Wgn Layoffs Expand: On-Air Names, Behind-the-Scenes Cuts and the Nexstar-Tegna Deal
The station carried out a fresh round of wgn layoffs on Monday that removed multiple on-air staffers and followed earlier reductions among writers and technical crew. The move matters now because it coincides with a high-profile Nexstar effort to acquire Tegna and the company’s stated need to manage mounting debt.
Wgn Layoffs: Who was let go
One account identified nine on-air personnel cut Monday: entertainment critic and reporter Dean Richards; sports anchor Chris Boden; news anchors Ray Cortopassi, Sean Lewis and Judy Wang; reporters Julian Crews and Bronagh Tumulty; meteorologist Mike Janssen; and political analyst Paul Lisnek. A separate account described eight on-air staffers being laid off and highlighted weekend morning anchor Sean Lewis, a nearly 20-year station veteran who was told of his dismissal Monday afternoon after filing what became his final report for the noon broadcast. More layoffs are possible.
Ray Cortopassi and Micah Materre: mid-shift disruption
Ray Cortopassi was laid off in the middle of his shift, an action that left Micah Materre to carry the anchor desk solo that Monday night. The station also adjusted its anchor lineup for upcoming newscasts: Patrick Elwood will anchor solo at noon; Lourdes Duarte will anchor solo at 4 p. m.; Ben Bradley will join Duarte at 5 p. m.; Micah Materre will join Bradley at 6 p. m.; and Materre will anchor solo from 9 to 10: 30 p. m. The popular morning-news crew is expected to remain intact.
Staff histories and institutional context
Some of those dismissed had long tenures at the station. Dean Richards joined in 1991 as a staff announcer and became a regular contributor in 1998. Julian Crews has covered the city and state since 1996. Chris Boden’s career spans more than 30 years at about half a dozen Chicago TV and radio outlets. Judy Wang began at the defunct CLTV in 1995 and joined the station in 2009. One veteran TV reporter said they had never seen this many cuts at once from a Chicago station.
Behind-the-scenes reductions: writers, directors and copywriters
The on-air departures follow earlier behind-the-scenes reductions. Recent rounds cut copywriters, and newsroom staffing moves in recent months included six newswriters and three technical directors last month, plus four floor directors in October. Those changes, taken together, reduced staffing across editorial and technical roles in the station’s operation.
Nexstar, the Tegna acquisition and regulatory questions
The company that owns the station, Nexstar, has framed the personnel changes as part of broader efforts to compete amid industry upheaval. A Nexstar spokesperson said, "Nexstar does not comment on personnel issues, but the company is taking steps necessary to compete effectively in this period of unprecedented change. " The cuts have been linked internally to the pending Nexstar bid to buy Tegna: one account cited Nexstar’s announced plan to acquire Tegna for $6. 2 billion, while another described the proposed Tegna transaction as $6. 8 billion. The deal would expand the group’s reach to roughly 80% of U. S. TV households and is under regulatory review; one account noted the transaction would require the Federal Communications Commission to lift its 39% ownership cap, and another noted that FCC Chairman Brendan Carr has signaled he is prepared to approve the merger. Nexstar already carries debt from its 2019 purchase of Tribune Media for $4. 1 billion, a financial backdrop cited as a reason for the current cost-cutting.
Ratings, profitability and the stated rationale
Despite the cuts, the station remains profitable and retains strong ratings in several dayparts. One account said the morning newscast performs very well, the station dominates a competitor at 9 p. m., and is competitive at 10 p. m. Company officials presented the layoffs as cost-management steps tied to shifting viewing habits and the financial pressures of consolidation. The broader implication is that corporate-level transactions and debt considerations are now directly reshaping local newsroom staffing and on-air lineup choices.
The unfolding personnel changes and schedule reshuffle are already reshaping on-air presentation and operational capacity at the station as it awaits further regulatory developments tied to the Tegna acquisition.
