence, music library rental records, sheet music manuscripts, and music scores with annotations that document the WGN Studio Symphonic Orchestra from 1925 to 1956.

Recent events

WGN continues to recover from the controversial rule of former Tribune head Randy Michaels, who resigned under pressure in 2010 amid allegations of inappropriate and sexist behavior in the workplace, and former WGN Program Director Kevin Metheny.[21] 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 convicted felon.[22]

Metheny and Laski were both fired weeks after Michaels was forced to resign by a Tribune Board of Directors facing spiraling losses at the hands of Michaels' management style.[22]

In 2005, Tom Langmyer was appointed as vice president and general manager of WGN. On April 30, 2008, the station entered into a three-year deal to broadcast Chicago Blackhawks hockey games through the 2010–2011 season.[23]

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.[24] 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. 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).

In March 2009, longtime Chicago radio host Garry Meier was given an audition for the 1-4 p.m. slot. Meier hosted four shows, which is believed to have caused a surge in interest among younger people, who traditionally rarely listened to WGN. Chicago media message boards exploded with traffic and posts, many excited over a possible permanent Meier presence on the station. After the four Meier auditions, Jerry Springer was given a four-day stint as "guest host", followed by Rita Cosby a few weeks later. 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. On May 22, 2009, WGN announced the cancellation of The Kathy and Judy Show effective after that day's broadcast. 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.

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.[25] In June 2010, WGN announced the hiring of longtime Cincinnati-based host Mike McConnell from WLW for the late morning (8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.) slot, shifting Williams back to his original midday time slot (now from 12:30-3:00 p.m.) on August 9, 2010.

Coinciding with the hire of Jarrett, WGN dropped its "News/Talk 720" brand and began identifying itself simply as "Chicago's WGN Radio 720." This new identity was implemented in all station promos, and used by all on-air talent. On August 13, 2010, the station's branding changed again to "News 720 WGN." In November, after the firing of controversial program director Kevin Metheny, Tom Langmyer instructed staff to identify the station as "720 WGN." Weekend hosts Jerry Agar and the "News Junkie" Sean Wasson left the station, in a shift towards more general and less controversial talk programming.

On December 2, 2011, WGN announced that Jonathon Brandmeier was named the new morning drive time host, effective December 9. 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. Former morning host Greg Jarrett was released from the station. Overnight hosts Steve King and Johnnie Putman left WGN on December 9 after a week-long series of live "Farewell Celebration" shows. Bill Leff took over the midnight to 5:30 a.m. slot on December 12. 2011.[26]

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.[27][needs update] In October 2012, then back into Tribune Tower in October 2012.[28] On December 17, 2012, WGN Radio executives announced that the long-running program "Extension 720", hosted by Dr. Milton J. Rosenberg, would end its 39-year run three days later on December 20.

In June 2013, Tribune Broadcasting CEO Larry Wert hired Jimmy DeCastro as WGN radio's president and general manager. In addition, Bob Sirott and Marianne Murciano's program moved to the weekday lineup and Steve Cochran was announced to be returning to WGN. 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,[29] 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").[30] 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. 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 3:00-7:00 p.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 12:00-3:00 p.m. show.[31]

On July 10, 2013, Tribune announced plans to spin off its publishing division into a separate company. Once the split was finalized on August 4, 2014, ending the station's co-ownership with the Tribune after 90 years, WGN-TV and WGN radio remained with the renamed Tribune Media Company (which retains all non-publishing assets, including the broadcasting, digital media and Media Services units), while its newspapers (including the Chicago Tribune) became part of the similarly named Tribune Publishing Company.[32][33]

On June 5, 2014, the Chicago Cubs announced that radio broadcasts of its games would move from WGN to WBBM for the 2015 season under a seven-year deal. The deal ends the team's 90-year association with WGN.[34]

On November 20, 2014, Chicago media blogger Robert Feder reported that WGN management planned to end operation of both WGWG-LP and internet station WGN.FM on December 31, 2014. Jonathan Brandmeier and Garry Meier were released and their programs canceled immediately, with repeat shows airing through the end of December. 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 December 31, 2014, the WGN.FM website was redirected to the WGN Plus website, where Tribune offers various digital media content. WGWG-LP began an interim simulcast of WGN radio at 10 p.m. on December 31, 2014. The Chicago Tribune reported that the simulcast would continue through January 2015, after which Chicago-based Weigel Broadcasting was expected to assume operation of 87.7 FM; Weigel eventually began programming what is now WRME-LP on February 23, 2015.

On October 5, 2016, Jimmy DeCastro announced he was planning to leave WGN Radio at the end of the month. He told Robert Feder "I've done everything I can to respect and build on the legacy of this amazing place, and I believe I accomplished everything I set out to do." At the time of his leaving he had spent 3 1/2 years serving as the President and General Manager of WGN Radio. His last day at WGN Radio was October 31. He said he plans to focus on The Content Factory, his Evanston-based national syndication and new media company, and to expand into the area of sports representation. 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.

On February 14, 2018, WGN was named the new flagship station of the Chicago White Sox, who were left without a station after Cumulus Media voided their contract to air on WLS as part of their Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing. The agreement is for three years.[35]

Attempted acquisition from Sinclair

On May 8, 2017, Sinclair Broadcast Group officially announced its intent to acquire Tribune Media. The transaction would have been a cash-and-stock deal valuing the company at $3.9 billion.[36][37] WGN Radio would have been only be the fifth radio station under Sinclair's current structure, and became a sister operation to Seattle's KOMO AM/FM, KVI and KPLZ-FM. On August 9, 2018, Tribune decided to back out on the merger due to regulatory issues on the television side of the merger, and decided to sue Sinclair, alleging breach of contract. [38]

Programming

In addition to its talk programming (consisting of both topical and sports shows), WGN broadcasts news headlines, weather forecasts supplied by WGN-TV, traffic reports and sports headlines every hour. Business topics are covered during noon to 1pm on the Wintrust Business Lunch with Steve Bertrand. WGN is one of the scant few news/talk radio stations in the country that broadcasts only locally produced talk shows, with a Sunday morning religious block featuring the only two outside programs on the station; Christ Church of Oak Brook's brokered Love Changes Life, followed by The Lutheran Hour as their sole syndicated program. It is the only all local talk station in Chicago, with WIND, WCPT and WLS all carrying at several nationally syndicated talk shows on their schedules. WGN salutes the golden age of radio every Saturday and Sunday night from 11 pm until 2 am with "The WGN Radio Theatre" hosted by broadcast historian, Carl Amari. Amari and his co-host, Lisa Wolf, present classic radio episodes of Suspense, Gunsmoke, Jack Benny, Our Miss Brooks, Escape and hundreds of other 'theatre of the mind' radio broadcasts.

In 1939, Carole Mathews, the "Miss Chicago" of 1938, launched her own WGN radio program Breakfast Time with Carole Mathews. She soon left for Hollywood, where she starred in films and television programs in a career that ended in 1968.[39]

WGN serves as the flagship radio outlet for Chicago White Sox baseball, Chicago Blackhawks hockey and Northwestern University football and men's basketball telecasts. WGN was best known for its long association with the Chicago Cubs from 1925 to 2014—the last 56 years of that period as the exclusive flagship station. Following the 2014 season, Cubs radio broadcasts moved to CBS-owned WBBM.[40] In 2018, WGN became the flagship station for Chicago's other MLB team, the White Sox.[35] WGN was also the longtime Chicago outlet for Paul Harvey until his death on February 28, 2009.

WGN is responsible for the activation of the Chicago metropolitan area Emergency Alert System when hazardous weather alerts, disaster area declarations, and child abductions are issued. The station continues to utilize ABC News Radio for national news as the network's Chicago affiliate, even after the network was taken in-house at the start of 2015 after several years of ownership by Citadel Broadcasting/Cumulus Media at the start of 2015.[41]

Notable current on-air personalities

Notable former on-air personalities

References

  1. ^ a b c d "WGN Radio Timeline: 1920s-1930s". Wgngold.com. Chicago: WGN Radio. 2008-04-30. Archived from the original on July 22, 2012. Retrieved 2008-10-29. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  2. ^ "Contact Us". wgnradio.com. Retrieved 2018-06-19.
  3. ^ "A selection from a decade of visits to tower and studio sites in the Northeast and beyond". Fybush.com. Retrieved 2015-12-12.
  4. ^ "HD Radio station guide for Chicago, IL". Hdradio.com. Retrieved December 12, 2015.
  5. ^ Feder, Robert (July 25, 2017). "WGN Radio leaving Tribune Tower next year". RobertFeder.com. Retrieved July 26, 2017.
  6. ^ Feder, Robert (2018-05-15). "Robservations: WGN Radio is on the move — 18 stories up". RobertFeder.com. Retrieved 2018-06-19.
  7. ^ "Thanks for the Memories! Nick D and The Final Broadcast From The Tribune Tower". wgnradio.com. 2018-06-18. Retrieved 2018-06-19.
  8. ^ White, Thomas H. (2008-01-01). "Three-Letter Roll Call". United States Early Radio History. Cary, North Carolina. Retrieved 2008-10-29.
  9. ^ Hilmes, Michelle, ed. (1997). Radio Voices: American Broadcasting, 1922–1952. University of Minnesota Press. p. 384. ISBN 0816626219. Retrieved 28 September 2010.
  10. ^ "WGN Joins CBS Net" (PDF). Broadcasting. October 15, 1931. Retrieved 29 September 2014.
  11. ^ "Chicago Tribune - Historical Newspapers". chicagotribune.com.
  12. ^ "WGN Radio traffic reporter Len Baldy". Wlshistory.com. Retrieved 2015-12-12.
  13. ^ "Patrolman Leonard F. Baldy, Chicago Police Department, Illinois". Odmp.org. Retrieved 2015-12-12.
  14. ^ "The History of Chicago's WGN Radio 720". Web.archive.org. Archived from the original on 2012-07-22. Retrieved 2015-12-12.
  15. ^ "Eight Chicago Police Stars Retired During Ceremony at Chicago Police Headquarters" (PDF). Chicagopolice.org. Retrieved 2015-12-12.
  16. ^ "Patrolman Irving Francis Hayden, Chicago Police Department, Illinois". Odmp.org. Retrieved 2015-12-12.
  17. ^ "The History of Chicago's WGN Radio 720". Web.archive.org. 2012-07-22. Archived from the original on 2012-07-22. Retrieved 2015-12-12.
  18. ^ "WGN Television: 2501 West Bradley Place, Chicago, Illinois, 60618". Chicagoarchitecture.info. Retrieved 2015-12-12.
  19. ^ Ibata, David (6 March 1985). "WGN Radio To Move Into Tribune Tower". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 29 November 2012.
  20. ^ "WGN Radio Station Studio Orchestra Music Library and Records, 1925-1956 | The Sousa Archives and Center for American Music". Library.illinois.edu. Retrieved December 12, 2015.
  21. ^ "At Flagging Tribune, Tales of a Bankrupt Culture". The New York Times. Retrieved 2015-12-12.
  22. ^ a b "'Pig Virus' quarantined: Metheny, Laski driven out from WGN". Wbez.org. November 11, 2010. Archived from the original on December 18, 2010. Retrieved December 12, 2015. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  23. ^ Rosenthal, Phil (April 30, 2008). "Blackhawks skating over to WGN-AM". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved October 29, 2008.
  24. ^ "WGN Radio to Partner with WGN-TV to Deliver Top Local Weather Reporting to Listeners". WGN Radio. October 10, 2008.
  25. ^ "WGN Radio Announces New Morning Line-up". WGN Radio. wgnradio.com. June 15, 2009. Archived from the original on June 18, 2009. Retrieved June 17, 2009. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |dead-url= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  26. ^ "Some Answers To Some Questions | SteveAndJohnnie's "Both Sides Now" Blog". Steveandjohnnie.wordpress.com. December 5, 2011. Retrieved December 12, 2015.
  27. ^ "Quitting time: Two jobs are one too many for WGN's Williams". TimeOut Chicago. timeoutchicago.com. October 23, 2012.
  28. ^ McLane, Paul (8 February 2012). "Radio 720 WGN Moves Upstairs". Radio World. Retrieved 29 November 2012. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  29. ^ "Report: Mike McConnell, WGN Settle Contract, Host Leaving". All Access. 10 October 2013. Retrieved 10 November 2013.
  30. ^ Channick, Robert (August 20, 2013). "WGN Radio to return to its roots in station shakeup". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved August 21, 2013.
  31. ^ Channick, Robert (2014-05-21). "WGN Radio brings back veteran host John Williams". Chicago Tribune. Archived from the original on 2014-06-06. Retrieved 2014-11-14. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  32. ^ "Tribune Co. to Split in Two". New York Times. Retrieved July 10, 2013.
  33. ^ Channick, Robert. "Tribune Publishing targets Aug. 4 for spinoff". chicagotribune.com. Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 23 June 2014.
  34. ^ "Cubs, WBBM make radio deal official". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 9 June 2014.
  35. ^ a b Feder, Robert (14 February 2018). "Play ball! WGN Radio picks up White Sox". Robert Feder blog. Retrieved 15 February 2018.
  36. ^ Littleton, Cynthia (May 8, 2017). "Sinclair Broadcast Group Sets $3.9 Billion Deal to Acquire Tribune Media". Variety. Retrieved May 10, 2017.
  37. ^ Silets, Alexandra (May 23, 2017). "What Sinclair Broadcast Group's Bid for Tribune Media Means for WGN". WTTW.com. Retrieved May 24, 2017.
  38. ^ http://money.cnn.com/2018/08/09/media/tribune-sinclair/index.html
  39. ^ "Carole Mathews". Glamour Girls of the Silver Screen. Retrieved February 27, 2014.
  40. ^ "WGN Cubs Partnership Ends". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved April 11, 2015.
  41. ^ "ABC News Pres. eMails HIs Team With 'Great News'". AllAccess.com. 2014-12-23. Retrieved 2015-12-12.
  42. ^ "Wintrust Business Lunch | WGN Radio - 720 AM". wgnradio.com. Retrieved 2017-01-09.

External links

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=WGN_(AM)&oldid=856696436"