Michael Ferro

The man responsible for gutting the Sun-Times and eliminating the jobs of dozens of reporters, photographers and editors in Chicago thinks it's “a great time to be a journalist.”

Michael Ferro, chairman of Sun-Times Media parent company Wrapports LLC, made the upbeat declaration in an interview Friday on “Bloomberg Markets.” Continue reading →

David Manilow and Rich Melman

The impresario of “Check, Please!” is stepping out from behind the curtain.

David Manilow, creator and executive producer of the popular restaurant-review show on WTTW-Channel 11, will host a new online video series featuring conversations with “diverse, unique and notable personalities” on Chicago’s restaurant scene. Continue reading →

Amy Guth

Celebrated Chicago journalist Amy Guth knows what it’s like to be the target of vicious and terrifying harassment by online trolls — and to be advised by well-meaning friends to pretend it didn’t happen.

She’s not pretending anymore.

On Wednesday Guth launched a Kickstarter campaign to secure funds for production of an ambitious documentary series about “harassment and civility in the online world and how it relates to women.” Continue reading →

Siera Santos

Comcast SportsNet Chicago filled one of two vacancies in its on-air staff Wednesday with the hiring of Siera Santos as a full-time reporter/anchor, effective immediately.

Santos will appear on “SportsNet Central,” the regional sports network’s nightly sports news program, and contribute to its digital initiatives on CSNChicago.com. Continue reading →

NBC 5 (October 13, 2015)

Chicagoans celebrated the Cubs division series-clinching win Tuesday night by turning to television, of course.

Local news viewership peaked at 10 p.m., with more than 830,572 households in the Chicago area tuned to one of the four late newscasts covering the jubilant aftermath of the historic victory at Wrigley Field, according to Nielsen figures. Continue reading →

Orion Samuelson

Robservations on the media beat:

One month after undergoing heart surgery, Radio Hall of Famer Orion Samuelson returns Tuesday to Steve Cochran’s morning show on Tribune Media news/talk WGN AM 720. Samuelson, 81, will broadcast from his home while recuperating from heart-valve replacement September 14. “Now that I have this recovery time at home to contemplate life, world events, who will win the World Series and college football championship . . . and what our final crop production numbers will be for 2015, I have reached one very firm conclusion. We are very fortunate to live in a time when we have the people and their knowledge to improve our way of life and to make it healthier, safer and more enjoyable if we deal with it responsibly,” the legendary agribusiness reporter wrote Monday. “I know for sure that I do want to live in this world of technology, not in the world of anonymous bloggers.” Continue reading →

Justin Kaufmann

Justin Kaufmann is stepping aside indefinitely as evening host at Tribune Media news/talk WGN AM 720 to deal with what he called “a private and personal matter.”

Kaufmann, who’s been off the air since October 6, said Monday he hopes to return soon. He declined to comment further on the matter. Continue reading →

Aiyana Cristal

Aiyana Cristal, the Comcast SportsNet Chicago reporter who was at the center of a social media controversy earlier this year, has left the regional sports network.

“After two years of positive contributions, Aiyana Cristal is no longer part of our on-air team,” a Comcast SportsNet spokesman said in a statement. “We appreciate the hard work and professionalism she brought to her role at CSN and wish her the best.” Continue reading →

Tribune Tower

Maybe the current bosses will have better luck than their predecessors, but this isn’t the first time in recent years they’ve slapped a “for sale” sign on Tribune Tower.

Thursday’s announcement that Chicago-based Tribune Media had hired real estate banking company Eastdil Secured to “begin exploring strategic monetization alternatives for Tribune Tower and adjacent land” was reminiscent of a similar declaration by Sam Zell, the real estate magnate who took Tribune Company private and dragged it into bankruptcy. Continue reading →

WBBM Newsradio

CBS Radio Chicago appears to be in no rush to name a replacement for Sherman Kaplan as co-host of the top-rated “WBBM Noon Business Hour” alongside Kris Kridel.

Kaplan retired September 22 after 46 years at all-news WBBM AM 780/WCFS FM 105.9, where he most recently co-anchored Monday-through-Friday midday newscasts, including the station's highly popular and profitable business news report. Continue reading →