On Jimmy de Castro’s first day as President/GM of News/Talk 720 WGN Chicago, the station continues its shake-up with the dismissal of Program Director Bill White. Robert Feder reports that the leading candidate to replace White is Mitch Rosen, the PD of CBS’ Sports “670 The Score” WSCR since 2005. Rosen previously worked for de Castro from 1992 to 1995 as a producer at 97.9 WLUP. He has also programmed Sports “ESPN 1000” WMVP Chicago.
WGN has a mix of the two things Rosen has worked with the most at his stations; managing strong personalities and maintaining relationships with the teams the station covers as WGN is flagship of Chicago Cubs baseball, Chicago Blackhawks hockey, and Northwestern University football and basketball.
You know, it's funny. I just saw Mitch Rosen the other day when I was working on my next Illinois Entertainer column (an interview with Dan McNeil), and I jokingly said to him: "So Mitch, when do you start at WGN? Have you talked to Jimmy yet?" He just smiled and avoided the question.
As for Bill White, I interviewed him for Chicago Radio Spotlight shortly after he came to town, and then I met him again on Opening Day at Wrigley Field last year during a live Brandmeier broadcast and reintroduced myself. He had no memory of being interviewed by me. Then I met him again when Landecker & Brandmeier were on the air together (photo below...he's the one on the right), and he had no memory of me at all. I don't know what that says about him (or me), but I always thought it was strange.
