Looks like Roe has a new home
http://www.robertfeder.com/2015/01/12/wgn-hires-roe-conn-to-host-afternoons/
http://www.robertfeder.com/2015/01/12/wgn-hires-roe-conn-to-host-afternoons/
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Roe to Host Afternoons on WGN
- Thread starter Dr Wayne
- Start date
Robert Feeder reports the following:
"Not rumor, but fact: Roe Conn, the veteran Chicago broadcaster whose 25-year run on WLS AM 890 ended last October, is about to sign on as afternoon personality at WGN AM 720, sources said.
The Tribune Media news/talk station is expected to announce this week that Conn will replace Bill Leff and Wendy Snyder from 3 to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday. Leff and Snyder have held the afternoon shift since they succeeded Garry Meier last May.
If all goes as planned, Leff and Snyder will return to the late-morning midday slot they previously occupied, and John Williams will move to weekends, according to WGN insiders.
Todd Manley, vice president of content and programming at WGN, declined to comment.
Conn, 50, turned up as a guest on Steve Cochran’s morning show Monday, but no mention was made of his impending employment at the station. Conn’s agreement was negotiated by his longtime agent, George Hiltzik of New York-based N.S. Bienstock Inc.
As far back as August 2013, Conn was identified here on the “wish list” of Jimmy deCastro, president and general manager of WGN. But Conn was not available while he was under contract to Cumulus Media, parent company of WLS. That deal expired December 31.
Conn continues as a regular contributor to “Windy City Live,” the 11 a.m. weekday talk show on ABC-owned WLS-Channel 7. He recently announced his engagement to Deanna Beise, but no date has been set for the wedding.
With the loss of Chicago Cubs baseball broadcasts to CBS Radio all-news WBBM AM 780, WGN bosses are looking to attract potentially displaced news listeners by beefing up the station’s news content, particularly during afternoon drive. When it comes to handling breaking news on radio, Conn is among the most adept practitioners in the business.
In the latest Nielsen Audio survey, WGN ranked 20th in afternoons with a 2.1 percent share and cumulative weekly audience of 255,700. Among listeners between 25 and 54, WGN tied with WLS in afternoons for 28th place with a 0.9 share and weekly cume of 81,500."
"Not rumor, but fact: Roe Conn, the veteran Chicago broadcaster whose 25-year run on WLS AM 890 ended last October, is about to sign on as afternoon personality at WGN AM 720, sources said.
The Tribune Media news/talk station is expected to announce this week that Conn will replace Bill Leff and Wendy Snyder from 3 to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday. Leff and Snyder have held the afternoon shift since they succeeded Garry Meier last May.
If all goes as planned, Leff and Snyder will return to the late-morning midday slot they previously occupied, and John Williams will move to weekends, according to WGN insiders.
Todd Manley, vice president of content and programming at WGN, declined to comment.
Conn, 50, turned up as a guest on Steve Cochran’s morning show Monday, but no mention was made of his impending employment at the station. Conn’s agreement was negotiated by his longtime agent, George Hiltzik of New York-based N.S. Bienstock Inc.
As far back as August 2013, Conn was identified here on the “wish list” of Jimmy deCastro, president and general manager of WGN. But Conn was not available while he was under contract to Cumulus Media, parent company of WLS. That deal expired December 31.
Conn continues as a regular contributor to “Windy City Live,” the 11 a.m. weekday talk show on ABC-owned WLS-Channel 7. He recently announced his engagement to Deanna Beise, but no date has been set for the wedding.
With the loss of Chicago Cubs baseball broadcasts to CBS Radio all-news WBBM AM 780, WGN bosses are looking to attract potentially displaced news listeners by beefing up the station’s news content, particularly during afternoon drive. When it comes to handling breaking news on radio, Conn is among the most adept practitioners in the business.
In the latest Nielsen Audio survey, WGN ranked 20th in afternoons with a 2.1 percent share and cumulative weekly audience of 255,700. Among listeners between 25 and 54, WGN tied with WLS in afternoons for 28th place with a 0.9 share and weekly cume of 81,500."
Nothing against Roe here, either. But the current incarnation of WGN reminds me of a sports franchise that keeps acquiring (and discarding) "household name" talent....yet has virtually nothing to show for it. To use another sports analogy, "someone needs to step up and make a big play".
Maybe programming heads are hiring who they personally like. And or those that schmooze with them the best. If I were a programmer I would probably hire people I liked as well ..but when all is said and done...your friends have to bring something to the plate or you're looking for a job yourself. I'm listening to Roe now on the internet in Philly.. This is the first time I ever heard him.. I like him so far. I may be one of the few in the forest listening to him though...
Well today he interviews a Dr who wrote a book called Sex RX..now he is interviewing a guy with a drink cart he brought into the studio and they are all drinking wine and liquor. Makes me want to get back into radio..
He did that same thing in WLS on Friday's at 5 pm. He called
it the (something I can't spell) wagon. Date back to his days with Meier.
The Carnable Wagon. I remember it well, with George Thoroughgood's One Bourbon, One Scotch And One Beer as the music after the 5 pm news...and various quotes from the Simpsons and other tv shows and movies.
So Roe brings along his little red wagon to the show. Maybe Garry will be next.
staggmovie
Star Participant
Roe seems to work best when he has partners in the studio. So far I haven't heard a good mix at WGN.
I know that this is an old subject, but there where plenty of times that Roe Conn both did a solo radio show and had an on air partner, which also includes both Garry Meier and Bill Leff that have both gone on to work, and one still does work at WGN Radio. Garry Meier worked for 8 years as his on air partner, until he choose not to renew with WLS. And Roe Conn's final on air partner at WLS was Richard Roeper which they did 4 years which was pretty much the same length of time that Garry Meier served as the afternoon drive host at WGN Radio. But what do you think would be a good mix at WGN?
I know that this is an old subject, but there where plenty of times that Roe Conn both did a solo radio show and had an on air partner, which also includes both Garry Meier and Bill Leff that have both gone on to work, and one still does work at WGN Radio. Garry Meier worked for 8 years as his on air partner, until he choose not to renew with WLS. And Roe Conn's final on air partner at WLS was Richard Roeper which they did 4 years which was pretty much the same length of time that Garry Meier served as the afternoon drive host at WGN Radio. But what do you think would be a good mix at WGN?
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