Bulls, White Sox Chairman Jerry Reinsdorf meets with FCC Chairman Carr

When idiots collide: White Sox and Bulls owner Jerry Reinsdorf and FCC Chairman Brendan Carr. Subjects weren’t disclosed, but speculation centers on CHSN’s battle with Comcast for carriage The worst owner in sports meets the worst FCC Chairman in history.  In the ultimate meetup from hell, Bulls and White Sox owner Jerry Reinsdorf met with FCC Chairman Brendan Carr Thursday, […]

Nexstar to advocate for media deregulation – on its stations

Must-run segments parrot Sinclair’s Nexstar Media Group is taking its crusade for deregulation to the streets – and the home viewer. According to a report by The Desk, the broadcaster has instructed its 160-plus local stations to air a brief segment encouraging viewers to contact the FCC regarding potential changes to broadcast regulations that Chairman Brendan Carr is considering. Broadcasters […]

The Sun-Times sees 20 percent of staff exit through buyouts

Changes ahead as the sports department is the hardest hit  [Editor’s Note: This post was updated on March 19.] A fifth of Sun-Times employees – roughly twenty percent of the workforce, or thirty employees, have elected to take buyouts from the paper. which the paper offered to employees in January.  Those exiting are longtime writers and editors, including Richard Roeper, […]

DirecTV offers RSNs as add-ons in skinny bundles

Some relief for starved Chicago sports fans – but will they take advantage?  As hinted at when it was announced in January, DirecTV is adding regional sports network add-ons to its MySports skinny bundle, including CHSN and Marquee for Chicago-area viewers, just in time for baseball season as the former features the Chicago White Sox, and the latter for the […]

FCC Chairman complains about Great American channels not being on YouTubeTV

Claims they air “faith-based programming” – or something like that  So what does the term “faith-based programming” mean?  FCC Chairman Brendan Carr seems to be playing fast and loose with the definition as he blasted Google-owned YouTubeTV for not carrying a pair of channels owned by Great American Media: Great American Family and Great American Faith & Living. The former […]

Local news organizations drawn in to Tiffany Henyard drama

NBC 5 joins WGN News, and Fox 32 in documenting Dolton’s chaos as media tries to navigate choppy waters on covering her As you know, there is never a shortage of political scandals to cover in Illinois. From Operation Silver Shovel to Blago, the non-stop corruption has kept journalists busy and fascinated observers.  And in the Year Of Our Lord […]

FCC approves controversial Audacy bankruptcy deal

Audacy to go private  The FCC approved a controversial Audacy bankruptcy plan in a politically divided three-to-two vote in which Soros Fund Management becomes the biggest shareholder in the company with a 57 percent stake through the Laurel Tree Opportunities Corporation.  As a result, Audacy – who filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy last year, will go private and David Field […]

Nexstar, Mission Broadcasting fined by FCC over New York’s WPIX

Must also sell station in twelve months In a decision that could have ripple effects for local television, the FCC has fined both Nexstar and Mission Broadcasting over their relationship with one another regarding WPIX in New York City, the market’s CW affiliate. The FCC has also ordered Mission to sell the station in the nation’s largest media market. The […]

Sinclair-Tribune deal on the ropes

FCC Chairman has concerns about the deal; could be knockout blow – Sinclair and Tribune both pledge to fight on (Editor’s Note: Updated at 4:10 p.m. on July 17 with new information.) Even Ajit Pai is seeing through the scam. On Monday, the FCC Chairman released a statement saying he had “serious concerns” about the $3.9 billion deal between Sinclair […]

FCC sinks net neutrality

FCC reverses 2015 vote; leaves uncertain future for Net Never in the years I’ll followed the media business I’ve seen so much hatred for the FCC – even during the Nipplegate controversy and when former chairman Kevin Martin was running the agency. But what we saw Thursday may have Trumped everything. In yet another bitterly partisan divided vote in an […]