Richard Roeper jojns NBC 5 as entertainment reporter
He’s the latest personality to join the station
In another coup, NBC-owned WMAQ-TV, or NBC 5, announced on Monday the hiring of Richard Roeper as entertainment and cultural critic, starting April 10. Roeper will appear on the station’s afternoon and early-evening newscasts, and make regular appearances on Chicago Today, the station’s daily fifteen-minute local entertainment show. Roeper will appear on NBC 5’s digital platforms as well.
“Richard is a respected and notable voice in Chicago media,” said Sally Ramirez, who is NBC 5’s Senior Vice-President of News. “His unparalleled insight into the entertainment industry, his unique cultural perspective, and his deep connection with the Chicago community make him an exceptional addition to our team. Richard’s voice will elevate our coverage and enrich the experience for viewers across all of our platforms.”
Most known as being a Chicago Sun-Times columinst from 1988 until he took a buyout from the paper in March 2025, Roeper took the reins of the late Gene Siskel in 2000 in the syndicated At The Movies With Ebert & Roeper, until 2008 (Ebert left in 2006 due to health reasons, but still used the title.)
Most recently, Roeper appeared as a film critic on ABC 7’s Windy City Weekend, as he was on WLS-TV for eight years on its successor, Windy City Live.
“Growing up in south suburban Dolton and having lived in the Chicago area my entire life, I’ve long been a fan and viewer of NBC 5 Chicago,” said Roeper. “I’m thrilled to be joining an incredible team led by (President & GM) Kevin Cross and the best newsroom leader in the business, Sally Ramirez, who have put together one of the very best on-air and behind-the-scenes teams in local television today. I’m ready to get to work and bring my insights, reviews, and more to NBC 5 Chicago viewers wherever and whenever they watch.”
Dolton is where Robert Prevost, a.k.a. Pope Leo XIV, grew up, and more infamously, where Tiffany Henyard was mayor for four turbulent years (she has since left the Chicago area.)
Roeper’s resume also includes stints at CBS’ WBBM-TV and Fox’s WFLD-TV, where he was one of the original members of Good Day Chicago when it launched in 1993, and collaberated with Bob Sirott and Marianne Murciano when it became Fox Thing In The Morning in 1994. He returned to Good Day Chicago for a two-year stint beginning in 2015. He’s also appeared on several Chicago radio stations, including WGN-AM, WLS-AM, WLS-FM (where he had a regular talk show in the mid-1990s), and the former WLUP AM & FM.
While one station in town has been cutting back on talent as its owner attempts to seize another station group, NBC 5 has been adding to its roster for the last year, poaching sports anchor Lou Canellis from WFLD and investigative reporter Chuck Goudie from WLS-TV, while adding Kevin Pang to the culinary beat as the station’s new “Food Guy”. The station unveiled a new, $70 million state-of-the-art newsroom at the NBC Tower two months ago, which has earned rave reviews.
The moves have impressed viewers, as in February, NBC 5 beat ABC 7 in the 10 p.m. news race for the first time in two years, with help from the Winter Olympics and Super Bowl LX.
This is all very interesting. As WMAQ-TV seems to be improving its newscasts and adding new talent, there’s so-called Chicago’s Very Own WGN-TV getting rid of talent not too long ago. I wonder what this says about WGN’s new news director Akemi Harrison, who came to the once great “old number 9” actually from WMAQ. Looks like she may have played a role in keeping WMAQ’s hiring down. Since she left that station, they are increasing staff. While after joining WGN, that station is decreasing staff. Hmmm. This all can’t be blamed on her but makes me wonder about WGN’s local management team, who are perhaps not as good as past regimes (including under Tribune Co.) and the entire Nexstar management team. It sure looks like Nexstar is all in on strong local news, right? NOT! I thought Nexstar was supposed to be a better owner of WGN instead of original suitor Sinclair. I’m not saying WGN needs MORE news product on the air, not in the least, with news stories being repeated almost endlessly on its newscasts. However, WGN needs strong, likeable on-air (this includes ALL those they let go recently) and behind the scenes talent. Also, WGN needs less hijinks and not-so-witty banter on its newscasts (excluding the comedy show known as WGN Morning News which is not much different from the old and great show Ray Rayner did each morning). The other night while watching one of Channel 9’s late newscasts the usual playfulness between Micah Materre and Demetrius Ivory was at an all-time low. Demetrius actually pushed Micah’s rolling chair down along the anchor desk. That sort of thing reminds me of things WLS-TV’s newscasts used to do in their “happy talk” years. My how times have changed, and how stations have changed. Local television is doomed.
Good hires, but are they long-term commitments by NBC, or attention-grabbers to get eyeballs now? Will any of them get to a 2nd contract when their 1st runs out?