WBBM-TV’s news ratings continue to lag

Spent so much time on WFLD lately (Mike Barz’s firing and the station’s 10 p.m. newscast cancellation), now there’s a story of Chicago’s other ratings-losing news operation – CBS-owned WBBM-TV. But while both news stations are still trying to find an audience, NBC-owned WMAQ-TV’s 10 p.m. newscast has seen a 13% increase in household ratings since January and is now […]

WFLD cancels "The Ten"

WWOR in New York also drops 10 p.m. newscast, but moves it to 11 p.m. Time’s up for The Ten. Fox-owned WFLD is dropping its 10 p.m. newscast titled The Ten after two uneventful years and will remove it from its schedule on September 18 (this blog’s birthday.) On September 21, WFLD will air off-network repeats of The Office in […]

WBBM-TV plans newscast overhaul

CBS O&O WBBM-TV plans to overhaul its news operation. Again.According to this article at B&C, WBBM General manager Bruno Cohen plans to once again remake the station’s newscasts, which ratingswise, lag behind others in the market. Cohen, who came from sister station KOVR-TV in Sacramento, said the station is underperforming in many time slots. Despite the fact the station airs […]

John Callaway dies

A day after TV legend Ed McMahon died, another media legend – this time locally – has passed on. John Callaway – a figure in Chicago media for the last four to five decades, died Tuesday night after suffering a heart attack in Racine, Wis. Callaway was known for his tough interviews with local and national politicians and other figures, […]

T Dog’s Four Pack

The list of winners and losers are back! Yes, they can! Conan. As Conan O’ Brien is settling down in his new Tonight Show role, he has more than proven himself as a successor to Jay Leno (or… maybe not.) Futurama returns. Six years later after Fox canceled this underrated show, Comedy Central comes to the rescue with 26 new […]

"Rachael Ray" moves to WGN-TV

Rachael Ray is on the move. After three underperforming seasons at CBS-owned WBBM-TV, Rachael Ray’s talk show is shifting to Tribune-owned CW affiliate WGN-TV this fall. Rachael Ray has not fared well in its 2 p.m. time slot, with tougher competition coming from Chicago native Bonnie Hunt, whose talk show airs opposite it and has beat Rachael in the ratings. […]

Chicago TV outlets to share raw news video

Well, I suppose its a sign of the times… Chicago’s news outlets announced they will pool their raw video in order to keep expenses down. The news-sharing model was adopted by NBC-owned WMAQ-TV and Fox-owned WFLD-TV last fall (along with sharing a job), but now they have invited CBS-owned WBBM-TV and CW affiliate WGN-TV to join in. This means a […]

WBBM-TV cuts staff; demotes State

The Church of Tisch has done it again. CBS-owned WBBM-TV underwent numerous staff cuts, including entertainment reporter Bill Zwecker, reporter Joanie Lum, and longtime fill-in sportscaster Howard Sudsberry. In addition, the station also demoted Anne State – who is now only anchoring the 5 p.m. newscast with Rob Johnson, who is anchoring the 6 p.m. and 10 p.m. newscast solo. […]

Sweeping up

From the recently concluded March ratings period: Chicago: WLS-TV remained on top, as usual at 10 p.m., but CBS-owned WBBM-TV is up 50 percent in the same time period in households. At 9 p.m., WGN-TV’s newscast had a 43 percent advantage over an above-average WFLD-TV, despite popular Fox prime-time lead-ins. Milwaukee: And lead-ins didn’t matter here either, as NBC affiliate […]

CBS may end "Guiding Light"

The Guiding Light may soon be extinguished. CBS and Procter & Gamble Productions are expected to decide soon on the fate of television and radio’s longest-running program (combined) currently clocked in at 70 years. Light, which began on radio in 1937 and moved to television in 1952, has fared poorly in the ratings over the last two decades. It is […]

Amy Jacobson heads to WLS-AM

She’s back… and she didn’t even have to be banished to Rockford, Peoria, or Cheyenne, Wyo. to find work… Call it a career reboot… Amy Jacobson was hired Friday by Citadel Broadcasting’s WLS-AM to join Roe Conn’s top-rated afternoon show as a sidekick, beginning in May. As you recall (or probably sick of hearing about), Jacobson was fired by her […]

Amy Jacobson vs. CBS: Round one goes to Amy

A Cook County judge is allowing a lawsuit filed by former WMAQ-TV reporter Amy Jacobson against CBS and its O&O here (WBBM-TV) to go forward after the station videotaped her at Craig Stebic’s house in July 2007. The tape aired on the station and cost Ms. Jacobson her job. Stebic is a suspect in the disappearence of his wife, who […]

T Dog’s Groovy Grab Bag

Syndication switcheroo; Universal Sports add more clearances; Young files Chapter 11. – With another ratings period ahead, two Chicago stations have made some major changes to their syndicated lineups: * Beginning today, WCIU-TV is swapping time periods with Warner Bros.’ The People’s Court and Sony’s now-canceled Judge Karen. With Karen now out of production, WCIU has moved the show to […]

Could Channel 2 dump its street-side studio?

If you’re one of those who waives to the few people watching Channel 2’s newscasts through the window of its street-side studio, time may be running out. CBS-owned WBBM-TV is considering moving its newscasts from the street-level studio it occupies along Dearborn Street at Daley Plaza to the second floor. Nothing is definite yet, but the station is considering moving […]