The Media Notepad: Scott Childers heads to WDCB-FM as new Operations Coordinator

Also: Dr. Phil to end syndication run; new FAST channel launches from NESN and Pam Grier

Chicago radio mainstay Scott Childers has landed a new job as Operations Coordinator at Jazz outlet WDCB-FM (90.9 FM), located at the College of DuPage in west suburban Wheaton.

“I’m excited to share that I’ve accepted the role of Operations Coordinator at 90.9 WDCB, Chicago’s Home for Jazz!” said Childers. “Many thanks to Program Director Dan Bindert, who I’ll be working with closely, and a special shoutout to Chicago radio and media legends Rick O’Dell and Robert Feder for their support. Looking forward to a fantastic journey at this legendary jazz station, home to an incredibly talented and dedicated staff—many of whom are musicians! Plus, I’m thrilled to be part of a station that hosts Steve Darnall and the iconic Those Were The Days, celebrating its 55th anniversary this year.”

Known for operating the WLS History website and authoring a book about the station, Childers’ last employer was at Alpha Media’s chain of suburban stations where he spent two decades before his position was eliminated last March. Childers was Chief Engineer and on-air voice for three Alpha stations: Joilet’s WSSR-FM (Star 96.7)/WJOL-AM (1340) and Aurora’s WERV-FM (95.9 The River). Childers’ resume also includes stops at WTMX, and the former WWBZ, WPNT, and WPPD. While at Alpha, Childers moonlighted for MetroNetworks and Total Traffic as both news anchor and traffic reporter, for respective stations WGN-AM (from 2003-09) and WLS-AM (in 2019 and 2020.)

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Reruns of Dr. Phil McGraw’s former talk show are being removed from syndication by CBS Media Ventures after two years and moving full-time to his Merit Street Network, the digital and over-the-air network launched nearly a year ago.

“Bringing all 3,800-plus episodes under one roof at Merit TV aligns with our strategy to build and expand the next-generation media company centered on Dr. Phil’s internationally recognized brand,” said Joel Cheatwood, who is EVP and COO of Merit Street.

Like he did with the syndicated reruns, McGraw will continue to provide updates to guests who appeared on the show.

Dr. Phil reruns already air on Merit in a few time slots during the day; the deal only affects local stations carrying the show and not other rightsholders, including digital platforms and the OWN network (in Chicago, Dr. Phil reruns airs weekdays at 2 p.m. on Nexstar-owned WGN-TV.) The show originally aired from 2002 to 2023 and spent eighteen of its twenty-one years at CBS-owned WBBM-TV, where it served as a news lead-in. McGraw hosts a new primetime show which is similar in format to his old syndicated program.

“I will always be grateful for over two decades of an amazingly successful relationship with CBS [Media Ventures] and look forward to finding new ways to partner with them,” McGraw said.

This comes as a Bloomberg article was published Thursday, detailing the problems that surfaced at Dallas-Fort Worth area-based Merit Street since its April 2 launch, including barely-visible ratings, layoffs, and tensions among staff. According to Variety’s analysis of Nielsen ratings in 2024, just 27,000 viewers tuned in to Merit during an average week – roughly the size of south suburban Lansing.

McGraw came to town last month, tagging with ICE on immigration raids one Sunday morning, which live-streamed on Merit’s app and website. Footage of the Chicago raid aired earlier this month on his primetime show.

Dr. Phil’s exit shouldn’t be a big loss to local stations given reruns of out-of-production talk shows – which are rare in television, don’t draw viewers the same way repeats of traditional off-network sitcoms and dramas have (though Maury, and until last year, Jerry Springer have also followed this path.) Earlier this week, two higher-rated talk shows hosted by Tamron Hall and Jennifer Hudson were renewed for next season, along with Debmar-Mercury’s Sherri Shepard, and NBCUniversal’s Kelly Clarkson. Meanwhile, Merit has added reruns of reality-based programming to its schedule including Cops Reloaded and Jail, a former MyNetworkTV series.

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The free advertising streaming television space – or FAST for short- continues to grow, and two more channels were launched this week.

Free TV Networks has teamed up with actress Pam Grier to launch a new FAST channel called Pam Grier’s SoulFlix, which celebrates the heroes of Black Cinema. Grier has starred in some of those flicks herself, including Foxy Brown, Bucktown, Above The Law, Escape from LA, and the 1996 film Original Gangstas, filmed in nearby Gary, Ind.

“I could not be more pleased with my Free TV Networks partnership”, said Grier. “It builds upon my life’s work to support all independent women and fans of Black cinema. These films don’t just entertain – they inspire, empower, and tell stories that need to be heard. As someone who’s lived through this journey and fought to bring strong characters to life, I’m thrilled to shine the spotlight on the brilliance and resilience of our community. Pam Grier’s Soul Flix is a celebration of our legacy.”

“We are beyond thrilled to announce our collaboration with Pam Grier, a true icon,” said Jonathan Katz, President and CEO of Free. “Her groundbreaking contributions to film and television have left an indelible mark on the industry; and her talent, charisma, and authenticity continue to inspire generations. Partnering with Pam on this exciting new venture is truly an honor as she showcases the cultural pillars of Black filmmaking.” 

Katz formed Free TV Networks after selling his Katz Communications – the original owners of diginets Bounce, Grit, Laff, and others to Scripps. Since then, he’s launched diginets Outlaw, featuring classic Westerns, and The 365, a channel devoted to Black audiences.

Meanwhile, Fenway Sports Group, the owner of regional sports networks NESN and SportsNet Pittsburgh, is launching a new FAST channel that will feature something unique compared to other sports-themed channels: original programming. The network is launching NESN Nation, a new free channel with thirty hours of fresh fare a week including press conferences, betting shows, podcasts, documentaries, and even live games.

“We are launching this initiative as another way to create unique storytelling about what matters to our fans and our viewers,” NESN CEO David Wisnia told Variety in a recent interview. “We are looking to reach viewers not only inside the region we cover, but also nationwide.”

The primary home of the Boston Red Sox and Boston Bruins will feature four Red Sox spring games this year, and live streams of the network’s Morning Skates and Pregame Skates shows, featuring the Bruins. NESN Nation will also feature a three-hour block of Liverpool FC content, including highlights, recaps, and analysis. (Fenway also owns the soccer team.) Available nationwide, the channel is currently accessible on Prime Video, Plex, The Roku Channel, and Twitch, with availability on Samsung Plus TV starting March 9.