The Media Notepad: Stanley Cup Game 7 scores for ABC

Also: Kenya Moore out at Housewives; Fox and Sinclair team up for new syndicated true crime show; Paramount looking to sell assets Even though the recent NBA Finals naturally drew a larger audience on average, the excitement of the Stanley Cup Final was unparalleled as the series lasted seven games with historic implications. The Edmonton Oilers – who won four […]

Chicago Public Media names Melissa Bell as new CEO

Officially ends rocky Matt Moog tenure; starts Sept. 3 Nearly seven months after Matt Moog announced his departure, Chicago Public Media finally named a replacement CEO – one who comes from the tech world.  Melissa Bell is set to take over the owner of NPR affiliate WBEZ-FM and the Chicago Sun-TImes effective Sept. 3, in hopes of righting the ship […]

MeTV Toons launches today

  On Tuesday, the Toons take over WCIU Channel 26.7 Judging by the large number of YouTube videos, Chicago-based Weigel Broadcasting’s new MeTV Toons arriving Tuesday is perhaps the most highly-anticipated digital subchannel in quite some time, if not ever. After all, some of the content MeTV Toons plans to carry hasn’t been on broadcast television in a long time […]

2024 NBA Finals underperform as Celtics win 18th title

Celtics win in five in a truly awful series If one were to measure the excitement of the 2024 NBA Finals, it would be right between reruns of “Joanie Loves Chachi” and a White Sox game.  But that’s where we are, and the matchup between the Dallas Mavericks and the Boston Celtics was one to forget from a competitive and […]

The Media Notepad: Fueled by Caitlin Clark, Fever-Sky scores highest ratings for WNBA in over two decades

Also: Final Wheel with Pat Sajak draws four-year viewership high; Tegna’s Daily Blast Live to end  The WNBA continues to soar to new ratings heights as Sunday’s Chicago Sky-Indiana Fever game illustrated thanks to the heated rivalry between the two teams courtesy of Caitlin Clark. Despite the 11 a.m. Chicago start time, the contest airing on CBS drew 2.252 million […]

Marquee’s future on Comcast uncertain

Contract with Chicago’s largest cable provider expires soon At the same time the Chicago Bulls, Blackhawks, and White Sox are deserting NBC Sports for  Chicago Sports Network with Standard Media, now comes word Marquee – home to the Chicago Cubs and Chicago Sky, could lose their prime channel space on Comcast this fall as their contract expires. It’s a situation […]

Paramount, Skydance deal falls through

Future uncertain for the studio A merger between Paramount Global and Skydance has collapsed as controlling company National Amusements has ended talks.  National Amusements, Inc. (NAI) is the controlling shareholder of Paramount Global, owned by Shari Redstone, daughter of the late Sumner Redstone, who ran NAI and controlled the former Viacom. She reportedly had a deal with Skydance, run by […]

CBS News And Stations forms Crime and Public Safety Unit

The latest beat addition to the network’s news operation and its station group Paramount Global’s CBS News And Stations unit is forming a new Crime And Public Safety Unit and tapped an NBC News veteran to lead it. Heading the new unit is Anna Schecter Zigler, who spent the last thirteen years at NBC News most recently as a senior […]

WLS-AM cuts Cochran, local programming

Cumulus station goes all in on syndicated programming As first reported by Axios Chicago Friday, Cumulus’ conservative talk WLS-AM has decided not to renew Steve Cochran’s contract. Replacing Cochran in the 5:30 a.m.-9 a.m. slot is Ramblin’ Ray Stevens, formerly of US99 (WUSN-FM.) The decision to cancel the longtime radio personality’s show is part of budget cuts at the low-rated […]

Blackhawks replace Chris Vosters with Rick Ball as play-by-play voice

Move made as team moves to new Chicago Sports Network in October  In a surprise move, the Chicago Blackhawks have parted ways with play-by-play voice Chris Vosters after two seasons and replaced him with veteran Rick Ball, whose work included the Calgary Flames and Hockey Night In Canada. The announcement comes as the Blackhawks, Bulls, and White Sox are moving […]

SAG-AFTRA files labor complaint against WBEZ management

Relations continue to deteriorate between Chicago Public Media and WBEZ employees  The clash between SAG-AFTRA and WBEZ management is heading to a showdown. On Monday, SAG-AFTRA filed an unfair labor complaint to the National Labor Relations Board against Chicago Public Media, the non-profit owner of the Chicago Sun-TImes and WBEZ -the first since the station’s employees joined the union in […]

It’s official: Chicago Sports Network to launch Oct. 1

Replaces NBC Sports Chicago, which will close The proposed new White Sox-Bulls-Blackhawks regional sports network you’ve been reading about for months now has a name: The Chicago Sports Network. And it is becoming a reality this fall.  The new Chicago Sports Network (CHSN) will be the new home of Chicago’s three sports teams beginning in October. The network will feature […]