Windy City Live To Stop Airing Come September: Report

Chicago IL

22 July, 2021

12:33 AM

Description

CHICAGO — WLS-Channel 7's popular daytime talk show, "Windy City Live," is set to cease production on Sept. 3, according to Chicago media columnist Robert Feder. Ten years ago, the program replaced "The Oprah Winfrey Show" for the network's 1 p.m. slot, quickly garnering a group of devoted fans who call themselves "Windies." In an email obtained by Feder from John Idler, ABC 7 president and general manager, Idler said the show was cancelled due to "challenging times" in the industry. Every day, with the exception of the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, the show was produced in front of a studio audience at ABC 7's headquarters on North State Street. Other recent local television cancellations include "Chicago's Best" on WGN-Channel 9 and "The Jam" on WCIU-Channel 26.2/WMEU-Channel 48.1. "I want to thank the outstanding WCL producers and production crew for their tireless commitment to making a decade of great television," Idler wrote in the email published by Feder. "WCL's impactful storytelling and community outreach exceeded all our expectations when we launched the show in 2011."