A radio friend of mine recently said to me, “Take away the Cubs and ‘GN is WKRS.”  That may or may not be true…  Take away the Cubs, Spike O’Dell, Kathy and Judy and Paul Harvey though, and WGN is vulnerable.  Unfortunately for WGN, 3 out of the four are almost inevitable in the short term.  What to do?

Here’s 3 ideas for WGN…

#1 Start courting Jonathon Brandmeier today.  Johnny’s a perfect fit for WGN (not so much for WLUP anymore, but that’s a future post)….and Johnny B’s already courting WGN in his own way.  The time is right to get Brandmeier on WGN Radio, and TV.

#2 & #3  Lure Eric & Kathy to WGN Radio.  Their core audience is getting into WGN territory (demo wise) anyway.  Ten years ago E&K’s audience was 34…..and now those women are 44.  Move over “Girlfriends” Kathy & Judy and welcome gal pals Eric & Kathy!  The timing will soon be right for E&K to bolt from music radio and bring their Chicago Show to the last Chicago radio institution that will honor and keep safe such shows.  This is the niche for WGN Radio to satisfy moving forward.

#4  This one is a bonus….and many who agree with #1-3 won’t agree with #4.  Bring in Steve Dahl.  Imagine a Chicago radio station with Johnny B., Eric and Kathy, Bob Sirott (The New Paul Harvey by the way) and Steve Dahl….oh and weather with Skilling.  Think about it.  WGN is the last Chicago Radio Station….or could be.

Naysayers will mention the staff would be expensive.  Yes it would.  But WGN bills $40m now making it the #1 billing station in Chicago.  They can afford it.  No one said winning was cheap.