Illinois’ other Arbitron books released

Here are the Arbitron rating books for other markets in Illinois, plus South Bend-Elkhart. Quad Cities – Clear Channel’s country outlet (WLLR-FM) dominated the market, with a share that doubles its’ nearest competitor. Peoria – Will AC plays in Peoria? You bet, as Triad’s WSWT-FM finished a dominant first. Rockford – A CHR outlet finished first here, with Cumulus’ WZOK-FM […]

Estelle Getty, R.I.P.

With all that’s been going on the last couple of days, forgive me if I didn’t mention the passing of The Golden Girls‘ Estelle Getty. She died a few days ago at the age of 84 due to complications from dementia. Of course, Getty played Sophia on the long-running NBC hit show from 1985 to 1992, and also appeared on […]

Chicago PPM secrets revealed

In addition to the last-ever diary book released in Chicago yesterday, Arbitron’s pre-currency Portable People Meter results were also released, and according to Tom Taylor of Radio-Info and Dave Martin’s blog, they show the following: – WGN continued to rank first among 12+, followed by WDRV-FM (The Drive), WBBM-AM, Ht AC outlet WTMX-FM, and Country station WUSN-FM. – Ranking from […]

The TCA Post-Game show : Critics’ roundtable

Before TCA began, Broadcasting & Cable held a critics’ roundtable on what would they do if they ran the networks. Critics who participated included the Chicago Tribune’s Maureen Ryan and the Kansas City Star’s (and TV Barn’s) Aaron Barnhart. Among the observations: – ABC needs more comedies closer to Roseanne and Home Improvement, and not According to Jim and The […]

FCC vote on XM-Sirius merger tied at 2-2

Leave it to this joke of an agency to make something like the XM-Sirius merger a partisan issue… But that’s what we have so far as Republicans Kevin Martin and Robert McDowell have voted for the merger and Democrats Michael Copps and Jonathan Adelstein voting against the merger. Adelstein considered voting for the merger, but changed his mind after the […]

Spring 2008 book is out

In between the end of TCA and start of Comic-Con, I’m squeezing in some news regarding Chicago radio! (I know you’re excited… yeah, right. But it’s nice to talk about something local for a change.) The Spring 2008 books are out for both Chicago and Milwaukee, are you can access them by clicking here (Chicago) and here (Milwaukee), with the […]

TCA: NBC, Part 3

Final items from the TCA Press Tour in Hollywood: MSNBC – MSNBC had a panel at the tour, and it was lively as expected – with Keith Olbermann taking a shot at Fox News and Chris Wallace and Karl Rove. about himself anchoring election coverage at the network. He took a swipe at archrival Bill O’ Reilly as well, when […]

Big Bens to helm "At the Movies"

Well, that was quick. Forty-eight hours after Roger Ebert and Richard Roeper announced their departure from At the Movies, Disney-ABC Domestic Television Distribution has named new co-hosts for the weekly syndicated movie review show – and announced a new format as well. Ben Lyons – the son of New York film reviewer Jeffrey Lyons (who coincidentally co-hosts a competing syndicated […]

TCA: NBC, Part 2

More from NBC on the press tour junket: – Saturday Night Live was the first of 2,783 panels involving NBC at the tour. Creator Lorne Michaels talks about the upcoming election, Amy Poehler, Jay Leno (he’s leaving that alone), and “Laser Cats” (whatever that is.) – NBC had a sophomore panel of shows featuring Chuck, Life, and Lipstick Jungle. They […]

T Dog’s Groovy Grab Bag

With so much stories to mention, I thought I throw them all together in a new feature. Ladies and gentlemen, I introduce to you the inagural T Dog’s Groovy Grab Bag. Enjoy! -Tribune-owned WGN-TV has become the third station in Chicago to broadcast its news in 1080i high-definition. The station launched its HD newscasts over the weekend, with a new, […]

Ebert & Roeper close the balcony

(Updated from an earlier story.) The balcony is closed. Forever.Chicago Sun-Times personalities Richard Roeper and Roger Ebert has decided to leave the 22 year-old Disney-ABC Domestic Television-syndicated At the Movies. Roeper succeeded the late Gene Siskel in the role after his death in 1999, but medical problems have sidelined co-host Ebert for the last two years, while ratings for the […]

Jay Leno exits May 29

Tonight Show host Jay Leno will no longer be on May 29, while Conan O’Brien takes over the chair on June 1, in an announcement made today at the NBC portion of the TCA Press Tour. O’Brien is expected to step down as host of Late Night this winter, in order to prepare him for the Tonight Show gig. NBC […]

Court tosses FCC Super Bowl fine against CBS

In a move that makes an appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court all but likely, The Third Circuit Court Of Appeals threw out the fine against CBS-owned stations for the Janet Jackson Super Bowl “wardrobe malfunction”. The court sided with CBS and found the FCC “capricious” and “arbitrary” in changing the rules in not holding fleeting nudity indecent, also concluding […]

TCA: SciFi may consider "Caprica" for series

SciFi is considering bypassing “the backdoor pilot” process for Battlestar Galactica prequel Caprica and may make it into a series instead. Caprica is set on the planet of the same name, and showrunner Ron Moore says it won’t matter how the prequel ends – but having it would add supense. Caprica had a panel at the TCA Press Tour featuring […]

TCA: NBC, Day One

The peacock network is strutting its features for day one of the press tour: NBC -NBC announced it is using the upcoming Olympics to promote its short-term Monday lineup, consisting of the premiere of America’s Toughest Jobs and Deal or No Deal – each will run on Mondays for four weeks beginning August 25. Jobs moves to its regular 7 […]