Axe To Swing in Chicago

When Oprah Winfrey signed off from her talk show a decade ago, if left a big hole in the programing lineup of ABC O&O WLS in Chicago.

The station decided it would produce its own talk and entertainment show and dubbed it Windy City Live.

According to an internal memo sent to the staff at WLS, after a 10-year-run, the plug is being pulled on Windy City Live.

Robert Feder reports that Val Warner and Ryan Chiaverini, co-hosts of the show since its inception, are expected to continue with the ABC O&O, but about 10 full-time jobs and an unknown number of freelance positions will be eliminated.

The last day of the show is September 3rd.

Here is the memo sent to the staff from General Manager John Idler:

Dear team,
 
As we continue to navigate through our industry’s challenging times, we have had to make a tough business decision to sunset the daily airing of Windy City LIVE (WCL).  Multiple factors were considered, but ultimately this was the best decision for ABC 7.  The last M-F show will air Friday, September 3.  
 
WCL will remain part of the fabric of our station and community, and Val and Ryan will continue to be part of our team. They will be featured in various roles and station initiatives, including a Friday edition of Windy City LIVE, tentatively titled Windy City Weekends.  This half-hour program will air from 11:30a -12:00p and will be an advanced look at upcoming events to help our viewers enjoy their weekends.  Additionally, we can look forward to quarterly WCL specials that will celebrate our great city and neighboring communities.

I want to thank the outstanding WCL producers and production crew for their tireless commitment to making a decade of great television.  WCL’s impactful storytelling and community outreach exceeded all our expectations when we launched the show in 2011.  We are grateful to Val Warner and Ryan Chiaverini for their talent, creativity, and the enjoyment they brought to Chicago audiences every weekday, and we look forward to the next chapter of this award-winning program.

In the upcoming weeks, we will share more plans with all of you.

Thank you all for your continued dedication.
 
John