Amy Jacobson sues Channel 2

Former WMAQ-TV reporter Amy Jacobson has sued CBS Corp. and its owned-and-operated station here in Chicago (WBBM-TV) for airing a video of her last year in the backyard of Craig Stebic’s house, wearing nothing but a bikini top and a towel around her waist. Craig Stebic is the husband of missing woman Lisa Stebic, who vanished over a year ago, […]

Program Partners offers new shows

Program Partners is offering two new strips in syndication this fall – both coming from north of the border. The company already offers several first-run dramas which have originally aired on Canadian broadcast networks CBC, CTV, and Global in weekly broadcast syndication, including ReGenesis and Cold Squad. Branding the block Daytime Plus, Program Partners is offering Style by Jury – […]

Dancing With A Controversy

The folks at WGN-TV’s morning show are dancing mad – at rival WMAQ-TV for ripping off a segment of their program.For years, WGN has had a Friday Dance on its news show on – Fridays. Well, WMAQ recently started a new segment on its Friday morning newscasts. All you have to do is switch the words around of WGN’s segments […]

WMAQ-TV prepares for Chicago marathon

This story in TVNewsday (registration may be required) from Arthur Greenwald talks about how NBC-owned WMAQ-TV (NBC 5) is preparing for the upcoming Bank of America Chicago Marathon, which takes place on October 12. WMAQ gets the rights back from WBBM-TV, which held them for the last five years. The marathon (formerly the LaSalle Bank marathon until Bank of America […]

More sweeps numbers

Philadelphia: Like WLS here in Chicago, ABC-owned WPVI-TV swept away its competition in households (demos were not available.) Fox-owned WTXF also scored with its 10 p.m. news, thanks to American Idol, and managed to tie CBS-owned KYW-TV in rating in late news. Yay for local content? NBC O&O WCAU-TV’s 10! news/talk show, finished dead last in its’ 2 p.m. time […]

WLS sweeps May, but WMAQ shines in demos at 10

Staying on the subject of local news, it was a good May book for all of Chicago’s news outlets -(second item) despite the fact the networks lost audience share due to the after-effects of the recent writer’s strike with something for everyone to crow about: ABC-owned WLS-TV’s newscasts won the May sweeps in households (second item) – however, NBC-owned WMAQ-TV […]

WFLD to add 9 a.m. newscast?

Fox-owned WFLD-TV is once again considering expanding its news operation – this time to extend Good Day Chicago to 10 a.m. This comes as more and more stations are expanding local content to stay relevant as more and more viewers are getting their content from places other than traditional media sources. And WFLD is not the only ones thinking about […]

Larry Wert promoted (updated)

WMAQ-TV general manager Larry Wert has been promoted to president, Central and Western region, of the NBC Local Media Division. Among the stations Wert will be overseeing include WMAQ (which he’ll continue in his role as GM) and fellow NBC O&Os KNBC-TV Los Angeles, KXAS-TV Dallas, KNTV San Francisco/Oakland/San Jose, and KNSD-TV San Diego. NBC also named a new GM […]

"Ellen" coming to town

The hokey daytime talk show will be in Chi-Town for one day during May sweeps, taping an episode on May 3. No word on any guests (forget Oprah and Jerry), but I’m certain a Chicago Cub or two may show up. The show is likely to tape at NBC Tower, given Ellen’s affiliate here (WMAQ-TV) airs the program at 3 […]

Brant Miller returns home

After the last few days, it’s great to announce a hiring for a change! WMAQ-TV meteorologist Brant Miller is returning to his roots at the frequency he used to work show. Miller has been hired as morning personality at Oldies outlet WZZN-FM (94.7) starting Monday, where he will hold down the 6 to 10 a.m. shift (Miller will continue in […]

NBC buys, destroys, sells WTVJ

That’s according to Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel TV Critic Tom Jicha, who is dead on correct about NBC, who bought WTVJ (a CBS affiliate) in 1987, switched its long-time affiliation from WSVN-TV two years later, then traded in a strong channel position (Channel 4) to CBS for a weak one (Channel 6) in 1995 so they can own WCAU-TV (another former […]

WMAQ launches new local magazine

NBC-owned WMAQ-TV is launching a brand-new local magazine program to air after Saturday Night Live, beginning March 29. Titled 24/7, the new show is hosted by Catie Keogh and Billy Dec, and it features interviews with celebrities and local Chicagoans, providing “a fun, fresh approach to Chicago’s unique blend of urban liveliness and Midwest charm” (think 190 North crossed with […]

Warning: Local news shakeup ahead

A big news anchor shakeup is in the works at Chicago’s TV news stations. The ball got rolling last week when Mark Supplesa abruptly left WFLD-TV after rejecting a contract offer. In Feder’s column today, he put in all in perspective, with several high-profile names involved in play: – Diann Burns of WBBM-Channel 2 may lose her 10 p.m. anchor […]

Jacobson: "Law & Order" episode no laughing matter

An episode of tonight’s Law & Order: a reporter, looking to get to the bottom of a story regarding a man suspected of killing his wife, shows up at one point in the episode with a bathing suit on. Sounds familiar? To Amy Jacobson, it does. All too familiar, and she’s not pleased about it. Tonight L&O features Chicago native […]

Local stations’ sweeps numbers hit by writers’ strike

Affiliates – who depend on their network’s prime-time programs to draw viewers to their late newscasts – suffered ratings declines during the just-concluded February sweeps as the writer’s strike forced the networks into reruns and were forced to air less-appealing reality shows. Judging by the few markets available for review, NBC affiliates seemed to be affected less, thanks to a […]