YouTubeTV, NBCUniversal warn of impending blackout

    NBC prepared to take off channels Sept. 30 Just weeks after Fox Corp. and Google’s YouTube TV were involved in a retransmission dispute, another issue has emerged with NBCUniversal.  If a deal can’t be reached by Sept. 30, YouTubeTV subscribers could lose channels from the company, including NBC, Telemundo, Bravo, MSNBC, and CNBC, which broke the story Thursday. […]

NBC 5 launches new real estate show, “The Listing”

Features luxury residences for sale in the Chicago area NBC 5 (NBC-owned WMAQ-TV) launched a new show this weekend called The Listing.  Airing Sunday mornings at 8:30 a.m., Chicago viewers get an inside look at the hottest residential and luxury properties in the area, with “a deep, visual dive into the most-coveted listings in Chicago and the city’s surrounding suburbs, […]

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 […]

NBC Chicago streaming channel heads to Pluto TV

Highlights the rarity of two competing networks on the same platform  Starting today, Chicago viewers can now find WMAQ-TV’s streaming local news channel on Pluto TV. “We are excited to grow our existing partnership with Pluto TV and expand the reach of our premium local news content to new audiences,” said Amy Geary, senior VP of NBCUniversal Content Distribution. “News […]

DirecTV to offer package without local stations

But only for traditional satellite customers In a controversial move, DirecTV announced Sunday it was offering a new package without local stations. As first reported by Broadcasting & Cable (NextTV), DirecTV would offer consumers a package that would let subscribers save $12 a month (roughly $144 per year) if they dropped them. It's now officially official (thanks) https://t.co/JlHu8kTsF0 — T […]

NBC 5 to air Bulls, Blackhawks games in primetime

Experiment consists of four contests in all In a very rare move, NBC-owned WMAQ-TV announced Wednesday it will air two Bulls games and two Blackhawks games in primetime in November and December. All four games are being produced by NBC Sports Chicago, who’ll also simulcast each contest and is being streamed (with authentication credentials) on the NBC Sports app to […]

NBC Chicago names Ramirez, Harrison to news executive positions

NBC’s over-the-air duopoly in Chicago Monday named two new executives to lead their news operation Chicago’s NBC stations announced some executive moves on Monday: Sally Ramirez was named into a newly created position of Senior Vice President of news for both NBC’s WMAQ and Telemundo’s WSNS, who both share NBCUniversal as a owner. A native of Chicago’s Bridgeport neighborhood, Ramirez […]

WGN-TV owner Nexstar in dispute with Comcast

Nation’s largest station group is up against the nation’s largest cable operator in retrans battle Just a week after local DirecTV subscribers dodged a bullet when the satellite TV provider made a last-minute deal with Fox to keep the network and its related channels on the service in midst of the FIFA World Cup and a Packers-Bears game, Chicago viewers […]

Remembering the NBC “Checkerboard”

On September 14, 1987, NBC’s owned-and-operated stations decided to launch a bold experiment, airing a different sitcom every weeknight leading in to prime-time. It was a disaster.   Before streaming, where you can watch what you want when you want – or what day you want, there was a time where local stations did something called “checkerboarding”. As you know, prime-time […]

Kevin Cross named NBC 5, Telemundo Chicago GM

Takes over role June 1 In a masterful stroke of corporate synergy, current NBC Sports Chicago senior vice president and general manager Kevin Cross will assume the same responsibilities (as president and GM) for NBC 5 (WMAQ-TV) and Spanish-language Telemundo Chicago (WSNS-TV) effective June 1, succeeding a retiring David Doebler, who is exiting after eight years. The news was first […]

More diginets fall: Scripps pulls plug on Ion Plus, ShopIon, Qubo

Former Katz networks to take their place Get ready for a major shift in the digital channel world.  Months after Scripps acquired Ion Networks, the company announced it was eliminating three digital subchannel networks: Ion Plus, ShopIon, and Qubo effective at the end of February. Those channels will be replaced by existing Katz channels, including Bounce, Grit, Laff, and Court […]