God bless them both. May their voices still be heard for many more years. Why did Bogut leave KDKA?
If I recall, Bogut was forced out because KD thought he was too old fashioned.
Also It may have been because KD switched to a talk format and Bogut was not a talker.
Umm...how do I say this....Bogut didn’t exactly leave KD voluntarily. He DID want to do TV and other things but his ratings weren’t stellar. It was kinda, sorta a mutual thing although KD wasn’t going to pay him what he wanted and they wouldn’t give him a TV show.
All of that is my understanding.
Meanwhile WTAE did give him the TV show, “Big Sky Cafe” IIRC. It bombed.
Same thing when he left WSHH. I was producing for him and the news. Also did some air work with him. He wanted more money, Renda said no. Jack walked.
A few years later Renda and Jack got back together and Renda offered Jack an afternoon drive on WJAS. Jack wasn’t happy but took it so he had a venue for his clients. That’s when Jack Wheeler was doing the mornings on WJAS and I was doing his news.
I really enjoyed working with Wheeler although he was tough.
Eventually Bogut kept needling Wheeler to get the morning show back. Wheeler...being Wheeler didn’t care BUT he kept crossing the line on things Renda ordered him not to do. Discuss religion, mock the PC crowd and envirowackos...basically do what he did best...offend people. People hated him, (and me, hehehe) but tuned in to hear what outrageous thing he’d say next.
One day he crossed the line one too many times and he got canned. Bogut moved to the WJAS mornings.
That’s how I remember it.
More on what’s happening with Q&R next.