Peacock flies home: NBC 5 closing Michigan Avenue studio
Chicago’s first street-side television studio won’t be celebrating its 10th anniversary later this year after all.
NBC 5 announced plans Tuesday to close the facility it’s been leasing at 401 North Michigan Avenue since December 2003 and move its morning and midday newscasts back to NBC Tower one block east.
NBC 5 adds busy Ivy Leaguer to sports lineup
Robservations on the media beat:
- It didn’t take long for viewers to notice Rebecca Haarlow, who signed on last weekend as free-lance sports reporter at NBC 5. The west suburban native and former captain of the Princeton University track and field team now divides her time as a host and reporter for NFL Network, Fox Sports Net and Big Ten Network. Frank Whittaker, station manager and vice president of news at NBC 5, said Haarlow will be “working for us periodically as we have needs — and as her schedule allows.” She joins Eric Collins and Laurence Holmes on the station’s per-diem sports roster.
Sun-Times standing up for Spielman’s scoop on Mell
Robservations on the media beat:
- Sun-Times editors aren’t backing off a bit from City Hall reporter Fran Spielman’s front-page exclusive Friday that Dick Mell was calling its quits after 38 years in the Chicago City Council. Spielman also reported that the powerful alderman had engineered to have his daughter, State Representative Deb Mell, appointed to succeed him. But when other reporters finally caught up with Mell, he labeled the report premature. (“I’ve been retiring for the past five years,” he told the Tribune. “Sure it’s tempting. I think it’s tempting for everybody.”) Despite Mell’s non-denial denial, Sun-Times editor-in-chief Jim Kirk said he has no second thoughts about how the paper played the news. “We made every attempt to reach Dick before and after the story,” Kirk told me. “I'm comfortable with our sourcing on it.”
Fogel called ‘perfect fit’ to host mornings on K-Hits
Dave Fogel, who stepped down last fall as morning host on WLS-FM (94.7), is stepping up to mornings on WJMK-FM (104.3), the CBS Radio classic hits station known as K-Hits.
Starting Monday, he’ll succeed the duo of Ed Volkman and Joe Bohannon, who were forced out after 20 months because of underperforming ratings. The station has gone jockless in mornings since Eddie & Jobo signed off December 6.
ABC 7’s Davies had a ‘blast’ — and so did countdown viewers
In Chicago, ABC 7 doesn’t just celebrate New Year’s Eve. It owns New Year’s Eve.
At the stroke of midnight Monday night, ABC 7’s Countdown Chicago 2013 had a colossal 17.4 rating and 40 share — with more than 600,000 households and four out of every 10 TVs in use tuned to Janet Davies, Mark Giangreco and their merrymaking colleagues.
What’s with the bullshit on WGN Radio?
Barely 20 minutes into Carol Roth’s very first show on WGN-AM (720) Wednesday, her first guest dropped the S-bomb. Specifically, the word was “bullshit,” uttered by a female psychologist who was talking about how difficult it is for many people to change.
Maybe Roth didn’t hear it. Maybe she thought listeners didn’t hear it. Or maybe, being the radio rookie she is, she didn’t know how to react. (Hint: Learn where the “dump button” is.)
Media preview 2013: Will breaking up be hard to do?
Not exactly predictions, but a few things to look for in the coming year on the beat:
- The emergence of Tribune Co. from bankruptcy puts a “for sale” sign on virtually all of the company’s far-flung media assets. Rupert Murdoch, who has ties to three members of the new Tribune Co. board, would appear to have the inside track in acquiring the Chicago Tribune and the Los Angeles Times. While in town last fall, Murdoch tweeted: “In Windy City, Chicago. What a truly great metropolis. Great challenges, but great people,” followed by: “Maybe Rahm Emanuel will make great mayor of this city. Real SOB, just what needed to face great challenges.” Isn’t that just what someone who wanted to buy the Tribune would say?
‘Democracy Now!’ joins progressive talk lineup
Robservations on the media beat:
- In a long-awaited addition to local radio, the New Year will bring Democracy Now! to Chicago's progressive talk station. Hosted by Amy Goodman and Juan González, the New York-based show is billed as "a daily independent global news hour," funded entirely by audience and foundation grants. Starting Wednesday, it will air at 8pm weeknights on Newsweb Radio's WCPT-AM (820) — simulcast on WCPY-FM (92.5), WCPT-FM (92.7), WCPQ-FM (99.9) and ChicagosProgressiveTalk.com. It will replace Leslie Marshall's syndicated talk show on WCPT's lineup. Launched by Pacifica Radio in 1996, Democracy Now! became an independent non-profit entity in 2002. Up to now, it's been airing here only on Chicago Community Access Network Channel 19 and Chicagoland Radio Information Service for the blind and print-handicapped. For years, citizens groups such as Chicago Media Action and Illinois Coalition for Justice, Peace and the Environment have been petitioning Chicago Public Media to air Democracy Now! on WBEZ-FM (91.5). WCPT also recently picked up Smiley & West, which previously aired on WBEZ, and The Tavis Smiley Show.
Back to the future: How my 2012 media forecast panned out
One thing I admire about Chicago Tribune columnist and uberblogger Eric Zorn is the way he handles predictions. Before gazing into his crystal ball for the coming year, he tallies up the hits and misses on his past year’s forecasts — and publishes his record for all to see.
If only every columnist, blogger and would-be psychic were so responsible. Instead, most ignore their false prophecies year after year and go right on making new ones.
In my Chicago media preview for 2012, I made 10 predictions. Here’s how I fared:
Gone but not forgotten: 2012 edition
Rest in peace to Chicago media personalities who left us in the past year:
It's okay to be a show-off.
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