Listeners Upset As WGN Radio’s ‘Kathy And Judy’ Are Off The Air
Markey, 65, a novelist and former columnist at the Chicago Sun-Times, and O’Malley, 63, a former Chicago Tribune columnist
UPDATE
Hear the final song that aired on the Friday broadcast.
Hear the final radio show of “Kathy and Judy” here.
Tell WGN Radio how upset you are with the awful decision here.
Not sure what is happening lately to WGN Radio, a staple on this guy’s radio in the car and at home, but whatever is taking place it is not good news.
The latest slap to the listeners is a tough one to take. Radio management often tries to make better choices for the ultimate bottom line, but instead of making a better choice makes a dreadful mistake. Such is the latest move from WGN Radio.
Last week on our way to Klein Flowers in Madison the first thing we did when getting in the car was tuning in “Kathy and Judy” to hear as we went shopping for flower plants. This week on the way to my parent’s home 90 minutes northwards we listened to the ‘girls’ on the way and had a grand time with them. Little did I know it would be the last road trip with them….and that makes me sad.
For years when in the car or here at home “Kathy and Judy” were part of the family. I always considered myself, as did every other guy who listened, one of the ‘girlfriends’. We all were labeled that way, and proud of it. With zip and flair and lots of laughs we came to know and love these ladies. We knew about their families and dreams, bad times and good. They were brought into our homes via radio because they were good people that we thought should be invited in. And once here, we asked them to stick around.
They will be sorely missed. They do not need me saying it, but I wish them all the best. I want to say thanks to Kathy and Judy for the hours of radio broadcasting professionalism, and companionship.
“Labor Day” will never be the same….listeners will understand what I mean.
WGN-AM 720 this morning announced it is discontinuing the “Kathy & Judy” show, the ground-breaking mid-morning coffee klatch that former Chicago newspaper columnists Kathy O’Malley andJudy Markey hosted for 20 years.
The final 9 a.m.-to-noon show for the Girlfriends, as they are known to their fans, was to feature highlights of some of their most memorable on-air moments as well as the remembrances of O’Malley and Markey, who said on the air that they have known for three weeks that their show would be going away.
“We know that for some of you it’s going to take a little time to digest,” O’Malley said. “We’re all going to be OK, and we’re all going to put on our big-girl panties and deal with it.”
“Kathy and Judy have been a phenomenal chapter in WGN Radio’s rich history,” Tom Langmyer,WGN-AM’s vice president and general manager, said in a statement. “They have a level of personal connection with their listeners that is extremely rare. They’ve shared fun, laughter, joy and a wonderful relationship with their many ‘Girlfriends.’ They will be missed and we wish them much happiness.”
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I AM SO LOST. Every time I get in my car and turn on the radio I feel like a toddler getting into bed with no blanket. I actually get depressed. It’s as if the radio no longer exists to me. I have tuned in their replacement a number of times and have yet to be drawn in by his topics. I have to turn it off. Now I drive in silence.
I still remember the first time I listened to the girlfriends about 5 years ago. It was one simple everyday topic that sucked me in and kept me tuning in day after day. I have a daughter leaving for college in a couple weeks and have no outlet for my pending sadness. I want Kathy and Judy back.
I agree, WGN is not the same. It has been on our car radio for the 50 years of our marriage. I do not care for the new people and definitely miss Kathy and Judy. John Williams is the only things keeping me listening at all. So sad for a station that has been a mainstay in the Chicago area.
I have been an avid WGN listener since about 1992………I concur with most all of the general concensus I have seen posted here: huge dissatisfaction with WGM management moves.Shocked to the core actually. WGN management, by terming Kathy and Judy (and having lost Spike to retirement) is in my view going to lose a huge audience shareif they have not already. K & J were awesome! It’s not only the loss of this rich talent in K, J and Spike, however, but adding insult to injury are the replacements. I listened this morning while doing some Sat running and first Jerry A ranting about the Obama administration’s spending. He’s constantly bashing the administration. I didn’t hear too much whining from WGN as Pres Bush spent, what, about $500 billion + a year for 8 years and left a national debt that doubled from $5 Trillion to $10 or $ 11 trillion? Jerry’s ranting on Pres Obama was followed by Shawn W ripping into Pres Obama’s alleged drinking habits. Give me a break here!!! I’m certain (wink) Pres Bush and VP Cheney never touched a drop while they held office………….think this stn might be turning a little right? The only reason I continue to listen is for Dean R, Steve C and John Williams and their support teams………if 1 or 2 more of those awesome remaining hosts leave, that will definitely be the last straw!! I hope C & J land at another stn, ie, if they don’t have a non compete clause?? If they go some where else, I will follow……..
Im so mad! No more sex thursday
I cant believe there was no warning. I loved listening to Cathy & Judy. I happened to not be listening on the last day and I’m sad because if I would have know thay were being let go I would have made sure to listen. Shame on you WGN for robbing me of that.
I, like all other girlfriends am sadden to not have The Kathy and Judy show to listen to on WGN. I was a new listener for the last 5 years, but truely enjoyed listening to them, durning my morning bike rides, walking my dog or on the computer…These 2 ladies turned me on to talk radio, instead of listening to the music stations, which now I’m back to listening to. I’m not that into the new 9am talk show…it’s just not the same…
I have listened to WGN for 20 plus years and the main reason was for Kathy and Judy. I can’t believe that they were let go . I cant stand Jerry Agar. He is miserable ! I will not listen to him and now I only listen to Gary Meier and Nick and of course Steve and Johnnie. Whats next are Steve and Johnnie going to be fired too? I also cant stand to listen to the French guy.WGN is going down the tubes . I really hope another station picks up Kathy and Judy.They were the best and really made my day.
I spent a lot of hours on the road listening to K & J, they always brightened up my day and I will miss them. WGN had been cancelled effective immediately.
Instead of taking the girls off . Why not take that egotist Nick Digillio off. He never shuts up and let’s the listeners talk. He constantly gives the phone number but never takes calls, because he likes to hear himself. Kathy and Judy were very fair with their listeners and took more then one call an hour. I for one will not listen to Wgn again. Goodbye.
WGN programing has been going down the tubes ever since the new owners took over. It’s no longer the voice of Chicago. It’s now more then ever the voice of Conservative Ville. Dropping Kathy & Judy was the last straw with me.
I am still so angry about this latest move. I loved reading the Chicago Tribune, which now is so small and so tabloid-like, and listening to Kathy and Judy, who now are gone.
WGN, dost thou not know the young ones generally do not read newspapers and do not listen to radio? They admit to this.
Dost thou not know the US population is aging and the Boomers will make the elder-set the largest population segment, who whilst being computer-savvy, DO read books, newspapers and listen to the radio? Do you really think the young are listening to radio, much less to you?
Dost thou not know the aging population has the most expendable income and does purchase, which certainly should please your advertisers?
Dost thou not know we like to laugh in the morning not listen to an angry man on his soapbox?
You had a good thing going. A good lineup. A great following. It wasn’t “broke” – so why did you have to try to fix it? DUH, WGN. You have lost my husband and me. We turn the ranting-man off. We want our girlfriends back.
WOW, I WAS OUT OF TOWN THE WEEK K AND J WERE DUMPED BY WGN. FIRST, SPIKE RETIRED, NOW THIS. TOO BAD FOR WGN. THESE TWO SHOWS WERE THE REASON I LISTENED TO WGN IN THE MORNING. NOW ALL THEY HAVE TO OFFER IS BORING AND THE CUBS, AND WE KNOW WHAT THEY ARE, NO THANKS, GOOD BYE WGN AND GOOD LUCK TO K AND J, WOULD LOVE TO HEAR YOU ON ANOTHER CHANNEL.
Please bring back the Kathy and Judy WGN radio show. They are very refeshing to listen to during the week. I liked to listen to them when I am around the house or driving. They felt like family to me. They usually had very interesting topics. Even though they are very strong liberals, I enjoyed listening to their side of an issue. I will now have to find another station to listen to inorder to support Kathy and Judy. Thank you for hearing me out on Kathy asnd Judy. I hope that another station picks up their show. I would like to know why WGN fired Kathy and Judy?
WGN what a dumb move! Fun radio to crap!
I just learned about Judy and Kathy being cancelled and I feel so disappointed in WGN. I don’t know which “manager” made this decision, but I think maybe he/she should be cancelled. Those two women were a friendly, intelligent, funny presence on WGN, especially for female listners.. shame on you guys.
New era….new hosts….it’s okay…time to move on into the future.
It’s all over for me and WGN. Your idea of “talk radio” is just to far out for me. I’ve listened for over 20 years and now will find another station. Letting K & J go is the last straw.
Hard to believe…..K&J gone. Well while seeking the much sought after 25-45 demographic WGN has cut off it’s nose to spite it’s face. The ‘girls’ show pulled in the advertising dollars, more so than any WGN show beside John Williams. “Fools and and thier money are soon parted” as I am sure WGN will find out after this latest fiasco.
Getting rid of KAtyh and Judy is the dumbest thing WGN has ever done.
Good bye WGN.
I hope you advertisers feel the same was and dump WGN.
No more Kathy and Judy no more WGN for me.
so long WGN !!
So long WGN. Kathy and Judy were the main reason that I kept the dial tuned to 720. They were always entertaining and thought provoking. Don’t know what management was thinking when they let them go……or maybe that is the problem…..they weren’t thinking! For me it’s “good luck and good bye.”
It used to be that I could listen to WGN from morning to night and enjoy every show. Those days are gone and so am I.
I am saddened that this was done to Kathy & Judy Show. I was an avid listener because they were a great start to my day. It was always uplifting when I would take my walks and have my ear phone on to hear them. Now that joy is gone. It is terrible that the station would do this. I’m done with WGN.
You have lost a whole family of listeners!!!!! This makes NO sense!!! We will only listen to WGN for the cubs. Good luck Kathy and Judy!!!!
i’m officially done with wgn. first they dumped nick digillio’s saturday movie reviews. i didn’t always agree with him but as a movie fan i scheduled my saturday mornings around them. they got listening to the station when i stumbled across them one day. now the girlfriends. at this point i have no reason to listen anymore. i’m going back to public radio and podcasts since the rest of the radio dial is sports and conservative talking points.
I have been listening to Kathy and Judy since my husband came home one day 20 years ago and said, “You have to listen to 720, they have these two women on who are really funny”.
That was it. I identified with their humor, with the additional humorous comments and insights from Steve Bertrand.
They have been my companions at work (via computer), and at home each weekday morning
ever since. I missed them when they took their vacations and couldn’t wait for their return.
They started my days out in current conversations and situations that we all wonder about and experience. The callers also added so much to their conversations. Not always agreeing with them was interesting as well.
They should have been given the courtesy of making their exit upon completion of their contracts. I think they were ready to move on anyway…………..but it should have been on their terms. Thanks for the 20 years with them. Chicagoland women have a huge void to fill.
Well, I must say I generally listen to WCPT, but never, ever missed Kathy and Judy. Because of them, I also listened to Spike and then John. Recently though, it’s been John and Bob. After that, I’m generally gone to WCPT. Doesn’t management get it? These girlfriends are a draw. I wouldn’t have discovered Spike’s charm or King John’s wit. Believe me, it isn’t just old ladies who listen, as had been stated. Both my daughters, age 28 and 33 listen, as do many of their friends. I’m a Hospice nurse, and after seeing my dying patients, my saving grace was to get back in the car and listen to Kathy and Judy laugh. That was all I needed to lift my spirits. I can’t imagine how I will get through a day without them. I feel like I’ve lost my sisters. When I heard them say that this would be the end, it felt like someone had kicked me in the stomach. I bawled like a baby while listening to their last show. I guess WGN wants to go in a different direction. Well, they’ll be going in that direction without me, and many of my friends. I won’t even listen when my Cubbies are on.
I don’t practice listening to GN in the daytime since I now live in Door County, WI, beyond good daytime reception; however, recently I was on the road and thought that I’d try listening to the “old familiar” as I drove to the northern suburbs (I do listen at night, once the ‘air clears’–Steve & Johnny are always delightful), and I found “the girl friends” unlistenable. Before we retired, we lived in the northern suburbs and the radios didn’t have any other numbers beside 720. One other area that bothers me is the swarmy, self-centered, egotistical Nick Digilio. He can tolerate no other opinion but his own, condemning anything contrary as STUPID. I would have preferred that he be given the boot and shown the gate. I still relish memories of Bob Collins, my all-time favorite.
I have been a WGN listner since the Wally Phillips days and will like most be changing stations I have ruined radio’s in the past with the knob constantly set to GN. I told my wife before Kathy and Judy were fired that Spike got out at the right time he has to much class to be edgy and argumentative. I am 47 years old and feel I am the market share that spent the money there sponsors where after. I agree WGN will probably go the way of the Tribune down hill fast…
First Spike retired and you replaced him with that bore King John, I quit listening in early morning because of that, I listen to Jonny and Steve, I suppose they will be the next to be gone, I love Milt Rosenberg even if he is republican, I enjoy Steve Cochran, he should have been the one to replace Spike, the only day thing left on your station is Steve, I listen to Milt, Jonny/Steve, the farm and market with Orian and Max, then the radio goes off till the “girls” I was hoping for John ’s afternoon show to be replaced by Bob Sirott and wife, but NO they are not hateful enough, we have enough radio stations that have hosts that spew hate messages, we don’t need your station going that route. I seldom listen to Milt anymore because you have mostly replaced him with sports, EVERYONE in the world is not kept alive by sports, I understand though that it must be a money maker for you and thats probably the bottom line, and with hate shows, and sports you will gain a few new listeners, but in the long run you will lose listeners who want to listen to people with ideas, hometown stuff, etc. Goodby WGN
Well if the Tribune company was in trouble with their newspapers, they are now in major trouble with their radio station. What a bonehead move. It was bad enough bringing Gary Meier into the family but this is ridiculous. I will be turning WGN on only for the Cubs and John Williams. Spike must have seen the writing on the wall and saved himself from all of this embarrassment. The geniuses at the top should be very proud of themselves. They will have set the record for ruining a radio station at warp speed.
Wow!! What a huge mistake, once again by WGN. Bringing back Garry Meier was bad enough (I just turned your station off at 1:00),but to now dump “The Girlfriends”!!! That’s inexcusable…I hope the management there are happy & ready to flip burgers soon when their jobs are gone….
apparently, being witty, funny, thought provoking, considerate of opinions of others, and just plain top entertainment is not enough. if their viewers were 15 to 25 yr olds, the show would never have been cancelled. i will never listen to wgn except for ball games. another bonehead move( e.g. gary meiers). this station is run by radio failures from new york. yuck.
good luck ladies
i know your show will be back on another channel once your contract with wgn end next year.
Just wondering, the general manager is the only name mentioned in this decision to drop Kathy and Judy. But then there’s Kevin Metheny, WGN’s program director. He was the guy who was New York’s NBC Radio’s program director back in the 1980’s, and who had a big part in chasing Howard Stern off the air and who was the “pig vomit” character in Stern’s movie Private Parts.
After Stern left NBC radio, NBC radio went away, was no more. Similar thing happened to WCKG in Chicago when Stern decided to go to satellite. CKG’s share went to almost zero. WCKG couldn’t help that. After Stern was fired from NBC, he succeeded big time with another company, then on to satellite radio.
Now, Kathy and Judy, two icons of Chicago radio, are gone. A little too soon, I think. I’d like to know what input Metheny had. Surely he was a participant in the decision. Some history with this guy.
Let’s see where WGN stands in six months, in a year. WGN’s appeal to me was always it’s stability, its familiarity. The heads running the station probably shouldn’t be running it, but they’re hard-ass business people, accustomed to criticism, and will survive to run another station into the ground after they’ve left WGN in tatters. So we should not feel sorry for them.
So, goodbye Kathy & Judy. And goodby WGN.
Hello satellite radio.
While I was not that big of a fan of Cathy and Judy, I am quite surprised that WGN would drop them. Their contract was not up until next year. In an article I read they said they were planning on retiring after the contract was up. I am not that big of a fan of Gary Meier either. It is kind of surpising that they wouldn’t give Nick Digilio the 1-4 spot.
First Spike left, then the weekend personalities were let go and now Kathy and Judy are gone and management is instructing the remaining staff to be more edgy and angry. I will NEVER listen WGN again.
I have been a loyal listener for 20 years.
WGN management has made several gross errors in judgement and the station will be gone in 6 months.
The reason I listened to WGN is because it was one of the last remaining stations that had integrity, class and good taste.
I detest edgy, angry personalities.
WGN management must be a group of absolute morons.
WGN-you lose.
Boy are you right, I too am going to change my station……I enjoyed Kathy and Judy…….and the former hosts…..Gary is ok but that french guy, dont like him….
I will miss them. They’re honest and ask the questions and make the comments that most everyone else is making off air. Wally Phillips built WGN and Kathy & Judy made it a station I wanted to stay with.
Man, my wife is going to be totally pissed. Typical Chicago Radio BS. Get rid of them, they are talented and were paying them too much.