USA dumps "Dead Zone", "4400"
The Dead Zone lives up to its name: it really is dead. USA dropped it and 4400, after four and three-year runs, respectively. Debmar-Mercury currently distributes The Dead Zone in broadcast syndication.
You Be ‘Iiiin’
Urban Contemporary WGCI-FM is launching a new show featuring local hip-hop and R&B artists called Go Ill.The program premieres this Saturday night at 9 p.m. and run in that time slot every week. It will also feature interviews with the artists behind the music. WGCI has often been criticized for not featuring enough local artists on its station (other than […]
Stewart, Colbert to return on the air January 7
Good news for fans of the Comedy Central duo. The bad news is, like everybody else, they’re returning without their writers.
It’s official: Zell takes over the Tribune
The Sam Zell era officially began this afternoon with the closure of the $8.2 billion deal to take the Tribune Co. private. Meet the new board members
Randy Michaels returns to Chicago
Robert Feder in the Sun-Times today has a rather detailed look at the career of Randy Michaels, the guy who saved WFLZ-FM in Tampa by creating “The Power Pig” – and his most infamous radio stunt right here in Chicago – Using “hell” as a marketing slogan in 1991 that practically destroyed former contemporary-hit radio station WYTZ-FM (Z95). Michaels is […]
Trifecta lands "Idol Rewind"
That was quick: Just days after Tribune announced it was shuttering its syndication operations, Trifecta Entertainment announced it was picking up syndicated rights to one of the series Tribune used to distribute: American Idol Rewind, the hour-long weekly series that is currently in its second season in syndication. Two-year old Trifecta is best known in syndication circles for distributing weekly […]
Lowry reaches out to Drudge readers
Brian Lowry reaches out to Matt Drudge readers in his Vairety article today. Not sure if it is a good idea to reach out to a bunch of racist, right-wing nutjobs who worship this fraud and Jay Mariotti (yeah, I threw that in there…) Notice the article I linked to was the printer (and moronic commenter free)-friendly version…
FitzSimons steps down
Dennis FitzSimons is out as President, Chairman, and Chief Executive of the Tribune Co. in wake of the $8.2 billion sale of the company to Sam Zell, who will become a board chairman.
Tribune Entertainment, R.I.P. (1982-2007)
Company to live on as ad-sales operation only The company that launched its first syndicated show in 1982 with At the Movies featuring Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert, has closed its doors. Tribune Entertainment’s syndication division shuttered a few days ago, ending its station sales (distribution) operations, with three executives from its Chicago office laid off. However, its advertising sales […]
ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel to return on Jan. 2 as well
He will join Jay Leno and Conan O’Brien in doing shows without writers on Jan. 2.
Big Media gets Christmas gift from FCC today
The ownership vote fell among party lines 3-2. Which means a lump of coal for the rest of us. As you all know, this is far from over. Look for this to be challenged in court, and ultimately, the U.S. Supreme Court. This is truly a sad day for independent media in this country.
One good thing about 2007: It’s almost over
And that phrase is not just coming from Chicago sports fans. Expenditures were down across the board for traditional media for the first nine months of 2007 (with the exception of cable) according to TNS. Not a good year for ad spending on TV, particularly with Spot sales and syndication (thank you, Macy’s.)
KYW anchor arrested
Alycia Lane, a reporter for CBS-owned KYW-TV in Philadelphia was arrested in New York City Saturday night for striking a police officer in the city’s meatpacking district. If you recall, Lane appeared on an episode of Dr. Phil a few years back to discuss her failed marriages (Dr. Phil also airs on KYW and sister station WPSG in Philadelphia.) Dr. […]
"Survivor" still packs a punch
All right, Survivor may not be a popular show in the Windy City – but it’s popular everywhere else it seems, as last night’s Survivor: China finale got a big boost last night with the ratings up 15 percent from last May’s Survivor: Fiji finale. However, compared to December 2006’s Survivor finale, the numbers were off. In a stunning upset, […]
Leno, Conan return to NBC late night
Taking a page from Johnny Carson’s playbook in 1988 during the last writer’s strike, NBC announced Monday that Jay Leno and Conan O’Brien will return to work with new episodes of their respective late-night shows on January 2, in lieu of writers. Meanwhile, Letterman’s production company (Worldwide Pants) is negotiating with its writers to return The Late Show with David […]