24994J 5277 Posted August 20, 2013 Share Posted August 20, 2013 In a major upheaval, Tribune-owned WGN-AM 720 in Chicago is rearranging and reassigning 14-17 hours of its weekday line-up. All of that has been hinted at for months and is touched on in these articles, but the real interesting tidbit lies in a possible expansion of the news/talk station on the FM dial. Robert Feder (broke the story): https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=609556505733465&set=a.286389614716824.68071.175146445841142&type=1 Chicagoland Radio and Media: http://chicagoradioandmedia.com/news/5879-wgn-am-schedule-lineup-changes-to-take-place-september-3 Lewis Lazare: http://www.bizjournals.com/chicago/news/2013/08/20/will-tribune-cos-largely-retro.html There are many here that are far more familiar with the Tribune Company's acquisitions and business dealing than me, so I ask, what does this the potential FM station mean for the bigger picture? UPDATE (8/22/13): Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrtraveler01 737 Posted August 21, 2013 Share Posted August 21, 2013 In a major upheaval, Tribune-owned WGN-AM 720 in Chicago is rearranging and reassigning 14-17 hours of its weekday line-up. All of that has been hinted at for months and is touched on in these articles, but the real interesting tidbit lies in a possible expansion of the news/talk station on the FM dial. Robert Feder (broke the story): https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=609556505733465&set=a.286389614716824.68071.175146445841142&type=1 Chicagoland Radio and Media: http://chicagoradioandmedia.com/news/5879-wgn-am-schedule-lineup-changes-to-take-place-september-3 Lewis Lazare: http://www.bizjournals.com/chicago/news/2013/08/20/will-tribune-cos-largely-retro.html There are many here that are far more familiar with the Tribune Company's acquisitions and business dealing than me, so I ask, what does this the potential FM station mean for the bigger picture? I'm guessing that Tribune is trying to buy 101.1 from Merlin, they've sold off their signals in New York and Philadelphia and I've been waiting for them to sell their signals in Chicago as well. I'd rather have WGN buy it than some satellite-fed Christian station. To me, it means Cubs games on FM. Other than that, not much. Other talk stations migrated to FM as well but it hasn't done much in terms of growing their listeners. But it is interesting if the FM rumor is true because it shows that Tribune is still serious about wanting to run WGN radio as their priorities shift in terms of other media (newspapers to TV). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TVLurker 161 Posted August 21, 2013 Share Posted August 21, 2013 Tribune has always been the rare exception when it comes to radio. Alot of television stations and only one radio station; I've always thought WGN's programming was already good considering it's owned by a local company committed to local programming at that. With the addition of an FM signal, it'll increase the radio stations they have to two; normally this wouldn't matter but since it's Tribune we're talking about, it'll matter a lot and that FM station will hopefully extend the reach of WGN's audience 10 fold. If a station deserves to have it's audience grow, it's WGN but it has to do so in a good matter. It has to make an impact on today's generation and even though it's host aren't the hippest of hip, I have absolute certianty that they'll succeed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ToriElectra 291 Posted August 22, 2013 Share Posted August 22, 2013 In NY, I would have rather seen an FM simulcast of WCBS than WFAN since they bought one of the Merlin stations there, the former WPIX/WRXP. My dad was confused when they changed it from rock to news, and then back to rock, and now it's just sports. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
24994J 5277 Posted August 22, 2013 Author Share Posted August 22, 2013 WGN.FM "The G": Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CircleSeven 1944 Posted February 15, 2014 Share Posted February 15, 2014 Follow Up Time!!! Feder states that WGN will operate 87.7 FM frequency this Monday afternoon, with a completely different lineup from WGN AM 720 & WGN.fm. Yet he states that Jonathan Brandmeier will have a morning show on the new frequency. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
24994J 5277 Posted February 15, 2014 Author Share Posted February 15, 2014 Apparently, it's going to be a comedic/loose sports format. The call letters will like be WGNG-FM..."WGN/87.7 The Game". Riiiiiiiiiight. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Viper550 268 Posted February 17, 2014 Share Posted February 17, 2014 They poached Harry and Spike, nice. http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/breaking/chi-wgn-fm-sports-talk-station-the-game-20140217,0,5026506.story Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
24994J 5277 Posted February 17, 2014 Author Share Posted February 17, 2014 There's no doubt in my mind that 87.7 will be the new, permanent back-up outlet for Hawks and Cubs games. I wonder, though, will Tribune use the new station as a selling point come time for Cubs negotiations? I can't imagine that it won't play a part. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.