Posted by chicagomedia.org on April 12, 2009 at 16:44:53:
Stop, look and listen: With Roe Conn now doing daily national commentaries for Citadel Media Networks (formerly ABC Radio Networks), Citadel's WLS-AM 890 has trimmed his afternoon show by an hour, and it's poised to make other changes in coming weeks.
But if Conn's ratings pick up, what happens to those plans, which include replacing Christina Filiaggi on traffic with reporter Amy Jacobson?
Management, which rehired Filiaggi last year after she lost her job in a cost-cutting purge, has been uncommonly considerate in assuring her that she will remain on Conn's show until mid-May while she seeks another gig.
It also helped arrange a tryout for Filiaggi with Erich "Mancow" Muller for the syndicated early morning show he does before his local 9-to-11 a.m. WLS program with Pat Cassidy. But Muller, who recently reduced the size of his show's staff, hasn't hired Filiaggi and isn't even certain his syndicated show needs a female.
With the planned changes a month off, a ratings surge might give WLS cause to reconsider. Stay tuned—and if you're carrying a Portable People Meter for Arbitron, you may play a role.
(Phil Rosenthal, Chicago Tribune)