Jonathon Brandmeier

Veteran radio personality Jonathon Brandmeier, who’s been off the air and on the loose since late last year, may have just lost his last, best chance to return to Chicago radio.

Brandmeier, according to insiders, turned down a golden opportunity to host mornings on WJMK FM 104.3, the CBS Radio classic hits station known as K-Hits. Sources familiar with the offer described it as a “content partnership deal” that would have included revenue-sharing tied to Brandmeier’s digital platform. Continue reading →

Dennis Rodkin

Dennis Rodkin, who stepped down last fall after more than two decades as Chicago’s premier residential real estate reporter, soon will be back on the beat for Crain’s Chicago Business.

Rodkin, 53, said Wednesday he’s moving back to Chicago after six months in Monterey, California, where he’d relocated to run a plant nursery with his brother. “That didn’t work out,” he said of the venture. “Let me put it this way: Everybody says not to work with family and I found out that you shouldn’t.” Continue reading →

Dick Johnson and Allison Rosati

It’s unusual enough for a television news anchor to be missing in action during the February sweeps. But to be off the grid for election night coverage is practically against the law.

Rob Stafford was nowhere to be seen Tuesday during coverage of Chicago’s mayoral election on WMAQ-Channel 5, which was anchored by Allison Rosati and Dick Johnson. Continue reading →

Robin Robinson

It’s been seven months since Robin Robinson signed off at Fox-owned WFLD-Channel 32, ending a 27-year run as top news anchor. Now she may be getting ready for a comeback.

Robinson turned up Tuesday night on CBS Radio all-news WBBM AM 780/WCFS FM 105.9 as a guest analyst during coverage of Chicago’s mayoral election. More significantly, she served as one of three panelists on the February 10 mayoral debate that aired on CBS-owned WBBM-Channel 2. The debate was co-sponsored by CBS 2, Midway Broadcasting news/talk WVON AM 1690, the Chicago Urban League and the Business Leadership Council. Continue reading →

Lori Rackl

In a big loss for readers of the Sun-Times and discerning viewers of television, Lori Rackl is stepping down as the newspaper’s last TV critic.

Rackl said Tuesday she has applied for a buyout under a sweeping cost-cutting plan offered to staffers of the financially troubled daily. Her last day on the job will be Friday. Continue reading →

Chicago Sun-Times

No columnists or critics were among Sun-Times staffers who have applied for voluntary buyouts at the financially troubled newspaper, sources said Monday.

A total of 14 newsroom employees are believed to have accepted management’s offer to resign in exchange for up to 20 weeks of severance pay. Drastic staff cuts have been ordered to reduce a budget deficit caused by declining revenue and dwindling circulation. Continue reading →

Pamela Jones

Pamela Jones has parted company with WBBM-Channel 2 after 10 years as a general assignment reporter.

A spokeswoman for the CBS-owned station confirmed that Jones was not renewed. Her last day at CBS 2 was Friday. Continue reading →

Chicago magazine

What does Chicago magazine have against the media?

Once again the editors of the esteemed monthly have issued their list of the 100 most powerful people in Chicago. And once again they’ve given short shrift to their media colleagues. It’s the worst showing by the media in the four years the magazine has been ranking the city’s movers and shakers. Continue reading →

Julie Wernau

Julie Wernau, a star business reporter for the Chicago Tribune who made a name for herself covering energy and green technology, is leaving to join The Wall Street Journal.

Based in New York for the Journal, Wernau, 33, will be reporting on soft commodities, including what she calls “the soft vices — coffee, sugar, cocoa and the main ingredient in screw drivers.”  Continue reading →

Bruce DuMont

Sunday night’s broadcast of “Beyond the Beltway” will mark the final airing of the political talk show on WLS AM 890 — and perhaps the end of its 35-year run on Chicago radio.

Host Bruce DuMont said he was notified that after this weekend the Cumulus Media news/talk station no longer will carry the show, which airs live from 6 to 8 p.m. Sundays. WLS will shift to paid programming in the time period.

(Tuesday afternoon update: “Beyond the Beltway” has landed a new local radio outlet on WCGO AM 1590, the north suburban news/talk station owned by Kovas Communications. Starting this weekend, the show will air live from 6 to 8 p.m. Sundays.)

Continue reading →