T Dog’s Think Tank: Four thoughts – one column

(Editor’s Note: The original version of this post stated that the Chicago White Sox had a nine-game LOSING streak when in fact, they had a nine-game WINNING streak. T Dog Media regrets the error and apologizes. This also makes yours truly qualified to work in the Los Angeles news media, where I can botch up names of Los Angeles Kings’ […]

T Dog’s Think Tank: Dan Harmon, “Community”, their fans, and you

As you know by now, Community creator and executive producer Dan Harmon was fired by the studio who produces the show (Sony Pictures Television) on the evening of Friday May 18. I’m sure you’ve read the reasons why he was fired, including from Harmon himself. Fans of Community took to social media and the Internet to express their outrage over […]

ESPN radio broadens reach with New York City FM deal

For the second time in a week, a high profile local marketing agreement (LMA) has shaken up the radio landscape in a major market. This time, its ESPN 1050 programming in New York – or more specifically, WEPN-AM (1050) – is replacing the Urban Adult Contemporary format at WRKS-FM (aka Kiss 98.7 FM) effective at 12:01 a.m. on April 30. […]

Dick Clark dies

The television, music, and radio industries lost a legend today with the passing of Dick Clark. Clark suffered a massive heartattack a day after after an outpaitent procedure in a Los Angeles hospital. He was 82. Born in 1929 in Mount Vernon, N.Y., Clark got his first job at his family-owned radio station in Utica, where he started in the […]

Allstate to create Mayhem for WGN Radio

Watch out WGN Radio fans! Mayhem is coming your way. But don’t worry – the station’s listeners are still in “good hands”. First reported by Chicagoland Radio & Media Friday night, Tribune-owned WGN-AM radio made a deal with Northbrook-based Allstate Co. to rename its Michigan Avenue streetside studio the Allstate Showcase Studio. The studio is basically used for its afternoon […]

The Grab Bag: It’s Chicagolicious!

The Grab Bag today includes a revival of a classic game show – with a hip-hop bent; a local time slot change for syndicated reruns of 30 Rock; and Chicago lands another reality TV show: – Oprah and Rosie are long gone from the Windy City, but believe it or not, television production is expanding in Chicago – of the […]

Tribune, DirecTV reach deal

Our long national nightmare is over. Tribune Broadcasting reached a deal with DirecTV to resume their programming on their systems this evening, just four days after Tribune pulled their signals from the service. The deal comes as the Chicago Cubs season opener begins tomorrow, which will be televised on WGN-TV and WGN America, two of Tribune’s 24 outlets affected by […]

Tribune, DirecTV in dispute

        Here we go again: yet another broadcaster-MSO dispute – only this time, Chicago baseball and Vampire Diaries fans (wow, there’s an odd combo) may be left in the lurch. Tribune Broadcasting and DirecTV are in a retrans dispute and if a deal isn’t reached by March 31, Tribune’s 24 stations across eighteen markets – including WGN-TV […]

“21 Jump Street” goes to the movies

Friday marked the arrival of former 1987-91 Fox series 21 Jump Street’s adaption to the big screen. But my oh my, how things have changed at Jump Street Chapel. The film is actually a parody of the series – a standard police procedural with a twist: youthful undercover cops who investigate crimes in those institutions of learning: high schools, colleges, […]

Bill Cunningham heads to… The CW?

Bill Cunningham officially joins the vast wasteland that’s daytime television The home of such young female-skewing series such as Gossip Girl, 90210, The Vampire Diaries, and Hart of Dixie, is now home to… 64-year old Bill Cunningham? In perhaps the oddest pairing ever, the conservative Cincinnati-based radio host is joining a network whose median-age is the youngest of the five […]

One for the record books – yet again

The Voice and Smash get off to impressive starts Here we go again – for the third year in a row, the Super Bowl has set another viewing record – but just barely. Sundays Super Bowl XLVI game between the New York Giants and the New England Patriots from Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis drew 111.3 million viewers – up […]

Don Cornelius dies

  The television and music industries are mourning the death of Soul Train host and creator Don Cornelius. He was found dead in his home in Los Angeles Wednesday from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Cornelius’ health had been declining for the last few years and was reportedly showing signs of dementia. Cornelius also had brushes with the law; he was […]

Bethenny and Khloe take broadcast media

          Yeah, you’re going to need a lot of liquor when you read this news. Man, you really got to weep for the media business these days. Tuesday was clearly a dark day for those who still care about the integrity of the business as two (more) dark clouds are descending on the horizon. One cloud […]

“Regis” finale scores for WGN-TV

Regis Philblin’s departure from Live with Regis & Kelly on Friday drew big ratings for Tribune-owned CW affiliate WGN-TV. According to numbers obtained from Marc Berman at TV Media Insights, WGN scored a 6.9 Nielsen household rating and a 22 share with Regis’ farewell, and coasted past ABC-owned WLS-TV’s local morning show Windy City Live, which replaced departing The Oprah […]