SAM ZELL & TRIBUNE

[Boogie Skank]

So the BIG Question is:

What's WGN going to sound like with Randy Michaels at the helm?  Hell Radio on 720?


 

[gr8oldies]

It could get a facelift like WLW got in the early 80s!

[hammondo]

I've never been mre pessimistic. I've seen it happen before.

The farm/business dept. is toast. Max will go back to shoveling shi, er manure in Indiana, and the GREAT OUTDOORS SHOW is at sunset, lots of the news is toast, the big salaries are done, Milt Rosenberg is kaput.

Steve and Johnnie can move to Florida permanently and sit on their front porch, The Girlfriends will soon break up.

The hig rent storefront studio (can become a Subway) and space at
Trib Tower is over.

What overnight satellite show is coming to town?

Could Spike be back to being the "head Cone Placer" in the quad cities?

The CHIEF of the bean counters just pulled into the Tribune garage and will soon be having LOBSTERGRAMS and Malinotti's Pizza for supper served with Rubenschlager bread and wearing whats left of Wally's scarves and Lou Manfredini's caps.

[War Of Attrition]

It could get a facelift like WLW got in the early 80s!

And boy could WGN use a facelift.  The programming is sleep-inducing to anyone under 70.  I am sure they are #1 in all nursing homes and retirement centers in Chicago AND Phoenix (although KTAR is getting more and more like WGN everyday)

Does anyone know where they fall in the rankings in terms of billing?

[hammondo]

War,
You must be 23. WGN is VERY listenable. You'll find the ratings prove it. Not only that, it's been at the TOP of the ratings for over 20 years.

Now, you asked about BILLING?
I'm very glad you asked.
WGN RADIO is in the TOP THREE BILLERS in the UNITED STATES.

Nursing homes, indeed. Someday, when you grow up, you'll understand.

Here is a tip next time you challenge someone;
In a forum such as this, WISE people ask questions for which they already know the answers.

[War Of Attrition]

You are just an ass trying to pick a fight.  If you weren't so defensive, you would have seen that I didn't challenge you or anyone else.  Our posts were 5 minutes apart and I didn't even see your first post until right now.  I was only adding a thought to gr8oldies post.  Simmer down.

You must be 23. WGN is VERY listenable. You'll find the ratings prove it. Not only that, it's been at the TOP of the ratings for over 20 years.

Now, you asked about BILLING?
I'm very glad you asked.
WGN RADIO is in the TOP THREE BILLERS in the UNITED STATES.

No one is arguing WGN's historical success in ratings and billings.  What I am point out is that their current programming is for an old audience.  It's a bunch of toaster talk.  If they continue on the current programming path their billings will begin dropping as more and more of their audience passes the 55 year old mark, if it hasn't already.

When I asked about billings, I was hoping someone from within the market with more data could provide a trend of what is happening and has happened the past couple of years.  I think we were all well aware that as of last year WGN was the top biller in Chicago.  It was in every trade publication.

Obviously, by the tone and contents of your posts, you love WGN and are willing to attack anyone for any comment that challenges it's continued greatness. But just because they are on top this minute, doesn't mean tomorrow is guaranteed.  And with an aging audience it couldn't be any more true than for WGN.

[hammondo]

You said; "just because they are on top this minute, doesn't mean tomorrow is guaranteed."

We agree. That was the point of my first post. If I'm an ass, than you
are just a idiot who wants everything to be geared to someone young. and YOUNG people are listening to radio LESS AND LESS. That's what's killing the whole radio biz now.

I'm not picking a fight, just delivering facts.

People have been talking about "their current program path" since the arrival of Bob Collins in the 70's - and "their current program path" has generated about 4 times the gross revenue since then.

Part of the reason for their success IS that they cater to an "older" audience while the rest of the radio dummies each get a smaller piece of the "younger" pie.

You said; "I was hoping someone from within the market with more data could provide a trend of what is happening and has happened the past couple of years."

Well, I've got that data because I program a few distant competitors, and have been an owner (successfully sold what I owned), manager and pd for over 30 years. I can tell you psychographics (research) about how correct they are. That's why I "love wgn" because they prove that reserach to be on the mark.

Your post came across as though YOU were the ass - WHY would you give a "facelift" there and change top billing and great ratings that own a big demo that nobody else caters to? Of course it won't last forever. WLS WAS catering to the young demo and they have moved on as well. Hmmm - their audience must be in the nursing home, too. Young demos don't listen to talk.

Mr. Zell is probably going to listen to people like you and kill alot of revenue. What wgn does is aim at am's biggest "niche."

Good luck.

[b344077]

First: I listen to WGN Radio.
Second: I am over 50.
Third: Sam Zell's record is that of a "Bottom Feeder". He picks up distressed properties, fixes up the bottom line, keeps what is good and dumps what is only a short term fix.

WGN is a great radio station but is high cost. I think that a bottom feeder would be very tempted to reduce costs like a) dump the local late night programs and put in satellite stuff, b) reduce the news/sports/traffic staff as they did with the weather person some years ago and c) once the vertical integration of the Tribune and WGN is eliminated, the studio location may be too costly and so a move might make sense.

It's my suspicion that these facilities have long term contracts that tie them together and so this would all happen over a period of time.

The one driver might be whether the new owners of the Cubs will be looking for additional revenue from the media properties and might start to make things miserable for the WGN "family" in a couple of years. If the Cubs were to leave WGN, that might hasten padical changes.   

[Boogie Skank]

WGN 720 - THE POWER PIG OF THE MIDWEST! 

[MarkR]

wgn is NOT a top 3 biller in the country... not even close to #3