Marquee Sports Network

With just 34 days to go, Marquee Sports Network still has no deal with the Chicago area’s largest cable company. But the new television home of the Chicago Cubs announced it would launch with or without Comcast Xfinity on February 22.

Official word of the start date along with news of key talent hires came Saturday during the annual Cubs Convention at the Sheraton Grand Chicago. Continue reading →

Dan Roan and Jarrett Payton

You won’t find live sports broadcasts on WGN-Channel 9 anymore, but that doesn’t mean the Nexstar Media Group station is out of the sports business entirely.

“GN Sports,” a live, half-hour sports show, will air at 10:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, starting January 28. It will be hosted by WGN sports anchors Dan Roan and Jarrett Payton. Continue reading →

Dominick Stasi

Following a legend in any job is never easy — especially when that legend will still be working down the hall from you.

On Wednesday Dominick Stasi was named to succeed Jennifer Lyons as news director of WGN-Channel 9 following Nexstar Media Group’s promotion of Lyons to vice president of news for WGN America. Lyons will oversee “News Nation,” a three-hour nightly newscast to premiere this summer on the Chicago-based cable network. Continue reading →

WLS 890

As WLS 890-AM gears up for coverage of the presidential election year, there’s upheaval behind the scenes in the newsroom of the Cumulus Media news/talk station.

Management’s plan to reassign all three of the station’s weekday news anchors was thrown into turmoil this week when afternoon news anchor Lauren Cohn balked at her transfer to middays. Continue reading →

WGNAmerica

Nexstar Media Group will launch a three-hour nightly national newscast from Chicago this summer on its WGN America cable network.

“News Nation” will air from 7 to 10 p.m. daily from a new newsroom and studio under construction at WGN-Channel 9 headquarters at 2501 West Bradley Place. It’s expected to debut in July and reach about 75 million households served by WGN America. Continue reading →

Ed Sherman and Steve Olken

Robservations on the media beat:

After 10 years as co-hosts of “The Scorecard on The Score,” Ed Sherman and Steve Olken are stepping down from the weekly golf talk show on Entercom sports/talk WSCR 670-AM. "We both decided the time is right for us to have our weekends free during the summer," they said in a joint statement. "We both truly love the game, even though it often doesn't love us back on the course. Our goal was to use the show as a platform to promote golf, and especially golf in Chicago." Look for The Score to name a new host for the show, which airs from 6 to 8 a.m. Saturdays from March through September. Continue reading →

DJ MoonDawg

Three evening personalities in Chicago were among an unspecified number of full-time employees laid off Tuesday in a massive restructuring of iHeartMedia stations nationwide.

The Chicago hosts affected are Chris Michaels of urban adult-contemporary WVAZ FM 102.7, DJ MoonDawg (whose real name is Michael Muniz) of urban contemporary WGCI FM 107.5, and Trace Hamilton of country WEBG 95.5-FM. Continue reading →

WGN Radio

WGN 720-AM abruptly severed its longstanding partnership with Crain’s Chicago Business Monday over a story that speculated on a possible sale of the Nexstar Media Group news/talk station.

As a result of the move, Crain’s editors, reporters and other contributors no longer will appear on any WGN Radio programs, and the station no longer will host the Monday-through-Thursday business news podcast “Crain’s Daily Gist” on its website. A WGN microphone was removed from Crain’s newsroom Monday, sources said. Continue reading →

Chicago Tribune

Fears that 2020 will be a really bad year for the Chicago Tribune may be turning into a reality already.

On Monday owner Tribune Publishing announced a buyout offer to employees with eight or more years of service — a likely precursor to layoffs throughout the company. It would mark the second round of buyouts and layoffs in two years. Continue reading →

Brian O'Keefe

Robservations on the media beat:

After three decades with College of DuPage's public radio WDCB 90.9-FM, Brian O'Keefe is stepping down as news director at the west suburban Glen Ellyn-based jazz station. A native of Louisville, Kentucky, O'Keefe joined WDCB in 1991 as assistant news coordinator before moving up to coordinator of news and public affairs in 1995. "I am proud to have been part of WDCB and to have served the station’s audience for so many years," O'Keefe said in a statement. "There are great stories in every community and it has been my pleasure to tell some of those stories.” He'll continue hosting and producing the public-affairs show “First Light,” airing at 7 a.m. Sundays, through April. “Brian’s professionalism has been an important part of WDCB’s growth from small suburban station to respected player in the Chicago public radio landscape,” said station manager Dan Bindert. O’Keefe also served two terms as president of the Illinois News Broadcasters Association. Continue reading →