Also: Rob Stafford returns to WMAQ; Get ready for more PAC ads; CBS Radio gambles and loses on blunder Mark Suppelsa is calling it a career – the longtime Chicago news anchor and investigative reporter announced Thursday he was retiring after nearly three decades in the news business. Suppelsa is currently anchoring newscasts for WGN-TV at 5, 6, 9, and […]
Things are starting to get desperate at Wrapports. As reported by Crain’s Friday, the owner of the Sun-Times is giving a group led by former Alderman Edward Eisendath until today to submit a bid to buy the paper. If not, it would pursue a merger with tronc, as planned. If the Justice Department blocks the deal, Wrapports says it would […]
Chicago sports teams now have something in common with media companies – rebuilding when the good times end Chicagoans better get used to a word they’ve been hearing a lot: rebuild. Last week, two of Chicago’s sports franchises – the Bulls and Blackhawks announced changes that dramatically overhauled their lineups for next season. On the day of the NBA Draft, […]
Ratings don’t seem to matter much as ad buyers remained committed to primetime TV This season, the television business has had its share of negative headlines: notably declining ratings for many shows, especially in the key 18-49 demo. But this isn’t deterring buyers from investing their advertising in primetime TV. And nowhere more this was evident than last week as […]
With Monday’s acquisition of Tribune Media by Sinclair, it is time to divvy up the winners and losers in this historic deal. Winner: Sinclair Broadcasting (of course.) No one thought Sinclair would ever crack the top five markets, including New York and Los Angeles. Let’s just say Christmas morning came for the once-obscure broadcaster May 8. And look for Sinclair […]
Mega deal is the biggest in television history: 42 station-group sold to Maryland-based broadcaster Ends local ownership of WGN-TV and WGN Radio after more than 60 years Sinclair’s purchase of Tribune Media will change the landscape of local television as we know it. For one, Tribune – with roots in television going back to 1948 as the WGN Continental Broadcasting […]
Look for more consolidation as FCC gifts media conglomerates by relaxing media ownership rules In all my years of following the television industry, I’ve never seen an outright scam perpetrated onto the public by a government agency. But that’s what we have as the Federal Communications Commission announced Thursday the restoration of the UHF discount abolished a few months ago in […]
If you are an over-the-air customer in Chicago – or anywhere for that matter, get ready for some big changes as six local stations relocate. The FCC released a list Thursday of how many stations across the country sold their spectrum to wireless companies – and several big-market stations are on the list – including Chicago. Six local TV stations […]
Dr. Phil and his son Jay bring the UK’s Daily Mail to TV stateside Also: Harry officially returns for season two Leave it to Dr. Phil and son Jay to bring a show based on a crap tabloid newspaper to TV. But that’s what we have in Daily Mail, a project being peddled by CBS Television Distribution and found suckers […]
Also: ABC 7 and WGN-TV are February sweeps winners; Tribune Broadcasting update; T.D. Jakes show is canceled; Legion, Good Wife renewed; Iron Fist debuts With the 33-37 Bulls once again struggling in the ratings locally, it comes as no surprise Chicago’s NBA team is dragging down the league’s ratings nationally. According to Nielsen via Sports Media Watch, March 12’s game on ABC […]
Potential mega mergers could be on the horizon – and Sinclair-Tribune may be first The worst-case scenario many in the TV industry fearing could come true. Several reports surfaced this week if the FCC relaxes – or eliminates the TV ownership rules, Hunt Valley Md.-based Sinclair Broadcasting could merge with Chicago-based Tribune Media. Talks are preliminary, according to sources. Neither company […]
Second incident in a week where as someone in the media is disciplined for tweeting As first reported by Robert Feder Thursday evening, WLS-TV sports anchor and director Mark Giangreco has been suspended for “multiple weeks” after sending a tweet critical of President Donald Trump. On Sunday, the 35-year veteran of Chicago television responded to a tweet sent by a […]
Kathy and Judy are out….again Groundhog day isn’t until Thursday, but for WGN Radio, it came on Monday. As first reported by Robert Feder (whose article on this story has 185 comments – and counting at the time of this writing), the Tribune-owned radio station announced Monday it is bringing back John Williams (not to be confused with the award-winning […]
XETV flips to Spanish programming on May 31 after losing CW affiliation (Editor’s Note: It is rare these days for yours truly to write about musings from another TV/radio market since this blog is basically about Chicago radio and TV, and the national TV scene. But this is an unusual story worth mentioning.) After 64 years, it is lights out […]
Search for new CEO is underway Four years after he arrived, Peter Ligouri is heading toward the exit door. Ligouri told staffers at Tribune Media Wednesday he was leaving his post as CEO of the Chicago-based media group, effective March 1. Ligouri was recently named to Sony Corp.’s board as an advisor, but that’s not the reason why he’s leaving […]
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