Your winners/losers in the 18th annual roundup of the worst in everything: Donald Trump. He’s back. Elon Musk. I’ll tell you what. You can click on this link, which leads to every story this space has featured on the arrogant billionaire, none of it positive. Jerry Reinsdorf. Speaking of arrogant billionaires, the 87 year-old is currently one of the worst […]
Also: Bally Sports getting ready to close; The CW is on the move in two markets CNBC and other outlets are reporting Friday evening numerous companies have “paused” advertising on Twitter/X after owner Elon Musk boosted an anti-Semitic post on the platform. Lionsgate (Debmar-Mercury) was the first traditional media company to pause and Apple was the first tech company to […]
But the South Side team isn’t the league’s worst-rated Even though neither the Cubs and the White Sox made the playoffs this year, at least one team managed to score a victory in the ratings department. According to final 2023 regular-season ratings released Tuesday (see below), the Cubs scored an increase for a season where they played better than they […]
Revamped app launched Tuesday As their subsidiary Diamond Sports Group struggles to pay MLB teams and saw two of them fly the coop, things are faring much better for Sinclair in Chicago. Marquee Sports Network – the joint venture between the Maryland-based broadcaster and the Chicago Cubs announced Tuesday a new, direct-to-consumer service to stream games for fans in […]
Also: NBC Sports Chicago plans extensive NHL Draft coverage; Magnum P.I. canceled a second time; Paramount Plus guts lineup as sale rumors of the studio swirl Soon, they’ll be some relief for Cubs fans who are shut out of watching their games if they don’t subscribe to a cable or satellite provider or Fubo. As first reported by the Sun-Times […]
Also: Sling adds ABC 7 to its lineup – at a cost; MLB possibly looking at reclaiming local rights as RSNs creater; Chicago media comings and goings Joining a trend of veteran series handing out multi-year renewals, the latest came this week when Debmar-Mercury announced it has re-upped Family Feud through 2026, taking the show to its 27th consecutive season […]
Also: Elon Musk officially takes over Twitter; “The Real Love Boat” becomes the season’s first casualty; “Dr. Phil” drifting toward right-wing propaganda? The new Marquee Sports Network’s fortunes seems to ebb and flow with the Cubs’ performance, and with two consecutive losing seasons, ratings are down. But the picture may not be what it seems. According to a Chicago Tribune […]
Also: NBC 5 makes a new hire while a Baltimore TV reporter gets fired. The second edition of The Field Of Dreams game didn’t have the theatrics of last year’s contest, but still drew a healthy amount of eyeballs. The game featured two teams who were already out of playoff contention this season: The 44-64 Chicago Cubs and the […]
Raises questions about teams having stakes in regional sports networks Outside of the Sky’s WNBA Championship, the last nine months have been utter hell for Chicago sports fans, from a sexual abuse scandal to sports team owners chewing out reporters, not to mention a certain Green Bay QB “owning” local fans. Now credibility problems has become the latest headache, with […]
New Multi-year deal keeps some games on local over-the-air TV and also includes streaming There was no doubt the Chicago Sky’s first-ever WNBA Championship would send the value of their media rights soaring, by achieving something no other pro Chicago team (with the possible exception of the White Sox) is in the position to do for the foreseeable future. […]
Also: Blackhawks latest Chicago team to drag down national telecasts as the team names Chris Vosters as their new play-by-play guy; CBS Media Ventures cancels two syndicated shows The fun is over for four game shows as ABC late last Friday canceled them, part of its “Summer Fun and Games” initiative. Among the four dumped was Match Game hosted by […]
Popularity isn’t exactly overrated as 2021 ends a wild year in media Like mystery of the sphinx or crop circles, you just can’t explain the continued popularity of certain things despite questionable changes. After the firing of Mark Giangreco and seemingly public disdain for one of her former co-anchors, ABC 7 remains on top of local Chicago news ratings, […]
Kasper shifts from the North Side to the South Side in a new role In a stunning move first reported by The Athletic late Thursday evening, Cubs play-by-play man Len Kasper signed a deal with the crosstown Chicago White Sox, leaving the North Siders after sixteen seasons. The move was officially announced Friday morning by the White Sox and their […]
Adding Bears is a victory for start-up RSN The Marquee Sports Network announced Tuesday a new agreement with the NFL’s Chicago Bears, who’ll provide the fledgling regional sports network a studio show and a condensed version of the previous week’s game. Starting Wednesday night, Marquee will air Bear Essentials in prime-time followed by a two-hour replay of the Bears 20-19 […]
Part of larger deal involving Sinclair Broadcast Group. If you are a Cubs fan, and a Comcast subscriber, you might want to send the peeps at Sinclair Broadcasting Group a thank you card. Yeah, yeah I know. In a deal announced literally hours before the first pitch Friday night at Wrigley Field against the Milwaukee Brewers, the Cubs’ new Marquee […]