Posted by chicagomedia.org on June 05, 2008 at 09:06:47:
A longer 'Day'
Fox station will add fifth hour to lackluster morning program
The worst morning show on Chicago television isn't getting any better.
But it is getting longer.
Fox-owned WFLD-Channel 32 is tacking on a fifth hour to its low-rated "Good Day Chicago," which will air from 5 to 10 a.m. Monday through Friday, as of July 7.
By adding the 9 a.m. hour, Channel 32 will be putting it up against the market-crushing "Oprah Winfrey Show" on ABC-owned WLS-Channel 7. (Oprah must be quaking in her Manolos over the very idea.)
To accommodate the move, Fox's syndicated "The Morning Show with Mike and Juliet" will get bumped to 10 a.m. weekdays.
"The additional hour of 'Good Day Chicago' well positions us to take advantage of a growing appetite for local news, weather and information during this time period," Pat Mullen, vice president and general manager of Channel 32, said in a press release Wednesday.
Mike Barz and Jan Jeffcoat, glib main anchors of the show, also will host the new fifth hour.
In the year they've been on together, the pair's chemistry has gone from bad to worse. While Barz alternates between appearing smug and bored, Jeffcoat still comes off like a lost newcomer most days.
The vote of confidence in the show by Fox bosses seems even more puzzling considering how poorly it's doing in the ratings.
While Tribune Co.-owned WGN-Channel 9 expanded its first-place lead in mornings by double digits across the board in May, Channel 32's numbers were down or flat year-to-year in both households and most key demographics.
From 5 to 9 a.m., Channel 9 averaged a 3.8 household rating -- a 153 percent advantage over Channel 32's 1.5 rating.