Sony fires “Jeopardy!” EP Mike Richards

Also out as Wheel showrunner due to controversial comments in past weeks after he stepped down as Jeopardy host The other shoe dropped Tuesday as Mike Richards, who stepped down as host of Jeopardy due to comments made on a years- old podcast, was removed from his position as executive producer of Jeopardy and Wheel Of Fortune by Sony Pictures […]

WTTW’s “Check, Please” bounced out after 20 years

WTTW announced the 20th season of Check Please would be its last One of Chicago television’s longest-running shows is closing its doors after two decades on the air. WTTW announced Wednesday the end of Check, Please, one of the PBS member station’s longest running local shows in its history. “This upcoming season, as ‘Check, Please!’ leaves our schedule, we look […]

The plight of the sitcom

  What’s happening to the cherished genre these days isn’t funny as it could be reduced to nothing Seven weeks ago, CNN launched The History Of The Sitcom – an unnecessary eight-part documentary on a subject covered to death through books, PBS, and other media celebrating the form stretching from the days of I Love Lucy on your black-and-white mono […]

Mike Richards out as Jeopardy! host

Remains exec producer of show and Wheel Of Fortune After numerous episodes of an old podcast surfaced a few days ago, Mike Richards – who self-appointed himself as host of Jeopardy! after a long search has stepped down after nine days. The decision to move aside came after The Ringer published excerpts from a podcast he produced and hosted called […]

Jennifer Lyons named president and GM of CBS 2 and CBSN Chicago

Former WGN News and NewsNation exec succeeds Derek Dalton Also at CBS 2: Drew Barrymore, Let’s Make A Deal swap time slots In hopes to turn around its moribund ratings, CBS-owned WBBM-TV hired WGN-TV and NewsNation veteran Jennifer Lyons as president and general manager, effective Monday. She will also oversee local news streaming channel CBSN Chicago. “We feel extremely fortunate […]

Poll: Chicago viewers split over media coverage of crime

Cook County State’s Attorney blasts Nexstar’s WGN-TV over poll A poll released by Nexstar-owned independent WGN-TV on Tuesday showed how Chicago-area residents felt about their local political leadership and pressing issues like crime. And let me tell you – it wasn’t pretty as people seem to have it in for Mayor Lori Lightfoot and Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx, […]

The Media Notepad: NBC 5’s Andy Avalos retires; Alicia Roman promoted to morning shift

Also: Young Sheldon adds TBS home; Rick Dees becomes voice of RewindTV; Dish and Sinclair avoid blackouts – for now  Veteran meteorologist Andy Avalos announced his retirement on Friday after 33 years on Chicago television. Starting on August 30, fellow NBC 5 (WMAQ) meteorologist Alicia Roman is taking over Avalos’ spot on the morning newscast from 4-7 a.m. She’s been […]

“Field Of Dreams” game scores for Fox – and baseball

Featuring the White Sox and Yankees in Iowa was the highest-rated regular season game since 2005 If you build it, they will come. Well, they came all right – and proved to be a boon for Major League Baseball. The inaugural Field Of Dreams game – set in Dyersville, Iowa (located in the Cedar Rapids-Waterloo-Dubuque market) in a newly-built ballfield […]

It’s Mike…and Mayim? “Jeopardy” names new hosts

Primetime specials also coming to ABC With the worst kept secret in Hollywood, Jeopardy! producers named Mike Richards as host of the long-running game show as expected. But in a bit of a curveball, actress Mayim Bialik was named host of several prime-time special editions starting next year, with the Jeopardy! National College Tournament first on tap.  The news was […]

Sinclair, Dish reach impasse on carriage deal over Bally RSNs

May have complications for Marquee In what could be a troubling sign for broadcasters and regional sports networks alike, Sinclair Broadcasting apparently threw in the towel with a week to go in negotiations with Dish as 108 local stations faces deletion from the satellite service on August 16. The company acknowledged such in a press release Monday, noting the chances […]

“South Park” snares blockbuster ViacomCBS deal

Veteran animated series renewed for at least sixty more episodes over six years AND fourteen movies With South Park airing on another streaming service, there had to be some kind of way to get the show’s content on ViacomCBS’ Paramount Plus. After all, the show has been home to Comedy Central since 1997, also owned by ViacomCBS. Well, how about […]

“Jeopardy” close to picking its new host: It’s Mike?

Comes after months of guest hosts News leaked Wednesday on who would be the successor of the late Alex Trebek as host of one of television’s most popular and iconic game shows. Jeopardy and Wheel of Fortune executive producer Mike Richards (not the Kramer guy from Seinfeld) is now the front runner to take over the long-running game show starting […]

Beam it or stream it: DirecTV completes spinoff from AT&T

DirecTV is an independent company once again. But can they recapture their own glory?  AT&T completed the spinoff of the satellite provider to private equity firm TPG Monday in a deal valued at $15 billion. The transaction includes streaming provider AT&T Now and U-verse systems, which are being rebranded as DirecTV Stream. In a three-way split, AT&T gets $7. 8 […]