Joe Knowles

In what Chicago Tribune editor Gerould Kern described as “important leadership changes,” new editors were named Tuesday to oversee the newspaper’s sports and business sections.

Joe Knowles, a 38-year veteran of the Tribune, was named associate managing editor/sports. A former sports news editor of the paper who went on to launch RedEye and serve as co-editor of the tabloid, Knowles most recently has been the Tribune’s associate managing editor for editing and presentation.

Michael Kellams, a 16-year Tribune veteran who has been associate managing editor/sports since 2009, has shifted to associate managing editor/business. He succeeds Mike Lev, who has joined the editorial board of the Tribune. Continue reading →

Erin Kennedy

It’s showtime for Erin Kennedy as WBBM-Channel 2 tries yet again to compete for morning news viewers.

Kennedy, just in from in Cleveland, debuts Monday alongside Kris Gutierrez on the CBS-owned station’s chronically anemic morning newscast. Airing from 4:30 to 7 a.m. weekdays, it’s been trailing the ratings for years.

Until Kennedy’s hiring was announced May 6, CBS 2 had gone 12 months without a permanent morning anchor team in place. Billboards around town promoted Megan Glaros weather and Derrick Young traffic instead, all but ignoring the news product itself. Continue reading →

Here’s a look at Chicago’s most popular nighttime stars, according to radio ratings released this week for the period from March 27 to April 23.

Following are the top-rated shows as measured by Nielsen Audio among all listeners age 6 and older from 7 p.m. to midnight Monday through Friday, followed by share of audience. Continue reading →

Zoraida Sambolin

When news broke last month that Zoraida Sambolin was returning to WMAQ-Channel 5 as morning news anchor, longtime viewers of “NBC 5 News Today” were overjoyed. “Too good to be true!” wrote one on this site. “Welcome back, Zoraida. You've been dearly missed,” wrote another. Many more agreed.

But perhaps no one was happier than Sambolin herself. After two years at CNN in New York (interrupted by a battle with breast cancer), the Chicago native was thrilled to be back home with family and reclaiming her old job at the station where she’d spent a decade. Continue reading →

Craig Ferguson

While WLS-Channel 7 is certain to keep “Windy City Live” on its weekday schedule at 11 a.m., and WCIU-Channel 26 will continue “You & Me This Morning” at 6 a.m., could there be another locally produced daytime talk show coming to Chicago television this fall?

WGN-Channel 9, which already airs 54 hours a week of live local news, is considering jumping into the daily talk show business, too. Continue reading →

Mark Elfstrand

Two prominent Christian radio talk hosts are trading places on competing Chicago stations.

Mark Elfstrand, who hosted mornings for nearly 15 years at Moody Radio WMBI FM 90.1 until he was forced out last November, is joining Salem Communications WYLL AM 1160. Starting May 20, he’ll be on from 4 to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday. Continue reading →

Clark Weber and Ron Riley (1966)

Clark Weber and Ron Riley, two legendary personalities from the golden era of WLS AM 890 in the 1960s, will reunite for one night only to reminisce about the Beatles, the British Invasion and Top 40 radio.

The former rock ’n’ roll disc jockeys will appear together at a benefit June 24 for the Lotus Foundation, the nonprofit founded by Ringo Starr to support charitable social welfare projects. Sponsored by WLS FM 94.7, the event at Chicago's Hard Rock Cafe will be in conjunction with the Ringo Starr Art Show With a Little Help From His Friends. Continue reading →

Here’s a look at Chicago’s most popular afternoon stars, according to radio ratings released Monday for the period from March 27 to April 23.

Following are the top-rated shows as measured by Nielsen Audio among all listeners age 6 and older from 3 to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday, followed by average share of audience. Continue reading →

Here’s a look at Chicago’s most popular midday stars, according to radio ratings released Monday for the period from March 27 to April 23.

Following are the top-rated shows as measured by Nielsen Audio among all listeners age 6 and older from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday, followed by average share of audience. Continue reading →

Bob Collins

Ten past and present stars of WGN AM 720 will be honored next month when the Tribune Broadcasting news/talk station unveils “The WGN Radio Walk of Fame.”

In conjunction with WGN's 90th anniversary celebration, the Walk of Fame’s inaugural inductees will be Jack Brickhouse, Bob Collins, Roy Leonard, Judy Markey, Spike O’Dell, Kathy O’Malley, Wally Phillips, Milt Rosenberg, Quin Ryan and Orion Samuelson. Each will be recognized with a plaque outside the station’s Tribune Tower studios at 435 N. Michigan Avenue. Continue reading →