WCPT "Chicago": Springer out, Miller in, Franken going...

According to our sources, starting on December 11, Air America Radio's "Chicago" outlet WCPT (AM 850) will be changing their schedule around to be less AAR-y and more Jones Radio Network-y.

Bill Press: sign-on to 8am
Stephanie Miller: 8am to 11am (NEW!)
Ed Schultz: 11am to 2pm
Al Franken: 2pm to 5pm (new time, tape delay)
Randi Rhodes: 5pm to sign-off (also tape delayed)

Miller will be replacing Jerry Springer.

According to them:

WCPT shifts Al Franken's guest-intensive show to afternoons. Nobody gets better guests or offers more insight than Al... Some of you may be wondering why move Al to the later time slot. The truth of the matter is that we are uncertain of Al's future along with Air America's. We will continue to carry his show as long as we can, with the hopes that he will continue on, however we have no indication of Al's future.

Nothing like a vote of confidence!

On the wider issue, this site speculates:

If Randi lost her radio syndication home [due to AAR folding], we're wondering if Jones Radio would pick her show up as part of this move. That would certainly give them a very solid liberal talk block from 6 AM until 6 PM weekdays. As it turns out, Jones would then become the, well, defacto "liberal talk network" that AAR has tried to be all along!

Posted in Meta at December 1, 2006 12:03 PM

Comments

No Chicago stations have transmitters in the city proper. A quick look at a map might explain why (hint: big lake).

Posted by: Mike at December 5, 2006 01:18 PM