Fox wins last-minute stay of execution on YouTubeTV

Short-term extension to last through Friday The Wednesday 4 p.m. (CT) deadline came and went with Fox channels remaining on YouTubeTV as the two parties agreed to a short-term extension that lasts until Friday.  Update: We’ve reached a short-term extension with Fox to prevent disruption to our subscribers while we work on a new agreement. We’re committed to advocating on […]

Fox, YouTubeTV in carriage dispute

Channels could be off by Wednesday With football season set to kick off this weekend, Google’s YouTubeTV and Fox Corporation are at an impasse over a new carriage deal. If there is no deal by Wednesday at 4 p.m. (CT), YouTubeTV customers could lose Fox, Fox News, FS1, FS2, Fox Business, Fox Weather, Fox Nation, Big Ten Network, and 30 […]

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 […]

Fox introduces new streaming service, season schedule

Fox introduces streaming service and 2025-26 schedule Fox Corporation made a pair of announcements on Monday regarding its upcoming direct-to-consumer streaming service and the 2025-26 broadcast network season. Fox unveiled Fox One, a new streamer carrying the Fox broadcast network, Fox News, Fox Business, FS1, FS2, Fox Weather, Big Ten Network, and your local Fox affiliate, pending if they can […]

DirecTV offers skinny bundle sports package, “MySports”

Comes after Venu collapse Just days after the planned Disney-Fox-Warner Bros. Discovery joint venture Venu fell through, one of the principals that helped bring down the effort is releasing its own “skinny bundle”.  DirecTV announced Tuesday it was launching MySports, a new sports streaming service available at launch in seventeen of the top twenty markets including Chicago, and includes local […]

NBC Universal spinning off cable networks into new company

Cable networks such as USA Network and E! under new ownership by 2026  With the business in freefall, Comcast Corp. has decided to part ways with its cable networks.  As hinted a few weeks ago, Comcast announced Wednesday it is spinning off its cable networks from its NBCUniversal into a new company. Tentatively titled SpinCo (we hope it’s a temporary […]

Election night ratings: Fox News stomps all over competition

Trump returns to the White House in a landslide and made huge gains in traditionally blue Chicago [This article has been updated. See below.] Fox News prevailed over its competitors on election night as Donald J. Trump was re-elected as President after a four-year break.  According to Nielsen’s final national numbers, Fox News led all networks – broadcast, cable, and […]

Fox-owned stations launch “Battleground”

Plans to make digital initiative a daily TV show by August In an unusual way of launching a TV show, Fox Television Stations announced Tuesday it is launching Battleground, a new series tracking the 2024 Presidential Election, which is expected to be the most contested in history.  The show will focus on seven battleground “swing” states, hence the name: Arizona, […]

Station group supports new ESPN-Fox-WBD sports streaming service

s Questionable if others are on board; cable group opposes effort With the surprise announcement of a new sports streaming service this week involving three big media conglomerates, reaction is pouring in and as expected, it’s mixed. Local station broadcaster Gray Television said it would support the new planned effort between Fox, Disney-owned ESPN/ABC, and Warner Bros. Discovery under one […]

Rupert Murdoch to step down from Fox chairmanship in November

Lachlan Murdoch ascends to throne While somewhat calling it a career, 92-year old Rupert Murdoch is stepping down as chairman of both Fox Corp. and News Corporation, effective in Mid-November when the next shareholders’ meeting takes place.   Murdoch is transiting to chairman emeritus of each board, meaning it’s a honorary title granted to someone who retires from a position of […]

Chicago media criticized for lack of Loop mayhem coverage Saturday night

Twitter users call out local media outlets for failing to inform public Saturday night’s disturbances in downtown Chicago are raising questions on how the local media covers – or fail to cover in these types of instances and whether or not social media – particularly Twitter -fills the void. With temperatures soaring into the 80s, hundreds of teens swarmed the […]

Fox Nation to investigate Jussie Smollett

New five-part series examines case that riveted nation The biggest scandal in Chicago on a national scale since Leopold and Loeb is getting the Fox Nation treatment. Fox Nation released on Monday a new five-part docuseries centered on the Jussie Smollett saga that griped the city throughout 2019. Titled Jussie Smollett: Anatomy Of A Hoax, the docuseries takes a look […]

Welcome to the New Year’s Eve Battle Royale

Local stations, broadcast and cable networks battle it out to ring in the new year I think the question we should be asking is who isn’t doing a New Year’s Eve show this year?  The major networks and local stations are throwing their hats in the New Years’ Eve ring as they look to capture their share of an audience […]

Poll: Chicago viewers split over media coverage of crime

Cook County State’s Attorney blasts Nexstar’s WGN-TV over poll A poll released by Nexstar-owned independent WGN-TV on Tuesday showed how Chicago-area residents felt about their local political leadership and pressing issues like crime. And let me tell you – it wasn’t pretty as people seem to have it in for Mayor Lori Lightfoot and Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx, […]

Derek Chavin murder trial to be streamed, televised

Minneapolis stations, cable networks to carry proceedings in the death of George Floyd The landmark Derek Chavin murder trial began Monday and viewers can get a front row seat to one of the biggest legal proceedings in a generation.  It’s a historic trial to begin with: it marks the first time a Minnesota criminal trial has been televised gavel-to-gavel from […]