– How to get ahead by channeling the Xbox One and the PS4: CBS-owned WBBM-TV has unveiled its latest weapon in the weather war, with the look and feel of a video game – one you can play on the road. WBBM’s new toy is a new vehicle called The Mobile Weather Lab, and the Columbia Puslar 600 ultrasonic weather […]
Also: WBBM-AM nears deal to land Cubs telecasts Back in 1978, WGN-TV in Chicago joined WTBS in Atlanta and WOR-TV in New York (now WWOR) and uplinked their signal to a satellite to deliver their signal throughout the country as a “superstation”. In 2014, the “superstation” era is nearing the end. In a report surfacing on Crain’s Chicago Business website Friday, […]
Will it work? While urban radio station Hot 97 in New York City is having fun with their new, hot, ridiculous “docudrama” cable TV show, it is a far different environment involving urban radio in Chicago. The atmosphere is far from festive – and the drama is real. As first reported by the Chicago Sun-Times’ Fran Spelman nearly two weeks […]
Grab Baggin’- * It’s like good prevailing over evil: CBS Television Distribution announced the renewal of The Arsenio Hall Show for a second season Wednesday evening, with former Tonight Show host Jay Leno delivering the news to Arsenio in person (see above.) This comes as Arsenio has the youngest median age of any late night talk show amid a recent ratings […]
* The first shot has been fired in the Chicago’s new sports-talk wars: Robert Feder reports that Tribune’s new Game has stolen Ben Finfer away from CBS’ The Score (WSCR), where he’ll serve as producer – but also as show host, being paired with David Kaplan at Noon and then joins Alex Quigley and Howard Griffith from 1-3 p.m. Finfer […]
In what can be described as a historic deal, Philadelphia-based Comcast Corp. – the country’s largest cable operator – is purchasing New York City-based Time Warner Cable – the second-largest cable operator for $45 billion, or $159 a share in an all-stock deal. The combined entity will boasts 30 million subscribers when Comcast plans to divest three million households due […]
Rachael Ray is once again getting a new address in Chicago. The famous cook and television personality’s talk show strip from CBS Television Distribution has been acquired by WLS-TV in an ABC owned-and-operated deal which goes into effect this September. This story was first reported by TVNewscheck. In addition to WLS, Rachael was acquired by three other ABC O&Os: KABC-TV […]
Tribune Broadcasting scores a hat trick of good ratings Sunday and Monday Is no-longer-bankrupt Tribune Broadcasting becoming a “must watch” destination? Chicago’s WGN-TV lit the ratings lamp twice with a Blackhawks game Sunday night and Monday morning news coverage. Meanwhile, a few Tribune stations outside of Chicago lit the ratings lamp of their own Monday with the premiere of a […]
The “most hated person in Chicago” designation is like our weather; if you wait a few minutes – it’ll change. A few days ago it was Garry Meier for not thanking Steve Dahl in his acceptance speech at the Radio Hall Of Fame; on Thursday, it was Jon Stewart, host of Comedy Central’s The Daily Show. I’m certain by Monday, […]
Plus: LA’s KTTV news director “resigns” after only two years Fox’s WFLD fortified its news anchor lineup late Tuesday, detailing changes being made to its Good Day Chicago morning show and its 9 p.m. newscast. Former WMAQ sports anchor Jon Kelley is being paired with former KDVR/Denver reporter-anchor Melody Mendez for GDC and Natalie Bomke, who joined the show last […]
Welcome to the second edition of Quick Hits and Bits! – Oh God, here we go again… another radio legend has turned down Bruce DuMont’s invite to the Radio Hall Of Fame ceremony – this time its Steve Dahl, who he and Garry Meier who are being inducted November 9. Like Howard Stern last year, Dahl reportedly was not happy […]
Time to see what’s in this week edition of the Grab bag: – With This TV leaving for WGN-TV November 1, Weigel Broadcasting is replacing it with Bounce, moving from its 23.2 subchannel position to the much stronger 26.5 position, according to an item on WCIU’s website. Bounce is an African-American-targeted subchannel targeted to adults 25-54. The move comes as […]
– Tech difficulties or something else behind the scenes? Mike McConnell’s new online venture at WGN Radio doesn’t seem to be going well. McConnell’s online show and subsequent podcast has been offline for a week due to “tech issues”. But it looks like McConnell may be headed back to Cincinnati: it appears a tentative agreement has been reached on the […]
New first-run strip Paternity Court and off-network sitcom Modern Family finally made their long-awaited syndication debuts on Monday, with mixed ratings results. According to TV Media Insights, Modern Family premiered to a 1.5 Nielsen household rating on Monday, putting it behind The Big Bang Theory’s debut (1.8) of fare premiering in off-net syndication in the last five years. Modern also […]
Simpsons to run on My50; Modern Family penciled in for 6:30 p.m. and 10 Arsenio, Bethenny score on the first day; The Test flunks The 2013-14 syndication season started Monday, as viewers welcomed back Arsenio Hall and sampled Bethenny Frankel’s new show, but snubbed Kirk Fox’s paternity test show. In addition, the final pieces of Chicago’s local fall schedules finally […]
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