The Media Notepad: Former MBC HQ won’t be used for migrant shelter after all

Also: The NAB is concerned about crime near their headquarters; ESPN 1000 owner drops Nielsen; WNBA’s New York Liberty strikes broadcast deal with Fox in New York The River North building where the Museum of Broadcast Communications was located won’t become a migrant shelter after all. Last November, city leaders led by Mayor Brandon Johnson were looking to house migrants […]

The Media Notepad: WSHE becomes a station who “Loves The 90s and 2000s”

Also: Peoria’s WEEK absorbs rival’s news operation; name change ahead for CBS Media Ventures?; L.A. independent TV station ends long run [Editor’s Note: An earlier post had the incorrect title of a Beyonce song as the word “Ring” was replaced with…something else. It has since been corrected. – T.H.]  It’s not a format change per se, but a slogan one: […]

The Media Notepad: US 99 unveils new morning show

Also: No relief in sight for those missing CBS on DirecTV; Dish drops Fox RSNs; WCIU drops new CW 26 trailer; This TV future? Entercom country-music outlet uS 99 WUSN-FM finally announced their new morning show last week, featuring Jason Pullman and Chicago-area native Katie Bright as they replace Stylz & Roman, who were dismissed in May after three years. […]

Broadcast networks to carry President Trump speech Tuesday night

Despite criticism of their news organizations. For the first time since he’s taken office, President Donald Trump is giving a speech to the nation Tuesday night at 8 p.m local time on the issue of a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border. All the broadcast networks – especially CBS, NBC, and ABC announced Monday they would carry the speech, despite much […]

Think Tank: HBO wants to get “bigger”

They want to get “bigger and broader” to compete with Netflix – but they use language only a commercial broadcaster would use If you are a fan of HBO or any premium cable service you have to be concerned about what was reported in the New York Times on July 8. Blaring the headline “HBO Must Get Bigger And Broader […]

Trump’s tweets about NBC, broadcast networks draw fire

Trump makes threat, urging to have their broadcast licenses challenged In the “probably saw this coming department”, President Donald Trump sent out a tweet Wednesday morning stating NBC should have “its license challenged” because of what he perceives as the unfair way the network covers his administration. He repeated the threat while holding a press conference with the Canadian Prime […]

T Dog’s Media Notepad: Good ratings start for APB – but not creatively

Also: The End for Sacramento’s KDND;  ‘The Insider’ canceled; WIND-AM’s Joe Walsh goes national  The latest crime procedural based (and filmed) in Chicago debuted Monday night with Fox’s APB, starring Justin Kirk. The premise: after losing a friend to an armed robbery at a liquor store, millionaire Gideon Reeves (Kirk) decides to take over the high-crime 13th police district using high-tech […]

Ajit Pai named FCC Chairman

Things indeed will be different As expected, President Trump announced Monday he has appointed current FCC Commissioner Ajit Pai as FCC Chairman, succeeding Tom Wheeler, who stepped down January 20th. The move is great for big tech and media corporations given Pai’s free-market stance and promises a living hell for consumer advocates and net neutrality supporters. Pai was nominated to the […]

T Dog’s Media Notepad: US 99 rounds out new lineup

– US99 rounds out new lineup – Another CHR vet gets prime morning gig – Politically divided FCC keeps cross-ownership rule – Thomas Gibson out at Criminal Minds – Larry Wilmore’s Nightly Report canceled CBS-owned country radio station WUSN has completed its makeover by hiring another new personality for its vacant nighttime slot – the latest hire is Kimmie Caruba, […]

Think Tank Express: Chicago, you have a problem

With corruption, high taxes, and gang violence, Chicago has become an international embarrassment and may never recover  If you’ve read this blog for the last ten years, then you know yours truly doesn’t just write about the media business. I’ve also written about Chicago and its image problems. The latest international embarrassment came last week when a nine-year old was […]

Think Tank Express: News content targeted by the FCC

FCC fine against Roanoke TV station could invite special-interest groups to influence newsroom content  As you recall, the FCC proposed a fine of $325,000 against WDBJ in Roanoke, Va. last March after inadvertently showing a three-second video clip of a porn site with male genitalia during a 2012 news story about nearby Cave Springs, Va.’s effort to prevent a former porn star […]

T Dog’s Think Tank: Chiraqing away

The term Chiraq is here to stay. Thank the media. For those who don’t like the word “Chiraq”, let me lay it on thick for you…. it’s here to stay. The term, used to describe the number of shootings and murder in the Chicago area, continues to be a hot topic of debate in the media as Spike Lee films […]

Think Tank Express: WDBJ learns the hard way on indecency

On Monday, the FCC fined CBS affiliate WDBJ in Roanoke, Va. a record $325,000 for an indecency violation – airing a clip showing an image of an adult web site in relation to a 2012 story about a former porn star looking to join the volunteer EMT rescue squad, which aired during a 6 p.m. newscast. Generally, the FCC fines […]

T Dog’s Think Tank: “Heroes” returns. Oh God, why?

Just when you think the idiots who run broadcast network television couldn’t get any stupider, here comes this piece of news: NBC aired a promo Saturday night – yes, Saturday night during the Winter Olympics for the debut next year of a hot new series… Heroes. What the what? And here’s the kicker: the person helming this revival of Heroes: […]