Digital music video channel The Tube has ceased operations. The network, which was seen over WGN’s second digital channel here in Chicago, has been struggling financially since its launch. The Tube suffered a huge blow last year when original partner Sinclair Broadcasting pulled out over a dispute regarding three-hour FCC mandated children’s educational programming on the music channel. The Tube’s […]
In a huge victory for the Big Ten Network, Wide Open West, which serves much of Chicago area (the same territory as Comcast), has signed a deal with the fledging sports net to carry the network on an expanded basic cable package in the eight states where there are Big Ten schools. Later in the day, BTN also struck a […]
Thursday’s ratings race showed established returning shows picking up where they left off – grabbing lots of viewers. Here’s a quick analysis (all times Central): 7 p.m: Four of the five shows had something to crow out, with Survivor winning in adults 18-49 and total viewers. NBC’s hour-long season premiere of My Name Is Earl also did well, particularly among […]
Democratic FCC commissioner Michael Copps has voiced his opposition against two pending media deals: Sam Zell’s acquisition of Tribune and the XM/Sirius merger. Tribune would need a waiver from the FCC so the deal can go through – and that Tribune can keep it radio/TV/newspaper combo intact in Chicago.
The Daily Southtown lays into Major League Baseball, calling the new deal that puts most playoff games on cable TV isn’t friendly to fans, particularly to those of the Chicago Cubs, whose team may make the postseason, and fans without cable or satellite are out of luck. When ESPN had the rights to the divisional series in the past, they […]
with a huge, huge, gigantic 0.9 rating. Meanwhile, Family Guy finished ahead of Friends and Seinfeld among off-network sitcoms and finished only behind Everybody Loves Raymond, whose rating fell thanks in part to downgrades by several stations (including WGN-TV here) into the wee hours because of an expiring contract that comes next spring. In other words, Raymond is in “lame […]
It doesn’t give them TMZ, but it does give the ten O&Os a new talk show hosted by Chicagoan Bonnie Hunt for fall 2008 (with the exception of WCAU in Philly); a renewal for Extra through 2012; and a renewal for Ellen through 2011. Both programs air on NBC-owned WMAQ-TV in Chicago.
NBC’s Bionic Woman scored an upset over ABC’s Private Practice in the 18-49 demo, 5.5 to 5.1 (though Private drew more viewers, 14.24 to Bionic’s 13.59.) CBS’ Criminal Minds also was strong in the 8 p.m. (CT) time period, so that may be bad news for CW’s Gossip Girl and Fox’s Kitchen Nightmares, both turning in less than spectacular ratings […]
Current WCKG hosts and radio legends Steve Dahl and Garry Meier (both have separate shows at the station) appeared together on WGN-TV’s morning news today, promoting a charitable event they are co-hosting with the Sun-Times Susanna Hoffman and Gilda’s Club Chicago on Friday called “A Night of a Thousand Noogies” at the Park West (it’s located at 322 W. Armitage.)
Usually yours truly doesn’t devote a space here to attack someone (yeah, right), but I have to give attention to Jay Mariotti’s latest column from the Daily Onion regarding the death of Chicago Blackhawks owner Bill Wirtz… From: T Dog To: Jay Mariotti, Chicago Sun-Times Dear Moron: Who do YOU THINK YOU ARE when you tell us how to behave? […]
The FCC came to Chicago last Thursday, for public hearings on media consolidation and diversity. The whole thing was webcast for the world to hear on the FCC’s website, and yours truly hooked it up to listen for eight hours. Eight loooong hours… The FCC was there at Operation PUSH, and if you listed to the webcast- hell, you’d think […]
Our country’s freedom of speech and the First Amendment hinges on this.
Which one of these assholes deserve the Worst Person Of The Week award for making racist comments this week? Bill O’Reilly or former Top Model winner and Joilet’s own Adrianne Curry? (It looks like a tie. And personally, I’m glad Ms. Curry left here. How about you getting over getting screwed by Tyra?)
Tonight’s picks to click (you at home select yours): Check out the most buzzed about show of the season – Bionic Woman. It’s a remake of the 1970’s TV show that aired on ABC and NBC. (I would put this as the pick to skip, because remakes of shows usually suck. But I give this show the benefit of the […]
If you had Nashville in the dead TV show pool, you win. Was it even on the air? Fox barely promoted this show. Repeats of K-Ville takes the Friday night 7 p.m. slot for now.