Michigan Avenue cover story elevates Emanuel

Rahm Emanuel

Robservations on the media beat:

• The new issue of Michigan Avenue magazine features Mayor Rahm Emanuel perched atop City Hall on the cover and captures a rare glimpse of him riding to work on the L. “People have a cynical view of politicians,” he tells WGN-TV reporter Tom Negovan, who wrote the upbeat, intimate profile. “We’re up in the box seats, we’re in a limo, we have all these benefits that come with the job and we exploit them. There ain’t nothing more street-level — except for it’s elevated — than the L.” Negovan is married to Michigan Avenue editor-in-chief Susanna Negovan, who says: “I feel strongly that he was the right person to write this piece,” adding that she considers the edition “my crowning achievement as an editor.” Other highlights of the April/May issue include a look inside the 68-acre Mettawa Manor estate of Bill Kurtis and Donna LaPietra by Lisa Skolnik, and a visit with Skyline gossip columnist Ann Gerber, still dishing dirt after more than 60 years, by Sarah Preston Gorenstein.

• One day after the ouster last week of Michael Damsky as president and general manager of news/talk WLS-AM (890) and oldies WLS-FM (94.7) Cumulus Media named David Crowl regional vice president, overseeing operations and sales for the company in the Midwest, including Chicago and Cincinnati, Ohio. He most recently had been regional senior vice president for operations at Clear Channel Radio before he was forced out last May. Of his new job, Crowl said in a statement: “There is a tremendous amount of innovation and growth taking place within the company, and I am excited to have the opportunity to contribute to that effort.”

• The Better Government Association, the non-profit government watchdog agency, expanded its partnership with the Chicago Sun-Times last week with the debut of The Public Eye, a news analysis column highlighting BGA investigations. “This is another way to shine a light on government and hold public officials accountable,” said Andy Shaw, the BGA’s president and CEO.

• Veteran Chicago producer Tom Weinberg is seeking funding to complete production on Baseball Has Been Very, Very Good to Me, a documentary about White Sox legend Minnie Minoso. The Cuban-born Minoso, 89, was the first black Latin American star in the major leagues and the only professional ever to play ball in seven different decades. Weinberg, who’s been working with Minoso on the project for more than a year, is launching an online campaign today to raise more than $20,000 on Kickstarter.com. (Here is the link.) Pledge rewards include unique Minoso memorabilia.

• Radio Hall of Famer Orion Samuelson, the voice of agribusiness on news/talk WGN-AM (720) for more than 50 years, will be the commencement speaker May 13 at the University of Illinois in Champaign. Samuelson received an honorary doctoral degree from the university in 2001 — the same year he received the Lincoln Medal, the highest award given by the state of Illinois.