ABC pickups; Millionaire returns to prime-time; Caprica is here; B96’s new hires. – ABC has picked up twelve veteran series for the 2009-2010 season, despite the fact some have eroded in the ratings. Renewals include Grey’s Anatomy, Private Practice, Supernanny, Wife Swap, and Ugly Betty. Betty, who returns on April 30 at 7 p.m. (CT) will likely keep its time […]
Winners: WBBM-AM, WLS-AM & FM, The Drive (WDRV-FM), The Mix (WTMX-FM) Honorable Mention: Power 92 (WPWX-FM), WNUA-FM, WVIV-FM Losers: WGCI-FM, WFMT Analysis: WBBM continued to ride the top of the PPM chart into the month of March with a 16% advantage over second place WLS-AM. If anyone tells you AM radio is dead, send them here so they can see […]
It’s official: The Tom Joyner Morning Show, which was bounced off of WVAZ-FM (V103) after 13 years last month, is heading to WSRB-FM (Soul 106.3) effective Wednesday (and was predicted here – and well, everywhere else.) No details were available on the terms of the deal between The Fly Jock’s syndicators (Reach Media and Radio One) and Crawford Broadcasting, the […]
KRON-TV San Francisco to dump Dr. Phil? It looks like these days viewers prefer the corruption, depression, politics, and crime to escapist fare. It what could be yet another blow to the syndication business, a story by Bloomberg News suggests local stations are dumping entertainment fare to air more local news especially in major markets. This comes as the fight […]
Longime features columnist Paige Wiser was named the Chicago Sun-Times’ new TV Critic today, and she’ll begin writing on Sunday. The gig was previously held by Doug Elfman, who was dropped amid a flurry of budget cuts last year. The move marks the first time TV scribes at two of Chicago’s biggest newspapers are female – Maureen Ryan was named […]
CBS-owned all-news outlet WBBM-AM was Chicago’s top billing radio station in 2008, according to BIA Financial Network. WBBM-AM earned $44.9 million in revenue for 2008, according to the report. Tribune’s WGN-AM came in a close second with $44.5 million, no doubt fueled by Cubs baseball. WGN’s huge haul comes despite an older-skewing audience. The top music station was Bonneville’s WTMX-FM, […]
You ever hear of buyer’s remorse? Well, Sam Zell has a huge case of it. In an interview with Bloomberg News, The Tribune owner said buying the debt-ridden media company was “a mistake”, saying he was “too optimistic.” Zell said he didn’t know the economy would crater like it did, and wouldn’t do the deal if he had to do […]
Los Angeles’ KMVN-FM is moving out the door and so is the station’s morning man, Rick Dees. As of tomorrow, the legendary Radio Hall of Fame personality is moving his act to his own website. Titled All Number One Hits (allnumber1hits.com) the new site features contemporary hit music, live hosts (including games), videos, games, and an iPhone application, along with […]
– Among women 18-34, which talk show is second only behind Oprah Winfrey? Tyra Banks? Nope. Ellen? Try Again. Come on. You’ve got to be talking about Jerry Springer… Um, no. It’s Maury Povich. Yes, 70-year old Maury Povich. Yes, the same guy who brought you A Current Affair back in the day. NBC Universal’s Maury (in its 11th season […]
Have the suits at Crawford Broadcasting been reading this blog? (Scary.) A few weeks ago, yours truly suggested Crawford should go after The Tom Joyner Morning Show for its WSRB-FM (Soul 106.3) after it was dropped by crosstown rival WVAZ-FM (V103). Well, it looks like they may have taken my advice. According to radio trade website All Access, WSRB acquired […]
From the recently concluded March ratings period: Chicago: WLS-TV remained on top, as usual at 10 p.m., but CBS-owned WBBM-TV is up 50 percent in the same time period in households. At 9 p.m., WGN-TV’s newscast had a 43 percent advantage over an above-average WFLD-TV, despite popular Fox prime-time lead-ins. Milwaukee: And lead-ins didn’t matter here either, as NBC affiliate […]
Well, it’s about time. Garry Meier now can finally lose the moniker “house husband”. Tribune-owned WGN-AM has signed Garry Meier to fill the vacant 1 to 4 p.m. time slot beginning tomorrow. Meier filled in a month ago for a week, and received rave reviews from listeners and posters who frequent media-related message boards. Meier has not been active in […]
Chicago, that great newspaper town… now with both in Chapter 11 bankruptcy. The Chicago Sun-Times has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, as the troubled newspaper is sinking under a massive amount of debt, which includes a lot to the IRS. The Sun-Times joins The Tribune in Chapter 11, who filed for bankruptcy several months ago. The paper has never recovered […]
Ed Sherman (remember him?) has a business of sports blog at Crain’s ChicagoBusiness.com and the former Chicago Tribune sports media reporter has dirt on a possible move by NBC-owned WMAQ-TV to outsource their sports department to Comcast SportsNet.This comes as stations are looking for ways to save money in an already declining economy. Many have eliminated their sports departments altogether. […]
She’s back… and she didn’t even have to be banished to Rockford, Peoria, or Cheyenne, Wyo. to find work… Call it a career reboot… Amy Jacobson was hired Friday by Citadel Broadcasting’s WLS-AM to join Roe Conn’s top-rated afternoon show as a sidekick, beginning in May. As you recall (or probably sick of hearing about), Jacobson was fired by her […]
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