Posted by Bud on June 13, 2010 at 22:08:10:
WGN Radio Also Waiting For Cunningham Decision
Posted by jkiesewetter June 11th, 2010, 4:48 pm
As The Willie Turns….
Chicago Tribune’s Tower Ticker blog by Phil Rosenthal picked up instantly on Mike McConnell’s comments during our online chat today about his possible WGN-AM time slot. He says the uncertainty about McConnell’s August shift depends on if Bill Cunningham goes to WGN-AM too. Rosenthal writes: “The uncertainty regarding McConnell’s hours and how much change is coming to WGN-AM, it’s likely because the station doesn’t yet know if McConnell, 55, will be joined here by another WLW host, Bill Cunningham, 62.” If Cunningham eventually renews at WLW-AM, WGN likely will keep talk host John Williams, whose contract runs ”well into next year,” he says.
Some of you might think this is another WLW stunt, but I think the Cunningham/WGN-AM dealings are very serious. Look how they yanked McConnell off the air this week for running off to work for Randy Michaels, a former Clear Channel exec. And now Cunningham wasn’t on WLW-AM today for the third straight day. He was in Chicago last night prepping for taking his “Big Willie” TV talk shows for Tribune, owners of WGN-AM. (Jeff Katz from Clear Channel’s Boston station filled in Wednesday and again today. The Reds were on yesterday.) Cunningham has told people he was told Wednesday by WLW bosses that he couldn’t do his show because he hasn’t agreed to an extension to stay at the station when his deal expires this month. So Willie flaunted the opportunity — by going to lunch Wednesday at Trio’s in Kenwood, 2 blocks from the station, with banished Mike McConnell and Sean Compton, the former WLW/Clear Channel exec who’s the Tribune programming president over WGN-AM and Willie’s talk show.
Cunningham will tape “Big Willie” pilots Saturday and Sunday at WGN-TV. They’ll air either the week of June 28 or July 5. (Tricia Macke from Fox 19, which will air the “Big Willie” test shows, is going to Chicago to tape some features with Willie to run at a later date; Tribune wouldn’t let me in.) After they air, Tribune and Cunningham will know if the TV show is a go. Then Willie will know if he’s commuting to Chicago… And then apparently he’ll decide about doing radio for WLW-AM or WGN-AM from both cities. He could do WGN radio without moving to Chicago permanently, still be home several days a week, where he owns restaurants and his wife is a judge. He could cash in big-time for WGN TV and WGN radio… or could get a big raise from Clear Channel to continue being the big one on The Big One.
But what happens Monday? Will Willie return to WLW-AM? Or will someone else do his show (and we’ll just hear him only doing commercials, making money for 700)? What’s best for the listener — or doesn’t the station care about the people who made the station No 1? Should be an interesting next few weeks.