Post Category → Uncategorized

Stuck at home, viewers shift TV news habits in May

ABC 7 Chicago

Local news viewership is down in mornings but up significantly in afternoons, as Chicago area audiences adjust to life at home during the coronavirus pandemic.

Results of Nielsen's just-ended May sweep indicate morning viewership declined moderately, reversing the trend of audience increases during the early hours of the day. But news viewership between 4 and 6:30 p.m. was up more than 40 percent compared to last year, according to ratings analysts. Continue reading →

Robservations: 'Lucky guy' Bob Stroud marks 40 years of 'Rock ’n Roll Roots'

Bob Stroud

Robservations on the media beat:

A hearty high five to Bob Stroud, top-rated midday star at Hubbard Radio classic rock WDRV 97.1-FM, on celebrating 40 years as host of “Rock ’n Roll Roots.” This weekend he'll feature songs from his 12 compilation CDs and intersperse air checks from shows on WMET, The Loop, AM 1000, CD 94.7 and WXRT. "In May of 1980 when 'Rock ’n Roll Roots' debuted on WMET, Dick Biondi was debuting his new Sunday morning show opposite me on The Loop," Stroud told me. "I remember thinking: 'What are the chances?' I didn’t think 'Roots' would last four weeks let alone 40 years. I’m a lucky guy." “Rock ’n Roll Roots” airs from 9 a.m. to noon Sundays (rebroadcast from 9 p.m. to midnight Sundays) on The Drive. Continue reading →

Flooding at Willis Tower knocks TV, radio signals off the air

Willis Tower

A power outage caused by flooding at Willis Tower wreaked havoc on the broadcast signals of several Chicago television and radio stations this week.

The South Loop skyscraper, known until 2009 as Sears Tower, was closed for a second day Tuesday after the weekend rainfall caused the Chicago River to overflow into the lower level of the building and submerge a Com Ed substation. Continue reading →

Chicago Public Media hires Andi McDaniel as new CEO of WBEZ, Vocalo

Andi McDaniel (Photo: Jeffrey Watts, American University)

Andi McDaniel, an innovative public-radio executive who grew up in Schaumburg, is coming home to take on the top job at Chicago Public Media, parent company of NPR news/talk WBEZ 91.5-FM.

Culminating a seven-month search, McDaniel, 39, was hired Tuesday as president and CEO of Chicago Public Media. Since 2015 she has been chief content officer at WAMU, the NPR station at American University in Washington, D.C., where she developed the widely syndicated show “1A.” Continue reading →

WIND's Amy Jacobson barred from governor's media briefings

Amy Jacobson at Reopen Illinois rally (Photo: AM 560 The Answer)

Amy Jacobson, the Chicago radio talk show host and former TV news reporter, has been barred from attending Governor J.B. Pritzker’s daily coronavirus media briefings after she spoke at a rally protesting the governor’s stay-at-home order.

Jacobson, who co-hosts mornings with Dan Proft on Salem Media news/talk WIND 560-AM, was among speakers at a Reopen Illinois rally Saturday outside the Thompson Center in Chicago. Continue reading →

Robservations’ greatest hits: Looking back at 40 years on the media beat

Robert Feder (undated photo)

Forty years ago this week I began covering the media in Chicago. Where did the time go?

On May 19, 1980 — two years out of journalism school and two days after my 24th birthday — I started at the Sun-Times, where I worked as legman for Gary Deeb, the legendary syndicated columnist who was the paper’s TV and radio critic.

First as a reporter and since 1982 as a columnist, I’ve spent every day of my working life following the ups and downs of the media business in my hometown. I couldn’t imagine a more fun or fitting career for a kid who grew up idolizing Walter Cronkite and subscribing to every trade publication around. Continue reading →

Robservations: Nominations open today for Radio Hall of Fame

Radio Hall of Fame

Robservations on the media beat:

Radio Hall of Fame

Nominations open today for the 2020 class of the Radio Hall of Fame. Fans are invited to submit suggestions online for nominees in six categories. (Here is the link.) This year's induction ceremony, which will coincide with the 100th anniversary of the radio industry, is expected to be held in late October. “We are excited to welcome the Radio Hall of Fame back to its hometown of Chicago,” said David Plier, board chairman of the Museum of Broadcast Communications. “However, we continue to monitor the COVID-19 guidelines daily. If the state of Illinois cannot reach the goals of a Phase 5 reopening for large gatherings, we will seek other alternatives, including holding the event outside of Illinois.” Continue reading →