A new size for the Trib; A new FCC Chairman (hooray!); Stargate Atlantis exits with a bang; Fox cancels Prison Break.
– One advantage the Chicago Sun-Times had over the Trib was its tabloid-like size and the ease of reading it on the bus or on the “L”. Now, that’s gone. Oh-oh…
Chicago Tribune introduces a new size: The paper plans to introduce a new tabloid-size version of the paper available only on newsstands and retail outlets beginning on Monday. Don’t worry, you’ll still find the regular-size version of the Trib via home delivery. The paper also plans to continue to sell Red Eye, which comes in a similar tabloid-size edition targeted to younger readers.
– TCA News: Fox announced the cancellation of Prison Break after four seasons, with the series unceremoniously ending in April. On the other hand, Fox is introducing a new animated sitcom titled Sit Down, Stand Up. The project from Arrested Development creator Mitchell Hurwitz debuts on April 19 after The Simpsons.
Also, Fox has picked up Sony’s ‘Til Death for another 22 episodes, basically ensuring an off-network sale in syndication for fall 2010. Just what we need: An unwatchable sitcom paired up with another unwatchable sitcom (According to Jim) five days a week on your local station.
– SciFi’s airing of the series finale of MGM’s Stargate Atlantis last Friday drew 2 million total viewers and averaged 973,000 viewers among adults 18-49.
Don’t forget: The season premiere of Battlestar: Galactica is this Friday.
– President-elect Barack Obama is expected to name tech policy advisor Julius Genachowski as the new chairman of the Federal Communications Comission. Reading the article from B&C, I can tell he is already better than current leech Kevin Martin. Given the way that moron has screwed up our nation’s telecommunications system, Genachowski is already an improvement.