Posted by Bud on December 23, 2009 at 12:07:11:
In Reply to: No more Ron Magers with Roe Conn on WLS posted by Bud on December 22, 2009 at 09:57:52:
WLS transition to WGOP now complete
I'm taking a few days off, like many of you, but my eye was caught by the news that WLS-AM 890 has hired conservative yakker Cisco Cotto to team with Roe Conn in afternoon drive. Conn's previous sidekicks-- Garry Meier and Bill Leff -- have provided some portside ballast to Conn's somewhat starboard views, but Cotto seems destined to turn the ship dramatically to the right.
WLS used to make an effort to present a range of views in its programming lineup. Jay Marvin, Bob Lassiter, Ski Anderson & Nancy Skinner, Nate Clay and Mike Malloy were among the liberals who had regular shows. Roma Wade, conservative morning host Don Wade's wife and sidekick, once espoused progressive views but in the wake of the invasion of Iraq evidently underwent a thorough political conversion.
With the addtion in a few weeks of Cotto -- formerly a morning co-host on reactionary radio WIND AM 560 -- WLS will be as Republican as Fox News, but without even the pretense of fairness or balance. I'll miss listening to Conn -- he's a major talent and one of the smartest people in local media -- but I'm sure there's a tea partier out there who'll take my place in his audience.
UPDATE -- Making it easier to say goodbye to Roe on the air is the news today that Ron Magers will no longer be a contributor to his program.
And now, with special thanks to those who came out for three sold-out "Songs of Good Cheer" shows last weekend, I return to my vacation, already in progress.
Posted at 04:01:47 PM