XETV flips to Spanish programming on May 31 after losing CW affiliation (Editor’s Note: It is rare these days for yours truly to write about musings from another TV/radio market since this blog is basically about Chicago radio and TV, and the national TV scene. But this is an unusual story worth mentioning.) After 64 years, it is lights out […]
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 […]
Grab baggin’: – ABC-owned WLS-TV widened its lead over its competitors during the just-completed May sweeps, according to Nielsen. According to CRM, ABC 7 swept all local news time periods in households (25-54 demos weren’t available at press time), with a decisive victory at 10 p.m., surging 11 percent from May 2012 with a 10.0/18, leaving NBC-owned WMAQ-TV (5.9/11, +4% […]
Format change takes place this Monday Merlin Media announced today it was taking over operations of low-power frequency WLFM (87.7 FM) and is flipping the Smooth Jazz format to Alternative Rock on Monday. WLFM’s owner (Venture Technologies, LLC), will continue to own the station and the station’s license. Merlin already owns classic rock WLUP-FM and all-news WIQI-FM, which replaced former […]
Rosie is over and out; Canadian media consolidates further; and other items of note A lot of items to cover in this week’s Grab bag: In a move that was speculated for some time, struggling cable network OWN finally canceled The Rosie Show after five months on the air. The series’ future was questioned after Rosie O’Donnell sold her Lakeview […]
In good news for the syndication business, two of the platform’s highest-rated shows are going to be around for at least a few more years. CBS Television Distribution’s game-show duo of Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy! has been renewed on the seven ABC-owned and operated stations who carry the programs through 2014. The news broke a week ago on TheWrap.com. […]
– The Chicago Blackhawks may have lost its Western Conference Finals series with the arch rival Detroit Red Wings, but they were big winners locally in the ratings. Despite the fact Versus isn’t carried on a few systems (WOW to name a few), Game 5 still earned a 7.1 household rating Wednesday night where the Wings beat the Hawks to […]
In perhaps the lowest amount ever paid for a TV or radio station in North America history, three small Canadian stations were sold on Friday – for a buck each. Cable MSO Shaw Communications purchased CHWI-TV in Wheatley (Windsor), Ont.; CKX-TV in Brandon, Man.; and CKNX-TV in Wingham, Ont. from CTVglobemedia. All three stations are branded “The A Channel”. CTVglobemedia […]
Gone are 590 jobs nationwide, including longtime WVAZ-FM (V103) veteran Troi Tyler and Irene Mojica; and WGCI-FM overnighter Ericka “Sundance ” Campbell. Clear Channel also let Jeff “Smash Ditty” Murray go as music director and on-air personality of WKSC-FM. Don’t know about you, but if this keeps up, their might be nobody left at CC’s Chicago outlets – including their […]
The Stanley Cup Finals continue to roll on the Motor City with the Red Wings vs. Sid the Kid. Game 3 of the Detroit Red Wings-Pittsburgh Penguins series on NBC beat the competing Game 5 of the Eastern Conference NBA Finals between the Detroit Pistons and Boston Celtics on Wednesday in Detroit, with hockey getting an 18.8 rating and 29 […]
Ratings for the NHL Conference Finals airing on NBC over the weekend scored ratings increases from year-ago matchups in 2007.Last Saturday’s game between the Detroit Red Wings and Dallas Stars earned a 1.5 household rating and 4 share. While that may not seem like much, it is up 25 percent from 2007’s Buffalo Sabres-Ottawa Senators matchup from a year ago. […]