Brenly becomes new Arizona Diamondbacks color analyst The latest Grab Bag is here with a possible new classic TV channel on the way, two primetime network series renewed, and more: – Bob Brenly, who has been the color analyst for Chicago Cubs broadcasts alongside Len Kasper over WGN-TV broadcasts and Comcast SportsNet since 2005 announced he’s leaving the team to […]
Local stations, syndicators shuffle the deck As we enter year two in the post-Oprah era, things are finally changing in the syndication marketplace, as five new syndicated talk shows – the most in 17 years – make their debut. As for off-network sitcoms, the pickings are rather slim – just two new entries this year, compared to five in 2011. […]
Fans are mourning the loss of television legend Andy Griffith, who died in his North Carolina home on Tuesday at the age of 86. His career spans multiple decades, several movies, and two long-running TV shows. Griffith was born in Mount Airy, N.C. – the town that provided the inspiration for fictional Mayberry on The Andy Griffith Show. Griffith got […]
Antenna TV, MeTV, and MeToo to pay tribute to The Monkees‘ frontman this weekend One of the biggest pop icons in the 1960’s and 1970’s passed away on Wednesday. Monkees lead signer Davy Jones suffered a fatal heart attack and was admitted to a hospital in Stuart, Fla. Wednesday morning, where he died. He was 66. Jones was in the […]
The 49th annual National Association of Television Programming Executives closed its three-day run on Wednesday from the Fontainbleau Hotel in Miami. The gathering attracted many attendees from the around the globe, especially from South American countries, who were seeking Spanish-language programming. In addition, NATPE had a growing digital contingent, thanks to the growing influence (and clout) of Amazon, Hulu, and […]
As far as NATPE goes, the days of the big booths with a just-as-big picture of Mary Hart front and center are long gone. But the mission remains the same – for individuals to gather and network with industry professionals (not to mention making a sale or two.) The three day gathering got underway Monday with increased attendance and increased […]
Ho, Ho, Ho! It’s Terry Claus about to deliver you a special Christmas edition of The Grab Bag! I got special presents from the world of media that will make you happy – or cringe. Let’s start handing out the gifts! Ho! Ho! Ho! – WGN-TV has extra good reasons to cheer this holiday season – the Tribune-owned CW affiliate’s […]
Anderson renewed for a second season; Bill Cunningham is putting up solid numbers for WGN – but not in his home market of Cincinnati. It seems like syndicators are ready to party like its 1995 again, when a slew of Ricki Lake– talk show knockoffs flooded the market. Well, here we go again as already four talk shows have been […]
Due to my behind-the-scenes-work for the relaunch of The T Dog Media Blog, yours truly hasn’t been able to write about some of the items that has been going on. So let’s catch up: – Maybe they should change the call letters to WLLL? WWWN-FM, the new all-news station launched a few weeks ago has not gotten off to a […]
This Grab Bag is for you – that’s right. You – the people. You have the right to gripe about yet another newscast or yet another new daytime courtroom show (We The People) on the horizon. You also have the right to have an alternative to the regular crap on TV – thanks to two new diginet TV channels. You […]
RTV: The R stands for “ruined”. – Good news for fans of Richard Roeper and Roe Conn – the duo at WLS-AM signed a three-year contract extension to continue their successful afternoon show through the year 2014. The move come as Cumulus is about to take over Citadel Communications, owners of WLS-AM and FM in a merger. If you want […]
Local stations nationwide are wasting little time when The Oprah Winfrey Show signs off on Wednesday. And ABC-owned WLS-TV isn’t the only Chicago station making changes Beginning this Thursday (yes, this Thursday), WLS is replacing Oprah at 9 a.m.with a local effort, Windy City Live. Oprah reruns will air on WLS at 11:05 p.m. until September 9. But WCIU (26.1) […]
A lot of news and notes this week’s Grab Bag: -Management changes at Weigel. Chicago-based Weigel Broadcasting announced management changes on Monday, with Neal Sabin now president of content and networks. Sabin is now responsible for all programming on Weigel stations and owned and affiliated networks; development of multiplatform content on local and national levels; strategic planning; marketing of content; […]
This week in The Six Pack: Chicago media takes two steps forward and a few steps back – as usual. No, it’s not Paula Abdul dancing with an animated cat (or dead celebrities dancing with vacuum cleaners) but there is some animation, classic TV, and even a classic radio show in this week’s roundup: Winners Bob’s Burgers. In a surprise […]
Charlotte’s WCCB added MeTV last month. Now nearly half of the country will hear the word “Berwyn”. Chicago-based Weigel Broadcasting Co. and MGM announced today its MeTV digital subchannel network has now cleared 45 percent of U.S. households after three and a half months on the air. Station groups who have cleared MeTV on their digital subchannels include Bahakel Communications, […]
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