Super Bowl ratings: Super Dud

Viewers tune out Patriots-Rams; lowest ratings in over a decade Thanks to numerous punts and less-than-inspiring play, Super Bowl LIII turned into a Super Dud. In the lowest-scoring game in Super Bowl history – sixteen points in total, the New England Patriots and Los Angeles Rams settled for a 3-3 tie at halftime in a game featuring numerous punts and […]

White Sox local ratings collapse into basement

Rebuilding team has trouble drawing viewers; Cubs’ ratings grow; Cardinals top MLB In a signal the “rebuild” isn’t chugging along as it should, the Chicago White Sox’s season ratings fell into a ravine this season. According to Nielsen and Forbes, the White Sox fell into last place among Major League Baseball’s 29 teams, averaging a 0.68 household rating on NBC […]

Another embarrassing graphics gaffe at ABC 7

The flub is the third in three years – happened during Saturday morning newscast Yet again, another on-air graphics mix-up occurred at Chicago’s top-rated news operation. This time, it was a graphic slide put up during ABC 7’s Saturday morning newscast while anchor Mark Rivera was reporting on a story about the unification of North and South Korea’s Olympic teams […]

Sorry…not sorry: Round 2

(Editor’s Note: This piece contains… oh, you know the drill. Reader discretion.) You thought I was done? Another has-been celeb gets into the ring with T Dog Media After eight years, T Dog Media is finally making a name for itself. In the most asinine way possible, of course. And believe it or not, that’s a good thing. Last week if you […]

Sorry…not sorry

When snarking goes wrong No apology from T Dog Media coming Over the eight years T Dog Media has been in operation, I’ve attracted a lot of fans who support this endeavor due to my love of writing, especially about the media business (and I thank you for it.) But along the way, yours truly has also made some enemies. Mancow. Mark […]

T Dog’s Grab Bag: Rob Johnson re-ups with CBS 2

Plus: Meredith clears NBC 5 and other NBC O&Os; Heroes returns – in comic book form; the “Car Bomb” departs; and another old syndication name resurfaces – Rob Johnson is here to stay – the co-anchor of CBS-owned WBBM-TV’s 5 p.m., 6 p.m., and 10 p.m. newscasts has signed a contract renewal in news first reported by Robert Feder on […]

Chicago Blackhawks win the Stanley Cup – and the TV ratings battle

The Chicago Blackhawks are back on top in the hockey world – and in the ratings. This was quite a year for the Blackhawks, who saw some ups (the 23-game unbeaten streak) and some downs (the late start due to the lockout and Susannah Collins’ controversial firing.) But it was Dave Bolland’s game-winning goal against the Boston Bruins – one […]

Blackhawks rock the Stanley Cup House

Big tune in locally – and nationally The Stanley Cup Final began Wednesday night between the Chicago Blackhawks and the Boston Bruins. This marks both teams’ second appearance in the last four years with the Blackhawks last appearing in 2010 and the Bruins in 2011. The Blackhawks not only won Game 1 in a triple-overtime thriller against the Boston Bruins, […]

Blackhawks return to the Stanley Cup Final

Well, guess who’s back in the Stanley Cup Final. It’s the Chicago Blackhawks, who are looking to win their second championship in the last four years. They’ll face another “Original Six” foe in the Boston Bruins, who are looking for their second Stanley Cup in three years. Both teams face off Wednesday, with game one scheduled here in Chicago at […]

T Dog’s Grab Bag: Sun-Times fires entire photography staff

– In a stunning move, the Chicago Sun-Times fired almost all of its photography staff on Thursday, which left 28 people out of work. The Wrapports -owned paper instead plans to train reports to take pictures with smartphones. Yes, smartphones. Among those who were laid off include 35-year veteran Pulitzer-prize winning photographer John H. White, one of the first African-American […]

Cubs, WGN-TV headed for breakup?

The Tribune Co. entered a new era on December 31, exiting bankruptcy after four years. Now it appears the new regime may be without one of its flagship station’s biggest draws. The Chicago Tribune reported on Sunday the Chicago Cubs may exit WGN-TV after the 2014 season, which could end a 66-year relationship with the Tribune-owned station. It seems changes […]

Viewers bail on Bulls

With no Derrick Rose, casual fans tune out With the Chicago Bulls currently a half-game behind the Indiana Pacers for first place in the Central Division in the Eastern Conference, you’d think ratings would go through the roof, right? In Chicago – where even a contending White Sox team couldn’t draw viewers or fans to U.S. Cellular Field last year […]

T Dog’s Grab Bag: WGN Radio loses steam in latest PPMs

A lot of stuff in this grab bag this week: – What’s this? A historic low for WGN Radio? The Tribune-owned talker finished in a tie for fifth place overall in 6+ with CHR WKSC-FM (Kiss) in the Arbitron May PPM survey. Even with Cubs baseball (and the you know the team sucks this year), WGN finished behind WVAZ (V103) […]

T Dog’s Grab Bag: RIP Kathryn Joosten

Some sad news to start off this edition of notations: Emmy-award winning actress Kathryn Joosten died on Sunday after a long battle with lung cancer at the age of 72. She was best known for her portrayal of presidential secretary Mrs. Landingham on The West Wing, and most recently, the nosy neighbor on Desperate Housewives. Born in Eustus, Fl. in […]

T Dog’s Think Tank: Four thoughts – one column

(Editor’s Note: The original version of this post stated that the Chicago White Sox had a nine-game LOSING streak when in fact, they had a nine-game WINNING streak. T Dog Media regrets the error and apologizes. This also makes yours truly qualified to work in the Los Angeles news media, where I can botch up names of Los Angeles Kings’ […]