^{Mike Flannery}

On the eve of his 30th‚ anniversary as political editor at WBBM-Channel 2, Mike Flannery is leaving the CBS-owned station to join WFLD-Channel 32. Starting July 1, he’ll succeed Jack Conaty, who was forced out last December after 22 years at the Fox-owned station.

In a statement to staffers Monday, Jeff Kiernan, vice president and news director at Channel 2, wrote:‚ “I respect Mike’s decision to leave. His contributions to WBBM-TV over the last 30 years have been extensive and we wish him well.”

Flannery, 59, a native of Washington, D.C., and graduate of Georgetown University, covered politics and labor for the Chicago Sun-Times for seven years before making the transition to television in 1980.