Posted by Bud on February 13, 2010 at 13:31:18:
WLS Clears air, dumps Mancow and Cassidy
Duo wrong fit, management says; Cotto to split with Conn, fill slot
Without warning, the boom was lowered on midmorning co-hosts Mancow Muller and Pat Cassidy and their show at news/talk WLS-AM (890) Wednesday.
Station management said the show did not fit the expectations of WLS listeners. Cisco Cotto, who was Roe Conn's co-host on the afternoon drive show at WLS-AM for only a few weeks, will take over the 9 to 11 a.m. slot formerly filled by Muller and Cassidy, effective today. Muller and Cassidy did not return calls seeking comment. Muller came to WLS-AM in October 2008 after being off the air in Chicago for more than two years. Cassidy joined the station in August 2008.
Since Michael Damsky took the reins as general manager last month, he has been on a fast-paced crusade to remake the station and turn around its lackluster performance in the monthly Arbitron ratings report. The station ranked a disappointing 25th overall among adults 25 to 54 in the most recent ratings book.
Apparently Damsky is looking to create a consistent conservative talk show sound from morning drive through at least the end of the syndicated Rush Limbaugh midday show on WLS, and then let Roe Conn, who will now front his own afternoon drive show solo again, decide how he can most effectively fit in with the rest of the station's politically conservative programming.
Damsky said he had great respect for Muller and his talents. But the WLS-AM general manager also said he had concluded Muller was no longer the right fit for the station.
"Mancow is very high-energy, but he wasn't as issue-focused as we wanted the show to be," said Damsky, who also said Cotto would eventually wind up with a co-host. "We're going to try out a few people, and see who might be our best option."
Damsky insisted Cotto's quick exit from the Roe Conn show had nothing to do with ratings. "I just think Cotto will be the perfect segue from the Don Wade and Roma in morning drive to Rush Limbaugh," Damsky explained.
Damsky attributed Conn's slide in the ratings ("The Roe Conn Show" is currently tied for 25th place among adults 25 to 54) to his being "overmanaged and overcoached" for much of the past year. Damsky said Conn will get a new sidekick soon, and hinted that Bill Leff, who was dumped from that sidekick role last year, could return, but no decisions have been made. Damsky already brought back Conn's regular chat segment with ABC-owned WLS-Channel 7 anchor Ron Magers. That segment had been dumped just a few weeks before Damsky took over as general manager.
Where will they land?
For now, the shake-up at WLS-AM leaves Muller without a Chicago gig, though he continues to produce a syndicated radio show that is not heard locally. Muller reportedly told members of his staff as he was exiting the station on Wednesday not to worry about him. But it's unclear where he would be a good fit with other local radio stations that are hiring, which isn't a long list at the moment.
As for Cassidy, it's possible he could get back in the running for the still-unfilled morning drive co-host job at all-talk WBBM-AM (780), a role Cassidy left to join WLS-AM. But WBBM-AM sources said management there is seriously considering several internal and external candidates for that job. But WBBM-AM General Manager Rod Zimmerman did say Cassidy "would be considered" for his old slot now that he's suddenly back on the market.
Damsky wouldn't discuss what financial obligations, if any, WLS-AM still has to Muller and Cassidy, though both are believed to have varying amounts of time left on their contracts. But WLS-AM parent Citadel Broadcasting filed for bankruptcy protection in December, and sources said such a move can lead to talent contracts being voided.