A ROAD FAR LESS TRAVELED: ESPN RADIO FLAGSHIP TO GO LOCAL?

          The lineup of ESPN's flagship radio station in Chicago,
     WMVP-AM, "is changing" and the whole "direction of the
     station might be as well," according to Ed Sherman of the
     CHICAGO TRIBUNE, who writes that the station "seems to be
     coming to the realization" that Chicago listeners "don't
     care whom Carolina is taking with its first pick in the
     draft."  ESPN purchased the Chicago station in October "with
     the notion of national programming with some local flavor." 
     But the station now plans to add an extra hour of local
     programming at night before it goes back to the network at
     8:00pm, and there is "speculation" that the "not-so
     'Fabulous Sports Babe'" will be replaced by a Chicago-based
     show.  The changes come as ratings have been "embarrassingly
     low," and Sherman writes that WMVP "needs to get more local
     if it's going to have a chance" (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 3/19).