Michael Phillips

Throughout the month of February, Chicago’s classical music station will be going to the movies — musically speaking — with Chicago Tribune film critic Michael Phillips.

Leading up to the 88th annual Academy Awards on February 28, WFMT FM 98.7 will air a daily feature on great music from the movies, hosted by Phillips, who will share his favorite compositions written for films from the 1930s through the present. Continue reading →

Rob Cressman

Rob Cressman, an experienced classic rock radio programmer from Indianapolis, is pulling into The Drive.

Hubbard Radio Chicago announced Thursday that Cressman has been hired as program director of classic hits WDRV FM 97.1, effective immediately. Continue reading →

WGN Radio

Chicago Blackhawks hockey will continue to air on WGN AM 720 through the 2023-24 season, thanks to a five-year extension with the Tribune Media news/talk station.

John McDonough, president and CEO of the National Hockey League 2015 Stanley Cup champions, announced the new broadcast rights agreement Thursday on Steve Cochran’s morning show. WGN has been radio home of the Blackhawks since 2008. Continue reading →

Melody Mendez and Mark Strehl

With four days to go before the launch of WFLD-Channel 32’s Saturday and Sunday morning newscast, the Fox-owned station still has no idea what it’s doing. Which is typical.

No permanent anchors or reporters have been assigned to the new edition of “Good Day Chicago,” which will air from 7 to 9 a.m. Saturdays and Sundays, starting this weekend. Continue reading →

Jim Conway

Over a Chicago radio and television career spanning four decades, Jim Conway was the first local broadcaster to announce the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on WBBM AM 780 and the first to anchor a half-hour news program on WGN-Channel 9.

But it was as the suave and charming host of several morning television talk shows that he gained his widest following and most enduring reputation. Continue reading →

The Athletic

Three former contributors to ESPN Chicago are founding writers for The Athletic, a new subscription website aimed at covering Chicago’s professional sports teams “with thought-provoking writing and enlightening statistics.”

Jon Greenberg, Sahadev Sharma and Scott Powers, all ESPN Chicago veterans, were announced Monday as the new site’s main writers. Greenberg, named as founding editor, will write on all sports and run editorial operations in Chicago. Sharma will cover baseball, and Powers will cover hockey and basketball. Continue reading →

Jack Brickhouse

Sunday marks the 100th anniversary of the birth of Jack Brickhouse, one of the most celebrated and beloved Chicago broadcasters of the 20th century.

Born January 24, 1916, in Peoria, Illinois, John Beasley Brickhouse joined WGN AM 720 in 1940 and spent the next four decades as the eternally optimistic voice of the Chicago Cubs. His “Hey! Hey!” home run call became the clarion of summer. Continue reading →

Chicago Public Media

Marv Nyren, former general manager of classic rock WLUP FM 97.9 and alternative rock WKQX FM 101.1, is shifting to the rarefied air of public radio.

The veteran broadcast executive has been hired as vice president of corporate sponsorships for Chicago Public Media, parent company of WBEZ FM 91.5. Starting February 1, he will run the station’s sales team. Continue reading →

Chicago Tribune editorial staff (Photo: Michael Tercha)

Robservations on the media beat:

Newsroom employees of the Chicago Tribune — give or take a few who were on assignment or out of town — assembled Wednesday for their 2016 class picture. Even with the recent wave of voluntary buyouts, they’re still a formidable (if not distinctly diverse) collection of some of Chicago's most seasoned journalists. Staff photographer Michael Tercha shot the photo from atop a ladder. “We take a newsroom photo every year to commemorate the staff and our time together,” said Tribune editor Gerry Kern, who’s front and center in shirt and tie. “The Chicago Tribune staff is such a talented and courageous group, and we’re proud of the work we do.” Kern said readers enjoy seeing the photo on social media. Continue reading →

Kristina Kage and Edison the Reindeer

While most of Chicago radio went home for the holidays, it was another December to remember for WLIT FM 93.9 and its annual Christmas music marathon.

Making merry for more than 3.6 million listeners, the iHeart Media adult contemporary station doubled its audience share from the previous month and rose to the top of the pack, according to Nielsen Audio ratings released Tuesday for December 3 to 30. Continue reading →