Roger Ebert

The immortal prose of Pulitzer Prize-winning film critic Roger Ebert will be appearing again in the pages of the Chicago Sun-Times, his home newspaper for 46 years.

Starting Friday, the Sun-Times will republish a classic piece, billed as "From the Ebert Archive,” in its weekly movie section. First up will be Ebert’s 2½-star review of “Independence Day,” the 1996 film starring Will Smith. Continue reading →

Noticiero Telemundo Chicago

Robservations on the media beat:

Chris McDonnell

Spanish-language news viewers will have an additional choice this fall when Telemundo Chicago WSNS-Channel 44 debuts a half-hour local newscast at 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. Chris McDonnell, president and general manager of Telemundo Chicago, confirmed the September 26 launch date but said news anchors and other personnel have not yet been finalized. Noticiero Telemundo Chicago now airs at 4:30, 5 and 10 p.m. Owned by NBCUniversal, Telemundo Chicago was one of 14 stations in the company to announce news expansions Tuesday. Continue reading →

Daniel French

Robservations on the media beat:

Chuck Duncan

In a rare victory for local ownership, Kovas Communications has pulled the plug on its time brokerage arrangement with Arizona-based Anthem Broadcasting and retaken control of programming on north suburban news/talk and foreign-language station WCGO AM 1590. The deal with Anthem, which had been in effect since January and included a purchase option for the station, was voided by mutual agreement, according to Chuck Duncan, who continues as general manager. Gone is syndicated host Rusty Humphries and the other shows Anthem imported. As of Monday, WCGO’s weekday afternoon lineup features “The Small Business Advocate” with Jim Blasingame from noon to 2 p.m., “The Kate Dalley Show” from 2 to 4 p.m., and Daniel French’s “Everyday with French and Friends” from 4 to 7 p.m. “Our focus remains to build the station's relevance from the ground floor among the primary communities we serve and continue to expand each adjoining community from there,” Duncan said. Continue reading →

National Radio Hall of Fame

Public voting begins Monday for two categories in the National Radio Hall of Fame.

Through June 30, fans are invited to text their votes to 36500 for one of four nominees in the music format personality category and one of four nominees in the spoken-word format personality category. Winners will be announced July 11. Continue reading →

Terry Boers and Dan Bernstein

As WSCR AM 670 rides the wave of its highest ratings ever, the CBS Radio sports/talk station is about to find itself without the services of veteran afternoon personality Terry Boers for a while.

Boers, 66, told listeners Wednesday that he will undergo surgery for an undisclosed ailment and expects to be off the air for “around two months.” His leave is effective immediately. Continue reading →

Terrell Brown and Judy Hsu

Robservations on the media beat:

Judy Hsu and Terrell Brown, who co-anchor from 4:30 to 7 a.m. Monday through Friday on ABC-owned WLS-Channel 7, have been tapped to anchor ABC 7’s new 11 a.m. weekday newscast, starting June 27. They’ll be joined by meteorologist Tracy Butler on the new addition, which bumps “Windy City Live” to 1 p.m. "There's no doubt our 11 a.m. newscast will be in very good hands with Judy, Terrell and Tracy at the helm along with our experienced production team,” Jennifer Graves, vice president and news director of ABC 7, said in a statement Wednesday. It’s a return to the time period for “Eyewitness News,” which dropped its 11 a.m. newscast, anchored by Linda Yu and Sylvia Perez, in 2013. Continue reading →

Dennis Swanson

Dennis Swanson, a television industry giant credited with discovering Oprah Winfrey and catapulting ABC-owned WLS-Channel 7 to the top of the ratings, has called it a career.

“After 60 years in this business today will be my last,” he wrote to friends in an email Friday. He and his wife were in Africa with three of their grandchildren this week and could not be reached for comment. Continue reading →

Chicago Public Media

Robservations on the media beat:

Cynthia Abbott

For more than two years WBEZ FM 91.5 listeners have been waiting for new programming from the Chicago Public Media station. Instead they’ve seen reductions in locally produced broadcast content, cancellation of several local podcasts and expansions in the company’s executive ranks. Latest addition is the hiring last week of Cynthia Abbott as vice president and general counsel, a newly created position. Until last December Abbott was senior legal director at Motorola Mobility. “Cindy is uniquely qualified not only to establish this new internal resource but equally to provide superb expertise in legal matters and strategic execution,” Goli Sheikholeslami, president and CEO of Chicago Public Media, said in a statement. “She is exceptionally prepared to take on this role, and is well-positioned to provide an immediate impact as we grow in the midst of a rapidly changing digital and media landscape.” Continue reading →

Eric Ferguson

Eric Ferguson, Chicago’s top-rated morning personality, escaped serious injury Saturday when the WaveRunner personal water craft he was riding on a Wisconsin lake exploded, sending him 15 feet into the air.

Calling it a miracle he survived, Ferguson said he expects to be on the air Monday hosting his morning show on Hubbard Radio hot adult-contemporary WTMX FM 101.9 as usual. Continue reading →

Mike Lowe

Robservations on the media beat:

Eighteen years ago Mike Lowe was working as an intern in the sports department of Tribune Media WGN-Channel 9. Today he’s a full-time general assignment reporter. Jennifer Lyons, news director of “Chicago’s Very Own,” confirmed Lowe’s new deal with the station (negotiated by agent Joel Weisman) after 15 months as a per diem reporter. Winner of 14 Chicago/Midwest Emmy Awards, Lowe previously was a reporter for WITI, the Fox affiliate in Milwaukee. A Chicago native and graduate of Loyola Academy and the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University, Lowe began as an intern at Window to the World Communications WTTW-Channel 11. Continue reading →