Ryan Chiaverini

Robservations on the media beat:

Val Warner

For the first time since it stopped production on March 13, "Windy City Live" is returning with new content — just as the May rating sweep gets underway. Starting Tuesday, Val Warner and Ryan Chiaverini will host the first half-hour of the show from their respective living rooms, followed by material from past seasons. Their first new guest will be Deon Cole of ABC's "Black-ish." No word yet on when a live studio audience will return to the talk and entertainment show, which airs at 1 p.m. Monday through Friday on ABC-owned WLS-Channel 7. Said Chiaverini: “We are certainly excited to reconnect with our viewers in this new normal. I think this has made everybody appreciate the little things in life a lot more, and how fast it can be taken away.” Continue reading →

John Kass

John Kass, the Chicago Tribune's most prominent columnist, says he knows he raised the ire of media colleagues with what they viewed as an attack on their beleaguered profession. And now he's sorry for that.

“Unlike the tens of millions of Americans who have lost their jobs, America’s cultural elites, in politics, government and media, are doing just fine during the coronavirus shutdown,” Kass wrote in his Thursday column headlined: “Just think about the guy in line at the food pantry.” Continue reading →

Get Moving with Me

Robservations on the media beat:

Here’s one that will brighten your day: “Get Moving with Me” debuts at 7 a.m. today on Me-TV FM, the Weigel Broadcasting soft-rock oldies station at WRME 87.7-FM. It’s an hour of up-tempo high-energy classics Monday through Friday designed to jumpstart the day and encourage homebound listeners to exercise. “With so many of our listeners sheltering-in-place and starting later each day, we wanted to give them a shot of musical adrenalin to get them going in the morning," said Rick O’Dell, director of programming at Me-TV FM. "You can do a home workout to it or just shake off the cobwebs.” Continue reading →

Marc Silverman

Robservations on the media beat:

Marc Silverman, widely admired afternoon co-host on Good Karma Brands ESPN sports/talk WMVP 1000-AM, disclosed on his show Tuesday that he has been diagnosed with Stage 3 Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, a cancer of the lymphatic system. He said he would be starting chemotherapy treatment next week. An outpouring of well-wishes followed. "All of us at ESPN Chicago and Good Karma Brands know that Silvy is a fighter and he’s strong," said Mike Thomas, market manager for ESPN Chicago. "We’re here for him 100 percent whatever he needs during this time." Silverman, 48, grew up in Skokie and graduated from Niles North High School and Southern Illinois University. He worked as a sports intern and reporter at news/talk WGN 720-AM before joining ESPN 1000 on its launch in 1998. Since 2007 he's been teamed with Tom Waddle from 2 to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday. Continue reading →

CBSN Chicago

With little fanfare, CBS-owned WBBM-Channel 2 today launched a 24/7 streaming news service featuring content recycled from the station's local newscasts.

Branded as CBSN Chicago, it's the ninth market since December 2018 to unveil a CBSN Local franchise under CBS Television Stations and CBS Interactive. (Here is the link.) It follows similar rollouts in New York, Los Angeles, Boston, San Francisco Bay Area, Minneapolis-St. Paul, Philadelphia, Denver and Pittsburgh. Continue reading →

Tommy Edwards

Robservations on the media beat:

I Grew Up Listening to You

Tommy Edwards, the Chicago radio icon whose illustrious career spanned more than five decades, has just published his long-awaited memoirs. Available in paperback on Amazon, "I Grew Up Listening to You": Stories From Behind the Mic includes tales of his adventures as a personality and program director at Top 40 powerhouse WLS 890-AM and as public-address announcer for the Chicago Bulls. Of course there's also a chapter devoted to Li’l Tommy's legendary "Animal Stories" partnership with Larry Lujack. "It has taken a couple of years to get it done, but I was able to do it the way I wanted," he said of the book, which also will be available on Kindle. (Here is the link.) "The term 'I Grew Up Listening to You' is something I’ve heard from people all over the country for decades, and my book is about my life and my career. It starts with a kid with a daydream who was able to live that dream in cities like New York, Los Angeles and Chicago." Edwards, who now lives in L.A., retired from local radio in 2014 and from the Bulls announcing job in 2019. Continue reading →

Chicago Headline Club

Robservations on the media beat:

The Chicago Headline Club Foundation, philanthropic arm of the Chicago Headline Club, has announced it is offering grants of up to $500 for at least 100 Chicago-area journalists who are laid off, unemployed or under-employed during the coronavirus shutdown. Students and new college graduates are not eligible for the program. (Here is the link to apply.) "We felt like we needed to do something direct and immediate to help our local community," said Robert K. Elder, president of the organization. "This is unprecedented for us, during an unprecedented time." Continue reading →

Paul Harvey

For more than five decades the most listened-to voice in America belonged to Paul Harvey. Now it will be heard again on WGN 720-AM — longtime Chicago flagship of his vast radio empire.

Starting April 27, the Nexstar Media Group news/talk station will rebroadcast classic episodes of “The Rest of the Story,” historical vignettes Harvey hosted five days a week from 1976 until his death in 2009. They’ll air during Bob Sirott’s morning show on WGN. Continue reading →

Cisco Cotto

The first radio ratings to reflect the coronavirus shutdown showed substantial increases for three of Chicago's news and news/talk stations.

By a wide margin, Entercom all-news WBBM 780-AM/WCFS 105.9-FM finished first overall as well as first in mornings, middays, afternoons and evenings, according to audience shares released Wednesday. Continue reading →

Weigel Broadcasting

Robservations on the media beat:

In response to the coronavirus shutdown and loss of employment for thousands, Weigel Broadcasting is launching a weekly show to help viewers find work. “Job Hunt Chicago,” hosted by Felicia Lawrence of "The Jam," will focus on openings from major employers and recruitment agencies in Chicago. Starting this weekend it will air at 10 a.m. Saturday on The U (WMEU-Channel 48.1/WCIU-Channel 26.2), and at 2:30 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m. Sunday on WCIU-Channel 26. "'Job Hunt Chicago' serves as an easily accessible resource during these difficult times,” Steve Bailey, head of local programming and creative, said in a statement. “We’re rolling up our sleeves and doing the digging to uncover local jobs across all industries." Weigel Broadcasting also recently debuted "Chicago Food To Go," spotlighting takeout food from across the city and suburbs. It airs four times each weekend on The U and CW 26. Continue reading →