Robservations on the media beat:
A.D. Quig, a reporter and producer for The Daily Line, a subscription newsletter on state and local politics, has been hired to cover government and politics for Crain's Chicago Business. Her hiring signals an expansion of the "power and influence" beat for the publication and its website. Working closely with political columnist Greg Hinz, Quig will "zero in on the government news that matters to our business-minded readers — as well as what our business-minded readers are doing (and spending) to influence those government players," according to Crain's editor Ann Dwyer. A graduate of Indiana University, Quig previously worked for Rivet Radio and NPR.
Greg Easterly, who was president and general manager of Tribune Broadcasting WGN-Channel 9 from 2014 to 2016, has been named vice president and general manager of WJBK, the Fox-owned station in Detroit. He most recently was senior vice president of group operations for Tribune Media, overseeing stations in 15 markets. At WJBK Easterly replaces another former Chicago station boss, Mike Renda, who once headed Fox-owned WFLD-Channel 32. Renda is retiring next week.
It didn't go unnoticed when Jade Lucas, a DJ at Crawford Broadcasting urban adult-contemporary WSRB 106.3-FM, proclaimed herself "the only lady in the afternoon” during an appearance Monday on "WGN Morning News." Candice Agree, afternoon host on Window to the World Communications classical WFMT 98.7-FM, begged to differ: "Hi @WGNMorningNews friends, I’m still on the air afternoons at WFMT in Chicago and I’m still a lady," Agree tweeted. Now Agree has been invited on Wednesday's show as guest announcer. Said producer Jeff Hoover: "Like Yo Yo Ma playing at Chuck E. Cheese's."
Look for Steve King and Johnnie Putman to turn up Wednesday night on Tribune Broadcasting news/talk WGN 720-AM. The husband-and-wife team will revisit their “Life After Dark” stomping ground from 10 p.m. to 1 a.m. "Now and then it's fun to take time out from working on our next book and slide back inside your radio speaker," King said. King and Putman, who drew top ratings for WGN on overnights for more than 26 years, were inducted in the WGN Walk of Fame in 2015.
Monday’s comment of the day: Patty Reilly-Murphy: I don't know of anyone in radio who has had greater influence on their listeners — generations of them — than Terri Hemmert. She challenged us — to open our minds, be more compassionate, and get involved-- — and those who accepted that challenge are better for it. Chicago is better for it. Honored to have worked alongside her for so many years and more honored still to be her friend.