Donoho, Lozano Out at Channel 7

Channel 7 has told sportscaster Todd Donoho to “take a hike.”

Donoho and his “take a hike” signature phrase will be leaving the station around the end of September, along with colleague Rick Lozano. Their contracts are not being renewed.

The station is bringing in Chicago sportscaster Bill Weir to replace Donoho on the weeknight 5, 6 and 11 o’clock news, as well as the highly rated “Monday Night Live” show. Lozano’s 4 p.m. sports spot is being eliminated.

Rob Fukuzaki will continue to do the weekend sports.

“It’s simply a case of wanting to take sports in a new direction,” Arnold J. Kleiner, the station’s president and general manager, said Tuesday.

Asked which direction that is, Kleiner said, “We’d like to see sports done with more of an edge.”

Weir, a former Channel 4 intern, comes from WGN and has a reputation for being outlandish.

Donoho, who will be 43 Oct. 25, has been with Channel 7 since July 1, 1989. Lozano has been there since Jan. 20, 1986.

“I can’t say anything bad about the station,” Donoho said. “They’ve been great to me and are handling this as well as such things can be handled.”

Donoho, who will continue to do the morning sports for radio station KLOS, has been largely responsible for the success of “Monday Night Live.” It regularly got 8 and 9 ratings.