WGN TV cut nine on-air personnel Monday in its latest round of layoffs, including entertainment critic and reporter Dean Richards and sports anchor Chris Boden, the Sun-Times has learned, and more layoffs are possible.
Others let go were news anchors Ray Cortopassi, Sean Lewis and Judy Wang, reporters Julian Crews and Bronagh Tumulty, meteorologist Mike Janssen and political analyst Paul Lisnek. Sources say Cortopassi was laid off in the middle of his shift, leaving Micah Materre to work solo on the anchor desk Monday night.
The layoffs follow a recent round of behind-the-scenes cuts that included copywriters, circumstances that have touched local network affiliates but rarely have hit “Chicago’s Very Own.” One veteran TV reporter had never seen this many cuts at once from a Chicago station. They come as WGN parent company Nexstar is working to merge with Tegna in a deal that’s under regulatory review.
