WGN Radio Walk of Fame

Four Chicagoans with deep connections to WGN 720-AM will be added to the WGN Radio Walk of Fame, the Tribune Broadcasting news/talk station announced today.

This year's inductees are: John Williams, longtime midday personality who began his career as a college intern for morning superstar Wally Phillips; Andrea Darlas, who resigned in April after 21 years as news anchor, reporter and program host; Marlene Wells, coordinator of sales promotion and merchandising, and a 52-year employee of the station; and Sam “Tenpin Tattler” Weinstein, the late host of a bowling show that aired for 60 years. Continue reading →

Franklin D. Roosevelt

The 75th anniversary of D-Day will be commemorated by the medium that brought it home to America.

Starting this weekend and airing on three consecutive Saturdays in June, “Those Were the Days” will present radio highlights of the events surrounding the Allied landing on June 6, 1944, that marked the beginning of the end of World War II in Europe. Continue reading →

Mort Crim

Robservations on the media beat:

Mort Crim, the retired anchorman said to be the inspiration for Will Ferrell’s Ron Burgundy character, has been chosen for induction in the Illinois Broadcasters Association’s Hall of Fame. A native of West Frankfort, Illinois, who holds a master’s degree from Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism, Crim began in the news department of WLS 890-AM in the early ’60s. He briefly worked in Chicago again in the late ’70s at CBS-owned WBBM-Channel 2. Of his Hall of Fame selection, Crim said: “I’m deeply honored. Even humbled — and for an anchorman, being humbled is quite an accomplishment.” Crim will be inducted June 13 during the IBA’s annual conference in Springfield. Continue reading →

Santita Jackson

Santita Jackson, the Chicago radio personality and political commentator, has been hired as morning host at WCPT 820-AM, the Newsweb Radio progressive talk station.

Jackson, eldest daughter of the Rev. Jesse Jackson, will succeed Bill Press, who's stepping down from the syndicated program he has hosted for 14 years. Jackson’s show, airing from 6 to 8 a.m. weekdays, will debut Monday. Continue reading →

Kris Kridel

Kris Kridel, one of Chicago radio's premier journalists and one of its most familiar voices, is retiring after 34 years as a news anchor at WBBM 780-AM/WCFS 105.9-FM.

Kridel's announcement came just two months after she cut back to part-time status and stepped down as afternoon drive anchor at the Entercom all-news station. Most recently she has been anchoring from noon to 3 p.m. weekdays, including the “Noon Business Hour,” which she has co-hosted since 2001. Continue reading →

CBS 2, 22 West Washington Street

Robservations on the media beat:

WBBM-Channel 2 continues to shrink before our eyes. In the latest retreat, the CBS-owned station is looking to rent out its former street-front studio in the Loop. Once touted as the crown jewel of the building (along with CBS 2's long-dismantled Jumbotron), it's become a white elephant for the company. With windows looking on to Daley Plaza, the 3,500 square-foot space at the northeast corner of Dearborn and Washington was used for CBS 2 newscasts from 2008 to 2017. But it's been gathering dust since the station unveiled a new set in Studio B. So now the old two-story studio is being marketed as suitable for "restaurant/retail users," according to commercial real estate advisor SVN Chicago. CBS 2 declined to comment. Continue reading →

ESPN Chicago

A rare correction and admission of error by Nielsen Audio Thursday wasn’t enough to satisfy WMVP 1000-AM after the ESPN Radio sports/talk station was shortchanged in the latest Chicago radio ratings.

Acknowledging that it had failed to credit ESPN 1000 for its streaming simulcast in the April audience survey, Nielsen re-issued its market report with revised figures that combined over-the-air and digital listenership. Continue reading →

WBEZ

WBEZ 91.5-FM will launch a new local talk show from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday through Friday as part of a revised midday lineup this fall at the Chicago Public Media news/talk station.

Host of the new show will be Jenn White, who’ll move from “The Morning Shift,” which she took over from Tony Sarabia in January. No title or start date have been announced. Continue reading →

Comiskey Park, July 12, 1979 (Photo: Paul Natkin)

Forty years after Disco Demolition, it’s nice to know the Chicago White Sox don’t hold a grudge against Steve Dahl.

The Chicago media legend and Radio Hall of Famer will throw out the first pitch June 13 at Guaranteed Rate Field when the White Sox play the New York Yankees. Continue reading →

ESPN Chicago

Robservations on the media beat:

Nielsen Audio

ESPN Radio sports/talk WMVP 1000-AM is about to get a do-over in the ratings. In a confidential email to clients, Nielsen Audio acknowledged that it failed to credit the station for its streaming simulcast in the April audience survey. In rankings reported here last week, ESPN 1000 tied for 25th place with a 1.2 share. That's expected to rise when Nielsen releases a revised Chicago report at noon today. No other stations were affected, according to Nielsen. It's not the first time this year the company was caught with its pants down. In January Nielsen admitted it shortchanged stations in 48 markets (including Chicago) when it tabulated "abnormally low or non-existent" audience estimates for two days in December. Continue reading →