Chicago Journalism: The future and you

Sunday at the Allegro, a group of journalists, reporters, and media personalities gathered together for a tailgate on the future of Journalism in Chicago. It was basically a clash between old media (newspapers, television, radio) and new media (The Internet, iPhone, iPods.) Representing the “old school” were John Callaway, Carol Marin, Robert Feder, and Eric Zorn, among others, and repping […]

Inside the CBS job cuts

“The message being sent is, if you succeed in your job, you succeed in your craft, look out! You’re too expensive.” – Tom Petner, TVSpy.com, quoted in “CBS layoffs signal in a financial squeeze on TV stations” article in the Los Angeles Times today. That quote can be attributed to any industry these days, but nowhere where it rings more […]

T Dog’s Think Tank: Bashing the South Side

The last few topics I dealt with on the Think Tank involved Homer Simpson Jumping the Shark and Jim Belushi. Yikes. Now there’s some issues that really require some thought. But this piece is a lot more serious, given I live here. I may step on a few toes, but I’m kind of pissed, and this must be told. It […]

Diann Burns out at 5 p.m.

In a move that is certain to generate a lot of heated discussion, Diann Burns is out as anchor at 5 p.m. at CBS-owned WBBM-TV and is being replaced by newbie Anne State, who is coming from San Diego beginning in April. Ms. Burns will continue to co-anchor the 6 and 10 p.m. news at the station. But this is […]

Channel 5 to go all out on election night

NBC-owned WMAQ-TV plans to go all out on Super Tuesday primary night with comprehensive coverage on the station and on its’ website. The multi-platform plan go into action at 7 p.m. with coverage on WMAQ and real-time election updates on the station’s website, NBC5.com., with election coverage streamed on the web and on the station’s digital weather channel (WMAQ-DT 5.2.), […]

Orlando TV news laden with crime

Orlando Weekly’s Jeffrey Billman watches the local news for three weeks in Orlando and comes away with that amazing observation. Of course, if you watched local news anywhere in this country for the last 20 years (particularly in Chicago), it wouldn’t surprise – or amaze anyone.

Local news stations flunk geography quiz

From WMAQ-TV’s (Channel 5) website this afternoon: CHICAGO — The National Weather Service in Chicago has issued a tornado warning for portions of Cook and DuPage counties. The warning is in effect until 4 p.m. CDT. At 3:09 p.m., NWS radar indicated strong rotation in a severe thunderstorm near Winfield, moving east at 50 mph. A second warning was issued […]

Stupid is as stupid does

CBS-owned WBBM-TV 5 p.m. newscast’s lead story today and on the front page of their websiteat the same time: http://cbs2chicago.com/topstories/local_story_167144811.html On a day when there were several anti-violence marches all across the city, a bunch of brawlers take center stage at Wrigley. No wonder these guys are in last place in the ratings. Great month for journalism, huh? People dying […]

An important reminder

The T Dog Media Blog usually doesn’t endorse programming from the cable news networks, but this is an important special: On CNN, Anderson Cooper: 360 will focus on youth violence in Chicago, including the murder of 16-year old Blair Holt, who was among five people shot on a CTA bus on May 10. The crime shocked Chicago and made national […]

The T Dog Media Think Tank: Let’s Get Into It.

The Sun-Times: Let’s Get Into It. But will anyone get into it? The paper relaunched last Wednesday to bring the paper out of the 1990s to the 21st Century, and to stem a continued circulation decline at the newspaper. It has a ton of new features, and it has a new sleek layout and design, and a reemphasis on Chicago. […]