Bob Sirott and Marianne Murciano
Veteran Chicago broadcaster and Fox 32 news anchor Bob Sirott is headed to a Monday-through-Friday air shift at WGN AM 720 with his wife, Marianne Murciano. They're expected to co-host a midday or afternoon show on the Tribune Broadcasting news/talk station, starting in the next few weeks.
Sirott continues to anchor the 9 p.m. weekday newscast for the Fox-owned station under an extension of his contract, which was to have expired Saturday (July 6). While talks proceed between Sirott's agent, Steve Mandell, and management, Sirott remains onboard with co-anchor Robin Robinson, whose contract expires in August. Fox Chicago bosses did not respond to inquiries about reported plans to alter their anchor lineup.
If Sirott does leave Fox 32, his agreement with Tribune Broadcasting likely would be expanded to include television work. But sources emphasized that he was not being considered for the 9 p.m. news anchor position at WGN-Channel 9 currently held by Mark Suppelsa.
A prominent and popular figure in Chicago radio and television for more than 40 years, Sirott, 63, has been Fox 32's 9 p.m. anchor since 2010. He previously worked at the station from 1993 to 2000 as host of "Fox Thing in the Morning," where he met and married the show's co-host, Murciano.
Jimmy deCastro, president and general manager of WGN, confirmed the deal with Sirott and Murciano, but said he wasn't ready to announce a time slot for their show. Since he became station boss last May, deCastro has been rebuilding WGN's talent roster with familiar Chicago personalities (including Steve Cochran, who rejoined the station as a fill-in host last week).
“Bob's respected reputation and vast experiences on radio and television make him the perfect fit for ‘Chicago’s Very Own 720,’” de Castro said in a statement. "I'm excited to expand Bob's role and allow him to share more of his rich Chicago stories, and Marianne adds another strong female voice to the tradition of WGN Radio."
Sirott, who hosted "The Noon Show" weekdays on WGN from 2007 to 2010, currently co-hosts a Sunday night talk show with Murciano.
"When I was growing up in Chicago, WGN's slogan was 'Radio Home of Millions Throughout Mid-America,'" Sirott told me Thursday. "That's still true — and Marianne and I are thrilled to make WGN OUR radio home."