Podrumedic, Kotsy exit as ratings fall The sting of media layoffs has arrived in Chicago. Minneapolis-based Hubbard Radio announced two departures from its Chicago cluster this week. On Thursday, 101.9 The Mix’s Violeta Podrumedic exited the station’s morning show after six years. “I will keep everyone posted with updates, and I know this is change and change can be somewhat […]
Also: So long My50…again; “Wheel”, “Drew” off to strong ratings start; ABC 7 promotes Nwosu to marketing position While NBC Sports’ other RSNs are preparing for the future, NBC Sports Chicago is ending its 20-year run Monday – but not quietly as the station plans to air over 36 hours of live and past content Sunday, celebrating its time on […]
Networks disappeared a few minutes after 6 p.m. Central Time The impasse between Disney and DirecTV has resulted in a blackout of their channels, with Disney pulling the plug a little after 6 p.m. Central Time Sunday. If you are a DirecTV, DirecTV Stream, or U-Verse subscriber, you no longer receive ESPN and its family of networks, Freeform, FX, National […]
Subscribers could lose Disney channels, including ABC 7 Chicago As speculated for the last few weeks, a potential retrans dispute between Disney and DirecTV is about to come to fruition. Cord Cutters News was the first to report on possible service disruptions if a deal between the two wasn’t reached by September 1. The dispute picked up steam as the […]
CPD investigating; adds to a string of bizarre incidents at the station over the years Yet another bizarre incident occurred outside of the studios of ABC 7 – this time during a newscast. At the start of the 4 p.m. newscast on the ABC-owned station Thursday, a male suspect threw a rock at the window of WLS-TV’s 190 North State […]
Replaces the recently retired Jennifer Graves in role as city prepares for DNC ABC 7 (ABC-owned WLS-TV) announced Tuesday the promotion of Doug Whitmire from assistant news director to VP of news at the top-rated station, replacing the recently retired Jennifer Graves after 32 years. The move is effective August 5. “Doug has been a leading force in the newsroom […]
Also: Scripps Sports signs Stanley Cup champs; diginet Defy changes owners As first reported by the Sun-Times, CBS 2 (WBBM-TV) main sports anchor and sports Marshall Harris has exited the station, effective immediately. Harris verified the report on X/Twitter Tuesday: “In case you haven’t heard, I’ve officially moved on from CBS Chicago. I’m grateful for my time there. And I’m […]
She leaves on top after three decades of employment at WLS-TV After 22 years at the helm, ABC 7’s VP of news Jennifer Graves has called it a career. “Jennifer Graves’ reputation for journalistic excellence has made her one of the most influential news leaders in Chicago for more than three decades. Her news judgement, a passionate commitment to fairness […]
Also: WXRT hires a new afternoon host; Judge Judy reruns renewed in syndication through 2027; Weigel’s stations get ready to cover March madness After 35 years on the morning traffic beat, ABC 7’s (WLS-TV) traffic reporter Roz Varon is calling it a career. Her last day is April 5. Varon was a fixture starting in 1989 as Chicago’s first traffic […]
it’s Elon Musk, 2023 had No Chance In Hell to be a quiet year. (LA Times) A year dominated by labor strife, awful Chicago sports teams, and – oh yeah, Elon If you watched the WWE, you remember Vince McMahon playing himself as an arrogant CEO and billionaire, ruling over anything and everything – the ultimate heel. It’s a real-life […]
Global Climate: Local Impact to take a look how climate change is affecting the Chicago area While most area TV stations and Amazon will be airing football on Black Friday, NBC 5 is taking a different approach to counterprogramming – airing a news special on how local authorities are responding to the global climate change crisis. Titled Global Climate: Local […]
Also: SAG-AFTRA strike ends; Jennifer Hudson’s ratings grow; Disney names two cable networks as possible sale candidates It’s official – Ryan Chiaverini was named lead sports anchor by ABC-owned WLS-TV Thursday, succeeding Jim Rose, who retired in September after 41 years at the station. “Ryan knows Chicago sports inside out and cuts right to the heart of what this city’s […]
One of the first African-American news anchors in Chicago, Porterfield had a 51-year career in journalism Harry Porterfield, one of Chicago’s first Black anchors and reporters, died peacefully from natural causes in his Munster, Ind. home Monday at the age of 95. Porterfield was a trailblazer in Chicago media circles, joining local TV news at a time when there were […]
Adds to numerous incidents at or in the station over the years You can add this to the “weird things that’s hapened at 190 North State Street” file. On Monday night around 10 p.m. – minutes before ABC 7 (WLS-TV) was set to go on the air with its nightly newscast (delayed due to Monday Night Football), a car was […]
Comes at a time of uncertain future for local institution While all the hoopla was over WGN-TV celebrating its 75th year of broadcasting, let’s not forget there’s another station celebrating its 75th, too. ABC-owned WLS-TV, branded as ABC 7 since the 1990s, celebrated its 75th on September 17. Although there was no two-hour special to comminate the occasion like WGN’s, […]