The halls of one of Chicago’s most beloved television stations feel noticeably quieter these days. WGN-Ch. 9 has parted ways with eight veteran reporters and anchors in its latest round of staff reductions, a move that has left employees shaken and the broader media community watching closely.
Among those let go is Sean Lewis, a recognizable presence on Chicago screens for nearly two decades. Lewis had anchored the weekend morning news at WGN since 2010 and also served as a union steward at the station. The news of his departure came while he was attending a meeting about a separate layoff situation — only to find out moments later that he was being let go himself. He signed off for the last time during the noon broadcast on Monday, marking the end of a chapter that spanned nearly 19 years covering stories across the city he grew up in and has long called home.
A station already weathering significant losses
Monday’s cuts do not exist in isolation. WGN has been quietly shedding staff for months. Six newswriters and three technical directors were let go last month, and four floor directors were released back in October. The cumulative weight of these reductions has created an atmosphere of uncertainty among those still employed at the station, with several insiders speaking on condition of anonymity due to concerns about their own job security.
The abrupt manner in which Monday’s departures unfolded added to the distress. Some of the affected employees were in the middle of their shifts when they received the news, leaving colleagues at a loss for words. For a newsroom built on fast-moving, high-pressure work, even veteran staffers described the moment as one of the more disorienting they had witnessed in their careers.
Nexstar’s bigger picture
WGN’s parent company, Nexstar Media, has declined to comment on individual personnel decisions. However, a company spokesperson confirmed that Nexstar is taking steps it considers necessary to stay competitive as the media industry continues to evolve. The company acquired WGN-Ch. 9 in 2019 as part of its $4.1 billion purchase of Tribune Media, a deal that made Nexstar the largest local television station group in the United States.
Since then, Nexstar has been focused on reshaping its portfolio. One of its most significant moves has been converting WGN America into NewsNation, a 24-hour cable news network still working to carve out its identity against established players like Fox News and CNN. The company has also been pursuing a $6.8 billion acquisition of rival broadcaster Tegna, a deal that requires FCC approval tied to changes in ownership regulations.
Akemi Harrison, who stepped into the news director role at WGN last August, is expected to hold meetings with remaining staff to address the restructuring and what it means for the station going forward.
A legacy station at a crossroads
WGN has been a fixture in Chicago broadcasting since 1948. The station built its reputation on beloved programming ranging from Cubs games to the iconic Bozo’s Circus, and it continues to air one of the more ambitious local news lineups in the market, including a six-hour morning news block.
For long-serving staffers like Lewis, the departure carries a deeply personal weight. He built his career telling the stories of a city he genuinely loves, and despite the circumstances of his exit, he has expressed a clear intention to remain in Chicago and continue building on what comes next.
The layoffs raise real questions about the future direction of local journalism at WGN and what a leaner newsroom means for the audiences who have relied on it for generations.
Source: SSBCrack News
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