WGN Says Goodbye To Greg Jarrett, Listeners Rejoice At Departure
UPDATE…Steve and Johnnie rumored to leave WGN airwaves.
There is no way to state how glad I am to hear that WGN’s morning drive-time windbag Greg Jarrett is leaving the famed studios on the Magnificent Mile. Greg Jarrett is off the WGN airwaves immediately.
I do not want to sound overly rude or look like I am kicking a man when he is down. I sincerely hope Jarrett lands another radio job, but at a station I do not listen to.
There is no way to state how utterly unprepared Jarrett was to step into the WGN chair that Wally Phillips once broadcast from. I am old enough to recall the magic connection that Phillips had with the listeners, and I am old-fashioned enough to think that style of broadcasting is still being sought by listeners.
Jarrett never even tried.
When Jarrett arrived at WGN he felt a need to state how many people he knew, and all that he had done in radio. There was always a need to convey to his listeners that he was important.
Really?
A professional broadcaster need not tell listeners such a thing, the day-to-day on-air work will just allow that fact to be established.
After two years WGN listeners were still waiting.
If this all sounds tough about a person in radio, perhaps that is because I have high standards for the folks who are invited into our home. When we turn on the radio we invite the radio host or broadcaster to be our guest. In time, it is hoped the announcer is so welcomed they no longer need to knock.
That is how I truly feel about radio.
I recall the words penned by media columnist Robert Feder that sums up all one needs to know how Jarrett blustered his way into the Windy City.
It’s been more than a year now since Jarrett got off the bus from San Francisco and stepped right into the WGN morning job — arguably the most venerated and important radio position in Chicago — without one day’s prior experience in the market. From the moment he signed on here, he’s shown a penchant for parading his ignorance of local personalities and places. Nevertheless, his bosses repeatedly have defended their decision to hire him, even as they recently announced plans to cut his show back by 30 minutes. At least that’s a step in the right direction.
With Jonathon Brandmeier having been announced today as the new morning man at WGN radio I trust another line such as I penned in August 2010 will not be needed on CP.
Isn’t there another soccer match anywhere in the world that we can pay Greg Jarrett to attend, and have him off the WGN airwaves? The best weeks recently for morning radio in Chicago were the ones Jarrett spent in South Africa.
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How do you justify ‘rejoice’ when most are not in favor of the change? Not sure you listen to the station because most if not all is very simliar to predecessors.
I liked Greg but I can understand what you are saying about him — I liked him and he once lived in Beloit, my home town, and he would not be allowed by law to do what Wally was famous for, there is only one Bob Collins but he was taken from us but in a world of Spike Odells and such, Greg was adequate I felt. Especially, I don’t like having him think he was OK and allowing him to move all his belongings to Chicago and change his families’ life style and then dumping him — that has happened to me and it is not good. Why did WGN hire him if he were so bad? Why did they keep him for two years if he were so bad? And at the same time, why were Steve and Johnnie dumped? If management hired Greg, allowed Greg to stay for two years and fired Steve and Johnnie it looks to me like management, which just struck out, should be replaced. We will forget Greg, but getting rid of Steve and Johnnie is like trading Babe Ruth to the Yankees. I have listened to WGN since the 1950s no matter where in the U.S. I have lived — often I could only pick up the station at night — but now I have internet. As of Saturday, I am no longer a WGN listener but rather I will listen and watch wherever I can find Steve and Johnnie — that’s right, they were bigger than the station. We need management that understands what’s going on. When something is working, don’t fix it. They have out-lived about 10 management teams — there must be a reason.
Tim Matas
Abilene, Kan.
Jarrett was terrible; not sorry to see him go at all. Well, I do feel a little bad that he just bought a house but I’m sure he got it at a good price and also got a decent severance package. He was a name dropper and braggart to the nth degree. He tried to set up questions so that he got the answer he wanted and often it did not work. John Williams is still WGN’s best on air personality.
I have been listening to WGN radio since the days of Wally Phillips. First they get Kathy and Judy axed by the new regime, now they decide to get rid of Greg Jarrett. I guess I must be too old for this station; today was the first day that I didn’t listen to it, and I won’t. This station is not for baby boomers anymore.
Hooray!! Now just get rid of MIke and Milt and I’ll be happy. Milt has gone off the deep-end cheerleading for the Tea Party. I don’t remember his show ever being so political as it is now. Mike is just another blow-hard who thinks he’s witty. I wonder why Nick D. did not get the Steve and Johnnie slot? He did a great job filling in when they went on vacation a few weeks back.
What group are WGN execs trying to court with Brandmeier coming over? I like Jarrett. I clhange the channel when McConnell comes on. If Brandmeier’s style and humor are anything like he was on Garry Meier last week. looks like WBBM will have a new listener.
Greg Jarrett, farewell and hope you find work in a city far, far away. I look forward to Johnny B but, hope he tunes it down a bit for the early riser a.m. folks. Has Johnny aged well like fine wine, we will soon find out. Very upset about, Steve & Johnnie leaving. What’s the scoop there? Bill Leff is ok but, how can he match up to the warm, familiar and awesomeness of Him and Her? They will be truly missed. My early morning wakeup has just been shook up.
Greg Jarrett also grew on me. I will miss his precise handling of the “chair.” I wish him luck and would like to know the REAL story of why he was let go.
I liked Greg Jarrett, he had class and intellect. WGN needed him. As much as I listened to Brandmeier years ago, I grew up, I hope Brandmeier will. I don’t need a goofball at 6 in the morning. Mike McConnell is the one they should have dumped, no place for McConnells incivility at WGN, he belongs on WLS AM.
Good Luck to Greg. Hope another local station picks him up.
I will also miss Jarrett & appreciated his mature style which was parallel to the greats like Wally, Uncle Bobby & Spike. If these programming shifts are an indication of things to come you might as well can Orion and Lou M, then I will remove WGN radio from my listening choice completely.!
Frank & Rose