Also: The Score’s Danny Parkins raises money for a neighborhood grocery; ESPN 1000 comes to HD Radio; Lauren Lake signs on with Entertainment Studios for new show As the website was under construction for the last two weeks, here were some stories that made news, and as you can imagine, this first item was the biggest. With Alden Global Capital […]
Alden takes control, ending local ownership after more than 150 years In a move everyone saw coming, New York City-based hedge fund Alden Global Capital last Friday got the green light to take full ownership of Tribune Publishing. The Chicago Tribune – one of the papers involving in the Alden transaction, reported the deal officially closed late Monday night. This […]
Eric Zorn’s column on police shooting highlights latest clash between the local media and minority communities In the latest example of how the Chicago media often bump heads with minority communities, Chicago Tribune opinion writer Eric Zorn published an article last Tuesday that generated a lot of heat. The subject matter was the fatal police shooting of thirteen-year-old Adam Toledo […]
Now-departed exec producer threatened show’s journalistic legacy If the decision to sell the Chicago Tribune – a local institution dating back to 1847 to out-of-town hedge fund interests who are known as newsroom gutters weren’t enough, now another headache as emerged at another of the city’s top news organizations. WTTW’s Chicago Tonight – […]
New year, new administration brings changes When 2021 started, we had hope in a new year. But it looks like we’re going to spending a lot of time cleaning up the messes of 2020. For one, we had an insurrection in Washington D.C. just six days in the new year, as white supremacists and neo-Nazi groups descended on the Capitol […]
High court agrees to hear longstanding argument There is a lot at stake with the U.S. Supreme Court now taking up the case of the FCC’s ownership rules dilemma, a battle raging for some 40-plus years. For one, this case would be the biggest one yet for the media industry as a decision on the FCC ownership rules have the […]
In response to complaints from readers and even reporters and employees from the paper he works for, the Chicago Tribune has decided to shift John Kass’ column into the opinion section in the print edition instead of being the “lead columnist”. The move comes after a column he wrote ran last week criticized Democrat-run cities and even suggested the campaigning […]
Also: Tribune Publishing’s union employees petition Alden Group; Sinclair backs away from political commentary; Steve Harvey resumes his talk show via Facebook (Updated December 16 to add more information.) In yet another shocking twist at the end of Wednesday night’s Survivor, controversial contestant Dan Spilo was removed from the game after he was accused again of sexual harassment, this time […]
McQueary’s piece on radio is a complete waste of time and space, as she is a member of the same political party who helped deregulate radio – leading to piped-in out-of-town voices in the first place. Every once in a while, you have those who work in the media who write about the media, proving how completely clueless they are […]
Company reverts back to Tribune Publishing One of the most stupidest names ever to grace a media company is finally gone. As speculated back in June, “tronc” is reverting back to the Tribune Publishing name after two years of criticism and ridicule. The change officially takes place October 9 at 3:15 p.m. local time in a decision announced Thursday. We […]
Named expected to change back to Tribune Publishing after sale of LA Times, Ferro departure One of the most ridiculous names in media history is heading into the history books after two years. In a move approved last month, the parent company of the Chicago Tribune is reverting back to Tribune Publishing, after a disastrous stint under the name “tronc”. […]
Local paper sell subscriptions – by using the public TV model The Sun-Times have found a new way to sell newspapers – going the pledge route. Taking a page from public television, the Chicago Sun-Times Monday published a front page with a blank canvas. The decision to do so illustrated the need for readers to support the long-term survival of […]
It looks like Michael W. Ferro is heading back to his home planet. In news which can only be construed as positive, major tronc shareholder Ferro announced Friday he was selling all his shares in the company to a newly formed trust with ties to the McCormick Family., descendants of Colonel Robert McCormick, who founded the paper in 1847. McCormick […]
Also: Jamie Allman out at St. Louis’ KDNL; Chicago Tribune unionizes; quick thought on Apu gate and “Roseanne” jokes According to All Access Big changes are coming to Big 95.5 FM, known as WEBG-FM. In a complete housecleaning, the iHeartMedia station fired morning personalities Mason Schreader and Zach Hoesly (“Remy”) and midday personality Steve Stewart, who was also the program […]
Eliminates beat coverage in cost-cutting move This is something you’d expect in a much smaller market. But not in sports-crazy Chicago. But this is what we have here, and as first reported by Robert Feder Thursday, the Chicago Tribune announced it has cut beat reporters for the Chicago White Sox and Chicago Blackhawks, despite the recent success of the latter […]