The Media notepad: CBS Chicago hires former Mayor Lightfoot for analysis role during DNC

 

Also: Shift is underway in Chicago PPM ratings; Pelicans leave Bally Sports

Look who’s back in the public eye – it’s none other than former Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot, who was hired by CBS Chicago (WBBM-TV) to provide analysis during the Democratic National Convention here in Chicago later this month in a press release posted on social media Wednesday night.

Lightfoot was instrumental in bringing the DNC to Chicago, the first appearance in our city since 1996. But the hire is controversial since Lightfoot often clashed with the media during her time in office and battled with the CBS-owned station in 2020 over the release of police body cam footage of Anjanette Young, whose house was wrongly invaded as CBS Chicago spent months investigating the case, winning acclaim for its coverage.

“I look forward to giving a behind-the-scenes look at the DNC, and helping viewers understand this moment and what it means for us, collectively,” Lightfoot said in the release. “I’m glad to collaborate with CBS and to contextualize this historic convention for Chicagoans.”

Lightfoot did not advance past the mayoral primary in last year’s election, finishing fourth and becoming the first incumbent to be defeated in 34 years. 

“Mayor Lightfoot brought the DNC to the city of Chicago,” president and general manager Jennifer Lyons said in the same release. “She knows the inner workings of the city better than anyone else … and so her expertise will be invaluable.”

While it is strange the former Mayor is appearing on a station she frequently battled with regarding the botched police raid over Young, keep in mind CBS Chicago is under different management now than it was then. A former WGN-TV and NewsNation exec, Lyons was hired as GM in 2021, after CBS fired her predecessor after an internal investigation uncovered racial and sexual harassment at the CBS station group, also sweeping out a person in a similar position at KCBS/KCAL in Los Angeles.

Lightfoot isn’t the first former Mayor to join a local station; In 1989, Jane Byrne signed with the same station for a brief stint as a political analyst. Lightfoot’s hiring came a day before CBS Chicago parent Paramount Global announced a new round of global layoffs Thursday as their deal with Skydance to acquire the company inches closer. 


Are we seeing a shift in the Chicago radio ratings landscape? Nielsen Audio PPM numbers released this week for July 2024 show Hubbard’s The Drive (WDRV-FM) back on top, but iHeartMedia’s V103 (WVAZ-FM) is in second place with its best showing in years, ahead of sister station 93.9 The Lite, who finished in third place.

Weigel Broadcasting’s MeTV FM was the biggest winner, gaining a full point (up 35%) from June to place in a tie for seventh with Cumulus’ WLS-FM. An issue was brought up elsewhere about the average age of the MeTVFM listener given Chicago has a large senior population, so the increase doesn’t do much for advertising sales. 

Meanwhile, Audacy Top 40 outlet B96 (WBBM-FM) showed a surprising resurgence with a fifteenth-place tie with iHeart’s Hip-hop WGCI-FM and Rock 95.5 (WCHI-FM) and is closing in on rival Kiss 103.5, who finished in twelfth place, down 16%. Credit B96 for adding more current music to its playlist and a resurgent morning show (also… we’re in summer when Top 40/CHR stations typically draw better numbers.)

Hubbard’s new Throwback 100.3 remained flat from last month, but still did better when they were WSHE.  

On the downside, decreases were reported by WOJO-FM, 101.9 The Mix, WLEY-FM, and 670 The Score, who lost a full rating point in the last two months but still maintain strong male demos, so don’t get too giddy, John Schriffen. Their sports talk rival ESPN 1000 (WMVP-AM) no longer uses Nielsen as owner Good Karma Brands dropped the service. 

Keep in mind these are 6+ overall numbers (the only ones made available to the public) and aren’t used much to determine ad sales.


The Pelicans aren’t getting any more of Bally’s trash.

Another team has bailed out of bankrupt Bally Sports as the NBA’s New Orleans Pelicans announced the team signed a multi-year deal with Gray Television, who’ll air all non-network games over its WVUE and ten other stations.

Gray signed a similar deal with the Phoenix Suns last season, whose games were also on a Bally Sports regional sports network.

Eleven stations will air Pelicans games in five states (Texas, Arkansas, Mississippi, Alabama, and the Florida Panhandle) with a network stretching from Texarkana-Shreveport to Mobile-Pensacola. Last season, the Pelicans and Bally put ten games on these stations and according to Nielsen, drew more viewers in the New Orleans DMA on average (46,057) than it did on Bally Sports New Orleans (12,807), which is expected to close as a result of the new deal with Gray. Even the three games Gray broadcast locally over digital subchannel Bounce (18,400) drew more viewers than they did on Bally.

Gray owns six stations in Louisana, all of which will carry Pelicans games on their digital subchannels.

As they are still in bankruptcy, Bally and Diamond Sports hinted they could drop five NBA teams from its RSNs to remain financially viable: The Dallas Mavericks, Detroit Pistons, Oklahoma City Thunder, Memphis Grizzles, and the Pelicans. However, Bally offered a new lucrative deal to stay on the network but was turned down by the team. Four of the five teams – including the Pelicans, are part of the NBA’s Midwest Division in the Western Conference.

The Pelicans-Gray deal may be just the start. The Atlanta-based broadcaster is planning a free, over-the-air network in those eleven markets called The Gulf Coast Sports & Entertainment Network, with Pelicans games as its centerpiece, plus minor-league baseball and high school sports.

Originally founded in 1988 as the Charlotte Hornets, the team moved to New Orleans in 2002, 22 years after the Jazz left for Utah. In 2013, New Orleans changed their name to the Pelicans, leaving the expansion Charlotte franchise known as the Bobcats to reunite with the Hornets name. The Pelicans feature former Duke standout Zion Williamson. 

The Pelicans are owned by Gayle Benson, who succeeded her late father Tom Benson who also owned the New Orleans Saints. The elder Benson bought WVUE in 2005 but sold the Fox affiliate to Gray’s successor Raycom in 2017.

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