WGN Boosts News
WGN Evening News to air Monday-Friday from 5:30 p.m.-6 p.m.; WGN Midday News to run from 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m.
By Michael Malone -- Broadcasting & Cable, 7/7/2008 8:52:00 AM
Tribune Broadcasting flagship WGN Chicago is adding an evening newscast and expanding its midday news in September.
WGN Evening News will air Monday-Friday from 5:30 p.m.-6 p.m., while WGN Midday News will run from 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m.
“More local-news programming throughout the day has been our objective for some time now,” vice president and general manager Tom Ehlmann said. “Our current newscasts are well-established with viewers, all ranking No. 1 in the ratings in the morning, at noon and at nine. This truly allows us to expand from a position of strength.”
ABC owned-and-operated WLS won Chicago’s 6 p.m. and late news race in May, while WGN won morning news.
Former WFLD and WMAQ anchor Mark Suppelsa joins the station this month. He’ll co-anchor the new evening newscast and the primetime WGN News at Nine with Allison Payne.
The news additions will bring WGN’s weekly local-news total to 37 hours. WGN is also adding 20 Black Hawks National Hockey League games to its air in the fall. The station already airs Cubs and White Sox Major League Baseball and Bulls National Basketball Association games.
