The decision to pull the plug on FM sports talk radio station The Game on Thursday after nine months on the air was not an easy one for WGN-AM 720 president Jimmy de Castro.

It was even harder on staffers, including at least one who found out while on the air, venting his frustration to listeners.

But with Chicago radio revenues declining this year and WGWG-LP 87.7 unable to turn a profit, de Castro said WGN Radio needed to cut its losses.


"The market is way off and the economics won't support us," de Castro said. "It's unfortunate that it's that way this year and at this time."

The all-sports station will finish out the year and be off the air as of January 1, de Castro said Thursday.

Technically a low-powered TV station, Tribune Media has been operating WGWG through a local marketing agreement with Los Angeles-based Venture Technologies Group, which owns the frequency. The lease agreement runs through Sept. 2015, and de Castro wasn't sure what, if anything, will be on the station come January.

"It's not going to be the sports format, that's for sure," de Castro said.


WGN is also ending its streaming online radio station, wgn.fm, de Castro confirmed. As part of the change, Jonathon Brandmeier, whose morning show was simulcast on WGWG and wgn.fm, has been let go, along with Garry Meier, whose afternoon show was bumped from WGN and moved to the online station in May.

Brandmeier's contract with WGN was up, while Meier's contract runs through September.


"We've tried a lot of things. Some have worked and some haven't," de Castro said. "In the case of 87.7 and wgn.fm, the economics haven't dictated the ability for us to make money, and we're in the business of making money."

While the FM station and the online station are going away, de Castro said WGN is planning to move into podcasting as an alternative way to connect with listeners.

"Coming next year we'd like to create a podcast model that gives instant access to media in an on-demand world," de Castro said. "Our goal is to build that forum for everything we have on the AM."

The failure of The Game and the streaming online station, which de Castro had said would be a talent incubator for a future FM acquisition, has apparently ended such a pursuit, at least in the near term. But he is confident that WGN-AM 720, stripped of the money-losing side ventures and some high-priced contracts, will have a successful 2015.

"WGN is going to be great, we're going to come around a corner and make a lot of money next year," de Castro said. "It's just taken us awhile to get here and it's unfortunate that the sports station hasn't worked."

Executives planned to break the news to air personalities on The Game and wgn.fm as they completed their shifts. That shifted to Plan B after midday co-host Ben Finfer found out via social media during his show Thursday and vented his frustration on the air.

"I said probably some pretty harsh stuff," Finfer said near the end of his noon to 3 p.m. show. "I don't know what you can even relate it to — finding out while you're on the air that you're being fired. It's pretty lame the way we got treated today."

De Castro said he understood Finfer's frustration.

"He got a little bit upset," de Castro said. "That's a tough way to find out."

The Kap & Haugh Show, which is simulcast weekdays from 9 a.m. to noon on WGWG and Comcast SportsNet Chicago, will remain on the cable channel after January 1. The show features David Kaplan and the Chicago Tribune's In the Wake of the News sports columnist David Haugh.

Everyone else may be out of a job come January, but de Castro is optimistic many of the staffers will find new media homes in short order.

"I think a lot of these guys are going to get jobs," de Castro said.

rchannick@tribpub.com

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favrefan said:"Chris Coghlan isn't gonna pay your rent, Jimmy."

So no explanation as to WHY he was spineless in not telling his employees upfront.

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-- source

What a jagoff.

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CSFMB 2014 Nascar Pick 'em Champion

We don’t have a trillion-dollar debt because we haven’t taxed enough; we have a trillion-dollar debt because we spend too much. — Ronald Reagan

What is "the market is way off" supposed to mean?

Actually, I don't need to ask ... it's some bullshit excuse dressed up in some directly unassailable ethereal nonsense to deflect criticism from how that thing was managed so piss-poorly from start to finish.

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Power is always in the hands of the masses of men. What oppresses the masses is their own ignorance, their own short-sighted selfishness.
- Henry George

Hers a Q&A from a mere 3 months ago. Way to go DeCastro. At 6 months old, we need to give it time. At 9 months old, gotta pull the plug. What a sack of shit.

. You’ve been running WGN Radio for 14 months now. Still having fun?

A. Indeed! Still having fun. So great to be conspiring with [president of Tribune Broadcast Media] Larry Wert again, working with Todd Manley, Cochran and Kap, as well as the amazing staff the station has compiled in just one year! I am having a ball.


Q. Now that Tribune Co. has spun off publishing, what do you see as the prospects for acquiring a full-power FM signal?

A. I have my hands full at the moment with 720 AM, 87.7 FM (which by the way is a great signal), and WGN.FM.

I predict FM signals will be coming down in price. As the combined shareholders of both Tribune Broadcasting and Publishing changes, our opportunities will come in this area. It’s up to us to be successful enough to warrant future investment.

Q. What’s been the general reaction to your parting with the Cubs?

A. Reaction was of course emotional for our listeners and for us, but in the end, the listeners and our business partners understood the economics and ratings behind the decision. It’s a big non-issue. We love the Cubs, wish them well, and plan to work with them on both WGN 720 and 87.7 FM The Game.


Q. Are you surprised or disappointed in ratings for The Game 87.7 so far?

A. Surprised more than anything. The meter world of Nielsen/Arbitron requires a certain scale to show growth. I feel like Bugsy Siegel in early Vegas, living proof that time, money and a little water can build something special.

Our vision of audio/video/mobile/social has started with the “Kap & Haugh Show,” the best sports talk show on in Chicago today! The baby’s not even six months old.


Q. Can you clarify your decision to move Garry Meier? Any second thoughts about it?

A. The fact is we thought long and hard about the decision before making it. Garry is a great talent and many listeners are enjoying the freedom his online show allows him, which we expected. With two legendary talents like Johnny Brandmeier and Garry Meier on the Internet, who knows what’s next?


Q. Speaking of what’s next, what is next on your agenda for WGN?

A. The world is converting to audio/video/mobile/social. We just launched a new mobile app, are less than 30 days from a brand new website and features. We hired a three-person video department, a new social media star, and I can’t wait for tomorrow because we are getting better everyday!

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Proud member of the white guy grievance committee

It aint the six minutes. Its what happens in those six minutes.

Like I said,they needed a "name" to draw people in. It turned out to be a bunch of update guys,disgruntled gofers,etc.

Kaplan was the big name.

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favrefan said:"Chris Coghlan isn't gonna pay your rent, Jimmy."

Who would've guessed there wouldn't be a robust market for radio shows on a radio station that you can't get on a lot of radios?

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Power is always in the hands of the masses of men. What oppresses the masses is their own ignorance, their own short-sighted selfishness.
- Henry George

Haugh was actually pretty good this morning. He said that the Deacon was going to have to "live with" his actions or something like that, and that he declined an invitation to come on their show to discuss it.

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Soccer 1,2,3
Spanish Honor Society 1,2,3,4
Forensics 1,2,3,4

"Smiles with Nostrils"

"...no Hmong, go find some blacks"

What a chickenshit suit. Man how the mighty have fallen.

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Proud member of the white guy grievance committee

It aint the six minutes. Its what happens in those six minutes.

The Score started at 820 AM that went off the air at 5 PM every night.

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favrefan said:"Chris Coghlan isn't gonna pay your rent, Jimmy."

If Haugh is scoring easy points on you, it's time to consider Seppuku.

... no, not that number grid game you mutton-heads ...

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Power is always in the hands of the masses of men. What oppresses the masses is their own ignorance, their own short-sighted selfishness.
- Henry George

WTF did he think would happen with the cast-offs from the other two failing stations. When Harry and Kaplan are your only two sport talk personalities, you are setup for failure. Add the horrible signal and they never had a chance. It's like traveling back in time to the wild wild west and wanting to join the Jesse James Gang, only to end up in the Al Jennings Gang.

It's too bad they lost their jobs, but honestly most of them are a dime a dozen. De Castro should have looked outside the cookie-cutter sports talk host we are all tired of listening to and then he might of had a chance. Recycling the clones was a bad idea.

You should join Don. My war attacks actually make my posts seem good in comparison. It'll be a lot of laughs.

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Proud member of the white guy grievance committee

It aint the six minutes. Its what happens in those six minutes.

Washington crossed the Delaware River at night ... what the blueberry hell does either thing have to do with the Parade of Fuckery that was the management of The Game?

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Power is always in the hands of the masses of men. What oppresses the masses is their own ignorance, their own short-sighted selfishness.
- Henry George

Join what, sir?

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Power is always in the hands of the masses of men. What oppresses the masses is their own ignorance, their own short-sighted selfishness.
- Henry George

Clash of Clans. All the degenerate kids are doing it.

Edit: Didn't read your post carefully enough, thought you were referencing it.

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Proud member of the white guy grievance committee

It aint the six minutes. Its what happens in those six minutes.

I really have to explain the similarities?


(referring to weak signals,bad spot on the dial)

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favrefan said:"Chris Coghlan isn't gonna pay your rent, Jimmy."

i think he overvalued the ANYONE BUT BERNSTEIN/ESPN1000 demographic, to be honest.

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You literally couldn't pay me to acquire even a basic functional knowledge of what that is, let alone download it, let alone play it.

But your offer is kind nonetheless.

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Power is always in the hands of the masses of men. What oppresses the masses is their own ignorance, their own short-sighted selfishness.
- Henry George

You clearly lack the perspective to see across functional areas.

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You know me like that.

I really have to point out that there weren't already 2 sports stations on the air and that there weren't these things called the internet, podcasts, and tweets available to slake one's lustful desires to research, discuss, and consume sports and sports-related topics?

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Power is always in the hands of the masses of men. What oppresses the masses is their own ignorance, their own short-sighted selfishness.
- Henry George

people who run radio stations don't seem to understand that it is the hosts on the air that determine if people listen or not.

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Reality is your friend, not your enemy. -- Seacrest

I blame my cataracts.

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Power is always in the hands of the masses of men. What oppresses the masses is their own ignorance, their own short-sighted selfishness.
- Henry George

Yes,point taken but it was still a longshot. I'm sure they were not thrilled with the results in the SCORE infancy either. The owners hung in there,though. The rest is history.

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favrefan said:"Chris Coghlan isn't gonna pay your rent, Jimmy."

Well, you're blaming someone or something else.

That's a good start.

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You know me like that.

True; perhaps it helped that there really was no comparatives to judge how it was doing ... if you're swimming toward land you can't see but someone says "keep going, you're almost there" you'll probably keep swimming ... if they say that but then can tell you you've still got 100 miles to go, you'll probably figure out a way to make yourself SHARK chum as quickly as possible.

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Power is always in the hands of the masses of men. What oppresses the masses is their own ignorance, their own short-sighted selfishness.
- Henry George

The Dan Dierdorf-looking Chumley was the sidekick of Tennessee Tuxedo in the animated Tennessee Tuxedo and His Tales shows of the early 1960s. Tennessee Tuxedo was voiced by none other than Don Adams who also starred as agent Maxwell Smart in the hit comedy-action show Get Smart which ran during the mid-1960s which also included the sassy-looking Barbara Feldon as Agent 99 who this young reporter wanted to bone repeatedly as a youth watching daytime television.

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You know me like that.

Wow,we have that in common. Except for me it was night time (first run) television.

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favrefan said:"Chris Coghlan isn't gonna pay your rent, Jimmy."

Kudos to Dr. Ken for going SHARK on us. BTW, the word chum sounds really gross.

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Hawaii (fuck) You

I would have expected nothing less than a Fenwick educated radio exec

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O judgment! Thou art fled to brutish beasts,
And men have lost their reason.