By Robert Channick
Tribune reporter
10:39 a.m. CDT, August 20, 2013

WGN radio is returning to its roots in an extensive shakeup of its lineup under general manager Jimmy De Castro.

The venerable station plans to roll out a new but familiar lineup beginning Sept. 3, bringing back WGN-AM 720 alumni that include Steve Cochran and Kathy & Judy.

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Morning man Jonathon Brandmeier, who joined WGN two years ago, is being shifted to a new virtual FM station -- wgnfm.com -- while the station looks to buy an FM frequency in the next year.

"We're doing a lot of innovative stuff, but we're also honoring the tradition and expectations of WGN," De Castro said.

While the new AM lineup is not set, morning drive will go to Cochran, a former afternoon drive host at WGN who was cut loose after a decade during a 2010 shakeup by short-lived program director Kevin Metheny. Cochran joined low-rated WIND-AM 560 in 2011, exiting there to return to WGN on a freelance basis in July.

Longtime Chicago radio and TV veteran Bob Sirott announced Monday that he is leaving Fox 32 (WFLD-Ch.32) to host a weekday radio show on WGN with his wife, Marianne Murciano. The most likely timeslot is noon to 3 p.m., according to De Castro, the former architect of WLUP-FM.

Former Loop personality Garry Meier will remain in afternoon drive from 3 to 7 p.m., but will be partnered with a co-host, according to De Castro.

Overnight man Bill Leff will likely take the reins from 9 to noon, also paired with a co-host.

Kathy O'Malley and Judy Markey, the popular "Girlfriends" midday duo ousted after 20 years in 2009, are also coming back to host a weekly Saturday show from 10 a.m. to noon.

WGN is owned by Tribune company, which also owns the Chicago Tribune.

rchannick@tribune.com | Twitter @RobertChannick

Morning man Jonathon Brandmeier, who joined WGN two years ago, is being shifted to a new virtual FM station --

I agree if anyone can put Dahl and Meiers back together it's DeCastro but I don't see it happening . Wouldn't Dahl be relegated to second banana at this point in his career ? No way his ego absorbs that. Like him or not Garry has carved out a niche for himself and has stayed somewhat relevant the last decade or so while Steve has taken up golf and podcasting. The partnership would have to be on more equal footing than it was before which was one of the reasons they broke up the first time . That said I'd give it a listen if it were to come to pass.

Bring back Bob Collins!!

From Feder:

"Others said to be on deCastro's "wish list" include such big names as Steve Dahl, Roe Conn and John Williams. Stay tuned for more."

Oh man, they're giving Pete McMurray his eighth, ninth, millionth shot at a show. What has that guy ever done but be around?

At the same time, you cannot be innovative and move Bill Leff into regular hours of the day. He is the most incipit radio host this side of Harry. How are all these guys who presumably had some kind of career in comedy like Leff, Harry, Spike Manton, etc. be so painfully unfunny and as edgy as a butter knife

Well the important thing is Fuck Mike McConnell

Johnny B. tries to cover serious topics but keeps it "wacky". It's very strange.
Roe Conn whores himself out to that terrible "Good Morning Chicago" on ABC. He basically plays 2nd fiddle to the android looking MF'er Ryan Chiverini .

The WGN-FM branding looks a little like the old AM1000 branding: red/white/black, type set in Haettenschweiler (Impact's big brother). That should be a hint to what they aspire to.

A Harry and Spike reunion can't be far behind.

I was under the impression that by spinning off its broadcast operations from its newspaper operations, they'd be able to buy FM stations in the market. That's not quite the same as selling, because they don't have to find a buyer. They can just split the company.

Or they can ask the FCC for special dispensation! That seems to work nowadays when you're a big corporation!