Les Grobstein
Robservations on the media beat:
Les Grobstein would have celebrated his 70th birthday this Friday. To honor the incomparable Chicago radio sportscaster who died in January, Mayor Lori Lightfoot this week officially proclaimed March 11 "Les Grobstein Day in Chicago." (Here is the link.) The tribute recalls that Grobstein "was known as a walking sports encyclopedia who had an ironclad memory of even the smallest details and who equally loved all Chicago sports from high school, college, professional and everything in between." It even mentions Grobstein’s historic role in recording Lee Elia’s infamous eruption at Wrigley Field in 1983. Capping a legendary 50-year career in his hometown, "The Grobber" hosted overnights on Audacy sports/talk WSCR 670-AM.
Jonathan Hood and Chris Bleck
Two new basketball shows debut this weekend on WMVP 1000-AM, the Good Karma Brands ESPN sports/talk station. Jonathan Hood and Chris Bleck will cover the Chicago Bulls and other NBA news on “Fast Break” from 1 to 3 p.m. Saturdays. And Tyler Aki and Brian Hanley will talk college basketball on “Basketball U” from 10 a.m. to noon Sundays. "The Bulls haven't been this hot in years,” said Danny Zederman, director of content at ESPN 1000. “Hood and Bleck will keep you entertained and informed every Saturday afternoon talking the Chicago Bulls and the NBA. On Sundays, Tyler and Brian will have the best college hoops coverage on the air. We will have some of the best basketball minds in broadcasting on the air every weekend on ESPN Chicago.”
Aly Brumback
Aly Brumback, former senior audience and engagement editor at the Chicago Tribune, will join Crain's Chicago Business as assistant managing editor for audience and engagement, starting April 1. Brumback, who was among dozens who accepted buyouts from the Tribune last year, most recently has been working for Crain's Modern Healthcare as audience engagement specialist. "Look for her to be collaborating with reporters and editors alike to determine the best ways to frame stories on social media, the most effective headlines to draw in digital readers, and the best ways to make our newsletters work for us and our audience," Crain's editor Ann Dwyer told staffers in an email.
Tony Briscoe
Tony Briscoe, an investigative reporter for Chicago-based ProPublica Midwest, has been hired by the Los Angeles Times as an environmental reporter covering the intersection of air quality and environmental health, starting April 4. "I can’t tell you how fortunate I am for my time working along my colleagues at ProPublica," he tweeted. "I had the privilege of working alongside some of brightest folks in the business and I am eternally grateful for my two years with the Midwest team." Before joining ProPublica in 2020, Briscoe spent five years covering the Great Lakes and climate change for the Chicago Tribune. A two-time winner of the Peter Lisagor Award for best science and environmental reporting, he began as a reporter for the Detroit News.
Renee Poussaint
Renee Poussaint, a trailblazing journalist who began as a news writer and reporter CBS-owned WBBM-Channel 2 in the '70s, died Friday at her home in Washington, D.C. She was 77 and had lung cancer, according to her husband. Poussaint also anchored newscasts and hosted the community affairs show "Channel 2: The People." After a long run as an anchor in Washington and correspondent for CBS News and ABC News, she taught journalism at the University of Maryland. In a 1982 Washington Post profile, Poussaint recalled an incident early in her time at CBS 2: "At one stage when I was still at the Chicago station WBBM-TV, a CBS affiliate, there was a group of women employees who went to a station news executive and asked why there were no women anchoring at that station," she said. "One of the quotes from that meeting I'll never forget was, he said, 'News coming from a woman's mouth sounds like gossip. And that's why there are no women anchors at this station.' "
Wednesday's comment of the day: Carsen Star: So very proud to be a small part of Harper Radio. Sincere thanks to Robert Feder for your ongoing support of college radio and for highlighting our Intercollegiate Broadcasting System Radio winners this week.