Michelle Obama, Doug Banks, Wendy Banks and President Barack Obama (2013)

Robservations on the media beat:

Family and friends of Doug Banks gathered in Dallas Saturday to hear tributes to the late radio star, including one from President Barack Obama. Jerry Lopes, president of American Urban Radio Networks, read a letter from the president, who’d been a fan of Banks, as was First Lady Michelle Obama, since their years in Chicago. Banks died April 11 of complications from diabetes at 57. Among former Chicago colleagues at the memorial service were personalities Tom Joyner, DeDe McGuire and Rick Party; Marv Dyson, former president and general manager of WVAZ FM 102.7 and WGCI FM 107.5, and Derrick Brown, director of urban programming for iHeartMedia Chicago. Continue reading →

Splash

Splash, the glossy lifestyle and fashion supplement published by the parent company of the Sun-Times, has been picked up by Tribune Publishing.

The sale was completed over the weekend and confirmed Monday by Dana Meyer, a spokeswoman for Tribune Publishing. Terms of the agreement were not disclosed. Continue reading →

Fox 32 News

Robservations on the media beat:

Jill Manuel

Once thought a leading candidate to become news director of WFLD-Channel 32, Jill Manuel now finds herself looking for work. Manuel exited the Fox-owned station Thursday after two years as assistant news director. She was passed over for the top job when Matt Piacente, just in from NBC-owned WVIT in Hartford, Connecticut, was hired to replace Tom Doerr as news director. Manuel, who joined Fox 32 from WEWS, the ABC affiliate in Cleveland, previously had been news director at Tribune Media CLTV and an executive producer at CBS-owned WBBM-Channel 2. She declined to comment about her plans. Continue reading →

Ron Magers

Ron Magers made it official Thursday: After 51 years in television news — including more than three decades as an immensely popular and respected anchorman in Chicago — he’s retiring from ABC-owned WLS-Channel 7.

Magers, 71, will sign off May 25 as anchor of ABC 7’s top-rated 5 and 10 p.m. weekday newscasts, according to an announcement by the station.

“I’ve been a night worker in television all of my adult life,” Magers said. “It’s time for a leisurely dinner and maybe a movie or the theater.” Continue reading →

Fox 32 News

Robservations on the media beat:

On the heels of NBC-owned WMAQ-Channel 5 announcing the launch of a 4 p.m. Monday-through-Friday newscast comes word that Fox-owned WFLD-Channel 32 is ready to pull the trigger on its own 5 p.m. weekday newscast. It’s been talked about for years, but insiders say it finally will happen this summer. Look for current 9 p.m. news anchors Jeff Herndon and Dawn Hasbrouck to front the new show as well. The expansion coincides with the arrival of Matt Piacente as Fox 32 news director — the station’s fourth in four years. Continue reading →

NBC Tower

A new one-hour newscast at 4 p.m. Monday through Friday will debut in August on WMAQ-Channel 5, the NBC-owned station announced Tuesday.

The syndicated entertainment show “Extra,” which has been airing at 4 p.m. weekdays on NBC 5, is expected to move to Fox-owned WFLD-Channel 32 in a deal with Warner Bros. Domestic Television Distribution. It's expected to air there at either 6 or 6:30 p.m. Continue reading →

Doug Banks

In a fitting tribute to a stellar career cut way too short, the late, great Doug Banks went out on top among Chicago radio personalities in the Nielsen Audio survey released Monday.

Hours after Banks died from complications related to diabetes, ratings showed his nationally syndicated afternoon program on iHeartMedia urban adult-contemporary WVAZ FM 102.7 tied for first place in Chicago with the CBS Radio all-news combo of WBBM AM 780/WCFS FM 105.9. Both had a 5.5 percent audience share. Continue reading →

Doug Banks

It was impossible not to like Doug Banks. That’s what endeared him to legions of fans and admirers over more than three decades as a top-rated and nationally syndicated radio personality and popular television host in Chicago.

Banks died Monday at his home in Florida from complications related to diabetes and kidney failure, according to Marv Dyson, a longtime friend and former president and general manager of WGCI FM 107.5 and WVAZ FM 102.7. Banks was 57. Continue reading →

WGN Radio Walk of Fame

An innovative executive, a trailblazing producer, an ace engineer and four distinguished broadcasters are among this year’s honorees in the WGN Radio Walk of Fame.

The seven veterans of Tribune Media news/talk WGN AM 720 will be enshrined May 27 with bronze plaques embedded outside the station’s Tribune Tower studios at 435 North Michigan Avenue. Continue reading →

Mike Kasper

CBS Radio Chicago has reached out to Richmond, Virginia, for its new afternoon personality on country WUSN FM 99.5.

Mike Kasper, who most recently was afternoon host, assistant program director and music director at WRVQ in Richmond, will join US 99.5 from 3 to 7 p.m. weekdays, starting April 20. He succeeds Shila Nathan, who left in January for WNSH in New York. Continue reading →