Teri Arvesu
Teri Arvesu, the energetic and spirited news director of WGBO-Channel 66, has been promoted to vice president/director of content at the Univision Chicago Spanish-language station.
The move announced by Doug Levy, senior vice president and general manager of Univision Chicago, was one of several aimed at transforming the operation into what he called a “content creation machine.” Continue reading
Chicago magazine
Robservations on the media beat:
Chicago magazine has been nominated for prestigious honors from the American Society of Magazine Editors. The revitalized monthly was named a finalist Thursday for the 2017 National Magazine Awards in the General Excellence – Special Interest category. “We pour a lot of energy and emotion into every issue, and we don’t do it to win awards but to serve our readers,” said Chicago editor and publisher Susanna Homan. “Even so, this particular category is special to us because everyone on the masthead contributed. In our industry, the National Magazine Awards are like the Oscars — being even a finalist is a very big deal." Sixty-four media organizations were nominated in 20 categories this year. Awards will be presented February 7 in New York. Continue reading
Richard Roeper
Sun-Times film critic Richard Roeper will host a monthlong series of 40 Academy Award-winning movies on HDNet Movies, the digital cable and satellite network.
From January 29 to February 24, Roeper will introduce “And the Oscar Goes To: Presented by Richard Roeper,” a nightly lineup of some of Hollywood’s most honored films, culminating with a three-day marathon on Oscar weekend from February 24 to 26. Continue reading
Eric Ferguson and Kathy Hart
Robservations on the media beat:
Chicago radio’s favorite morning couple have renewed their pact with their loyal audience. Hubbard Radio Chicago announced Tuesday that Radio Hall of Famers Eric Ferguson and Kathy Hart have signed multiyear agreements to continue hosting mornings at hot adult-contemporary WTMX FM 101.9. Now in their 20th year at The Mix, Eric & Kathy are still No. 1 among advertiser-coveted 25-to-54-year-old adults. Both are Chicago area natives. "I'm excited to continue to call The Mix and Hubbard Radio home,” Ferguson said. “After so many years of great support, I could never imagine being anywhere else. I've been with Drew Horowitz since my first day in Chicago, and getting the opportunity to work for Ginny Morris, Dave Bestler and the entire Hubbard family has been a blessing. Please let them know I'm planning on doing 20 more years." Continue reading
RedEye and Sun-Times (Photo: Tony Lossano)
Robservations on the media beat:
The decision to cease Monday-through-Friday publication of RedEye after 15 years and convert the spunky tabloid into a weekly dining and entertainment guide effectively ends the Chicago Tribune’s grand experiment to convert 18- to 34-year-olds into daily newspaper readers. The immediate impact will be the loss of untold editorial and production jobs when the cutback takes effect February 3. But sources say it also could signal renewed interest in a merger involving the Sun-Times and the Tribune. Former Sun-Times owner Michael Ferro, who now runs Tribune parent company tronc, long has hoped to bring both papers under his control. The Sun-Times already relies on tronc for printing and distribution. Now with RedEye no longer competing against the Sun-Times for tabloid-reading commuters (and with Gannett out of the picture), insiders say it’s a “logical next step” — assuming Ferro can get around antitrust issues. Continue reading
Jason Goff
Following the retirement last week of 25-year veteran host Terry Boers from WSCR AM 670, the CBS Radio sports/talk station is shifting Jason Goff from middays to afternoons alongside Boers’s former partner, Dan Bernstein.
Replacing Goff alongside Matt Spiegel in middays will be newcomer Danny Parkins, a Chicago native who joins The Score from KCSP, a sports/talk station in Kansas City. He currently hosts a top-rated afternoon show there. Continue reading
Ron Parker
Robservations on the media beat:
Just in from New York, radio veteran Ron Parker hits the air today as new afternoon personality on WLS FM 94.7, the Cumulus Media classic hits station. The Bronx native most recently worked for Sirius XM Radio and at WNSH and WCBS FM in New York. Previous markets included San Francisco, Houston, Dallas, Phoenix and Tallahassee. “Ron is one of the premier talents of the classic hits format and has always achieved ratings success,” Brian Thomas, program director of WLS FM, said in a statement. The two worked together earlier at WNSH and WCBS. Hosting from 3 to 7 p.m. weekdays, Parker replaces Robert Murphy, who signed off December 30 after his contract was not renewed. Continue reading
Marty Zivin (Photo: Bart Shore)
Marty Zivin loved radio more than anyone I ever knew.
From the time he was a kid growing up in the suburbs, he was mesmerized by the medium. He loved programming radio. He loved designing radio. He loved broadcasting radio. And always, he loved talking about radio. Continue reading
Tammie Souza
Robservations on the media beat:
Here’s hoping it’s always sunny in Philadelphia for meteorologist Tammie Souza, who’s just been hired by NBC-owned WCAU there. Souza will sign off at the end of February after six years at Fox-owned WFLD-Channel 32. “A once in a lifetime opportunity was offered to me several months ago and after deep prayer and much family discussion I have accepted a dream job as a meteorologist on NBC10 in Philadelphia,” she told friends on Facebook. “My bosses at Fox have been supportive and the decision to leave was entirely mine.” This was Souza’s second stint in Chicago, following a six-year run at NBC-owned WMAQ-Channel 5 and two years at Fox 32. She returned to Fox 32 in 2011. Continue reading
Ben Bradley
Chicago news veteran Ben Bradley, who chose not to renew his contract last October after 14 years at ABC-owned WLS-Channel 7, has joined Tribune Broadcasting WGN-Channel 9 as an investigative reporter.
Bradley, 41, signed a multiyear contract Wednesday to join the “WGN Investigates” team, working alongside news anchors Mark Suppelsa and Lourdes Duarte and producer Marsha Bartel. Sources said the deal also calls for Bradley to take on a Monday-through-Friday anchor role sometime in the coming months, confirming an earlier report here. Continue reading