Chicago Tribune
The Chicago Tribune unveiled plans today for a sweeping reorganization of its newsroom, aimed at becoming what publisher and editor-in-chief Bruce Dold called “more nimble, more entrepreneurial, more responsive to our readers’ current interests and permanent passions.”
Dold outlined the changes, including the addition of a second managing editor and expansion of the newspaper’s “audience insight team,” in an email to the staff. Continue reading
Jenny Milkowski (Photo: Maggie Ponce/Revealed Studios)
Robservations on the media beat:
Jay Styles
Jenny Milkowski, former traffic reporter on “Good Day Chicago,” has been named afternoon personality on WSHE FM 100.3, starting March 29. Along with co-host Jay Styles, she’ll succeed Cara Carriveau, whose last day on the Hubbard Radio adult contemporary station was Friday. Milkowski, a Chicago area native and 2006 broadcast journalism graduate of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, spent the last three years at Fox-owned WFLD-Channel 32 and gained a wide social media following before Michelle Alegria replaced her as morning traffic reporter. “I am beyond ecstatic to continue connecting with listeners in Chicago,” Milkowski said Monday. “To be able to work in the city where I was born and raised is a dream come true.” Styles most recently was Chicago producer for Brooke Fox and Jubal Flagg’s morning show. Also at WSHE, evening host Robb Rose succeeds Styles as “Brooke & Jubal” producer, and weekend host Brian Middleton moves to evenings. Continue reading
Ji Suk Yi (Photo: ABC 7)
Calling it “a freaking honor” to have worked on “Windy City Live” since its inception, Ji Suk Yi surprised viewers Friday by signing off as a regular contributor to the WLS-Channel 7 talk and entertainment show.
Yi’s position was eliminated in a cost-saving move at the ABC-owned station, according to insiders. She will not be replaced. Val Warner and Ryan Chiaverini continue as co-hosts of the show, which airs at 1 p.m. weekdays on ABC 7. Continue reading
Cara Carriveau (Photo: Todd Rosenberg Photography)
Robservations on the media beat:
Cara Carriveau, who’s been a shining star on Chicago radio since the late 1980s, has resigned as afternoon personality on WSHE FM 100.3. Her last day on the Hubbard Radio adult contemporary station will be today. "I am so appreciative of all of the wonderful opportunities Hubbard Radio Chicago has given me,” Carriveau said in a statement. “To have hosted afternoons on WSHE after hosting middays on WTMX . . . makes me extremely proud of the past decade in my career. I will deeply miss the amazing people I have worked with for so many years.” Program director Cat Thomas said he will name a replacement soon. In the latest Nielsen Audio survey, WSHE ranked 18th in afternoons with a 2.6 percent audience share. Continue reading
Hedy Weiss (Photo: Rich Hein/Sun-Times)
The final curtain for theater critic Hedy Weiss at the Sun-Times, the scoop on the startup of the neighborhood news website Block Club Chicago, and the dismissal of Mark Konkol after just 17 days as editor of the Chicago Reader led the top 10 most-read stories here in February.
To read the full posts, click on the headlines: Continue reading
Walter Cronkite Memorial at Missouri Western State University
ST. JOSEPH, MO — Fifty years ago this week Walter Cronkite concluded a CBS News primetime special on the Vietnam War with a rare personal commentary that made history.
Just back from the battlefield after the Tet Offensive, America’s premier anchorman said he believed the war could not be won. Years of government propaganda that victory was near simply was not true, he declared. Continue reading
One Illinois
A Chicago alderman and former Democratic candidate for governor has announced plans to launch One Illinois, a statewide, nonprofit digital news outlet, in April.
Billed as nonpartisan, the progressive news site clearly will be aimed at countering the conservative Illinois Policy Institute and Breitbart News, among others. Continue reading
Dick Kay (Photo: Newsweb Radio)
When Dick Kay called it quits in 2006 after 38 years at NBC-owned WMAQ-Channel 5, the veteran political editor and reporter had no particular plans for his retirement.
A brief stint working to promote then-Governor Rod Blagojevich’s health care plan seemed to signal the end of Kay’s long and illustrious career in broadcasting. But in March 2008 an opportunity beckoned to do radio any way he wanted. Continue reading
NBC Tower
Robservations on the media beat:
NBC coverage of the Winter Olympics helped propel WMAQ-Channel 5’s 10 p.m. newscast to first place in key adult demographics, but may not have been enough to win the gold in overall viewership. With two days left in the February sweep, the NBC-owned station holds a comfortable lead among viewers between 25 and 54. In total households, however, ABC-owned WLS-Channel 7 appears poised to finish first in the late-news race. Analysts say it would be very unlikely for NBC 5 to overtake ABC 7 at this point. Continue reading
Susanna Song (Photo: CBS 2)
Robservations on the media beat:
Susanna Song has chosen not to renew her contract after more than seven years as a general assignment reporter at WBBM-Channel 2. Her last day at the CBS-owned station will be Friday. Song has accepted a new job as director of communications and marketing at High Wire Networks, a tech company based in west suburban Batavia. “This new role will give me the time and flexibility to maintain a career while still be the best mother for my two young kids,” she said. “Who knows what the future holds, but this is undoubtedly the path that feels right for now and I’m excited to see where it all leads.” A native of north suburban Buffalo Grove and graduate of Stevenson High School and the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University, Song joined CBS 2 in 2010 from KSTP, the ABC affiliate in Minneapolis/St. Paul. Continue reading