Robservations on the media beat:
The dulcet voice of legendary Chicago anchorman Bill Kurtis won’t be heard on WGN 720-AM anymore. New owner Nexstar Media Group has dropped Kurtis after three years as the signature voice of the news/talk station. Starting today, station identifications and promos will be recorded by Steve Kamer, a New York-based voice-over artist known for work on NBC Olympics coverage. Under executive vice president Sean Compton Nexstar is seeking to broaden the appeal of the former Tribune Broadcasting radio flagship and tie it more closely to TV sister station WGN-Channel 9. Case in point: New jingles for WGN Radio incorporate the familiar theme music from the TV station's newscasts. "We are embracing our Midwest roots," a Nexstar spokesman said. "Going to bring back the warmness of WGN — a station for everyone." Continue reading