Reports: Megyn Kelly soon to be dropped from “Today” show

Blackface comments cause backlash (Editor’s Note: Updated at 1:00 p.m. with new information.) By the time this is published, Megan Kelly Today is likely to be over. NBC is mulling over several options from the woman they poached from Fox News in January 2017 for $69 million after she made some controversial comments on Tuesday’s show. During a segment on […]

Bears-Packers season opener a big hit – locally

Chicago, Milwaukee viewers tune in but national ratings hit a ten-year low The excitement surrounding the changes the Chicago Bears have made this off-season – hiring Matt Nagy as the new  head coach and the blockbuster trade acquiring linebacker Khalil Mack in a trade with the Oakland Raiders paid off in the local ratings in the first game of the […]

Super Bowl LII ratings couldn’t match last year’s

But 103.4 million viewers isn’t bad Super Bowl LII gave us what we wanted in a football game – a close contest throughout, an exciting finish, and best of all, the Philadelphia Eagles beating the favored New England Patriots for their first Super Bowl title and their first overall championship since 1960. But despite all the theatrics, it wasn’t enough […]

Bill O’Reilly headed to Sinclair?

Could be a liability for some local stations Bottom Line With Bill may be coming to a station near you. Reports are surfacing once again regarding Bill O’Reilly heading to Sinclair Broadcasting. According to NBC news’s Claire Atkinson, Sinclair is in talks with the former Fox News host as he could anchor a two-hour block on their stations – including those […]

T Dog’s Media Notepad: Landecker heads to the Radio Hall Of Fame

St. Louis, Milwaukee stations may be spun off by Sinclair sale while John Oliver takes on the company Philadelphia radio station takes a shot a Taylor Swift; changes formats Chicago radio legend John “Records” Landecker is getting a tremendous honor: an induction into the National Radio Hall Of Fame – on the first ballot. Landecker is being inducted into the […]

T Dog’s Media Notepad: Bulls dragging down NBA ratings

Also: ABC 7 and WGN-TV are February sweeps winners; Tribune Broadcasting update; T.D. Jakes show is canceled; Legion, Good Wife renewed; Iron Fist debuts  With the 33-37 Bulls once again struggling in the ratings locally, it comes as no surprise Chicago’s NBA team is dragging down the league’s ratings nationally. According to Nielsen via Sports Media Watch, March 12’s game on ABC […]

T Dog’s Media Notepad: WGN-TV succeeds with annual toy drive

Also: The Wall off to a decent start; WCIU to showcase local comedians; Drew Barrymore talker on hold; Fox duopoly picks up another show. WGN-TV held its fourteenth annual Drive-Thru Toy Drive on Thursday to benefit needy families in Chicago and the Tribune-owned independent collected nearly 14,000 unwrapped toys at the event held at the station. Award-winning actress and singer […]

T Dog’s Media Notepad: Bears-Packers score in ratings

Bears surprise; ABC 7 dominates November ratings; another new game show planned; Tom Joyner’s future On paper, it looked like another game against the Packers where the Bears would get blown out and the ratings would take a hit, given what happened last year. Turns out it wasn’t the case. Led by Jay Cutler, the Chicago Bears stunned their Green […]

When Trump had a game show

Trump had a game show? It’s true. His name headlined a flop in 1990-91  These days, real estate mogul Donald Trump is grabbing headlines as a Republican Presidential Candidate – for better or worse, but 25 years ago Trump had his own game show. Yes, he actually had a game show – well, his name was slapped on one. Here […]

Think Tank Express: Colbert makes his CBS debut

Stephen Colbert – yes, the real Stephen Colbert – finally made his long-awaited hosting debut last night on The Late Show, only the third time a comedian has hosted under this title. Colbert is no longer chained to his “Stephen Colbert” character he played on his Comedy Central show. While judging a program by one episode doesn’t do it justice, […]

Tragedy in Roanoke

WDBJ reporter, cameraman shot dead – live on the air A reporter and a cameraman were killed this morning live on the air in a Roanoke, Va. suburb Wednesday morning, leaving viewers of CBS affiliate WDBJ in shock. Reporter Allison Parker and cameraman Adam Ward were doing an interview with Vicki Gardner from the Smith Mountain Lake Chamber of Commerce in Moneta, Va. at 6:45 a.m. (ET) […]

T Dog’s Media Notepad: WLS-TV back on top at 10 p.m. in July

Plus: WBBM-TV’s news ratings stink; Downtown Abbey heads into the final stretch; MundoFox to become MundoMax…eventually  – ABC-owned WLS-TV reclaimed the top spot at 10 p.m. according to Nielsen, reclaiming the late news throne from NBC-owned WMAQ-TV. Despite the loss, WMAQ still gained viewers year-to-year at 10 in the all-important 25-54 demo. The biggest loser no doubt is CBS-owned WBBM, who […]

It’s official: White Sox, Bulls head to WLS-AM

Also: NBA adds Saturday Night games to ABC Two of Chicago’s sports franchises will have new radio homes in 2016. As first reported by Robert Feder on Thursday, The Chicago White Sox and the Chicago Bulls both struck deals with Cumulus Media’s WLS-AM starting with the 2016 season. Financial terms were not released, but the deals runs through 2021. Currently, […]

Third time’s the charm for the Chicago Blackhawks

Third Cup this decade; sixth Cup overall Blackhawks dominate on the ice and in the ratings How sweet it is! The Chicago Blackhawks on Monday clinched another Stanley Cup championship as they defeated the Tampa Bay Lightning 2-0 in front of more than 22,000 happy humans at the United Center – the first time the Cup was won on home […]