Alabama’s on the clock…
Alabama is saying no to the XM and Sirius satellite merger. That’s nice and all, but how about passing a bill to ban the sale of Taylor Hicks’ music?
Mancow… you’re on the clock
Most useless interview of the day: Inside Radio interviews Mancow Muller. Meanwhile, All Access is reporting that Opie & Anthony this morning declared war on Mancow, for among other things losing stations in Chicago and Des Moines, and the use of staged phone calls (doesn’t every radio show in America do that?)
You’re on the clock
In honor of ESPN’s ridiculously overhyped NFL Draft coverage (yes, I checked the calendar – it’s still March, where we are supposed to be consumed with MARCH MADNESS), we’re putting every post on the clock… from noon today until noon tomorrow, every post title will be “on the clock”, including this blog. This is being done to point out the […]
Syndication Report
This week, Marc Berman in Mediaweek details what’s going on in the world of first-run syndication, in a report you can read by clicking here. (Adobe Acrobat required.) Among the findings: – Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy! are still tops in syndication (of course), with Who Wants To Be A Millionaire still performing well, and Family Feud taking it on […]
Extremely local news
Chicago Tribune’s Red Eye has started a CTA blog. So, if you want to complain about the CTA (and we all know you do), now you have a place to do so. Man, if this only existed 20 years ago when yours truly was regularly standing out on 79th street outside Sears in the wintertime waiting for a bus for […]
NBC, CBC extend NHL pacts
The NHL got some much needed good news over the last two days, as it successfully renewed its television pacts with NBC and the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. NBC and the NHL came to terms on an extension of a revenue-sharing agreement, which was created in 2004 in which no upfront rights fee was paid. NBC has extended the agreement through […]
Garry Meier signs with WCKG
It’s official : Garry Meier joins WCKG-FM as an on-air host, beginning on Monday. His new show will air from 8 to 11 am weekdays. This puts him on the same station as his former partner, Steve Dahl. Dahl hosts afternoons from 2 to 7 pm. Dahl and Meier were on-air partners from 1979 to 1993, until a nasty breakup […]
Tribune Watch: Zell getting close to deal
If all goes well, the ownership of the Tribune Co. will end up in the hands of billionaire Sam Zell with an $8 billion dollar offer. If it goes through, he plans to take the company private, and plans to keep it intact.
Former WMAQ-TV GM out of station ownership business
Lyle Banks, the former WMAQ-TV general manager who tried an experiment ten years ago this April by putting trash TV talk show host Jerry Springer on the station’s 10 p.m. newscast (which forced Carol Marin and Ron Magers out the door) has sold his company’s TV station in Wichita (KSCW-TV) to Schurz Communications, which recently purchased CBS affiliate KWCH-TV. Schurz […]
They Gone!
Joel Hollander’s behind just got shoved out the door… Dan Mason, a CBS Radio veteran, is returning to the fold to replace Hollander as president and CEO of CBS Radio, Inc. Meanwhile, Joke Theissman, er, I mean Joe Theissman is out after 20 years working on ESPN’s football games. This past season, he worked alongside Mike Trico and Tony Kornhiser […]
Here’s something to really cry over…
The closure of The George Michael Sports Machine – ending tonight after a spectacular 24-year run. George Michael has stepped down as sports anchor of NBC-owned WRC-TV in Washington, D.C., which also produced the syndicated weekly sports clip show, after the parent network reduced the budget for the program, resulting in its’ cancellation. Michael (who shares the same name as […]
Hey there, now….
Don’t cry, little girl. So the Blackhawks didn’t make the playoffs this year. Don’t worry, you’ll get a chance to see them suck again next year.
Miss USA tanks in ratings?
Don’t know how the 18-49s and female demos are, but it looks like all that controversy over Miss USA Tara Conner didn’t bring viewers en masse to the pageant. (and boy, did the Miss USA pageant take a drubbing in the Tribune’s Tempo section yesterday. Ouch!) March Madness on CBS (The NCAA hoops tourney) ruled the night. (Bye, USC and […]
NBC, NewsCorp to form new joint website
In an unprecedented move, General Electric-owned NBC Universal and NewsCorp. have announced that will form a video source to compete with Google-owned YouTube. The ad-supported, yet-to-be-named site will be up and running this summer and will feature full-length episodes of shows from NBC and Fox, including Heroes, 24, The Simpsons, and Top Chef. Movies available for downloads are from their […]