Chicago media criticized for looting, vandalism coverage

Chicago’s news media under fire for coverage of African-American communities Even though a Tribune article published Friday fell short in describing the tense relationship between the local news media and the Black community, it did bring up valid points needing to be addressed.  In a sub-headline titled “Black Chicagoans, white media at odds”, writer Christen Johnson reported on the frail […]

T Dog’s Think Tank: “It’s not you, it’s me”

WPWR-CW breakup illustrates how some affiliate partnerships don’t work The major networks have enjoyed long, prosperous relationships with their affiliates. For example, Milwaukee’s WTMJ, St. Louis’ KSDK, and Cincinnati’s WLWT each has enjoyed a long relationship with NBC dating back to the late 1940s. CBS and New Orleans’ WWL have been partners since 1957. And ABC and Dallas’ WFAA go […]

T Dog’s Think Tank: Sinclair thinks their viewers are tools

Sinclair’s plans for world domination accelerates while the rest of broadcasting industry stays silent By now, everyone knows Sinclair Broadcasting has a right-wing bent in its newscasts, and panders to the Trump administration. But what they’re doing may put the nail in the coffin of local television- and linear television in general. Sinclair recently ordered its news stations to read […]

The CW exchanges WGN-TV for WPWR

WGN-TV to drop CW affiliation in September; moves to Fox-owned WPWR Tribune Broadcasting renews agreement to carry CW programming in twelve markets Tribune Broadcasting finally renewed its CW affiliations this weekend. But in a surprise move, it didn’t renew its affiliation with WGN-TV in Chicago. Where The CW affiliation wound up is a even bigger surprise. As first reported by Robert […]

T Dog’s Media Notepad: Back in the saddle again

Hello, and welcome back to T Dog Media! Here are some notable news and notes from the last two weeks: Tom Doerr has resigned as news director of Fox-owned WFLD-TV here in Chicago after just three years and six years overall at the station. Doerr is heading back to Florida to deal with personal family issues. During his tenure, ratings […]

More affiliation musicial chairs: WNCN snatches CBS affiliation from WRAL in Raleigh-Durham

Another long-term affiliation relationship has bit the dust. This time, it’s Raleigh-Durham, N.C., known as “The Triangle” as the relationship between WRAL (Channel 5) and CBS is ending after 30 years after the network struck a long-term affiliation deal with crosstown rival WNCN (Channel 17), an NBC affiliate owned by Media General. WRAL turned around and quickly signed a deal with NBC. […]

WLS-TV names John Idler new president and GM

John Idler has been named President and General manager to succeed Emily Barr at ABC-owned WLS-TV here in Chicago. Idler takes over the position immediately, from a similar post at ABC-owned WTVD in Raleigh-Durham, NC. Barr left WLS a few weeks ago in order to take an executive position with Post-Newsweek TV station group, succeeding retiring Alan Frank. Idler takes […]

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 […]

T Dog’s Four Pack -The Oprah Winfrey Edition

Welcome to a special edition of T Dog’s Four Pack (special because this is a bit serious in tone.) On Thursday, Oprah Winfrey announced she was leaving her syndicated daytime talk show after 25 years and ending the program on September 9, 2011. She is focusing on launching her new cable network with Discovery Communications, which goes live in January […]

"Oprah" in trouble?

(Editor’s Note: A rough draft appeared earlier here by mistake, resulting in an error in the second paragraph which has since been corrected. In other words, the word “repeat” should have been where “new” was. – T.H.) Maybe yesterday’s White Sox-Royals brawl may serve as an indication people in Kansas City (and certainly Minnesota) may be sick of anything coming […]