Chicago’s late newscasts continues to lose steam

              Maybe Chicago viewers are tired of hearing about all the shootings and murders. Maybe viewers are tired of the constant weather hype, even when its nice and only 75 degrees. Maybe viewers are tired of the Breaking News and Developing Story monikers every four goddamn minutes. Or maybe viewers are just tired (and […]

WFLD details anchor changes

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 […]

Robin Robinson demoted, Anna Davlantes out at Fox 32

The ironwoman streak is over for Chicago news veteran Robin Robinson. 26 years and six co-anchors later, Robinson – whose local career started at CBS-owned WBBM-TV in the 1980’s, is losing her longtime 9 p.m. anchor slot at Fox-owned WFLD-TV, being assigned to special reports. No replacement has been named, but sources speculate that former WLS-TV midday anchor Sylvia Perez […]

Bob Sirott and Marianne Murciano head to WGN Radio full-time

According to a post on Robert Feder’s Facebook page today, Bob Sirott and his wife Murianne Murciano are joining WGN Radio’s daily lineup. The couple already have a Sunday night program on the station. This is the latest move from program director Jimmy DeCastro’s continuing plan on making over WGN-AM’s schedule. No timetable has been set on where or when […]

WFLD GM’s editorials a dumb idea

From the station where bad ideas usually flourish: A few months ago, Fox-owned WFLD introduced editorials at the end of their 9 p.m. newscasts on occasion featuring General Manager Mike Renda, who now runs sis station WJBK in Detroit, with former WOFL/WRBW GM Dennis Welsh, as his replacement. Well, Welsh has continued the practice and thus far appeared in two […]

T Dog’s Think Tank: “You Got Shteirized”

On Sunday, New York Times reviewer Rachel Shteir reviewed three Chicago based books. But the reviews were less about the books in question and more about Chicago itself. In her review, Shteir – who is also a professor at DePaul University and moved to Chicago thirteen years ago – talked about “poor Chicago” and used every stereotypical crack associated with […]

Mike Renda out at WFLD; Dennis Welsh in

In the 27 years yours truly has followed the media business, I’ve never encountered anyone who is arrogant, incompetent, and stupid – aside from Randy “Court Jester” Michaels and his minions – in running a radio or TV station as Fox-owned WFLD and WPWR General Manager Mike Renda. On Friday, Fox management – which is proven to be every bit […]

T Dog’s Think Tank: Four-for-one special

It’s a four-for-one-special in this edition of T Dog’s Think Tank – thoughts on four subjects in one post. What a deal! – Is Fox’s incompetence at its local Chicago stations spreading to the network? Last week, the network scheduled X Factor to Wednesday, but game three of the NLCS between San Francisco and St. Louis (which started earlier in […]

Retro Friday Time Machine: WFLD news’ silver anniversary

Chicago News and Weather | FOX Chicago News We have a new name for Retro Friday – its now The Retro Friday Time Machine (Retro Friday was a temporary name… and Michael Schneider’s Franklin Ave. blog already was using it.) In this week’s edition, we celebrate WFLD’s 25th anniversary in the news business – going back to August 1987 when […]

Chicago media just keeps serving up the has-beens

On the old PI Feedback forums at the former Mediaweek.com, a poster named “Twins12” often referred to the hit reality TV series Dancing With The Stars as Dancing With The Has-Beens, noting the program’s inability to land A-list celebrities, but those whose best days were behind them. In Chicago media, being a has-been can be beneficial – even if no […]

T Dog’s Grab Bag: Robin Robinson likely out at WFLD

A bunch of items in this week’s Grab Bag: – Is Robin Robinson on her way out at Fox-owned WFLD? Sure looks like it: According to a report surfacing a little over a week ago at Chicagoland Radio and Media, Robinson is expected to depart when her contract expires later this year. Robinson is the longest-tenured anchor at WFLD, being […]

WFLD hires Phyills Schwartz as new news director

Carol Fowler bounced from station after three disastrous years In a move that was pretty much expected, Fox-owned WFLD has fired news director Carol Fowler and replaced her with Phyills Schwartz, who held the same position for five years at ABC-owned WLS-TV. The changeover is effective immediately. Schwartz was at top rated WLS-TV for thirteen years with five of them […]

The Toilet 10 of 2011

And other media misfires of note Scrubbing the commodes for you… the Toilet 10 of 2011 – the worst shows of television and media items sure to make your head stick in one. And away we go. Worst TV Shows of 2011 1. Allen Gregory (Fox). Not only this is the worst show of the year – this is the […]

T Dog’s Six Pack: Short and to the point

A quick wrap-up of the week that was in media: Winners. WGN Radio. Jonathan Brandmeier’s arrival to the storied 720 is sure to bring back the entertainment value back to the station in the morning, a la Wally Phillips and Bob Collins. Now, just don’t screw it up. NBA Fans, TNT, and ESPN. The lockout’s over and pro basketball is […]