Kori Chambers

Five years after he signed on at Fox-owned WFLD-Channel 32, "Good Day Chicago" anchor Kori Chambers is leaving for Tribune Broadcasting's WPIX-TV in his native New York, where he's expected to be named morning news co-anchor.

The move marks the second departure of a Fox 32 news anchor in as many weeks. Bob Sirott announced his exit last week after three years as 9 p.m. news anchor to host a midday talk show with his wife, Marianne Murciano, on WGN AM 720. Succeeding Sirott Oct. 1 will be Jeff Herndon, now at ABC affiliate KAKE-TV in Wichita, Kansas. Continue reading →

Nick Digilio

As Steve Cochran said the other day, it only took Nick Digilio 28 years to become an overnight success at WGN AM 720.

In a testament to remarkable perseverance, hard work and talent, the perennial weekend and fill-in host has been promoted to full-time personality at the Tribune Broadcasting news/talk station. Starting Sept. 4, Digilio, 48, will be on from 2 to 5 a.m. weekdays (leading into Cochran's new morning show) and from 8 p.m. to midnight Saturdays. Continue reading →

An all-star lineup of Chicago sportscasters gathered at Harry Caray’s Italian Steakhouse in River North Thursday to toast veteran CBS 2 sports cameraman Chuck Davidson on his 70th birthday. From left: Jeannie Morris, Johnny Morris, Ryan Baker, Rich King, Davidson, Corey McPherrin, Mike Adamle and Jim Rose. (Photo by Lissa Druss Christman)

Jonathon Brandmeier

Jonathon Brandmeier signs off Friday after 20 months as morning personality at news/talk WGN AM 720. After a few weeks off, he'll resurface on a new virtual FM station — wgn.fm — which could be a precursor to an FM addition to Tribune Broadcasting.

Hired to boost ratings and attract younger listeners, Brandmeier proved a less than ideal fit for the station. He inherited a daypart that ranked 16th among listeners between the ages of 25 and 54 with a 2.6 percent share. In the latest Arbitron survey, mornings on WGN were tied for 15th in the 25-54 demo with a 2.4 share. Continue reading →

Jerry Springer

A respected Chicago broadcast veteran resigned from the local television academy Thursday in protest over the selection of Jerry Springer as host of this year's Chicago Emmy Awards.

The Chicago/Midwest chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences announced Thursday that Springer would emcee the 55th annual awards ceremony Nov. 3 at Alhambra Palace on West Randolph. Continue reading →

Dan Ponce

Dan Ponce, son of one Chicago news anchor and brother of another, will now have an anchor chair of his own.

After three years as a general assignment reporter at WGN-Channel 9, Ponce has been promoted to Monday-through-Friday morning news anchor at the Tribune Broadcasting station. Starting Sept. 3, he'll anchor "WGN Morning News" alongside Erin McElroy from 4 to 6 a.m. weekdays. The move coincides with the expansion of the broadcast to six hours — airing from 4 to 10 a.m. Continue reading →

Introducing new logos for WGN — encompassing radio, online and new media. Continue reading →

Veteran Chicago radio personality, voice actor and commercial announcer Herb Graham died Monday at 87. He was best known for his 26 years as host of "The Hour in the Middle of the Evening" on beautiful music stations WAIT and WLOO.

Graham, whose real name was Herb Grossman, also played Bubbie Beaver on the Chicago Board of Rabbis' long-running children's TV show "The Magic Door," according to his niece's husband, former Sun-Times reporter Howard Wolinsky. Continue reading →

Jim Kirk

The controversial decision by the Sun-Times to eliminate its entire photography staff continues to bring negative exposure to the struggling newspaper and its parent company.

With nerves still raw from the layoffs of all 28 full-time photojournalists from the Sun-Times and its sister publications on May 30, publisher and editor-in-chief Jim Kirk found himself bearing the blame this week for the unpopular and demoralizing action — thanks to what may have been a misstatement by his boss.

Continue reading →

Jimmy deCastro

Can Chicago's greatest radio showman pull off a miracle? We're about to find out.

Three months after Jimmy deCastro took over as president and general manager of a moribund WGN AM 720, the veteran broadcasting executive and media mogul is about to raise the curtain on his intended revival for the Tribune Broadcasting station. Plans include not only a new roster of familiar faces and voices on the legendary 50,000-watt powerhouse, but a robust presence online and — sometime down the road — an additional programming venue on an FM frequency.

Continue reading →