Back a year ago, yours truly did a look ahead into 2017. So how did everything turn out? I have the answers right here! 1. The FCC under a Trump administration. With a 3-2 FCC majority, issues the FCC championed under Tom Wheeler: net neutrality, preserving the cross-ownership rule, and other issues are going to get a hard look at […]
President Obama invites Chicago stations to interview him; Robin Rock returns; ABC 7 launches new anti-fake news campaign; Dish Nation returns for two more seasons.; NBC launches new station in Boston; TCA’s Winter Tour begins Thursday was a big day for local Chicago TV news operations as in an unprecedented move, outgoing President Obama gave interviews with all five local […]
With 2016 officially in the books, let’s look ahead on what to expect in the media business in 2017: 1. The FCC under a Trump administration. With a 3-2 FCC majority, issues the FCC championed under Tom Wheeler: net neutrality, preserving the cross-ownership rule, and other issues are going to get a hard look at – and likely change. 2. […]
The proposed merger between Gannett and Tronc is now off the table. Gannett announced Tuesday it would no longer pursue a merger between the two, due to bankers pulling hteir money from the deal. Merger talks between the two was going at a snail’s pace . By comparison, the AT&T-TimeWarner proposed merger took just two days to get together. The […]
After Monday’s announcement of The CW shifting to WPWR, where does these channels stand? Back in 2008, WGN-TV aired a retrospective of its 60th year in broadcasting. Hosted by Jim Belushi, the special looked back on the station’s local programming such as Garfield Goose, Ray Rayner, and Bozo. Airing on a Sunday night, the special did better in the ratings […]
In market’s fourth affiliation change, NBCUniversal to move affiliation to WNEU-TV WHDH owner Ed Ansin promises fight Politicians question move In a bold move, Comcast Corp. announced Thursday it is launching a new NBC-owned and-operated station in Boston, the nation’s eighth-largest market approximately a year from now. NBC plans to move its affiliation to Telemundo affiliate WNEU-TV (Channel 60), a […]
The last-minute nail biter between the Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots becomes the most-watched program of all time and the tenth-highest rated Chicago pulls in higher number for Super Bowl XLIX than the Bears’ Super Bowl XLII appearance Super Bowl XLIX between Seattle and New England set several ratings records as Americans plopped down in front of their couches […]
Opening ceremonies ranked fourth; Twin Cities gets ratings gold For a city who is basically sick of winter by now (and who isn’t), it doesn’t our interest in the Winter Olympics had been dampened – not by a long shot. Friday marked the Opening Ceremonies of the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia. Despite being tape-delayed for nine hours (one, […]
The Chicago Blackhawks are back on top in the hockey world – and in the ratings. This was quite a year for the Blackhawks, who saw some ups (the 23-game unbeaten streak) and some downs (the late start due to the lockout and Susannah Collins’ controversial firing.) But it was Dave Bolland’s game-winning goal against the Boston Bruins – one […]
Big tune in locally – and nationally The Stanley Cup Final began Wednesday night between the Chicago Blackhawks and the Boston Bruins. This marks both teams’ second appearance in the last four years with the Blackhawks last appearing in 2010 and the Bruins in 2011. The Blackhawks not only won Game 1 in a triple-overtime thriller against the Boston Bruins, […]
Last week was a heinous one for the news media as the Boston Marathon Bombing took place – not to mention an explosion at a fertilizer plant near Waco, Texas, which killed fifteen people and injured hundreds. Chicagoans had their own problems to deal with, as heavy rains brought flooding to the area, adding to the workload for already stressed-out […]
The Voice and Smash get off to impressive starts Here we go again – for the third year in a row, the Super Bowl has set another viewing record – but just barely. Sundays Super Bowl XLVI game between the New York Giants and the New England Patriots from Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis drew 111.3 million viewers – up […]
Conn Smythe winner Jonathan Toews hoists the Cup, the Blackhawks’ first since 1961. (Photo courtesy of Chicago Tribune) For the first time in 49 years, the Chicago Blackhawks hoisted Lord Stanley’s Cup. And viewers fled into the entrances to see the history making event. Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Finals between the Blackhawks and the Philadelphia Flyers drew a […]
It all began on January 7, when a website reported that NBC had canceled The Jay Leno Show. It ended on January 22, with Conan O’Brien leaving The Tonight Show. Welcome to The Late Shift 2: The Screwjob Continues. Based on New York Times writer Bill Carter’s book (and later HBO movie), this is a sequel to the mid 1990s […]
Leno hampering NBC affiliates’ late news; other November “sweeps” notes ABC-owned WLS-TV dominated the ratings in households and key demos in the just concluded November “sweeps” period (do we still have those in this LPM era?) but it was the two other network O&Os who made headlines. NBC-owned WMAQ-TV slipped to third place in households at 10 p.m., behind a […]