New Links Alert

Here are some recent additions to T Dog’s Media Friends sidebar: – Company Town. From the Los Angeles Times, a blog on the business of Hollywood. – Hero Complex. For you geeks out there (including yours truly), a new blog from the L.A. Times covering our world, from science fiction to comic books. And from the L.A. Times! – Doug […]

Slow week – so come on over to Twitter

Aside from Death Watch ’09, there isn’t much going on in the business this week due to the big 4th of July holiday. So, for the latest items (and snide comments on media stories and other stories from yours truly), come on over to Twitter and follow The T Dog Media Blog at http://twitter.com/tdogmediablog. Yours truly will keep you entertained […]

T Dog’s Four Pack – In Memoriam

A special edition of T Dog’s Four Pack this week, in honor of four individuals who passed away this week – two of these I have already written obituaries for. – Ed McMahon. Click here for the obit on the legendary pitchman and second banana. – John Callaway. Click here for the obit on the legendary interviewer. – Farrah Fawcett. […]

Michael Jackson, Farrah Fawcett die on same day

Sadly, the Grim Reaper has been busy. Farrah Fawcett: http://tiny.cc/mVgyv Michael Jackson: http://tiny.cc/BYJX8 With the passing of these two icons – plus the deaths of Ed McMahon and John Callaway, it’s been a very sad week. Rest in peace, all.

WBBM-TV plans newscast overhaul

CBS O&O WBBM-TV plans to overhaul its news operation. Again.According to this article at B&C, WBBM General manager Bruno Cohen plans to once again remake the station’s newscasts, which ratingswise, lag behind others in the market. Cohen, who came from sister station KOVR-TV in Sacramento, said the station is underperforming in many time slots. Despite the fact the station airs […]

John Callaway dies

A day after TV legend Ed McMahon died, another media legend – this time locally – has passed on. John Callaway – a figure in Chicago media for the last four to five decades, died Tuesday night after suffering a heart attack in Racine, Wis. Callaway was known for his tough interviews with local and national politicians and other figures, […]

Ed McMahon dies

One of television’s most recognizable faces – and voices – has left us. Ed McMahon, best known as Johnny Carson’s sidekick for more than thirty years on The Tonight Show passed away this morning at the age of 86. McMahon’s entertainment career spanned more than fifty years, including stints as a game show host, announcer, actor, and commercial pitchman. Aside […]

Post No. 1700: Grab a bag.

To celebrate 1700 posts at The T Dog Media Blog (corrupting your mind since 2006), here’s the Super Groovy Grab Bag of items! (sorry, no party… the budget’s real tight this year…) – Book ’em, Danno!: David Hernandez, the co-owner of the now-defunct Chicago Sports Webio.com, was arrested today in Normal, IL today a week after he skipped town. He […]

Playoff season: That’s a wrap!

Finally tallies of the NBA Finals and the Stanley Cup Finals: – The five game series between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Orlando Magic drew 14.3 million viewers for ABC, down 4 percent from last year’s Lakers-Celtics series. Game 5 drew fewer viewers than Game 4 did, with only 14.2 million viewers tuning in. – Among ratings, it is […]

Chicago’s May PPM results

This is based on the 6+ numbers provided by Arbitron and Stationratings.com (don’t forget – Radio & Records – who also provided numbers – no longer exists.) Winners: WBBM-AM, The Mix (WTMX), V103 (WVAZ), WUSN-FM, Kiss 103.5 (WKSC), The Loop (WLUP) Honorable Mention: Soul 106.3 (WSRB-FM – thank you, Tom Joyner) Losing Steam: WLS-AM, The Drive (WDRV-FM) Losers: Power 92 […]

David Hernandez disappears

And so does Chicago Sports Webio As expected, the sports-radio internet station closed its doors at 5 p.m. today. But what no one expected was embattled David Hernandez fleeing for the exit. As of this writing, the co-founder of Chicago Sports Webio is missing. Police are asking for the public’s help in locating where the fugitive from the law is. […]

WGN-AM names new morning host

In a surprise (and shocking move), WGN-AM announced today the hiring of Greg Jarrett, formerly of KGO-AM in San Francisco in morning drive. But wait a minute, you ask. Isn’t that the slot John Williams holds? Yes it is, and he’s moving to the 9 a.m. – noon slot formerly occupied by Kathy O’Malley and Judy Markey. Williams only started […]

Chicago Sports Webio down for the count

Founder charged with fraud It looks like the axe is waiting to swing on Chicago Sports Webio. The innovative Internet sports-talk radio station and website may be a casualty of one of the founder’s greed and insipidness. And that may be enough to land him in jail. David Hernandez, who co-founded the station with former WSCR personality Mike North was […]

T Dog’s Think Tank: The joke’s on us

In a recent column in the Chicago Tribune, Steve Dahl wondered what the country – and the world – thought of Illinois thanks to Patti Blagojevich (former Governor Rod’s wife) appearing on I’m A Celebrity, Get Me Out Of Here! He said it gave Illinois a Hollywood feel, but a Third World one at the same time. Of course, we […]