Laquan McDonald video

Looking back at the top stories on the Chicago media beat in 2015:

Video vérité: Ten news organizations sought release of a dash-cam video showing the Chicago police shooting of 17-year-old Laquan McDonald in October 2014. But it took the persistence of one independent journalist, Brandon Smith, to get a court order forcing the city to hand it over. Whatever misgivings local TV stations may have had about airing the disturbing images vanished as soon as the video was released. So too did a veil of secrecy and corruption that will haunt the city for years to come. Continue reading →

Chicago Tribune Freedom Center

Chicago magazine, long the arbiter of taste and style for its namesake, is about to lose its tony Mag Mile address and move out of Tribune Tower.

Chicago Tribune Media Group, parent company of the monthly publication and website, confirmed Wednesday that all employees of the magazine will be relocated to Chicago Tribune’s Freedom Center printing and distribution complex at 777 West Chicago Avenue. Continue reading →

Chicago Public Media

Robservations on the media beat:

Chicago Public Media, parent company of WBEZ FM 91.5, put up more than money to acquire the license of WKCC FM 91.1, the public radio station formerly operated by Kankakee Community College. In addition to paying $250,000 in cash and $100,000 in underwriting announcements to air over the next five years, the company promised to hold annual seminars conducted by WBEZ reporters and producers on the Kankakee Community College campus for five years. Documents filed with the Federal Communications Commission show Chicago Public Media also agreed to “programming coverage of local news and cultural events in the area in and around Kankakee,” periodic visits by station personnel, and establishment of a web page, toll-free phone number and email address to “permit the public to reach the WKCC studios without charge.” Since Saturday, WBEZ has been simulcasting full time on WKCC, adding a potential audience of 200,000 listeners in Kankakee and Iroquois counties. Continue reading →

WLIT FM 93.9

WLIT FM 93.9 lit up like a Christmas tree in Chicago radio ratings released Monday.

The iHeartMedia adult-contemporary station switched to around-the-clock holiday music programming on November 12 — one week into the latest Nielsen Audio survey period, which ran from November 5 to December 2. The figures showed more than 2,133,800 listeners couldn’t get enough of it. Continue reading →

Studs Terkel Community Media Awards

Four renowned Chicago journalists from print, broadcast and digital media, and a philanthropist who heads the Field Foundation of Illinois have been named winners of 2016 Studs Terkel Community Media Awards.

Presented by Public Narrative, the nonprofit organization formerly called Community Media Workshop, the prestigious awards honor excellence in covering and reflecting Chicago’s diverse communities. They’re named for Studs Terkel, the late author and broadcaster who was the group’s guiding spirit. Continue reading →

Roseanne Tellez (CBS 2, December 17, 2015)

Now we know the real reason Harry Porterfield wasn’t around when WBBM-Channel 2 announced his retirement last Thursday: He wasn’t buying into it.

In his first public comments on the matter, the 87-year-old dean of Chicago television news said he had wanted to continue working and was hopeful the CBS-owned station would renew his contract as co-anchor of the 11 a.m. Monday-through-Friday newscast. Continue reading →

WTTW studios

Robservations on the media beat:

In an election supervised by the National Labor Relations Board, producers at WTTW-Channel 11’s “Chicago Tonight” will vote Friday on union representation. At issue is whether full-time and part-time producers on the public television station’s nightly news show will affiliate with the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists. “We have put a great deal of time into this campaign and we believe the unit is motivated to form a union and enjoy the protections of a collectively bargained agreement,” said Eric Chaudron, executive director of Chicago SAG-AFTRA. Management of Window to the World Communications declined to comment. SAG-AFTRA currently represents WTTW’s on-air newsroom staff, announcers and pledge talent. Oddly, announcers at the company’s commercial radio station, classical WFMT FM 98.7, are not covered by a union. Continue reading →

Harry Porterfield

Harry Porterfield, dean of Chicago television news anchors whose signature series was "Someone You Should Know," is stepping down after a legendary career spanning more than 50 years, CBS-owned WBBM-Channel 2 announced Thursday.

Porterfield, 87, who most recently co-anchored the 11 a.m. weekday newscast with Roseanne Tellez, made his final appearance on the air last Friday. He was on vacation this week and could not be reached for comment. Continue reading →

Melody Mendez

It’s musical chairs time again at “Good Day Chicago,” the ever-changing morning show at Fox-owned WFLD-Channel 32.

On Wednesday Melody Mendez announced she’s not renewing her contract as news anchor from 4:30 to 7 a.m. Monday through Friday. The move confirms a report here last fall following the departure of the show's former co-anchor, Jon Kelley. Continue reading →

WKCC

Chicago Public Media, parent company of news/talk WBEZ FM 91.5, has agreed to buy WKCC FM 91.1, rescuing the Kankakee Community College public radio station.

Effective Friday, WBEZ programming will be simulcast full time on WKCC, which was forced to cease operations because of budget constraints. The move extends the reach of WBEZ’s signal south to a potential audience of 200,000 listeners in Kankakee and Iroquois counties. Continue reading →