Matthew Rodrigues and Cortney Hall

Robservations on the media beat:

Just in time for the holidays, NBC-owned WMAQ-Channel 5 has expanded its "Chicago Today" lifestyle show to five days a week. Hosted by Matthew Rodrigues and Cortney Hall, the show has been airing from 11:30 a.m. to noon Fridays since 2019. Now it also will air from 11:45 a.m. to noon Monday through Thursday. (NBC 5's 11 a.m. newscast will air until 11:45 a.m.) The program generates revenue through advertiser-supported sponsored content and product placement. “This is another way NBC 5 continues to invest in original content that highlights the best of our local communities, businesses, entertainment and of course Chicago’s food,” Kevin Cross, president and general manager of NBCU Local Chicago, said in a statement. Continue reading →

Don Cornelius

Don Cornelius, who created, produced and hosted the long-running and culturally influential dance music show “Soul Train,” will be honored posthumously with the Chicago TV industry’s highest honor.

Cornelius is one of eight notable broadcasters chosen for induction this spring in the Silver Circle of the Chicago/Midwest chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. Continue reading →

Chicago Sun-Times/WBEZ Chicago

Robservations on the media beat:

For a couple of news organizations that demand transparency from everyone else, there’s been little of it from the Chicago Sun-Times and Chicago Public Media, parent company of news/talk WBEZ 91.5-FM. Since late September, when news of their proposed merger was first disclosed, both sides have been dealing behind closed doors to unite the two legacy media brands under what they're calling "a new model of local nonprofit journalism." Matt Moog, CEO of Chicago Public Media, said in an internal communication the two companies were focused on “completing due diligence . . . with an eye toward reaching a final agreement by the end of the year.” He told employees they'll hear more at their next staff meeting Thursday. Nykia Wright, CEO of the Sun-Times, declined to comment. “I do not have any updates for you at this time,” she said. Continue reading →

WBBM Newsradio and 93.9 Lite FM

WBBM 780-AM/WCFS 105.9-FM, the Audacy all-news combo, and WLIT 93.9-FM, the iHeartMedia adult contemporary station, tied for first place in the latest Chicago radio ratings released Wednesday.

The monthlong Nielsen Audio survey period included the first week of nonstop Christmas music on Lite FM, which began November 3. Continue reading →

Julie Mann (Photo: Bart Shore)

Julie Mann, the first-rate broadcast journalist who has led the newsroom of WBBM 780-AM/WCFS 105.9-FM as managing editor for more than a decade, is leaving after 25 years at the top-rated Audacy all-news station.

Mann's resignation, effective December 10, was announced to the staff Wednesday by Ron Gleason, brand manager and news director of WBBM Newsradio. A search is underway for her successor. Continue reading →

Julie Unruh

Julie Unruh's sign-off as midday news anchor and reporter at WGN-Channel 9 and WBBM Newsradio's clean sweep in the ratings led the top 10 most-read stories here in November.

To read the full posts, click on the headlines: Continue reading →

Geoffrey Baer

When Geoffrey Baer was promoted to vice president of original content production for television at WTTW-Channel 11 in 2019, fans may have wondered whether the veteran producer might be giving up his role as Chicago’s most genial tour guide.

Fortunately for us, Baer has continued to turn out the engaging and enlightening travelogues he’s been hosting at the Window to the World Communications station for more than 25 years.

Premiering at 7:30 p.m. tonight, his latest effort is a one-hour tour de force called “Beyond Chicago From the Air.” Continue reading →

Dan Roan

Robservations on the media beat:

On second thought, let's not plan that retirement party for Dan Roan quite yet. In a late July interview for the folks back home in Keokuk, Iowa, the veteran sports anchor at WGN-Channel 9 told the Fort Madison Daily Democrat that he would be retiring in February, adding: “That’s pretty much going to be the end of it.” But when those comments surfaced here Monday, they came as a surprise to many at the Nexstar Media station. "Dan is an icon in Chicago television, with a tremendous impact on WGN for nearly 40 years," WGN news director Dominick Stasi told me. "We have had several discussions as Dan starts to look at the next chapter in his life. He has an eye on retiring sometime in 2022, but no exact date has been set.” Roan, 68, who began his career at WCIA, the CBS affiliate in Champaign, and joined WGN as sports director and sports anchor in 1984, preferred to let his bosses do the talking Monday. Continue reading →

Alan Krashesky and Cheryl Burton (Photo: ABC 7 Chicago)

Robservations on the media beat:

No need to parse the Nielsen numbers this time. Unlike the three-way tie that deadlocked the May sweep, November delivered a clear victory in late-news ratings for ABC-owned WLS-Channel 7. Fronted by news anchors Alan Krashesky and Cheryl Burton, “Eyewitness News” at 10 p.m. finished first in total households and first among viewers between 25 and 54, according to preliminary results released Sunday. Overall ABC 7 had 201,347 viewers at 10 p.m., followed by NBC-owned WMAQ-Channel 5 (152,746 viewers); CBS-owned WBBM-Channel 2 (86,787 viewers); Nexstar Media WGN-Channel 9 (79,844 viewers); Univision WGBO-Channel 66 (59,015 viewers); and Telemundo WSNS-Channel 44 (24,300 viewers). At 9 p.m. WGN led with 135,388 viewers, and Fox-owned WFLD-Channel 32 had 52,072 viewers. Continue reading →

Window to the World Communications

In what may be the least surprising promotion of the year, Jay Smith was named news director of WTTW-Channel 11 and executive producer of “Chicago Tonight” Wednesday.

Smith, a 32-year veteran of the Window to the World Communications public television station and senior supervising producer of WTTW News, has been serving as acting executive producer for nine months. Continue reading →