Front Office Sports to produce a nightly syndicated show

Sports business program already cleared in 85 percent of the country In a first-of-its-kind programming venture, Front Office Sports, a sports business publication owned by Redbird IMI, is launching a nightly, half-hour syndicated strip called Front Office Sports Tonight, already clearing 85 percent of the country with the Fox owned-and-operated stations as the main launch group, debuting September 14. The […]

It’s official: Lou Canellis joins NBC 5 as main sports anchor

He starts this coming Sunday  Lou Canellis has officially made the leap from Fox-owned WFLD, where he spent seventeen years as the main sports anchor, to NBC-owned WMAQ-TV where he will start on February 1.  Caneills will anchor the sports segments from Monday through Thursday at 5 p.m., 6 p.m., and 10 p.m., and will host the station’s long-running Sports […]

Fox Chicago duopoly announces management change with Glenn Berk named new SVP/GM

From WITI Milwaukee, he replaces retiring Sheila Oliver As first reported by TVNewsCheck Thursday, Glenn Berk has been named Senior Vice-President and General Manager of Fox-owned WFLD and WPWR, branded respectively as Fox 32 and Fox Chicago Plus. He succeeds Sheila Oliver, who announced her retirement yesterday. The move takes place on June 30th.  Berk comes from Fox-owned sister station WITI […]

Fox Chicago duopoly announces Sheila Oliver as new VP/GM

Succeeds the retiring Dennis Walsh in role Fox’s Chicago duopoly quickly found a new leader by announcing Tuesday the hire of Sheila Oliver to run Fox 32 (WFLD) and My50 (WPWR). Oliver moves over from the Fox-owned Seattle duopoly of KCPQ and KJZO. “Sheila is a Fox Television Stations veteran of both news and sales who leads with her Midwestern charm […]

Derek Chavin murder trial to be streamed, televised

Minneapolis stations, cable networks to carry proceedings in the death of George Floyd The landmark Derek Chavin murder trial began Monday and viewers can get a front row seat to one of the biggest legal proceedings in a generation.  It’s a historic trial to begin with: it marks the first time a Minnesota criminal trial has been televised gavel-to-gavel from […]

The Media Notepad: Mike North calls it a (sports) career; Corey McPherrin promoted

Plus: ABC 7 dominates in ratings AND social media; Minneapolis station latest to drop “My” branding That’s a wrap…for now: Mike North went on television Tuesday night and announced he was “retiring” from sports media, including radio, television, writing, podcasts… you name it. On WTTW’s Chicago Tonight, North told host Phil Ponce talking sports today was just too complicated. He […]

Ex-Chicagoan Jason Matheson goes national with talk show

Or… close to it. Matheson part of four-week test in select markets, including Chicago Chicago native and Minneapolis radio personality Jason Matheson is getting a second shot at national stardom – with another four-week test – this time, including his hometown. The Jason Show, produced by Fox-owned KMSP in Minneapolis is getting tested in several markets for the next four […]

T Dog’s Grab Bag: CBS, AT&T sign retransmission deal

Reach out and touch someone…. No, not there. Or there. The Grab Bag: – CBS AT&T . CBS Corp. and AT & T have signed a brand new retransmission consent deal, covering all CBS-owned stations (which includes CBS, CW, and independent stations), Showtime, The Smithsonian Channel, and CBS Sports Network. Locally, the deal covers CBS-owned WBBM-TV over all AT&T U-Verse […]

T Dog’s Grab Bag: RIP Kathryn Joosten

Some sad news to start off this edition of notations: Emmy-award winning actress Kathryn Joosten died on Sunday after a long battle with lung cancer at the age of 72. She was best known for her portrayal of presidential secretary Mrs. Landingham on The West Wing, and most recently, the nosy neighbor on Desperate Housewives. Born in Eustus, Fl. in […]

Tribune’s WGN-TV renews "Family Guy" – with WCIU in tow

  Soon, “Family Guy” will have TWO places to call home in Chicago. In a rather odd twist to a renewal deal, Tribune-owned WGN-TV has renewed syndicated repeats of Family Guy for a second cycle in a new four-year deal through 2015, which kicks in on September 12, 2011. But as a part of the deal, Weigel-owned independent station WCIU-TV […]

Wild romps in ratings

The beast known as American Idol has finally fallen – at least in Minneapolis-St. Paul. A Minnesota Wild NHL playoff game topped Idol last Wednesday night with Game 1 of the Western Conference Quarterfinal series against the Colorado Avalanche earning a 11.3 household rating and a 22 household share on independent KSTC-TV with Idol on Fox-owned KMSP-TV nabbing a 10.3/19. […]