UPDATE…Nov 12…..WGN Fires Management
One could not make this stuff up if one tried. A sane person would think that this type of mis-management that has occurred at WGN radio might only happen if one were not thinking clearly. The decisions about on-air talent over the past months have been dreadful. WGN radio has driven a once proud station into the ditch, and driven listeners away. The latest act of stupidity by Kevin “Pig Virus” Metheny is below.
Steve Cochran, who was hanging by a thread as a midday host of WGN-AM 720 finally was cut loose by management at Chicago Tribune parent Tribune Co.’s radio station after his program Friday.The exit for Cochran, 49, after a decade at WGN-AM, was not unanticipated. His contract expires at the end of the month and the station earlier announced the hiring of Mike McConnell, 54, a host from Cincinnati’s WLW-AM who will come aboard in August in a slot to be announced later.Originally, he was hired by the old WCKG-FM from KDWB-FM in Minneapolis, but never made it on the air because of creative differences with management, eventually landing at the old WPNT-FM. He later also worked for WLUP-FM 97.9 and WMVP-AM 1000.
With the exception of a one-year stint in Detroit in the late 1990s and a few brief stretches between jobs, Cochran has been on Chicago radio since 1993.
Cochran, after returning from Detroit, was a rising star at WGN-AM up until just a few years ago. Management eyed him as a replacement for retiring morning drive host Spike O’Dell in late 2008 but was unable to come to terms with Cochran on a new contract. The job instead went, temporarily it turned out, to John Williams.
CAFFEINATED POLITICS 
I didn’t really care for Steve’s style, but what this station is doing seems to be suicide. Is this the reason Spike left? I stopped listening once Greg Jarret moved John Williams out. The only good thing about Jarret is that he is gone so often that it’s like he is a guest host. I also wonder if this could be Sam Zell’s influence?
WGN Radio is on a self-destruct course and will soon be like WJR 760 AM Detriot became with the death of J P McCarthy – a strong signal with little if any substance. I don’t know who’s going to be gone from the old line-up; once Steve & Johnnie and Nick D are gone I’ll tune in Smooth Jazz 87.7 fm on my bedside table. I’m already listening to WBBN 780 AM when the Cub or Blackhawk games are on when I want news or information and 87.7 FM when I want music. When I came to Chicago in 1975 WGN was a great varity station with a mix of talk and music; it not longer has the later and it’s doing it’s best to shed the long time listeners.
When we go to SW Ohio I’ve tried to listen to WLW 700 AM – the station is really BAD – too much country folk for me; we usaully try to get WBNS or WTBN Columbus Ohio.
Yes the best thing about both Jarret and Williams is that gone often; some of the fillins have been BAD.
It seems that WGN is finally going to shoot itself in the head. With the death of superstar Bob Collins WGN took the right steps to move forward with The great Spike O’dell. Spike carried the flag for WGN till he couldn’t stand the pain of a station dieing any longer and he retired. (good luck Spike) When you make changes there is always someone upset but the constant and I mean constant moving of hosts is ridiculous. Whether you like Steve or not he is defiantly better that 80% of the hosts on WGN and has a better attitude and whimsical nature than 90% of the hosts. I hope someone isn’t going to tell me a convicted crook or some wannabe shock jock is better. Folks, this is talk radio! It is not shock radio if you want that go to satellite radio or some other venue. Management needs to get rid of the poop (nice way to say it) and get quality folks back on. The alternative is to close the station and let the air go dead. It would be better than what they have now done!
Maybe Methany should be the next to go. Well, skip the “maybe” – he should go!
I have listened to WGN since I was 21 – I am now 63. Demographics aside – I like most of what I heard, aqnd the little I didn’t – I skipped. NOW, there is almost nothing left. Steve and Johnnie at night (thank God) have their own niche and let’s hope it stays the same. Never listen before John Willians – too boring. I liked Steve – but the whole station is getting too political for me. I still like “entertainment” and not “argument” radio – just as I did at 21. I would have been listening until death (demographic??) if the new regime didn’t screw things up. And, I believed in all the advertisers. I recommended them to others – only because I knew WGN wouldn’t disappoint its listeners. It was a constant – reliable, quality products “guaranteed” by association with WGN. No more – sorry. Now they will take anyone with money to sponsor a show. The only ones I trust are Lou Manfredini’s sponsors – don’t screw that one up!
We are not Cincinnati – we shouldn’t hire administrators who “bring their team” as each market is different and listeners DO care. I can’t keep up with the constant change – and I don’t want to anymore.
I’ve never heard such a line up of radio ads as there are on WGN I realize when you’re hurting for revenue anything will do, but this is terrible. If you: need a gold buying consultant, have a credit card problem, want a mortgage from the “biggest no brainer on earth” solution people and many more “money saving” scam ideas to participate in that is the station to list to. People who place radio commercials see WGN much the same as we who’ve seen it decline over the last 5 years….just another place on the dial. Too bad, WGN use to be the station one could go to for above average programming, with real professional radio people…now it is watered down shock-jock, with attempts at humorist banter, commercials for economically challenged individuals and meaningless dialog about politics.
I agree that 720 is screwing up.
Steve Cochran Fires Back:
http://blogs.vocalo.org/feder/2010/07/cochran-goes-off-on-wgn-%e2%80%98worst-kind-of-management%e2%80%99/28312
What is being do to WGN my station, my car radio, clock radios are all tuned to WGN. You have taken away all the enjoyment of radio. If I track down Cathy & Judy, Steve etc. I will switch to another station.
WGN managemnt is nuts! Cochran was much better than the juvenile idiot who relaced him, and the liberal French ass who comes on and whines for the rights of the high school drop outs is definitely an Obama fan, and a real loser!
I used to live my life with WGN on on the background, but no more! Milt would probably have already been fired, but the program manager probably figures he needs to complete his GED to take on a genuine intellect. You have “killed the goose that laid the golden egg,” and the best station in the nation has been turned into crap! I’m done with WGN! At least they stll have the CUBs! Ha!
Jarret is boring. Seems to find himself funnier than he really is.
Garry is agrumentative and abusive to his fellow workers and listeners.
The former city clerk is boring.
I miss Uncle Bobby, but most of all I miss Spike. When I moved to TN I listen on the internet and on the radio, when weather permitted, to catch whatever snipits I could of WGN. I was so glad to move back and looked forward to hearing Spike every morning and Steve in the afternoons.
Now Steve is gone…..what’s left. NPR has my vote from now on.