Great American Ball Park, Cincinnati
In the tug of war between baseball and news at WLS-Channel 7, baseball just won.
The second game of Wednesday’s day-night doubleheader between the Chicago Cubs and the Cincinnati Reds will air on the ABC-owned station starting at 5 p.m., bumping the top-rated 5 and 6 p.m. local newscasts as well as “ABC World News Tonight” at 5:30 p.m. Continue reading
Roger and Chaz Ebert
The epic love story of Pulitzer Prize-winning film critic Roger Ebert and his devoted wife Chaz is coming to a Chicago stage this fall.
The Black Ensemble Theater announced Monday the world premiere of “The Black White Love Play (The Story of Chaz and Roger Ebert)" will be September 19 to November 1. Continue reading
Nick Digilio
Nick Digilio returned to his WGN AM 720 overnight show Monday, attributing his monthlong absence to a stomach ailment worsened by alcohol and vowing: “I’m not gonna have a drink ever again.”
In an emotional broadcast his first night back on the Tribune Media news/talk station since mid-June, Digilio said the effects of drinking without eating landed him in Swedish Covenant Hospital for five days and prompted a reassessment of his life. Continue reading
Lou Gehrig (1939)
Chicago author Jonathan Eig’s bestselling biography of baseball legend Lou Gehrig just moved a step closer to becoming a movie.
Robert Molloy, grandson of the late New York Yankees owner George Steinbrenner, has joined producer Armando Gutierrez to develop Luckiest Man: The Life and Death of Lou Gehrig as a feature film. Continue reading
Chicago Reader
The Chicago Reader just got a new editor to go along with a new look in print.
Jake Malooley was promoted Thursday to editor of the alternative weekly, owned by Sun-Times Media parent company Wrapports LLC. Malooley, who joined the Reader as managing editor in March 2014, had been serving as interim editor since last February, when Mara Shalhoup resigned after four years in the top job. Continue reading
Chicago White Sox/Chicago Bulls
You read it here first and now it’s official: Chicago White Sox baseball will air on WLS AM 890 under a six-year deal starting in April 2016.
But that’s not all: Chicago Bulls basketball also will air on the Cumulus Media news/talk station under a five-year deal starting in November 2016.
Both agreements were announced Thursday in a joint statement by the teams and WLS management. The deals, which run through 2021 with both teams, include regular and postseason games, select spring training and exhibition contests, pregame and postgame programming, and weekly year-round shows. Financial terms were not disclosed. Continue reading
CBS Radio eliminated more than 200 positions in companywide layoffs this week, including an unconfirmed number in Chicago.
Rod Zimmerman, senior vice president and market manager of CBS Radio Chicago, declined to comment on the layoffs or specify the number of jobs affected among the seven stations he oversees. Other managers contacted were not authorized to talk about them. Continue reading
Sandra Guy (Photo: Jean Lachat)
It’s back to business for veteran Chicago journalist Sandra Guy, who resigned this week after 16 years as a reporter at the Sun-Times.
Guy has been hired as a senior editor at Internet Retailer, where she will cover breaking news and write feature stories about providers of e-commerce technology and services. Continue reading
Marty Bender
Citing a multitude of personal reasons, Marty Bender has resigned after two years as program director of WSHE FM 100.3, the Hubbard Radio adult contemporary station.
The death of his brother earlier this year along with what he called “additional health and family issues” prompted the move, Bender announced Wednesday. Continue reading
Jan Jeffries
Looking to bring new direction to its lagging classic hits station, Cumulus Media is about to change programming leadership at WLS FM 94.7.
After four years as program director, Jan Jeffries has been transferred to WRQX, the company’s Top 40 station in Washington, D.C., effective immediately. Continue reading