T Dog’s Media Notepad: Chicago loses population again

Also…management change at CSN Chicago; another new entry in syndication; MeTV FM going national; new host for Sy-Fy’s Comic-Con show All together now: The Chicago DMA has lost population again,for a third year in a row, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Chicago proper lost nearly 8,700 residents in the past year – and is the only city in the top […]

TCA Summer Tour 2014: Crash course in cable

The Television Critics Association’s Press Tour got underway last week at the Beverly Hills Hilton in Beverly Hills, Ca. For the next two weeks, TV and media critics will be listening to executives talk a lot of BS, see actors whining, and asking tough questions while tweeting away. But there is also the potential for some fun moments (remember a Downton […]

Syndicated “Cops” to get makeover

After two decades in syndication, an off-network property is getting a facelift Cops, a longtime staple on both Fox and in off-network syndication, is being re-branded by Twentieth Television as Cops Reloaded in broadcast syndication and is being re-formatted an re-edited into different segments appering in the body of the show. For example, one segement could feature a car chase in […]

T Dog’s Six Pack: Needing some extra “support”

Ah, lucky Providence, R.I. They get to see women in bras in the prime access hour. We Chicagoans get Bill Kurtis and Walter Jacobson. You know, it’s hard to be a bra salesman these days in Providence when you have the Internet… and now you have infomercials running as early as 7 p.m.! Is it no surprise that 25% of […]

CBS and Turner grab NCAA Tournament

CBS and Turner Broadcasting announced a mega-deal that will keep at least some of the NCAA Tournament on the Tiffany network – but much of it is moving to cable. In an eye-popping 14-year, $10.8 billion deal struck on Wednesday, CBS and Turner’s family of networks – TNT, TBS, and TruTV (formerly CourtTV) will carry both the preliminary and second […]

Turner gets aggressive with broadcast networks

CW is turning into the All-Drama Channel. Another is already there. Only difference is they actually know drama. Turner networks unveiled their new programs at the network upfronts with TNT’s focus on dramas and TBS’ focus on comedies and sitcoms – and a new weeknight talk show hosted by George Lopez. TNT, one of the top-rated cable networks, trotted out […]

Say goodbye to Nick GAS, Court TV

The new year brings changes to cable lineups as Court TV becomes TruTV on Tuesday and Nick GAS (which ran out of gas long ago – couldn’t no longer afford to fill up the tank, perhaps?) becomes teen-oriented channel The N, split off from pre-school/tot channel Noggin. Effective today, both become 24/7 services. Both Nick GAS and Court TV join […]