The geezers at the paper pound have a saying about the morning radio program on WGN-AM, 720: That since Wally Phillips paved the way, a monkey could sit in that drive time and still rack up the ratings. That has proven true through the late Bob Collins, Spike O'Dell and now John Williams. It's the rest of the station that is hurting as bad as its fellow members of old-line media.
Not that The Hound feels sorry for anything owned by the Tribune Co., but yanking the "Kathy & Judy" program unceremoniously off the air on May 22 certainly should be a shock to the system of anyone thinking of majoring in broadcasting over print journalism. The reason, according to the WGN program director, was the station is moving in a new direction and wants to attract a younger audience. Yea, like that's going to happen.
Like print media, broadcast media is facing challenges daily. WGN certainly hasn't been the only radio outlet to feel the pain. WKRS-AM 1220 let go some of its on-air personalities recently and in the process becoming the "non-Talk of Lake County". On the FM dial, "Smooth Jazz" on WNUA, 95.5, is now a Spanish-language station. WNUA changed format just as the girllfriends left the AM airwaves.
Note to WGN programmers: Young people don't listen to AM radio. They listen to podcasts, their iPods or Sansa Fuzes, HD radio, satellite radio. You're doomed. Go back to the geezers while you still have the chance.
As for the girlfriends, they were pulling down a cool $400,000 each a year, plus benefits. While they may be missed, The Hound wouldn't be surprised to see them surface after a hiatus, of sorts, until their contract expires on another outlet which may go for the oldster Vince and Rhonda crowd --- like the Big 89. Ah, wouldn't that be sweet revenge?
