The latest

The Museum of Broadcast Communications lands a new downtown home

Sets up near the Ogilvie Center After vacating their River North venue two years ago, the Museum of Broadcast Communications has found a new home. According to the Sun-Times, the museum is moving to a “pop-up” location at 440 W. Randolph in the West Loop, just two blocks north of the Ogilvie Center, the terminus of several Metra lines, making […]

Nexstar buys Tegna in $3.6 billion megadeal

Combined entity would own 265 stations covering 80 percent of country As hinted by the Wall Street Journal last week, WGN-TV and WGN Radio owner Nexstar Media Group has agreed to purchase rival Tegna, Inc. for $3.6 billion in the biggest deal in television history. The new combined entity gives Nexstar 265 stations with nine of the top ten markets […]

WGN-TV names Akemi Harrison as its new news director

Jumps from rival NBC 5 to take position Nexstar-owned WGN-TV Chicago announced on Wednesday the hiring of Akemi Harrison as the station’s news director, succeeding the now-retired Dom Stasi in the role starting August 25. Harrison arrives from rival NBC-owned WMAQ (NBC 5), where she held the same position. Harrison’s official title is Director of News and Multiplatform Content, overseeing […]

Dan Bernstein heads to Hubbard via podcasting with “Unfiltered”

“Unfiltered” already in top ten in Apple Podcasts Disposed by Audacy for a doxxing incident, former 670 The Score (WSCR-AM) morning host Dan Bernstein signed a deal with Hubbard Broadcasting, as reported by the Sun-Times on Monday, not to a terrestrial radio deal, but to host a podcast.  Titled Dan Bernstein: Unfiltered, the new venture from Hubbard is 312 Sports, […]

WSJ report: Nexstar in “advanced talks” to buy Tegna

Move means Nexstar could own a station in most areas of Illinois The Wall Street Journal reported Friday that suburban Dallas-based Nexstar is in “advanced talks” to buy suburban Washington D.C.-based station group Tegna.  The move is obviously a ploy by the broadcaster to force the ownership cap issue at the FCC, which currently prohibits broadcast groups from reaching more […]

WGN Radio sportscaster Dave Eanet retires; Andy Masur to replace him

Eanet has been with station since 1996 WGN Radio sportscaster anchor Dave Eanet announced his retirement this morning, but isn’t entirely going away, as he will continue to do play-by-play for Northwestern football and men’s basketball for the station, and he will continue as a fill-in sports anchor for WGN-TV newscasts and late-night sports wrap-up show GN Sports. WGN-TV and […]

BET indefinitely suspends Hip-Hop, “Soul Train” awards

Comes as new Paramount owner Skydance takes over Thursday Paramount-owned BET announced on Wednesday that it was “indefinitely suspending” the BET Hip-Hop Awards and The Soul Train Music Awards, as the Black-oriented network is figuring out what to do with them.   “So for BET linear, we have suspended the Soul Train and Hip-Hop award shows”, BET President Scott Mills told […]

The Media Notepad: WBBM Newsradio names Geoff Buchholz as new political editor

Also: Fox One to cost $20 a month; Top 25 largest broadcast station groups revealed  Audacy announced on Tuesday that it tapped Geoff Buchholz as WBBM Newsradio’s (780 AM/105.9 FM) new political editor, succeeding the now-retired Craig Dellimore, who spent 41 years in the same position.  “Chicago and Illinois are entering a critical era, and it’s more important than ever […]

Comcast confirms Marquee’s move to ultimate tier

  Move is effective Oct. 1 After months of speculation, Comcast confirmed it was moving the Cubs’ regional sports network to its ultimate tier effective October 1, giving fans the opportunity to continue ue watching the team on its basic tier for the rest of the current baseball season.   As of this writing, the Cubs are tied with division rival […]

FCC blesses Skydance-Paramount merger

Comes after the network agrees to concessions [Editor’s note: This post was updated July 25.] After months of waiting, the FCC has officially approved the Skydance-Paramount merger, which will bring changes to the nation’s most prestigious television network. Technically, the FCC approved the transfer of 28 FCC licenses of CBS stations to Skydance. CBS operates stations in eight of the […]

CHSN to air seven White Sox games on The U

Door could open for a few Blackhawks, Bulls games in the future The Chicago Sports Network announced Wednesday it has agreed to simulcast seven Chicago White Sox games this season on Weigel Broadcasting’s WCIU, branded as The U.  Chicago Sports Network and Weigel Broadcasting Co.’s WCIU, The U, have announced a new partnership to simulcast seven Chicago White Sox games […]

Paramount, “South Park” creators strike new streaming mega-deal

Comedy Central’s signature show moves to Paramount Plus domestically After a contentious back-and-forth with a lot of insults thrown, South Park creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone and their South Park Digital Studios agreed to a new five-year, fifteen billion dollar deal with Paramount Global, bringing the entire library exclusively to Paramount Plus. Paramount Plus will offer next-day new episodes […]

T Dog’s Think Tank: Does late-night have a future?

The “late fringe” daypart of being relevant is over. How did we get to this point? If one were to look at the late-night landscape in the 1970s, it was quite a different world: NBC’s The Tonight Show With Johnny Carson ruled all, while CBS and ABC aired off-network series and movies It’s an era we could be heading back […]