Posted by chicagomedia.org on July 30, 2008 at 12:29:10:
In Reply to: Pat Cassidy out at WBBM-AM 780 posted by chicagomedia.org on July 30, 2008 at 12:25:46:
Pat Cassidy, who�s been a morning star on Chicago radio for more than 30 years, resigned Wednesday as one of the top anchors at all-news WBBM-AM (780).
He is expected to jump to Citadel Broadcasting news/talk WLS-AM (890), where he presumably would re-invent himself as a talk show host in a time slot to be determined.
The move was confirmed by Rod Zimmerman, senior vice president and market manager of CBS Radio Chicago and general manager of Newsradio 780.
�Pat told me he wants to do a talk show, and we wish him well,� Zimmerman said. �He�s done a great job for us for eight years.�
Cassidy�s last day on the air coincided with the expiration of his contract. After several months of talks with CBS, he turned down a renewal offer.
Keith Johnson will fill in Thursday and Friday. Starting Monday, retired morning news anchor John Hultman will take Cassidy�s place until a permanent replacement is hired.
At Newsradio 780, Cassidy scored consistently high ratings alongside morning news co-anchor Felicia Middlebrooks. In the latest Arbitron quarterly survey, they ranked second in mornings overall with a 6.3 precent audience share.
Cassidy, 57, a Chicago native who began his career at the former WEXI in northwest suburban Arlington Heights, joined Newsradio 780 in 2000 after 25 years at the former WMAQ.
In a 2002 interview with the Sun-Times, Cassidy attributed his professional longevity to �a combination of hard work, �doing unto others,� and a little bit of luck.�
(Feder)