Chicago Radio: WGN-AM Increasing Emphasis On News

Starting next week, N/T WGN 720 AM Radio will begin beefing up its news content, adding reporters and rolling out new features to provide an alternative to News WBBM 780 AM /105.9 FM, which will break from its longtime news programming for at least 162 gamedays next year, according to The Chicago Tribune.

"We're going to put more emphasis and energy into news, particularly while they're doing baseball," WGN President Jimmy de Castro said.

WGN on Monday will launch "Business Lunch," a weekday business news program going head-to-head with "The Noon Business Hour" on WBBM. The program will kick off the first hour of the Bob Sirott and Marianne Murciano afternoon show and will focus on Chicago business and tech sector news, with regular features on everything from "momtrepreneurs" to social media.

Anna Davlantes

Meanwhile, the station's morning drive will likely get a boost from the hiring of TV news veteran Anna Davlantes, who stepped down as co-anchor of WFLD-Ch. 32's "Good Day Chicago" last year. Davlantes will join the Steve Cochran Show beginning Oct. 13 to deliver "The Big Story," a 90-second report on a trending story delivered at the bottom of each hour. The new feature will replace an hourly headline news update and will tap into social media for topics the station hopes will generate lively on-air discussion with listeners.

The station will employ a program called TopicPulse, which tracks trending news in real time, to choose the subject of "The Big Story" each hour. Davlantes will be charged with turning it into an engaging feature.

Manley says a reliance on analytics more than intuition will help the station fine-tune its editorial judgment in the age of social media. "The Big Story" also will find a home in afternoon drive, delivered by news editor Judy Pielach.

The station also plans to hire additional news staff and increase its commitment to "original reporting," according to Manley.