Late last week, the Sun-Times’ Lewis Lazare confirmed what had been rumored for weeks, that former WMAQ-TV Ch. 5 reporter Amy Jacobson would been joining WLS-AM’s The Roe Conn Show. Citing unnamed sources, Lazare claimed that Jacobson would be joining Conn’s show in early May.

Then, on Saturday, the Sun-Times ran an interivew with Jacobson, who all but confirms that she’ll be joining WLS-AM. She praised Roe Conn as, “incredibly witty and smart.” She also talked about how relieved she is to be working again.

There’s only one problem with this story: neither WLS nor Roe Conn has confirmed any of it. In fact, Conn went out of his way on his program this week to claim that the Sun-Times story isn’t entirely accurate. Conn may be in the midst of damage control, as he tries to deal with all the egos involved in his show, which includes newsman Jim Johnson, traffic reporter Christina Filiaggi, and funnyman Bill Leff. It’s been suggested that with the addition of Jacobson, at the very least Filiaggi or Leff would be shown the door. One rumor has Filiaggi going to work on Mancow’s syndicated show, which does not air in Chicago.

What can be confirmed is that Jacobson was offered a contract several weeks ago by WLS. At that time, the offer was well below what she wished to take, so she counter-offered. The deal sat in the lap of WLS for weeks, without any response. It’s not clear if WLS and Jacobson have come to an agreement, or if the ball remains in WLS’ court.

It sounds like Conn, who is notorious for playing politics with station management, may have found himseld painted into a corner. If he’s been openly wooing Amy Jacobson, then it means that he has very little faith in either Leff or Filiaggi, both of whom have seemed out of place on the show. At the same time, despite Conn’s overtures, it’s clear that WLS and its cash-strapped owner Citadel are no longer in the business of offering big dollar contracts to talent. Perhaps Citadel suits were burned when WLS paid good money for Pat Cassidy last summer without knowing what to do with him. He’s since been awkwardly paired with Mancow in one of the market’s strangest duos.

Until WLS or Roe Conn are willing to step up and confirm the addition of Jacobson to the show, it remains clear when or if she will join the station.