WBBM-TV’s news ratings continue to lag

Spent so much time on WFLD lately (Mike Barz’s firing and the station’s 10 p.m. newscast cancellation), now there’s a story of Chicago’s other ratings-losing news operation – CBS-owned WBBM-TV. But while both news stations are still trying to find an audience, NBC-owned WMAQ-TV’s 10 p.m. newscast has seen a 13% increase in household ratings since January and is now […]

WFLD dumps Mike Barz

Fox-owned WFLD-Channel 32 has dumped morning news anchor Mike Barz after just two years amid allegations he acted at a off-site party. The former WGN-TV morning sports anchor joined the station in 2007 from ABC’s Good Morning America, and fronted Good Day Chicago alongside Jan Jeffcoat. He was suspended from WFLD shortly after he joined the station, after allegations he […]

Chicago’s June PPM results

Remember, these are based on are 6+ numbers. Winners: WGN-AM, WTMX-FM (The Mix), WLS-FM, WUSN-FM, WSCR-AM (The Score), WSRB (Soul 106.3), WXRT-FM Not an impressive debut: WNUA-FM (Mega 95.5) Losers: WPPN-FM, Q101 and any music station not in the winner’s circle Analysis: The Cubs may be the lovable losers, but they’re anything but when it comes to local radio in […]

More on-air staff cuts at Q101, The Loop

Here we downsize again: Emmis made another round of staff cuts at its two Chicago rock stations today. From WKQX-FM (Q101), the cuts included Alex Quigley (who did weeknights 7-10), and Kevin Manno who did afternoons with his brother Ryan. Instead, Q101 hired Tim Virgin to do afternoons from 3-7 p.m. with Ryan Manno moving into Quigley’s 7-10 p.m. slot. […]

T Dog’s Four Pack

The best and worst of the last three weeks: Good. – The Michael Jackson Memorial Service. Tasteful and dignified. – America’s Got Talent. Once again, the hit of the summer season with an average of 11 million viewers. And it still hasn’t found its Susan Boyle! – Casey Kasem. Tip of the hat to the man who practically invented counting […]

WFLD cancels "The Ten"

WWOR in New York also drops 10 p.m. newscast, but moves it to 11 p.m. Time’s up for The Ten. Fox-owned WFLD is dropping its 10 p.m. newscast titled The Ten after two uneventful years and will remove it from its schedule on September 18 (this blog’s birthday.) On September 21, WFLD will air off-network repeats of The Office in […]

Sam Sylk heads to Power 92

Former WGCI-FM afternoon personality Sam Sylk is headed back to Chicago to fill the same capacity at WPWX-FM (Power 92). Sylk kept WGCI at or near the top of the ratings during his tenure there, but left in 2006 to join WUSL-FM in Philadelphia to become the morning personality. Subpar ratings forced him out, and wound up at Cleveland’s WENZ-FM, […]

WCIU gets into A.M. news business – sort of

Weigel’s WCIU-DT and its sister station ME-TV (WCIU-DT, 26.2) are getting into the morning news business – sort of. Scheduled to kick off in August, titled “U and Me In the Morning”, the news segments run for as little as 30 seconds and as long as 10 minutes. Former WGCI-FM personality and WMAQ-TV reporter Jeanne Sparrow will be live-in-the studio […]

T Dog’s Four Pack – In Memoriam

A special edition of T Dog’s Four Pack this week, in honor of four individuals who passed away this week – two of these I have already written obituaries for. – Ed McMahon. Click here for the obit on the legendary pitchman and second banana. – John Callaway. Click here for the obit on the legendary interviewer. – Farrah Fawcett. […]

WBBM-TV plans newscast overhaul

CBS O&O WBBM-TV plans to overhaul its news operation. Again.According to this article at B&C, WBBM General manager Bruno Cohen plans to once again remake the station’s newscasts, which ratingswise, lag behind others in the market. Cohen, who came from sister station KOVR-TV in Sacramento, said the station is underperforming in many time slots. Despite the fact the station airs […]

John Callaway dies

A day after TV legend Ed McMahon died, another media legend – this time locally – has passed on. John Callaway – a figure in Chicago media for the last four to five decades, died Tuesday night after suffering a heart attack in Racine, Wis. Callaway was known for his tough interviews with local and national politicians and other figures, […]

Post No. 1700: Grab a bag.

To celebrate 1700 posts at The T Dog Media Blog (corrupting your mind since 2006), here’s the Super Groovy Grab Bag of items! (sorry, no party… the budget’s real tight this year…) – Book ’em, Danno!: David Hernandez, the co-owner of the now-defunct Chicago Sports Webio.com, was arrested today in Normal, IL today a week after he skipped town. He […]

Chicago’s May PPM results

This is based on the 6+ numbers provided by Arbitron and Stationratings.com (don’t forget – Radio & Records – who also provided numbers – no longer exists.) Winners: WBBM-AM, The Mix (WTMX), V103 (WVAZ), WUSN-FM, Kiss 103.5 (WKSC), The Loop (WLUP) Honorable Mention: Soul 106.3 (WSRB-FM – thank you, Tom Joyner) Losing Steam: WLS-AM, The Drive (WDRV-FM) Losers: Power 92 […]

David Hernandez disappears

And so does Chicago Sports Webio As expected, the sports-radio internet station closed its doors at 5 p.m. today. But what no one expected was embattled David Hernandez fleeing for the exit. As of this writing, the co-founder of Chicago Sports Webio is missing. Police are asking for the public’s help in locating where the fugitive from the law is. […]

WGN-AM names new morning host

In a surprise (and shocking move), WGN-AM announced today the hiring of Greg Jarrett, formerly of KGO-AM in San Francisco in morning drive. But wait a minute, you ask. Isn’t that the slot John Williams holds? Yes it is, and he’s moving to the 9 a.m. – noon slot formerly occupied by Kathy O’Malley and Judy Markey. Williams only started […]