Sheldon Cooper (Photo: NATAS Chicago/Kathleen Virginia Photography)

Over a distinguished career that started in the early days of television, Sheldon Cooper left a lasting impression on Chicago broadcasting as general manager of WGN-Channel 9 and founding president of Tribune Entertainment.

Cooper died of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease Sunday at Northwestern Memorial Hospital, according to his daughter, Cheryl Cook. He was 93. Continue reading →

Kevin “Koz” Koske and Jennifer Roberts

Robservations on the media beat:

Kevin “Koz” Koske will be flying solo for the time being as afternoon personality on Hubbard Radio hot adult-contemporary WTMX 101.9-FM. That's because co-host Jennifer Roberts signed off last week to accept a new job in corporate communications. “A lot of people get prematurely put ‘on the beach’ in this business and I’m thrilled that I’m making my exit completely on my terms,” she tweeted. “There was no threat on the horizon, just a calling in my soul for something better.” Roberts, whose real name is Jennifer Ashrafi, joined The Mix as an intern in 2004 and moved up to afternoon traffic reporter and co-host in 2008. Jimmy Steal, vice president of brand and content at The Mix, said a search is on for her successor. Continue reading →

670 The Score

Robservations on the media beat:

If Marquee Sports Network turns out to be the disaster some critics are predicting, another broadcast partner of the Chicago Cubs stands to benefit handsomely. Fans who booed bossman Tom Ricketts when he mentioned the cable network at last weekend's Cubs Convention — and others alienated by the loss of free games on TV and the unknown cost of the new service — can still hear it all on Entercom sports/talk WSCR 670-AM. Under a long-term deal through 2022, Cubs broadcasts on The Score (with Pat Hughes and Ron Coomer) "will remain as free as sunshine and a summer breeze," in the words of Chicago Tribune's Phil Rosenthal, who surmised nearly a year ago: "Hughes and Coomer might even gain listeners amid all the upheaval from the 2020 Marquee launch." If reaction to Ricketts's botched rollout Friday is any indication, he's right. (Here is the link via Aldo Soto.) Said one avid reader of this space and lifelong Cubs fan: "Guess I’m going to be listening to the radio a lot more this season." Continue reading →

Marquee Sports Network

With just 34 days to go, Marquee Sports Network still has no deal with the Chicago area’s largest cable company. But the new television home of the Chicago Cubs announced it would launch with or without Comcast Xfinity on February 22.

Official word of the start date along with news of key talent hires came Saturday during the annual Cubs Convention at the Sheraton Grand Chicago. Continue reading →

Dan Roan and Jarrett Payton

You won’t find live sports broadcasts on WGN-Channel 9 anymore, but that doesn’t mean the Nexstar Media Group station is out of the sports business entirely.

“GN Sports,” a live, half-hour sports show, will air at 10:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, starting January 28. It will be hosted by WGN sports anchors Dan Roan and Jarrett Payton. Continue reading →

Dominick Stasi

Following a legend in any job is never easy — especially when that legend will still be working down the hall from you.

On Wednesday Dominick Stasi was named to succeed Jennifer Lyons as news director of WGN-Channel 9 following Nexstar Media Group’s promotion of Lyons to vice president of news for WGN America. Lyons will oversee “News Nation,” a three-hour nightly newscast to premiere this summer on the Chicago-based cable network. Continue reading →

WLS 890

As WLS 890-AM gears up for coverage of the presidential election year, there’s upheaval behind the scenes in the newsroom of the Cumulus Media news/talk station.

Management’s plan to reassign all three of the station’s weekday news anchors was thrown into turmoil this week when afternoon news anchor Lauren Cohn balked at her transfer to middays. Continue reading →

WGNAmerica

Nexstar Media Group will launch a three-hour nightly national newscast from Chicago this summer on its WGN America cable network.

“News Nation” will air from 7 to 10 p.m. daily from a new newsroom and studio under construction at WGN-Channel 9 headquarters at 2501 West Bradley Place. It’s expected to debut in July and reach about 75 million households served by WGN America. Continue reading →

Ed Sherman and Steve Olken

Robservations on the media beat:

After 10 years as co-hosts of “The Scorecard on The Score,” Ed Sherman and Steve Olken are stepping down from the weekly golf talk show on Entercom sports/talk WSCR 670-AM. "We both decided the time is right for us to have our weekends free during the summer," they said in a joint statement. "We both truly love the game, even though it often doesn't love us back on the course. Our goal was to use the show as a platform to promote golf, and especially golf in Chicago." Look for The Score to name a new host for the show, which airs from 6 to 8 a.m. Saturdays from March through September. Continue reading →

DJ MoonDawg

Three evening personalities in Chicago were among an unspecified number of full-time employees laid off Tuesday in a massive restructuring of iHeartMedia stations nationwide.

The Chicago hosts affected are Chris Michaels of urban adult-contemporary WVAZ FM 102.7, DJ MoonDawg (whose real name is Michael Muniz) of urban contemporary WGCI FM 107.5, and Trace Hamilton of country WEBG 95.5-FM. Continue reading →