Random WGN thread

[MorningNews 1544]

Wow. RIP to Allison. Had she been sick at all recently and I missed it?

Edited September 11, 2021 by MorningNews

[abric 186]

I remember watching her, Steve, Dan and Tom on then Superstation WGN here in MD for many years. She was really a true icon of Chicago television.

[24994J 5676]

Gaynor Hall succeeds Tonya on the weekend morning News.

 

[24994J 5676]

Alyssa Donovan (WRTV) joins WGN as a meteorologist/reporter. Like almost every other hire, these days, she's a Chicago area native. I wouldn't put too much thought into where she fits, other than a fill-in, but the station is going to be very thin in the weather center, as the holidays approach. Morgan will be on maternity leave til the new year, and Skilling and Konrad get a ton of time off, and that leaves a lot of hours for the other 3 gentlemen, so I'm not surprised they're bringing in someone else.

 

 

Edited November 6, 2021 by 24994J

[Spring Rubber 724]

Interesting...combo reporter and meteorologist hybrid role...trying to make the most of their personnel.

[Georgie56 3350]

Julie Unruh is out.

[NBC 5 Chicago 196]

I think out implies being fired. She is leaving to spend more time with her family. 

[R.R. 98]

Sad to see her go! She really has done an amazing job anchoring Midday the past year, and her overall reporting over the years was great!

[TVNewsLover 804]

It would make the most sense for Ben Bradley to add midday duties to his schedule.

[Georgie56 3350]

This slipped under the radar for some reason. 

 

WGN is not broadcasting this year's Chicago Thanksgiving Parade.

[Spring Rubber 724]

2 hours ago, Georgie56 said:

This slipped under the radar for some reason. 

 

WGN is not broadcasting this year's Chicago Thanksgiving Parade.

Thanks Nexstar!

[Georgie56 3350]

It's going to an obscure subchannel called VPOD TV (53.3).

 

Really hoping CFA strikes a deal next year to bring the parade back to WLS or WCIU.

[24994J 5676]

I live within a couple miles of this VPOD's location, and even I can't get their signal.

[Jase 1091]

14 hours ago, Georgie56 said:

It's going to an obscure subchannel called VPOD TV (53.3).

 

Really hoping CFA strikes a deal next year to bring the parade back to WLS or WCIU.

 

Had WGN made this decision in January (or at the very least this past Summer), the CFA, ideally, would have had time to line up a TV sponsor. This is very unfortunate news because this would be the first time in 20+ years the parade isn't on a 'traditional' local television station.

[24994J 5676]

Today was Julie Unruh's final newscast, and with the Arbery murder verdicts derailing the show, her tribute was moved to the very end of the noon hour, and the producers rightfully let the midday news run 4 minutes long to give a proper send-off. Ben Bradley delivered the retrospective, with cameos from Mark Suppelsa, ABC7's Paul Meincke, and Rod Blagojevich.

 

 

Edited November 24, 2021 by 24994J

[nathannah 2541]

On 11/17/2021 at 9:05 AM, 24994J said:

I live within a couple miles of this VPOD's location, and even I can't get their signal.

It's a move-in; it's what used to be channel 59 out of Peoria, WAOE, which is now licensed to Oswego and has suburban translators. They would've been better off buying paid programming time rather than doing this.

[312newswannabe 11]

11 hours ago, 24994J said:

Today was Julie Unruh's final newscast, and with the Arbery murder verdicts derailing the show, her tribute was moved to the very end of the noon hour, and the producers rightfully let the midday news run 4 minutes long to give a proper send-off. Ben Bradley delivered the retrospective, with cameos from Mark Suppelsa, ABC7's Paul Meincke, and Rod Blagojevich.

For some odd reason, I wouldn’t be surprised if she pops up at 22 W Washington. 

[R.R. 98]

Dan Roan plans to retire in February

 

https://www.robertfeder.com/2021/11/29/robservations-abc-7-wins-late-news-ratings-november-sports-anchor-dan-roan-talks-retirement-wgn-radio-overlooks-dan-hampton-arrest/

 

 

Edited November 29, 2021 by 24994J
Cropped image

[Spring Rubber 724]

Pretty surprising in the era of the internet that a story like this gets overlooked for over 4 months simply because small-town publications don't get read by big city folk.

[Georgie56 3350]

Lauren Magiera has to be his successor, right?

[24994J 5676]

You'd think that Lauren would play into succession plans, if they intend on maintaining two weeknight sports anchors, but they have like 8 freaking people in the building (not including Dan) who anchor sports, in some capacity. Payton seems like the favorite, but again, GN Sports is a co-anchored program. That other seat is up for grabs.

[R.R. 98]

Dina Bair says Patrick Elwood has been named co-anchor for WGN Midday News.

[Spring Rubber 724]

Congrats to Patrick on working his way back to the anchor chair after all this time with WGN!

[Keith 0]

39 minutes ago, Spring Rubber said:

Congrats to Patrick on working his way back to the anchor chair after all this time with WGN!

All right!

 

Edited January 13, 2022 by Keith

[R.R. 98]

From 3 predecessors ago! Rare!