Don Wade dies

Don Wade, one half of the Don & Roma Morning Show passed away Friday at the age of 72, nearly one year after battling brain cancer. Wade began his Chicago radio career at WUSN-FM in 1982 before joining WLS-AM in 1985, when the station still had a contemporary-hit music format. A year later, he was joined by his wife Roma. […]

T Dog’s Six Pack is back

A return of a favorite… T Dog Media’s Six Pack is back! The week’s (or in this case, the summer’s) media winners and losers in a nutshell: Winners. Netflix. The investment in original programming seems to be paying off: House Of Cards, Hemlock Grove, and the newly revived Arrested Development each earned Emmy nominations, with Cards becoming the first web series to […]

WGN Radio unveils brand new lineup

[Editor’s Note: This is the 2,500th post. And what better way to celebrate than to talk about WGN Radio’s rebirth! As always, thank you for for your support and visiting T Dog Media! -T.H.] What fall lineup is the most talked about in Chicagoland? Believe it or not, it isn’t any of the broadcast television networks fall slates (don’t be […]

T Dog’s Grab Bag: Jerry Springer to host Chicago Emmy Awards

– This move didn’t generate as much outrage as Ben Affleck being cast as Batman last Friday, but the day before, trash TV talk show host Jerry Springer was named as host of the Chicago Emmy Awards, set to take place on November 3 . The announcement did cause one member of the Academy board to resign, as many in […]

Massive shakeup ahead at WGN Radio

WGN Radio brings back some of its personalities; station hopes listeners return as well; Brandmeier moves online – for now Hoping to undo the damage done by years of mismanagement, WGN-AM general manager Jimmy DeCastro is retooling the station’s lineup nearly from top to bottom, bringing back familiar names and hoping to reconnect with Chicago listeners. As first hinted by […]

Bob Sirott exits WFLD-TV; Jeff Herndon enters

As expected, WFLD-TV news anchor Bob Sirott today made it official: he is leaving the Fox-owned station effective Sept. 5.  Sirott is expanding his role at WGN-AM next month as he and wife Marianne Murciano will host a midday show in a yet-to-be determined time slot. WGN made room in the schedule by moving Mike McConnell to a secondary online […]

T Dog’s Grab Bag: Mike McConnell moves to WGN-AM’s online feed

– In a rather unusual move, WGN-AM announced Wednesday it was shifting Mike McConnell (left) from its main terrestrial station to a secondary, online stream usually reserved for spillover programming. In addition, McConnell’s show is being available via podcast. Since being hired away from WLW/Cincinnati by then-PD Kevin Metheny in August 2009, McConnell has not been able to find an […]

T Dog’s Grab Bag: Rob Johnson re-ups with CBS 2

Plus: Meredith clears NBC 5 and other NBC O&Os; Heroes returns – in comic book form; the “Car Bomb” departs; and another old syndication name resurfaces – Rob Johnson is here to stay – the co-anchor of CBS-owned WBBM-TV’s 5 p.m., 6 p.m., and 10 p.m. newscasts has signed a contract renewal in news first reported by Robert Feder on […]

Bob Sirott and Marianne Murciano head to WGN Radio full-time

According to a post on Robert Feder’s Facebook page today, Bob Sirott and his wife Murianne Murciano are joining WGN Radio’s daily lineup. The couple already have a Sunday night program on the station. This is the latest move from program director Jimmy DeCastro’s continuing plan on making over WGN-AM’s schedule. No timetable has been set on where or when […]

Tribune latest media company to do the split

The Tribune Co. announced Wednesday it was splitting its publishing properties from the rest of the company’s assets, becoming the latest media conglomerate to do so. The new company is being named Tribune Publishing Co., and consists of the Chicago Tribune, Red Eye, Hoy, Los Angeles Times, Orlando Sentinel, Sun-Sentinel (Miami-Ft. Lauderdale area), Hartford Courant, Morning Call, and Daily Press. […]

NBC 5 expands weekend newscasts

Here we grow again: NBC-owned WMAQ announced today it was expanding its weekend newscasts by 2 and 1/2 hours, beginning July 27. WMAQ is adding an hour to its 6 a.m. Saturday newscast, which runs from 5-7 a.m., leading into Weekend Today, which has been a staple on NBC’s Saturday schedule since September 1992. WMAQ retains its 9-10 a.m. newscast, […]

T Dog’s Grab Bag: Don’t come back, y’all

Jacobson loses lawsuit; Rover gets busted; Birmingham format flip goes awry – As first reported by the Chicago Tribune Wednesday evening, a Cook County Judge threw out a lawsuit from WIND-AM morning co-host Amy Jacobson against CBS. She was fired from NBC-owned WMAQ-TV in 2007 after a cameraman from WBBM-TV caught Jacobson at a pool party at Craig Stebic’s Plainfield […]

T Dog’s Grab Bag: Steve Cochran returns to WGN Radio

Also: Brooke Hunter is hired by My 93.9 FM ; Susan Carlson heads to WLS-AM It has been a busy last few days in the Chicago radio – quite a bit of activity. So the next time someone tells you this medium is dead, point to this week – its never been more alive. – Steve Cochran abruptly resigned from […]

Tribune buys Local TV LLC for $2.7 billion

    Tribune adds stations from Cleveland, Milwaukee, and Memphis to its stable About a year or so ago, there was speculation on whether or not Tribune Broadcasting, planning to exit Chapter 11, would stay in the broadcast business. Consider this a definite answer. Chicago-based Tribune announced Monday it was acquiring Newport, Ky.-based Local TV LLC for $2.7 billion. The […]

WGN Radio makes numerous changes

Turi Ryder and Carol Roth both out after only six months   Two of WGN Radio’s newest hires are already gone after just six months. Turi Ryder announced her departure from the Tribune-owned station earlier this week, while Carol Roth’s hour-long noon show was canceled Friday. These are the latest moves from management, led by new head honcho Jimmy De […]