Curtiss Johnson

The program director of The Drive is heading for the off-ramp.

Curtiss Johnson announced Tuesday he’s leaving classic hits WDRV FM 97.1, where he has headed programming since June 2014. He’s the seventh program director cut from Hubbard Radio in recent months as the company moves to revitalize its stations across the country. Continue reading →

Lisa Dent

The new year is starting off on a high note for Lisa Dent, veteran morning personality at CBS Radio country WUSN FM 99.5.

On Tuesday, Dent was named to the Country Radio Hall of Fame. She’s one of eight 2016 honorees who’ll be recognized during opening ceremonies of the Country Radio Seminar February 8 in Nashville, Tennessee. Formal induction will follow later this year. Continue reading →

Barry Keefe

Longtime Chicago radio newsman Barry Keefe is being remembered as a consummate broadcaster whose booming voice conveyed warmth and authority to morning-drive listeners for decades.

Keefe, who stepped down in 2008 after 30 years as director of news and public affairs at WTMX FM 101.9, died Sunday at his home in west suburban Wheaton. He was 62. Continue reading →

Chicago Tribune, January 4, 1966

Fifty years ago today — on January 4, 1966 — Chicagoans got their first look at WFLD-Channel 32, a brand-new television station that promised to do things differently.

The call letters stood for Field Enterprises, publisher of the Chicago Sun-Times and the Chicago Daily News, and the original owner of the channel. Early news programs originated from the city rooms of the two newspapers. Continue reading →

"Chi-Town Rising" (Photo: Bob Malkovich)

Mark Giangreco and Janet Davies were dethroned as the king and queen of New Year’s Eve Thursday, as many more local TV viewers tuned in to see the inaugural broadcast of “Chi-Town Rising,” featuring a giant star ascending over the Chicago River.

Straight up at midnight, “Chi-Town Rising” on NBC-owned WMAQ-Channel 5 had a 17.1 rating and 36 share, while “Countdown Chicago 2016” on ABC-owned WLS-Channel 7 had a 14.2 rating and 30 share, according to Nielsen figures released Friday. Continue reading →

Cheryl Scott and Jerry Taft

Ten things to look for on the Chicago media beat in the coming year:

• Chicago Tribune will introduce a metered digital subscription model in the second quarter of 2016. The new system for all Tribune Publishing newspapers will give readers access to a limited number of online articles for free before they hit a paywall requiring them to subscribe. It will replace the current premium digital pay model, with certain content (including this blog) available only to subscribers. Continue reading →

Mary Ellen Podmolik

Veteran Chicago business journalist Mary Ellen Podmolik has been promoted to associate managing editor/business at the Chicago Tribune, effective immediately.

Podmolik, who held the No. 2 job in the department, succeeds Mike Kellams, who surprised his staff by announcing he had accepted a voluntary buyout after 17 years at the Tribune, and that Thursday was his last day. Continue reading →

Chicago news boxes

Robservations on the media beat:

In case you haven’t noticed, it’s costing more to buy the Chicago Tribune on newsstands. Over the Christmas weekend, the Tribune announced a 33 percent increase in its single-copy price throughout the Chicago area. Monday-through-Saturday increased from $1.50 to $1.99, while Sunday rose from $2.99 to $3.99. (The last price hike was in April 2014.) “The Chicago Tribune is committed to producing the exclusive investigative reporting, suburban news coverage, and thought-leading editorials that our audience expects of us,” said a note to readers. “Our pricing reflects the value associated with these product benefits.” Sun-Times sources say they’re holding steady at $1 on weekdays and $1.75 on Sundays. Continue reading →

Harry Volkman

Gone but not forgotten: A look back at Chicago media luminaries who left us in 2015. Continue reading →

Laquan McDonald video

Looking back at the top stories on the Chicago media beat in 2015:

Video vérité: Ten news organizations sought release of a dash-cam video showing the Chicago police shooting of 17-year-old Laquan McDonald in October 2014. But it took the persistence of one independent journalist, Brandon Smith, to get a court order forcing the city to hand it over. Whatever misgivings local TV stations may have had about airing the disturbing images vanished as soon as the video was released. So too did a veil of secrecy and corruption that will haunt the city for years to come. Continue reading →