WGN News Team 2026: Complete Roster, Broadcast Schedules, And Chicago Newsroom Guide

WGN-TV Channel 9 has long served as a dominant voice in local broadcast journalism across Chicagoland and the broader Midwest. Operating under Nexstar Media Group as an independent station with expansive local news coverage, the WGN news team delivers over 70 hours of original news programming per week. From the high-energy, irreverent format of WGN Morning News to the flagship WGN News at 9, the newsroom's veteran anchor desk, investigative reporters, and meteorology team provide essential coverage across cook, DuPage, Lake, Will, and surrounding counties.

The WGN News Roster: Key Anchors and Broadcast Teams

The WGN-TV newsroom relies on a blend of long-tenured Chicago journalists and specialized reporters. Unlike network-affiliated stations tied to national morning shows, WGN devotes early mornings, daytime, and prime evening hours entirely to local issues, traffic, regional weather patterns, and local sports.

Morning News Team (4:00 AM – 10:00 AM)

The WGN Morning News franchise represents one of the most durable ratings leaders in Chicago television history. Known for mixing hard breaking news with sharp, unscripted banter, the morning team maintains a deep connection with Chicago commuters and early-morning viewers.

• Larry Potash: Co-anchor of WGN Morning News (6:00 AM – 10:00 AM). Potash joined WGN-TV in 1994 and has anchored the morning broadcast for over three decades, bringing deep historical context to local Chicago politics and civic developments.
• Robin Baumgarten: Co-anchor of WGN Morning News (6:00 AM – 10:00 AM). A South Side Chicago native and multi-Emmy Award winner, Baumgarten joined WGN in 1996, initially covering airborne traffic before stepping into the main morning anchor chair.
• Dan Ponce: Co-anchor of WGN Morning News (4:00 AM – 6:00 AM). Ponce brings investigative and general assignment experience, serving as the lead voice during the earliest morning broadcast block.
• Lauren Jiggetts: Co-anchor of WGN Morning News (4:00 AM – 6:00 AM). A veteran Chicago broadcast journalist who joined the station after working across major midwestern markets, offering crisp continuous coverage for early morning viewers.

Evening, Daytime, and Nightside Anchors

The afternoon and evening broadcasts shift to a traditional, high-density local news structure focusing on breaking developments, municipal politics, suburban crime trends, and evening traffic corridors.

• Micah Materre: Senior Evening Anchor. Materre leads WGN News at 5 PM, 6 PM, and 9 PM. An influential Chicago journalist who joined the station in 1998, Materre has anchored coverage for major national conventions, municipal elections, and major local breaking news events.
• Ray Cortopassi: Evening Anchor. Partnering with Micah Materre on the prime 5 PM, 6 PM, and 9 PM newscasts, Cortopassi returned to his hometown media market with extensive midwestern anchoring experience.
• Ben Bradley: Daytime Anchor & Chief Investigative Reporter. Bradley co-anchors daytime broadcasts and leads WGN Investigates, focusing on government accountability, consumer fraud, and public safety data across Illinois.
• Lourdes Duarte: Daytime Anchor & Co-Host. Duarte anchors the 4:00 PM newscast and WGN News at Daytime, bringing extensive investigative and enterprise reporting backgrounds to suburban and city issues.
• Tahman Bradley: Weekend Anchor & Political Reporter. Bradley anchors weekend evening coverage while providing high-level political reporting on the Illinois statehouse, Chicago City Hall, and regional electoral races.

WGN Weather Center: Meteorological Leadership

Meteorological coverage at WGN Channel 9 operates with specialized radar assets and hyper-local forecasting models designed to address Lake Michigan’s microclimates, severe summer weather systems, and intense winter snowstorms.

Following the retirement of legendary Chief Meteorologist Tom Skilling in early 2024, the WGN Weather Center transitioned into a modern multi-platform forecasting operation while preserving its legacy of severe weather precision.

WGN Weather Operational Focus The meteorology team utilizes dual-polarization Doppler radar integration, advanced microclimate tracking for lake-effect precipitation, and real-time storm path modeling spanning Northeast Illinois and Northwest Indiana.

• Demetrius Ivory: Chief Meteorologist. Anchoring the 5:00 PM, 6:00 PM, 9:00 PM, and 10:00 PM newscasts, Ivory leads the station's severe weather response and daily weather tracking across the Greater Chicago Metropolitan Area.
• Morgan Kolkmeyer: Morning Meteorologist. Tracking early morning commute conditions, lake-effect patterns, and temperature swings during WGN Morning News (6:00 AM – 10:00 AM).
• Paul Konrad: Morning Meteorologist (Early Hours & Features). Delivering early-morning forecasts with a focus on regional agricultural and suburban conditions alongside morning feature segments.
• Tim Joyce: Weekend Meteorologist & Environmental Reporter. Responsible for weekend forecast coverage and enterprise reporting on Lake Michigan coastal erosion and regional environmental impacts.

Schedule Breakdown and On-Air Responsibilities

To navigate the comprehensive broadcast slate of Channel 9, the following breakdown outlines anchor teams, meteorologists, and specialty reporters across primary operational time slots.

Investigative, Sports, and Cultural Journalism

WGN Investigates and Target 9

The investigative unit at WGN-TV focuses on systemic governmental breakdowns, public spending accountability, local law enforcement oversight, and financial scams targeting Illinois residents.

Led by veteran investigative reporter Ben Bradley, the unit utilizes Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests, public database cross-referencing, and undercover reporting to publish long-form investigative pieces that frequently prompt legislative hearings and regulatory policy changes.

WGN Sports Department

With Chicago’s rich sports culture across the NFL, MLB, NBA, and NHL, the WGN sports desk provides daily news, game breakdowns, and dedicated post-game coverage via WGN Sports Central.

• Jarrett Payton: Lead Sports Anchor. Son of NFL legend Walter Payton, Jarrett brings deep insider insight into the Chicago Bears, collegiate football, and local high school athletics.
• Josh Frydman: Weekend Sports Anchor & Reporter. Covers daily beat reporting for the Chicago Cubs, Chicago White Sox, Chicago Bulls, and Chicago Blackhawks.
• Pat Tomasulo: Morning Sports & Culture Host. Delivers dynamic sports commentary combined with pop culture commentary during morning broadcasts.

Entertainment and Medical Reporting

• Dean Richards: Executive Producer & Entertainment Critic. A staple of Chicago broadcasting, Richards delivers movie reviews, celebrity interviews, and theater updates for over three decades.
• Dina Bair: Medical & Health Reporter. Leads the Medical Watch series, covering clinical trials at Northwestern Medicine, Rush University Medical Center, and UChicago Medicine, focusing on innovations in local healthcare.

Digital Ecosystem: How to Access WGN News

WGN-TV extends its reach beyond traditional over-the-air television (Channel 9.1) through digital platforms, mobile applications, and connected TV software.

1. Over-the-Air (OTA) Broadcast: Transmitting on Channel 9.1 in high definition across Northeast Illinois, Northwest Indiana, and Southern Wisconsin.
2. WGN+ Streaming App: Available on Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, and smart TVs, offering live streams of all local newscasts, on-demand investigative specials, and archival clips.
3. WGNTV.com & Mobile App: Providing real-time breaking news updates, interactive weather radar, dynamic traffic maps, and direct video streaming of ongoing live breaking coverage.
4. Local Radio Cross-Promotions: Collaborating with regional radio outlets to provide instant storm warnings and traffic updates during peak Chicago commuting windows.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who anchors WGN Morning News?

Larry Potash and Robin Baumgarten co-anchor the main block of WGN Morning News from 6:00 AM to 10:00 AM. The early morning block from 4:00 AM to 6:00 AM is anchored by Dan Ponce and Lauren Jiggetts, with weather from Morgan Kolkmeyer and sports with Pat Tomasulo.

Who is the Chief Meteorologist at WGN-TV?

Demetrius Ivory serves as Chief Meteorologist for WGN-TV. He leads severe weather coverage and anchors evening weather forecasts during the 5:00 PM, 6:00 PM, 9:00 PM, and 10:00 PM newscasts.

What channel is WGN News in Chicago?

WGN-TV broadcasts free over-the-air on Channel 9.1 in the Chicago market. It is also carried across all major local cable, satellite, and live TV streaming providers (such as YouTube TV, Hulu + Live TV, and DirecTV Stream) on channel line-ups assigned to local broadcast networks.

Where can I stream live WGN News broadcasts online?

Live newscasts can be streamed for free through the WGN+ app on connected TV devices, via the WGN News mobile app for iOS and Android, or directly on the WGNTV website during scheduled news hours.

Does WGN still air Chicago Cubs and White Sox games?

While WGN-TV was historically the broadcast home of the Chicago Cubs, White Sox, and Bulls for decades, live team sports broadcasts have largely migrated to regional sports networks and direct streaming outlets. WGN focuses its sports resources on comprehensive pre-game/post-game news, beat reporting, and its daily WGN Sports Central broadcast.

Stay Connected with Chicago’s Very Own

Whether you rely on morning traffic updates along the Kennedy Expressway, hyper-local severe weather tracking, or hard-hitting government accountability stories, the WGN news team delivers trusted local journalism. Download the WGN+ app or tune to Channel 9 to get real-time coverage tailored to Chicagoland viewers.