Hosea Sanders
Robservations on the media beat:
Hosea Sanders is spending his 61st birthday at home today recovering from what he called “serious abdominal surgery.” The longtime news anchor at ABC-owned WLS-Channel 7 has been off the air since June 19. Sanders said Wednesday he feels “blessed to be on the other side of surgery and on the way to healing — with the encouragement of the many who have shown how much they care.” Last year Sanders underwent surgery and lengthy treatment for prostate cancer. Along with Cheryl Burton he co-anchors the 7 p.m. weeknight newscast produced by ABC 7 for Weigel Broadcasting’s WCIU-Channel 26.
Terry Boers
“The Heavy Fuel Crew” returns: Terry Boers will fill in with former partner Dan McNeil for three days next week — Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday — on Entercom sports/talk WSCR 670-AM. Boers retired in January 2017 after 25 years at The Score. “Danny Mac and I will use the three days to stroll down memory lane for sure, but there will plenty more,” Boers tweeted. “Remember, Da Coach once said the past is for cowards and losers.” McNeil returned to The Score in March to co-host afternoons with Danny Parkins.
Kerry Lester
Kerry Lester, former star columnist of the Daily Herald, is at work on another book. This one’s about State Representative Barbara Flynn Currie, Illinois' first female majority leader, who's retiring after a nearly 40-year career in the legislature. Earlier this year, Lester published the headline-making No, My Place: Reflections on sexual harassment in Illinois government and politics, revealing inappropriate and sexist behavior endured by the state’s most powerful women. Since taking a buyout from the Daily Herald in November, Lester also has been doing part-time political consulting work.
Leti Aguilera
Leti Aguilera, former vice president and general manager of regional Mexican WLEY 107.9-FM, is suing parent company Spanish Broadcasting System for wrongful termination in May 2017. According to Tom Taylor Now, Aguilera’s federal lawsuit alleges 10 causes of action, including harassment and hostile work environment based upon sexual orientation and breach of contract. (The breach of contract claim was for her position as regional vice president for Los Angeles and Chicago. Aguilera was overseeing KLAX and KXOL in L.A. as well as WLEY in Chicago.) Before she was named general manager of La Ley in 2015, Aguilera was local sales manager and director of marketing and promotion. Since March she has been working as a sales account executive for Entercom classic hip-hop and R&B WBMX 104.3-FM.
Jack Taddeo
Former Chicago radio exec and broadcast consultant Jack Taddeo has resigned as market manager for NRG Media in Waterloo-Cedar Falls and Cedar Rapids, Iowa. “I’ll have news of my new position very soon,” he said. Taddeo previously managed suburban Chicago station groups for NextMedia and Matrix Media. Earlier he was program director of adult contemporary WLIT 93.9-FM and its predecessor, WLAK.
Wednesday’s comment of the day: Terry Stanton: A huge move in the ratings like [Steve] Cochran's reinforces my suspicion that any one ratings measure in radio is unreliable.