Michael Ferro

Robservations on the media beat:

If fireworks erupt at the annual meeting of Tribune Publishing Thursday they won’t be witnessed by journalists. Reporters have been told they cannot attend the meeting, which is open only to shareholders. The event could mark a turning point in the battle between Tribune Publishing chairman Michael Ferro and Gannett for control of the company. Gannett and its allies have urged stockholders to withhold votes for management's eight board candidates — many with close ties to Ferro — to send a message in support of Gannett's takeover bid. The outcome could determine whether Gannett continues with its bid or walks away. Neatly summarizing the issue was Jim Cramer, host of CNBC’s “Mad Money,” who eviscerated Ferro in a nine-minute takedown last week. “By aggressively rejecting two increasingly generous takeover offers from Gannett, Ferro has destroyed value — all so that Tribune can remain his own independent plaything,” Cramer said.  Continue reading →

AP Stylebook

Chicago has a new distinction in the definitive resource for journalists: As of Wednesday, the city can lay claim to the shortest entry in The Associated Press Stylebook.

It is, simply, L. Continue reading →

Michael Ferro

Robservations on the media beat:

If you want a good laugh sometime, check out michaelferro.com, the personal website of self-proclaimed “tech entrepreneur and philanthropist” Michael W. Ferro Jr. Four months after Ferro became chairman of Tribune Publishing and gave up his financial interest in Wrapports, the site still identifies him as “the founder and CEO of Wrapports LLC, Chicago Sun-Times’ parent company.” (For the record, Ferro was never CEO of Wrapports. That title was held by Tim Knight, who resigned last October.) Chirped one ex-employee: “Funny how tech savvy genius wizard Ferro is gonna launch ‘Tronc’ and set the publishing world on its ear, yet he can't even update his pathetic little site that he created for himself, to reflect that he no longer is associated with the Sun-Times.”

Tuesday update: As of noon, Michael Ferro’s website at michaelferro.com has been taken down. (It now links to a GoDaddy registration page.) Ferro’s Twitter account still identifies him as chairman of SunTimes Network and directs readers to the inoperative web address.

Another Tuesday update: As of 6 p.m. Ferro’s Twitter account has been corrected, identifying him simply as “inventor, investor and philanthropist.”

Continue reading →

Ron Magers (May 25, 2016)

Ron Magers delivered a pitch-perfect farewell and a larger than usual audience to close out the May rating sweep on a winning note for WLS-Channel 7.

The veteran anchorman’s final 10 p.m. newscast Wednesday easily won its time period for the ABC-owned station, with a 10.0 rating (347,520 households) and 18 percent share — up 28 percent from its average for the month. Magers retired after 35 years in Chicago television news, including the last 18 at top-rated ABC 7. Continue reading →

Melissa Forman and Jeanne Sparrow

Robservations on the media beat:

Starting next week, there’ll be less of “You & Me” on WCIU-Channel 26. Weigel Broadcasting is trimming its weekday morning talk-and-entertainment show from three hours to two. “You & Me” will air from 6 to 8 a.m., with the syndicated “Dr. Phil” returning to the 8 a.m. slot. The move is part of an effort to realign programming on The U in advance of the fall season, according to Steve Farber, senior vice president of operations at Weigel Broadcasting. Hosted by former Chicago radio personalities Melissa Forman and Jeanne Sparrow, “You & Me” debuted in 2009 and expanded to three hours in 2014. In the May Nielsen sweep, the show averaged a 0.2 rating (6,950 households) — half the audience it had two years ago. Continue reading →

Ron Magers

“I hope that what I do is without pretension . . . the most straightforward, understandable way. I also hope that I think on my feet in breaking situations. I also hope that I will hold our staff’s work up for view in the best possible light. I hope I’m here for the long run.”

With those prescient words Ron Magers described himself to the Chicago Tribune in 1982 — less than a year after he arrived from Minneapolis to join WMAQ-Channel 5. Continue reading →

Joe Soto

Joe Soto, a 36-year veteran of Chicago radio, has been promoted to permanent host of the top-rated afternoon show on iHeartMedia urban adult-contemporary WVAZ FM 102.7.

Soto, who previously hosted evenings on V103, has been filling in from 2 to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday since the death last month of syndicated superstar Doug Banks. Continue reading →

Window to the World Communications

Chicago public television station WTTW-Channel 11 has been slapped with a fine for violating workplace safety requirements at its North Side headquarters.

Following up on an employee complaint, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration cited parent company Window to the World Communications for what it called a “serious” violation involving four scaffolds in Studio D of the Chicago Production Center at 5400 North St. Louis Avenue. Continue reading →

Mike Parker

Mike Parker, one of Chicago’s most solid and experienced broadcast journalists, has announced his retirement after more than 35 years at CBS-owned WBBM-Channel 2.

His last day on the air as a general assignment reporter at CBS 2 will be May 31, he told colleagues in an email Monday. Continue reading →

Eric Ferguson and Kathy Hart

Will this be their year? Eric Ferguson and Kathy Hart, Chicago radio’s most successful morning team for more than 20 years, have been nominated again for the National Radio Hall of Fame.

Twenty-four nominees in six categories were announced Monday, including a second appearance by the durable morning duo from Hubbard Radio hot adult-contemporary WTMX FM 101.9. Last year Eric & Kathy lost out in the balloting to Kurt “Big Boy” Alexander of Los Angeles. Continue reading →