100 Years of WGN Radio: A Retrospective

Celebrate WGN Radio’s 100th anniversary with a deep dive into the station’s origins, and its journey to 2022. Experience the unforgettable events and emotional moments alongside familiar faces, both past and present.
Celebrating 100 Years of WGN Radio: wgnradio.com/c...
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[@user-zx8de8op9l]

My mom listen to WGN all the time. I remember the plain crash well as I am from the Zion area. On that day I was headed to a wake for a friend and co-worker, when the crash took place. Sheridan road was blocked so I had to detour. I asked my mom later wait happened in Zion and she told me, I then asked her who he was .

[@observer3232]

Virtually no mention of WGN sports coverage-at one time they were one of the very best radio sports stations in the country, along with KMOX in St. Louis. Cubs, Bears, Blackhawks, Big 10 football. Brickhouse, Vince Lloyd, Boudreau, Pettit, Harry Caray, Pat Hughes...many outstanding sportscasters.

[@wklinger79]

I really don't know how you can encapsulate an entire 100 years in an hour long video. There's no doubt that there's things that should be examined and acknowledged that won't be. Take a look at all the night talent. Franklyn MacCormick comes to mind. Unless I missed it nary a mention. Also I sure would have liked to have seen a lot more about all the unsung heroes of WGN. My Dad was a broadcast engineer there for 17 years until the day he died in 1984. He worked at virtually every engineering assignment at the station in both radio and television. I think he was proudest of the work that he did on the radio equipment on board the helicopter that brought the traffic reports back to Bradley place and eventually out on the air. Dad almost single-handedly handled all aspects of the installation and repair of that radio equipment to keep the traffic reports flowing. I'm really proud of that.

[@adrianlyord5300]

Thanks to your Dads faithful service!

[@honeydooda]

WGN 720 is my radio station 7 days a week from 6 am until 2 pm!! By far The Best Talk Radio in the world! I have never been to Chicago but I feel like I could find my way around since I’ve listened to your station for so many years. I live on the Gulf Coast of Florida.

[@geoa.7139]

Hi. Obviously you stream the broadcasts at those hours in FL. I stream as well and listen often through much of the day. The thing that ruins the otherwise pretty decent programming for me is the frequency of the commercial breaks. And it’s not the frequency as the spots that play each time. The same ones - Progressive; Geico; News Nation; Home Depot; Lowes - over and over and over and over, sometimes back to back. It’s beyond mind numbing. I try lowering the vol during them, but that’s an unsustainable hassle. Maybe it’s just the area I’m in. Do you experience this as well??

[@honeydooda]

Oh how I miss the voice and the Agriculture Report of Orion Samuelson!

[@CONCERTMANchicago]

That's why farmers considered Chicago capital of rural America. Wgn's Clear Channel signal, thread that binds the Prairie. Geographically, our Des Plaines river has been defined by history as natural gateway to North American continents Midwestern planes.

[@garyrasberryjr.552]

Shame they didn't feature Orion more. He was on the air for the Country Fair show on Nov. 22 1963 when President Kennedy was assassinated. Heard a soundcheck and Orion's dulcet tones were unmistakable.

[@JM-gd5rl]

What a disappointment. No mention of Milt Rosenberg. No mention of your connection to the Cubs. Barely mentioned Orion. Eddie Schwartz? The Walk of Fame? The awful Sam Zell years … and so much else … missing. Undeservedly missing.