Kathy Hart and Eric Ferguson

For only the second time in recent years, WTMX FM 101.9 was the top-rated radio station in Chicago, according to Nielsen Audio figures released last week.

The Hubbard Radio hot adult-contemporary station, which routinely dominates the market in the key demographic of adults between 25 and 54, hadn’t finished first among all listeners across the board since since May 2012. Continue reading →

Chicago newspapers

The Chicago area’s No. 2 and No. 3 daily newspapers are teaming up to share content covering the city and suburbs.

The suburban Daily Herald, owned by Paddock Publications, and the Sun-Times, owned by Wrapports LLC, announced the editorial alliance Friday in a newsroom memo. The move was prompted in part by the sale of Sun-Times Media Group’s six suburban dailies and 32 Pioneer Press suburban weeklies to Chicago Tribune Media Group last fall. Continue reading →

Norm Winer

Norm Winer marked his 36th anniversary Thursday as program director of WXRT FM 93.1, an astonishing achievement in Chicago radio — or practically anywhere else for that matter.

Not bad for a guy who was hoping to last two or three years when he first showed up at the seminal adult album alternative station in August 1979. Continue reading →

Sarah Jindra

Sarah Jindra, the airborne traffic ace for Tribune Media WGN-Channel 9, will double as radio traffic reporter for Roe Conn’s afternoon show on news/talk WGN AM 720.

Todd Manley, vice president of programming and content at WGN, announced Wednesday that Jindra will deliver traffic reports from Skycam 9 twice each hour from 3 to 7 p.m. weekdays, starting next week. She’ll continue to report breaking news and traffic for Channel 9’s 4 and 5 p.m. weekdays newscasts. Continue reading →

Lionel Moise and Erin Kennedy

A morning news anchor from the CBS affiliate in Columbia, South Carolina, is the latest warm body to turn up on the anchor desk at CBS-owned WBBM-Channel 2.

Lionel Moise, incoming from WLTX-TV in Columbia, will join Erin Kennedy as morning news co-anchor on CBS 2, starting September 21. Airing from 4:30 to 7 a.m. weekdays, it’s Chicago's lowest-rated newscast, averaging a 0.2 rating among viewers between 25 and 54. Continue reading →

Paula Faris

When fan favorite Paula Faris left NBC-owned WMAQ-Channel 5 to join ABC News in New York, she vowed she’d have “a forever connection to Chicago.”

Now she’s bringing that connection to “The View.” On Tuesday the former NBC 5 sports anchor/reporter was named co-host of ABC’s long-running daytime talk show. Continue reading →

The Chicagoan

Robservations on the media beat:

Yet another magazine called The Chicagoan is about to debut. Billed as offering “insight, color and commentary on news topics and cultural issues important to the residents of America's greatest city,” the latest version will be published by 22nd Century Media, the hyperlocal suburban newspaper outfit founded by Jack Ryan, former Republican candidate for U.S. Senate. Set to launch in November, it will appear eight times in the coming year before going monthly. The 60,000-circulation magazine will be distributed within the company’s seven North Shore weeklies and at locations in Chicago and Evanston. Continue reading →

Matt Doran

Billed as the first crime show in daytime syndication, “Crime Watch Daily” will air weekday afternoons this fall on Tribune Media WGN-Channel 9.

The Los Angeles-based hourlong show, which will draw on resources and reporters from local newsrooms across the country, will air at 3 p.m. Monday through Friday, starting September 14. On WGN it will replace the second of two daily airings of “Maury,” the vile paternity-test talk show hosted by Maury Povich, which will continue to air at 1 p.m. Continue reading →

Joel Meyer

Joel Meyer, managing producer of Slate podcasts, has been hired as executive producer of talk programming at Chicago Public Media WBEZ FM 91.5, starting September 14.

“Joel is a seasoned maker of radio and shows with broad experience,” Ben Calhoun, director of content and programming at Chicago Public Media, said in a memo to staff Friday. Continue reading →

Mike North

Veteran sports talk show personality Mike North will host a Chicago Bears postgame show this fall on WDRV FM 97.1, the Hubbard Radio classic hits station announced Friday.

Starting September 13, North will host “The Mike North Sunday Drive,” a three-hour live talk show after every Bears game. Throughout the season he’ll also call in on Fridays and Mondays to Pete McMurray and Dan McNeil’s morning show on The Drive. Continue reading →