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Langmeyer steps down from WGN
https://mail.chicagofanatics.com/viewtopic.php?f=156&t=74244		 Page 1 of 1
Author:  Curious Hair [ Mon Oct 22, 2012 8:54 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Langmeyer steps down from WGN
I wonder why. He did a really good job running the place.
Author:  Seacrest [ Tue Oct 23, 2012 10:51 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Langmeyer steps down from WGN
Curious Hair wrote:
I wonder why. He did a really good job running the place.



Into the ground.
Author:  Curious Hair [ Tue Oct 23, 2012 11:23 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Langmeyer steps down from WGN
No, Langmyer was the guy who righted the ship after all of Randy Michaels's guys (Greg Jarrett, Mike McConnell, Jim Laski, The News Junkie, Simon Badinter) ran the place into the ground.
Author:  SHARK [ Tue Oct 23, 2012 12:54 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Langmeyer steps down from WGN
Curious Hair wrote:
No, Langmyer was the guy who righted the ship after all of Randy Michaels's guys (Greg Jarrett, Mike McConnell, Jim Laski, The News Junkie, Simon Badinter) ran the place into the ground.

Agreed. When Randy Michaels and ex-Program Director Kevin "Pig Vomit" Metheny called the shots at 720 WGN Radio, their decision to bring in their own guys absolutely backfired. Listeners tuned out, ratings & morale all went down.

Randy Michaels and Merlin Media are doing that again. They've ruined 97.9 The LOOP and remember the fiasco that was "FM News 101.1"? :oops:
Author:  Curious Hair [ Tue Oct 23, 2012 12:55 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Langmeyer steps down from WGN
I listened to the Loop a few weeks ago and it sounded exactly as it did when I consumed it intravenously circa 2001-2002. I think I heard a set of "Welcome to the Machine," "Lights Out London," and "Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love."
Author:  sinicalypse [ Tue Oct 23, 2012 12:57 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Langmeyer steps down from WGN
SHARK wrote:
Curious Hair wrote:
No, Langmyer was the guy who righted the ship after all of Randy Michaels's guys (Greg Jarrett, Mike McConnell, Jim Laski, The News Junkie, Simon Badinter) ran the place into the ground.

Agreed. When Randy Michaels and ex-Program Director Kevin "Pig Vomit" Metheny called the shots at 720 WGN Radio, their decision to bring in their own guys absolutely backfired. Listeners tuned out, ratings & morale all went down.

Randy Michaels and Merlin Media are doing that again. They've ruined 97.9 The LOOP and remember the fiasco that was "FM News 101.1"? :oops:


Uh, SHARK, I believe that you're referring to Kevin "Pig Virus" Metheny. The name "Pig Vomit" was a name used for a COMPOSITE character in Howard "I invented everything" Stern's movie "Private Parts" whereas "Pig Virus" was actually the nickname assigned to Kevin Metheny.
Author:  SHARK [ Tue Oct 23, 2012 1:01 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Langmeyer steps down from WGN
sinicalypse wrote:
SHARK wrote:
Curious Hair wrote:
No, Langmyer was the guy who righted the ship after all of Randy Michaels's guys (Greg Jarrett, Mike McConnell, Jim Laski, The News Junkie, Simon Badinter) ran the place into the ground.

Agreed. When Randy Michaels and ex-Program Director Kevin "Pig Vomit" Metheny called the shots at 720 WGN Radio, their decision to bring in their own guys absolutely backfired. Listeners tuned out, ratings & morale all went down.

Randy Michaels and Merlin Media are doing that again. They've ruined 97.9 The LOOP and remember the fiasco that was "FM News 101.1"? :oops:


Uh, SHARK, I believe that you're referring to Kevin "Pig Virus" Metheny. The name "Pig Vomit" was a name used for a COMPOSITE character in Howard "I invented everything" Stern's movie "Private Parts" whereas "Pig Virus" was actually the nickname assigned to Kevin Metheny.

I thought I heard Mac refer to Kevin Metheny as "Pig Vomit", not "Pig Virus".
Author:  Curious Hair [ Tue Oct 23, 2012 1:02 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Langmeyer steps down from WGN
Simon Badinter was fun-bad radio for the archives, at least. For those who missed it, it was an advertising executive from France who would deign to host a radio show in which he asked "I NO-TEES DAT ZEE AM-AIR-EE-CANNZ, IT IS THAT THEY SHOULD LIKE TO EAT THE MAC DONALD'S. WHY EES EET YOU ARE SUCH THE PIGS?" and goad midwestern gomers who listen to 720 for Orion Samuelson into yelling at him. It was like a late 1980s wrestling gimmick.
Author:  sinicalypse [ Tue Oct 23, 2012 1:13 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Langmeyer steps down from WGN
SHARK wrote:
I thought I heard Mac refer to Kevin Metheny as "Pig Vomit", not "Pig Virus".


You THOUGHT? Dude, you've gotta step up your reporting game.

Wikipedia wrote:
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Kevin Metheny
Born USA
Occupation Radio executive
Kevin Metheny is a radio executive, famously nicknamed "Pig Virus" by Howard Stern from his days as Program Director at WNBC. He and various other historical Stern program directors were portrayed by Paul Giamatti as a composite character under the name Kenny "Pig Vomit" Rushton in the 1997 movie, Private Parts.[1]
Author:  Douchebag [ Tue Oct 23, 2012 1:15 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Langmeyer steps down from WGN
Curious Hair wrote:
I listened to the Loop a few weeks ago and it sounded exactly as it did when I consumed it intravenously circa 2001-2002. I think I heard a set of "Welcome to the Machine," "Lights Out London," and "Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love."

The Loop is horrendously bad now. It went from a station that was awful when Emmis sold it, to being horrendously bad now.
Author:  SHARK [ Tue Oct 23, 2012 1:17 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Langmeyer steps down from WGN
Douchebag wrote:
Curious Hair wrote:
I listened to the Loop a few weeks ago and it sounded exactly as it did when I consumed it intravenously circa 2001-2002. I think I heard a set of "Welcome to the Machine," "Lights Out London," and "Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love."

The Loop is horrendously bad now. It went from a station that was awful when Emmis sold it, to being horrendously bad now.

In hindsight, I wonder if Emmis made a bad deal selling The LOOP & the former Q101 to one of the biggest frauds in all of radio in Randy Michaels... :oops:
Author:  Telegram Sam [ Tue Oct 23, 2012 1:20 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Langmeyer steps down from WGN
According to Feder, WGN ranked 26th among listeners between 25 and 54, with a 1.6 percent share and cumulative weekly audience of 311,100. That's People Meter data, which can be erratic, but still. 'GN was virtually never not in the top 3 overall, at least top 10 in this demo, until the last few years.

http://timeoutchicago.com/arts-culture/chicago-media-blog/15809831/wgn-radio-boss-langmyer-exits-very-special-place
Author:  Curious Hair [ Tue Oct 23, 2012 1:21 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Langmeyer steps down from WGN
Douchebag wrote:
Curious Hair wrote:
I listened to the Loop a few weeks ago and it sounded exactly as it did when I consumed it intravenously circa 2001-2002. I think I heard a set of "Welcome to the Machine," "Lights Out London," and "Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love."

The Loop is horrendously bad now. It went from a station that was awful when Emmis sold it, to being horrendously bad now.

What changed? I know they were trying to be more like the Drive, but I didn't notice. Small sample size, of course. And besides, if they did try to rip off the Drive, that would just mean less butt-rock, so that's not even a bad thing.
Author:  Douchebag [ Tue Oct 23, 2012 1:21 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Langmeyer steps down from WGN
Telegram Sam wrote:
According to Feder, WGN ranked 26th among listeners between 25 and 54, with a 1.6 percent share and cumulative weekly audience of 311,100. That's People Meter data, which can be erratic, but still. 'GN was virtually never not in the top 3 overall, at least top 10 in this demo, until the last few years.

http://timeoutchicago.com/arts-culture/chicago-media-blog/15809831/wgn-radio-boss-langmyer-exits-very-special-place

Their listeners are dying, or moving out of the 25-54 demo. That's not very surprising.
Author:  Curious Hair [ Tue Oct 23, 2012 1:26 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Langmeyer steps down from WGN
Telegram Sam wrote:
According to Feder, WGN ranked 26th among listeners between 25 and 54, with a 1.6 percent share and cumulative weekly audience of 311,100. That's People Meter data, which can be erratic, but still. 'GN was virtually never not in the top 3 overall, at least top 10 in this demo, until the last few years.

http://timeoutchicago.com/arts-culture/chicago-media-blog/15809831/wgn-radio-boss-langmyer-exits-very-special-place

The Randy Michaels thing ruined that station forever. I mean, I guess something had to change eventually--we couldn't have had Kathy & Judy doing middays forever--but there was too much tinkering, too much bad radio.

Funny you cite PPMs as being erratic. WGN was at the top because Arbitron diaries were so unreliable as to be useless. "They still have people writing in that they listen to Wally Phillips," so goes the old joke in Chicago radio.
Author:  SHARK [ Tue Oct 23, 2012 1:26 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Langmeyer steps down from WGN
Curious Hair wrote:
Douchebag wrote:
Curious Hair wrote:
I listened to the Loop a few weeks ago and it sounded exactly as it did when I consumed it intravenously circa 2001-2002. I think I heard a set of "Welcome to the Machine," "Lights Out London," and "Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love."

The Loop is horrendously bad now. It went from a station that was awful when Emmis sold it, to being horrendously bad now.

What changed? I know they were trying to be more like the Drive, but I didn't notice. Small sample size, of course. And besides, if they did try to rip off the Drive, that would just mean less butt-rock, so that's not even a bad thing.

I've noticed The Drive sounds a lot more like The Loop used to.

It's not just the vast variety of classic rock that they now play, but The Drive recently added John Kempf, the ex-Loop jock better known as "Byrd" on weekends.
Author:  Douchebag [ Tue Oct 23, 2012 1:29 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Langmeyer steps down from WGN
SHARK wrote:
Curious Hair wrote:
Douchebag wrote:
Curious Hair wrote:
I listened to the Loop a few weeks ago and it sounded exactly as it did when I consumed it intravenously circa 2001-2002. I think I heard a set of "Welcome to the Machine," "Lights Out London," and "Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love."

The Loop is horrendously bad now. It went from a station that was awful when Emmis sold it, to being horrendously bad now.

What changed? I know they were trying to be more like the Drive, but I didn't notice. Small sample size, of course. And besides, if they did try to rip off the Drive, that would just mean less butt-rock, so that's not even a bad thing.

I've noticed The Drive sounds a lot more like The Loop used to.

It's not just the vast variety of classic rock that they now play, but The Drive recently added John Kempf, the ex-Loop jock better known as "Byrd" on weekends.

The Drive used to be a great station now they're about equal to the bad version of the Loop from a few years ago.
Author:  Curious Hair [ Tue Oct 23, 2012 1:34 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Langmeyer steps down from WGN
In my Loop-listening heyday, their slogan was "Classic rock...that ROCKS." Tell me more about this "worse" Loop.
Author:  SHARK [ Tue Oct 23, 2012 1:35 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Langmeyer steps down from WGN
Curious Hair wrote:
In my Loop-listening heyday, their slogan was "Classic rock...that ROCKS." Tell me more about this "worse" Loop.

That slogan was stupid, CH.
Author:  A7X [ Tue Oct 23, 2012 3:15 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Langmeyer steps down from WGN
Douchebag wrote:
Their listeners are dying, or moving out of the 25-54 demo. That's not very surprising.


That's a lot of it. WGN did so well forever because the audience were all in nursing homes and couldn't get up to turn the station. They're dying off. A lot of the ones left think Garry Meier is a little too profane. Who are they targeting?
Author:  SHARK [ Tue Oct 23, 2012 3:19 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Langmeyer steps down from WGN
This just in...Midday host John Williams is on his way out at 720 WGN Radio; shifting full time to WCCO Radio in Minneapolis, according to BOTH ChicagolandRadioandMedia.com & TimeoutChicago.com's Rob Feder's respective Twitters.
Author:  Curious Hair [ Tue Oct 23, 2012 3:21 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Langmeyer steps down from WGN
Damn. John Williams is like the quintessential good-feelings WGN guy. Always did whatever was asked of him, even did mornings for a while after Spike retired. I thought he'd have a job for life there. Obviously these two moves are connected; you get the feeling Langmyer was a huge John Williams guy as he managed to stay afloat while everyone else drowned in the shit.
Author:  SHARK [ Tue Oct 23, 2012 3:27 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Langmeyer steps down from WGN
Curious Hair wrote:
Damn. John Williams is like the quintessential good-feelings WGN guy. Always did whatever was asked of him, even did mornings for a while after Spike retired. I thought he'd have a job for life there. Obviously these two moves are connected; you get the feeling Langmyer was a huge John Williams guy as he managed to stay afloat while everyone else drowned in the shit.

It's my understanding, CH, John Williams was doing double duty in recent months. Based on what I've read, John was doing middays/early afternoons at WGN Radio here, but afternoon drive at WCCO Radio in Minneapolis, too. He was doing his 720 WGN show from WCCO before today's news that he's now devoting full time at 'CCO.
Author:  Peoria Matt [ Tue Oct 23, 2012 4:29 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Langmeyer steps down from WGN
Williams used to be on WMBD down here. I couldn't believe when he got hired by WGN. His laugh alone should be cause for dismissal.
Author:  Seacrest [ Wed Oct 24, 2012 10:09 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Langmeyer steps down from WGN
Curious Hair wrote:
Damn. John Williams is like the quintessential good-feelings WGN guy. Always did whatever was asked of him, even did mornings for a while after Spike retired. I thought he'd have a job for life there. Obviously these two moves are connected; you get the feeling Langmyer was a huge John Williams guy as he managed to stay afloat while everyone else drowned in the shit.



You had Williams doing his show for MN and saying WCCO repeatedly on WGN. This is what I mean by Langmyer buring a brand.

Michaels built the grave, he drove the hearse into it.
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