The Media Notepad: Q101 names James Kudziel as new PD

Also: NBA, Stanley Cup Final earns mixed ratings numbers; Nexstar moves CW affiliations to its owned stations in three markets; “Velma” renewed for season two Usually, trades are reserved for sports teams though this one could be compared to the Chicago White Sox trading a player to the Minnesota Twins. Cumulus Media announced Tuesday the appointment of James Kurdziel from […]

Sinclair wins battle for Fox’s RSNs

Sinclair is the winner in auction; pays $10 billion for 21 Fox RSNs including Fox Sports Wisconsin  The long national nightmare is over: after months of being on the sales block, the Fox Sports RSNs (regional sports networks) finally have a new owner. Sinclair Broadcast Group announced Friday it is buying the 21 sports networks and three Fox Sports College […]

DMA Report: Chicago continues to lose ground, but less so

Most top markets lose TV homes as streaming, other alternatives take hold New York, Miami, Orlando only markets in top twenty to post gains while last year’s big winners slipped As a nation, it looks like were are ditching the traditional boob tube when it comes to TV. With streaming on devices such as laptops, smartphones, and tablets are becoming […]

ABC, Scripps to launch LAFF

ABC, Scripps stations clear new diginet; ABC to keep LiveWell after all ABC and Scripps Broadcasting announced this weekend they are launching a brand new digital subchannel called LAFF, injunction with Katz Communications beginning on April 15, “tax day”. Details on what the planned comedy network would carry (hint: you can’t go wrong with Mystery Science Theater 3000 reruns) were […]

“Simpsons” make serious “D’oh” with new cable deal

Twentieth Television sells to corporate sibling FXX for an estimated $750 million-$1 billion For fans eager for more Simpsons beyond the offerings on Fox and in broadcast syndication, finally some good news – but it comes with some strings attached. After two decades, The Simpsons are finally coming to cable in a $750-$1 billion mega deal with recently-launched FXX, 21st […]

Analysis: “Simpsons” finally headed to cable

What this means for fans of the long-running franchise, its syndicator and the show itself In news first reported by TV Guide’s Michael Schneider Monday, the longest-running series in primetime TV history is expected to be sold by Twentieth Television to a cable network this year for airing in the fall of 2014. Possible cable contenders include Turner Broadcasting (TBS, […]

“The Jeff Probst Show” canceled

I’ll bet you’ve heard a lot of this in the last 48 hours: Jeff Probst …the tribe has spoken. CBS Television Distribution voted The Jeff Probst Show off the talk show island after one season, as the program could not find an audience. The Survivor host’s daytime talker had been averaging around a 0.7 Nielsen household live-plus same-day rating this […]

Sunday ratings: NFL, Ryder Cup rules

Now that’s more like it. The first Sunday night is in the books as footabll ruled prime-time once again as the New York Giants took on the Philadelphia Eagles in the city of Brotherly Love (or hate.) Meanwhile, NBC also got ratings mileage Sunday afternoon thanks in part to the historic collapse of the U.S. team in the Ryder Cup […]

T Dog’s Grab Bag: “Bethenny” heads to Fox Chicago

It’s a done deal: after a successful six-week test run at a few Fox-owned stations this summer, Bethenny Frankel’s new talk show from Warner Bros. has been cleared on the rest of the group in seventeen markets, including WFLD-TV in Chicago and is now going forward with a national launch in 2013. The former Real Housewives star was tested in […]

WITI says no to "Osbournes"

Fox affiliate WITI-TV in Milwaukee decided not to air the abomination that is Osbournes: Reloaded, a variety special aired tonight on Fox, after American Idol. Instead, the program is airing at 1 a.m. WITI originally planned not to air the special, but decided to delay it until 1 a.m. Wednesday at the last minute. The station was a Fox O&O […]

CBS sells TV stations

CBS Corp. announced today it is selling seven of its owned and operated stations to equity-firm Cerberus Capital Management for $185 million dollars. The deal includes CBS affiliates in Austin TX, Salt Lake City (and its satellite station), CW affiliates in Providence and West Palm Beach, along with two low-power stations in the latter market. Surprisingly, CBS did not sell […]