[BC] The separation of WGN and WFMT

[Dan Kelley]

Gordon-

Did I not see somewhere that the original calls on 98.7 were WGNB?  And
if that were the case, how did the Jacobs/WFMT era come about?

-dan in lansing
 http://classicrockfm.blogspot.com



> -----Original Message-----
> From: broadcast-bounces at radiolists.net [mailto:broadcast-
> bounces at radiolists.net] On Behalf Of Gordon Carter
> Sent: Tuesday, February 20, 2007 4:11 PM
> To: Broadcasters' Mailing List
> Subject: RE: [BC] The separation of WGN and WFMT
> 
> It would have been interesting if WGN had kept WFMT.  They had repeatedly
> promised that they had no intention of changing the format, even though
> the listeners group didn't believe it.
> 
> I may be na?ve, but I think they really did not intend to change the
> format.  Besides being a major black eye, doing so would have cut off the
> hand that fed them.  OTOH, ratings and money are the key to broadcasting,
> and classical doesn't do ratings well, even though it can be self-
> sustaining given the right circumstances (no heavy debt load).
> 
> Gordon S. Carter, CPBE, CBNT
> Chief Engineer
> WFMT and The Radio Network
> 5400 North St. Louis Ave.
> Chicago, IL 60625
> 773 279-2071
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: broadcast-bounces at radiolists.net [mailto:broadcast-
> bounces at radiolists.net] On Behalf Of Rich Wood
> Sent: Tuesday, February 20, 2007 2:26 PM
> To: Broadcasters' Mailing List
> Subject: Re: [BC] The separation of WGN and WFMT
> 
> ------ At 12:42 PM 2/20/2007, Gordon Carter wrote: -------
> 
> >Yes, WGN did give WFMT away, but not for the reasons most did.
> >
> >WFMT was founded by Bernie and Rita Jacobs, who sold the station to WGN
> >when Bernie was in ill health.  A listeners' group challenged WGN's
> >ability to operate WFMT, fearing that it would be changed from its
> >classical format to something else.
> 
> That's how I remember it and it's the same story I got when I worked
> for Tribune. It's a shame because WGN could have had a stranglehold
> on Chicago's upscale audience. As I recall, WFMT had advertisers with
> virtually automatic renewals and Chicago Magazine (originally WFMT's
> Program Guide) was very profitable.
> 
> I remember talking about it with Wayne Vriesman when he was head of
> radio. We were both wishing things had turned out differently.
> 
> Rich
> 
> 
> Rich Wood
> Rich Wood Multimedia
> Phone: 413-454-3258
> 
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