The long national nightmare is over – for Dish viewers who couldn’t get Tribune stations. On Saturday, Tribune and Dish finally came to an agreement on retransmission consent, three months after a dispute over the matter knocked 42 Tribune stations off the air in 33 markets. The stations off Dish include newly independent WGN-TV here in Chicago, and CW affiliates WPIX […]
Tribune Media announced Tuesday the historic building housing the company and the Chicago Tribune has been sold to Los Angeles-based developer CIM Inc, for $280 million. The developer is planning to add retail space to the building through a complete renovation. The sale likely forces out the Tribune, which it and parent company Tronc has a lease until 2018. Last year, Tribune split is […]
In order to boost ratings for this upcoming season, former Dateline host Chris Hansen is joining Warner Bros.’ syndicated strip CrimeWatch Daily in the same capacity for the series’ second season. In addition, the show will now be known as CrimeWatch Daily with Chris Hansen. And as you’ve guessed, Hansen is contributing segments to the show as Hansen vs. Predator – […]
ESPN comes to Chicago about the city’s violence epidemic while local stations once again drop the ball [Editor’s Note: Chance The Rapper stated in a tweet Tuesday he is not appearing on either ESPN specials, though ESPN’s PR release stated he would. Chance noted it was news to him he was in the lineup. This post has been updated to reflect the news. […]
Tribune has found a new vice president and general manager for WGN-TV and his name is Paul Rennie, who comes from sister stations WTTV and WXIN in Indianapolis. Rennie succeeds Greg Easterly, who moved to New York to take the open WPIX GM position. Rennie also will oversee CLTV, Tribune’s local Chicago news channel. Rennie will have the task of […]
WFLD finally launches 5 p.m. newscast ABC’s game show block off to good start Sorry, Cochran haters: As first reported by Robert Feder Monday, WGN-AM morning personality Steve Cochran has re-upped with the Tribune Media station through 2020. Cochran had been with the station off-and-on since 2000 but was off it in 2010 after being fired by former WGN program […]
Highest-rated NBA contest since 1998 In terms of Cleveland media, the last time the city won a championship, WJW-TV was still a CBS affiliate, and the KYW call letters – now used for CBS’ TV and radio stations in Philadelphia – were owned by Westinghouse and used for its TV and radio properties here. And so the Cleveland Cavaliers – […]
Off-network deals include WGN-TV, WQAD In good news for off-network sitcom-starved stations, Sony Pictures Television announced it has sold ABC Wednesday night sitcom The Goldbergs in syndication starting in the fall of 2017, starting with eighteen Tribune markets. Cash-plus-barter deals include WGN-TV in Chicago and ABC affiliate WQAD-TV in the Quad Cities area, consisting of Davenport, Ia., Rock Island, and Moline, […]
Pittsburgh-San Jose matchup draws few viewers, fans It hasn’t been a great overall season for the NHL, as its sporting peers (NFL, MLB,and NBA) are taking advantage of the live viewing phenomenon, as more and more marketers sink money into DVR-proof programming, or as they call it, “live TV”. For one, the recent Stanley Cup Playoffs were a ratings bust, […]
WLS-TV (ABC 7) sent Ron Magers off in style Wednesday night as viewers tuned in en masse to see him anchor his final newscast, earning a time-period winning 10.0 rating in live-plus-same day households according to Robert Feder. ABC 7 Also won the May sweeps at 10 p.m., but finished behind NBC-owned WMAQ (NBC 5) at 10 in the 25-54 demo. Another […]
What we learned from television’s most rockin’ week Now that the parties have been held, the red carpet has been rolled up, and the song and dance routines have been performed, it’s time to get to serious business: sell suckers… er… I mean advertisers on the 42 new television shows scheduled to debut in the 2016-17 season. Yours truly’s thoughts on the […]
WGN-TV to drop CW affiliation in September; moves to Fox-owned WPWR Tribune Broadcasting renews agreement to carry CW programming in twelve markets Tribune Broadcasting finally renewed its CW affiliations this weekend. But in a surprise move, it didn’t renew its affiliation with WGN-TV in Chicago. Where The CW affiliation wound up is a even bigger surprise. As first reported by Robert […]
Four new series in fall; the rest in midseason. Editor’s Note: Fox made an important schedule change after the Upfronts took place, involving Pitch, Bones, and Prison Break. This article is being rewritten to reflect the changes. I also have some thoughts about Pitch. -T.H. Fox released its 2016-17 programming schedule Monday morning in advance of its upfront presentation the […]
The CW announces fifteen original shows; affiliation deal with Tribune Broadcasting is close As you know by now, Supergirl is flying to a new network this fall – The CW. The move highlighted CW’s 2016-17 schedule, its eleventh in existence. CW renewed (almost) all of its existing programming, save midseason entry Containment. However, some of those returning shows are being […]
It’s back to basics as CBS restores Monday comedy block Last season, CBS did the unthinkable: the network axed its Monday night comedy block for three action-adventure series. On a night where Jackie Gleason, Lucille Ball, Gilligan,Amzing A M*A*S*H, Murphy Brown, Raymond, and Charlie Sheen once reigned, CBS was without a regularly scheduled sitcom on the night for the first time […]
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