T Dog’s Grab Bag: Jerry Springer to host Chicago Emmy Awards

– This move didn’t generate as much outrage as Ben Affleck being cast as Batman last Friday, but the day before, trash TV talk show host Jerry Springer was named as host of the Chicago Emmy Awards, set to take place on November 3 . The announcement did cause one member of the Academy board to resign, as many in […]

Roger Ebert dies

Chicago Sun-Times film critic Roger Ebert unexpectedly passed away Thursday at the age of 70, two days after announcing his cancer had returned and was cutting back on his workload. Ebert had been battling with thyroid cancer, which robbed him of his voice. However, it turned out he also developed cancer in his leg. There were plans to relaunch his […]

Sun-Times to charge for online access

How desperate can they get? On Tuesday, the Sun-Times Media Group announced it was erecting a paywall for its papers’ website beginning on Thursday. The paywall goes up for all of the company’s newspapers, including the south suburbs’ SouthtownStar, Northwest Indiana’s Post-Tribune, and the Chicago Sun-Times itself. Beginning on Thursday, visitors are allowed 20 free page views a month. But […]

“At The Movies” to go on hiatus

The balcony is closing. Again. But it could reopen soon. On his Chicago Sun-Times blog tonight, Roger Ebert posted that production on Ebert Presents At The Movies has been suspended indefinitely due to a lack of funding and an inability to find an underwriter for the PBS show. The move was pretty much expected – Ebert had until November 30 […]

Roger Ebert’s “At The Movies” on the ropes

Could the balcony close again? Sure looks like it. Roger Ebert’s revival of At The Movies could bite the dust after only one season due to problems finding financing for the show, according to an item he posted on his Chicago Sun-Times blog. Movies has been primarily funded by Ebert and his wife Chaz themselves. With the Eberts no longer […]

The balcony’s getting full

The balcony has officially re-opened – and it’s getting a little bit crowded as PBS’ new Ebert Presents At The Movies is adding another movie critic to its roster. This time it’s Daily Herald movie critic Dann Gire who is joining the Chicago-based movie review show (the Daily Herald is an Arlington Heights-based newspaper which serves the northwest ‘burbs.) Gire […]

Roger Ebert revives "At The Movies"

The title card of the new Roger Ebert Presents At The Movies. Get your popcorn ready – because the balcony is re-opening and there’s going to be a show. One of the principals behind Sneak Previews/At The Movies is bringing the series back to its original home of PBS. Chicago Sun-Times movie critic Roger Ebert announced on his website today […]

The Grab Bag: Bill Gamble out at CBS Radio

…and other local media items of note – Chicago radio veteran Bill Gamble is out of  another radio job. He was canned as program director of CBS’ WCFS-FM (Fresh FM) and country WUSN-FM (US 99) on Tuesday, lasting a little over eight months. While US 99 continued to chug along nicely at the station, it was the troubles of Adult […]

Ebert to Mariotti: You’re a backstabbing sellout

More and more individuals from the Sun-Times are speaking their mind on Jay Mariotti’s sudden departure from the paper – and here’s the most notable of them all – Roger Ebert’s letter to Jay Mariotti – in which he calls Mariotti a rat – totally a great read. Also, baseball writer Chris De Luca weighs in on Mariotti’s departure. And […]

Big Bens to helm "At the Movies"

Well, that was quick. Forty-eight hours after Roger Ebert and Richard Roeper announced their departure from At the Movies, Disney-ABC Domestic Television Distribution has named new co-hosts for the weekly syndicated movie review show – and announced a new format as well. Ben Lyons – the son of New York film reviewer Jeffrey Lyons (who coincidentally co-hosts a competing syndicated […]

Ebert & Roeper close the balcony

(Updated from an earlier story.) The balcony is closed. Forever.Chicago Sun-Times personalities Richard Roeper and Roger Ebert has decided to leave the 22 year-old Disney-ABC Domestic Television-syndicated At the Movies. Roeper succeeded the late Gene Siskel in the role after his death in 1999, but medical problems have sidelined co-host Ebert for the last two years, while ratings for the […]