Trailblazer created shows that changed TV One of the most influential voices who helped shape television for its future in the 1970s has passed on as Norman Lear died Tuesday night at his Beverly Hills, Calif. home in his sleep at the age of 101, surrounded by family. Lear was born in New Haven, CT, and began his television career […]
Pritzker, Bailey showdown tops time slot in viewers, demos Chicago viewers obviously love their politics: according to Nielsen in a press release from Nexstar’s WGN-TV, the first of two Illinois gubernatorial debates between incumbent Democrat J.B. Pritzker and Republican Darren Bailey was a big local ratings hit on October 6, winning the 7-8 p.m. time period with an exact total […]
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 […]
Career spanned ABC, CBS, NBC plus his own production company Media watchers are mourning the death of Fred Silverman, an executive who re-invented CBS and took ABC to the top, and later formed his own production company. Born in the Queens borough of New York, Silverman began his career right here in Chicago at WGN-TV in the early 1960s where […]
Plus: WGN Radio’s Todd Manley promoted; Anthony Adams’ prime-time show get cut; WTTW strikes deal with WYCC; Classic sitcoms shift; While “President” Trump continues to bash Chicago on a regular basis for (and outright lying) about the city’s homicide and crime rate, his blabber hasn’t discouraged businesses from investing here – particularly the film and television production industries. A feature […]
This Is Us remains on Tuesday; new Will & Grace avoids showdown with Big Bang Theory The month of June hasn’t arrived yet, and we already have our first change in the 2017 fall schedule. NBC announced Tuesday it was keeping This Is Us in its regular Tuesday slot after all, keeping it as a lead-out of The Voice. Meanwhile, […]
While they weren’t busy having new WXRT-FM part-timer Tom Marker drive an “investigative reporter” around so he can have his Taco Bell and Gin & Juice fixes, The Church of Tisch was presenting their wares at the TCA Press Tour Tuesday at Pasadena. – Executive session: Nina Tassler made her first appearance in front of the critics in nearly a […]
If you are a regular reader to this site, then you should be familiar with The T Dog Media TV Hall Of Shame, which generally celebrates the medium’s worst shows ever, from Hello Larry to Animal Practice. For a change, let’s talk about the best TV has to offer – that’s right, the best. On Sunday, the Writers Guild of […]
There is other media news besides the Olympics and the Television Critics Association Press Tour – including a new morning show for the new i101 and the return of a bad Scooby-Doo reboot. And we once again mourn the loss of a television great – in fact two of them. – Sherman Hemsley, who is best known as George Jefferson […]
CBS’ “press release” sounds awfully familiar to letter Merlin Media sent to them last year It appears CBS has borrowed a trick from Randy Michaels’ playbook. On the heels of CBS unsuccessfully trying to stop ABC from airing Big Brother rip-off Glass House, The Church Of Tisch sent out a mock press release on Wednesday, unveiling the “upcoming launch of […]
The week before the upfronts are always crazy: you have networks canceling shows and picking up pilots to series for either this fall or for midseason. Welcome to The Upfronts Selection Show, where choices are made and bubbles are burst. Call this the television business’ version of March Madness. All of this hubbub this place before the big show kicks […]
Can a sequel work with an existing cast of a TV show? Adult Swim is gambling it could. On Wednesday, Adult Swim and the producers of Aqua Teen Hunger Force announced the veteran series is undergoing both a format and a name change. When the series returns to the lineup on May 8, Hunger Force will now be known as […]
MeTV goes national on December 15 Brace yourself “U” and “Me” viewers – you’re going to be in for a lot of changes. Beginning on December 15 – a Wednesday (a rather odd day of the week to begin programming changes since Mondays are usually more ideal) – four of Weigel’s channels are ushering in new schedules […]
Well, we have our first blatant ripoff of Chicago’s MeTV and Retro Television Network. Tribune announced today it is launching a new classic TV digital network titled Antenna TV on January 3, 2011. The network plans to air classic series from the Sony library and from syndicator D.L. Taffner, Ltd., which (still!) holds the rights to sitcoms Three’s Company and […]
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