Harry & Spike reunited!
Robert Feder with the news of a new sports talk entry in Chicago.
At 1:02 p.m. Monday, WGN will kick off The Game under terms of a local marketing agreement with Venture Technologies Group, owner of the low-power station’s license. As first reported here Friday, Tribune Broadcasting is leasing the signal of WKQX LP 87.7 through September 2015. The call letters are expected to be changed to WGWG by midweek, pending government approval.
“We’re going after a young, more educated sports audience,” Jimmy deCastro, president and general manager of news/talk WGN, said of the new addition. “We want this to be young and hip and fun.”
And the lineup, including the return of Harry and Spike:
Mornings will lead off with Jonathon Brandmeier (who’ll also continue to be heard online on the virtual station wgn.fm). The rest of the day will be sports-oriented, starting with veteran WGN sports host David Kaplan and Chicago Tribune sports columnist David Haugh in middays. WGN’s Alex Quigley and Big Ten Network’s Howard Griffith will host early afternoons, followed by the duo of Harry Teinowitz and Spike Manton in late afternoons. WGN’s Mark Carman will be on in evenings, followed by overnight programming from NBC Sports Radio. WGN’s Jordan Bernfield will be a full-time sports reporter.
Any sword on whether they will be airing the games for which WGN has rights, i.e., Cubs and Blackhawks?
Haven’t heard.
Griffith and Quigley did state that the station would be used in case of spillover, presumably between the Cubs and Blackhawks.
Disappointing as I can’t pick up FM too far from Chi. Kap will lose audience. I think it made more sense to build an AM station, home of the Cubs, around sports. Will miss the evening show as Kap and Carmen had good chemistry together.