Comic-Con ended on Sunday, but now the next event for San Diego is on the horizon, and it happens this Friday. For the first time in 31 years, an affiliation switch is set to take place, with founding Fox affiliate XETV heading to CW and Tribune’s KSWB-TV moving over to Fox. The deal was struck last March. Both stations are […]
Anyone watching the new summer fare here in Chicago? You know, shows like I Survived a Japanese Game Show, Celebrity Family Feud, Swingtown, Duel, and Wanna Bet? Didn’t think so (in fact, no one is watching them anywhere else, either.) What people are watching in the Windy City are the Cubs – and on Monday night, the Cubs-Brewers game dominated […]
One thing yours truly has learned about this business in recent years: There’s no summer vacation when it comes to media news (particularly in July), especially when it pertains to comings and goings. Today, yet another big name has left a media outlet. Pat Cassidy, who was co-anchor at WBBM-AM with Felicia Middlebrooks for the last eight years, has left […]
Putting the wraps on another year of Comic-Con:Geek Nation thanks you for your support Never underestimate the marketing power of Comic-Con. Producers, writers, and the studios know this all too well, and to reach their loyal fans, they came to San Diego in droves to show off their wares. Lost and Heroes panels played to crowds larger than you find […]
Also: Tom Ehlmann out at WGN-TV Vice President and General Manager Tom Ehlmann has resigned at WGN-TV after a four-year run at the station to take a job at the same capacity at NBC-owned KXAS-TV in Dallas-Fort Worth, Tex. The move comes after WGN laid off eight staffers, including his secretary. However, his resignation and those layoffs are not directly […]
The merger between XM and Sirius is now official – the deal closed earlier today, with the new company being titled SiriusXM Radio (of course the Sirius name goes first…) The company will trade on Nasdaq under the name SIRI. With the two companies combining forces, the new entity has 18.5 million subscribers to start. The new company also plans […]
Recapping Day 3 and Day 4: – More panels: The two shows that are promoted the least (because they have nothing to do with rich teens) on CW had back-to-back panels at the Con: Smallville and Supernatural. To read more on what’s on tap for their new seasons, click here. – A trio of Fox dramas had panels over the […]
Also: RTN loses CBS programming Chicago-based Weigel Broadcasting and Los Angeles-based MGM are teaming up to launch this. Yes, this. As in “This TV”. Beginning in October, MGM and Weigel plan to launch the new-digital channel, featuring classic movies and television shows from the MGM library (material that wasn’t bought by Ted Turner in the 1980’s, so no Chips, Gone […]
Now the Favre watch never ends. Journal Communications’ WTMJ-TV in Milwaukee is adding a 3 p.m. newscast to its lineup beginning Sept. 8, as well as adding a 6:30 p.m. newscast at the end of August, which displaces the Warner Bros.-syndicated Extra from the time slot. The move brings the total number of local news hours at the NBC affiliate […]
Media news-related items from the third day of Comic-Con: Time to get Lost with some Heroes Two of television’s most discussed shows on the Internet took center change at Comic-Con today: – Lost had a panel in front of thousands of people today, and while few surprises were revealed – there was an appearance by cast Matthew Fox, which sent […]
Much like what the New York Mets did in the cover of darkness (canning manager Willie Randolph after hours), those class acts at the FCC approved the XM-Sirius merger by a margin of 3-2 this evening when commissioner Deborah Tate and chairman Kevin Martin agreed on another of principles, including a $19.7 million fine for past FCC violations. The merger […]
Media-related news and notes from Comic-Con Day 2: – It isn’t Comic-Con without manatees: Seth McFarlane had a panel featuring Family Guy and its new spinoff, The Cleveland Show. MacFarlane talked about Family Guy’s upcoming season – a Sliders take off, another episode where Brian and Stewie travel back to 1939 Poland – and accidentally drag Mort Goldman with them […]
All Access interviewed Radio Crunch’s Anthony Acampora about the pre-currency results from Arbitron’s new Portable People Meter, which is intended to replace the diaries the company has been using for decades. Keep in mind this is based on only one month of findings. Among the findings: – Bonneville seems to be the big winner, with WDRV-FM (The Drive) surging in […]
While Comic-Con is going on in San Diego, there is a more important convention going on right here in Chicago which features journalists of color. Titled UNITY: Journalists of Color , the gathering takes place at McCormick Place West and seeks dialogue and the exchange of ideas among minority reporters. The convention kicked off Wednesday and continues until Sunday, when […]
All right, fanboys and fangirls, Comic-Con from San Diego is here! And it’s not just for comic book fans anymore… There’s a lot of television-related stuff here as well! A lot of news at Comic-Con for its first day (covered the T Dog Media Blog way – sarcastically), so let’s get to it… – Name change for Wizard’s First Rule: […]