Jay Levine

WBBM-Channel 2 wasn't the only station to lead its 10 o'clock newscast Monday with the "breaking news" that Jesse Jackson Jr. had reported to prison earlier that day. Others jumped the gun based on inaccurate information, too.

But the CBS-owned station's version included especially vivid detail of the former congressman's ordeal that veered toward the sensational. Continue reading →

Steve Cochran

Steve Cochran found encouraging news in the first full ratings report since he took over as morning personality on a revamped WGN AM 720.

Nielsen Audio figures released Monday showed the Tribune Broadcasting news/talk station tied for seventh place with a 4.0 percent share among all listeners, and tied for 24th with a 1.8 share among those between 25 and 54 — virtually unchanged from the previous month's survey. Continue reading →

Anna Davlantes

Anna Davlantes, the morning news anchor who brought a strong Chicago connection to WFLD-Channel 32, is leaving the Fox-owned station after four years.

“I’m grateful to management for the opportunities I’ve had at the station and will have an announcement about my new position very soon," Davlantes said in a statement released by her bosses. Her last day as co-anchor of "Good Day Chicago" will be Nov. 8. Continue reading →

Robin Robinson

Here's to you, Ms. Robinson.

Over the past 26 years, six men have occupied the Monday-through-Friday night anchor desk at Fox-owned WFLD-Channel 32. And alongside all of them has been one woman — Robin Robinson.

The Chicago native and veteran broadcast journalist has been there since "Fox 32 News" debuted Aug. 3, 1987. She'd worked three years before that as a reporter and weekend anchor at CBS-owned WBBM-Channel 2. “Everybody said I’d disappear if I went over to Fox,” Robinson told me years later. Calling her a survivor is an understatement.

Now Robinson, 56, is being forced to step down as anchor, sources said. Once the change takes place (probably after the November sweeps), she'll appear once or twice a week on the 9 p.m. newscast with special reports under the banner of "Chicago at the Tipping Point." Continue reading →

Melody Mendez

The parade of unknowns continues at Fox-owned WFLD-Channel 32.

Melody Mendez, host of "The Everyday Show" on KDVR-TV, the Fox affiliate in Denver, and Jake Hamilton, entertainment reporter at KRIV-TV, the Fox-owned station in Houston, are the latest imports headed for "Good Day Chicago." Continue reading →

Dan Bindert

Dan Bindert, an on-air and behind-scenes veteran of public radio stations in Chicago and northwest Indiana, has been named station manager of WDCB FM 90.9, the College of DuPage's public radio/jazz outlet.

Starting Monday, he succeeds Scott Wager, who retired in July after more than 30 years at the station.

Bindert most recently was vice president of radio operations at Lakeshore Public Media's WLPR FM 89.1 in Merrillville. Earlier this year, he overhauled the station's weekday lineup, adding hours for NPR's "Morning Edition" and "All Things Considered." He also launched on-air membership drives. Continue reading →

Garry Meier and Steve Dahl (2006)

In the latest round of words about Steve Dahl and Garry Meier's induction in the National Radio Hall of Fame, Dahl posted an open letter Friday to Chaz Ebert on his website, dahl.com. Here it is:

This is my response to Chaz Ebert’s response to Robert Feder’s piece on my take on all of this Radio Hall of Fame nonsense: Continue reading →

Chaz Ebert

After reading my post Thursday night about Steve Dahl's decision not to attend his National Radio Hall of Fame induction, Chaz Ebert sent me the following open letter, which she titled "Steve and Garry, Please Bury the Hatchet."

Here is her letter in its entirety: Continue reading →

Chicago radio legend Steve Dahl won't be in attendance when he and former partner Garry Meier are inducted into the National Radio Hall of Fame.

Dahl said Thursday he's decided not to attend the black-tie ceremony Nov. 9 at the Museum of Broadcast Communications, citing his "general disinterest in the proceedings" and chiding Meier for not returning his phone call to discuss the event in advance. Continue reading →

Ben Hollis

Ben Hollis, the pith-helmeted host and co-creator of WTTW-Channel 11's "Wild Chicago," is about to release a DVD featuring highlights of the fondly remembered magazine show.

From 1989 to 1992, Hollis took viewers on a weekly safari through the "urban jungle" of Chicago, spotlighting offbeat places and eccentric personalities rarely seen on television. The series continued for another decade, but the Hollis years were its defining ones.

"The love and affection from fans to this day still humbles and uplifts me," Hollis told me. Continue reading →