Bart Shore

Robservations on the media beat:

Listeners know Bart Shore as one of Chicago radio's most familiar traffic voices. Now the Wilmette native is going back to his record-spinning roots. Starting this weekend, he'll host from 7 p.m. to midnight Saturdays on WLIT 93.9-FM, the iHeartMedia adult contemporary station. (They're playing all-Christmas music now.) "This is truly full circle for me," said Shore, who started on the station — then known as WLAK — in 1985. "My goal was always to be on the radio in Chicago." He continues as traffic reporter for Melissa Forman's weekday morning show on 93.9 Lite FM. Continue reading →

Hoy Chicago

Robservations on the media beat:

Hoy, the Spanish-language newspaper and website produced by the Chicago Tribune, will cease publication as of December 13. No reason was cited for the move, although the paper has been shrinking since its launch as a daily in 2003. It's been a weekly since 2017. "We anticipate providing all affected employees the opportunity to take open positions inside the company," Tribune Publishing said in a statement, adding that it would be "aggressively exploring other options to meet the changing readership needs of our important Hispanic communities." The Chicago Tribune Guild, which represents editorial employees, said it was "deeply disappointed" by the shutdown, calling it "a disservice to our journalists, our readers and our company. . . . Tribune Publishing’s executives and top editors are not going to cut their way to lasting prosperity." Continue reading →

MeTV FM

Weigel Broadcasting’s MeTV FM, the increasingly popular soft-rock oldies station at WRME 87.7-FM, has teamed up with CBS-owned WBBM-Channel 2 on news and weather updates.

News anchors and reporters from CBS 2 have begun providing 10 updates each weekday during morning and afternoon drive time in exchange for on-air promotions. Continue reading →

The Daily Northwestern

Someday the young editors of The Daily Northwestern will look back on this episode in their lives with regret and shame.

But for now, let’s just think of it as a teachable moment for some misguided college students who need to learn that journalists don't apologize for doing their jobs. Otherwise they shouldn’t be journalists. Continue reading →

Marquee Sports Network

Robservations on the media beat:

Michael Santini

With the launch of Marquee Sports Network barely three months away, the future TV home of the Chicago Cubs finally got around to hiring a programming chief. But it still hasn’t announced any deals with on-camera talent. Michael Santini, former vice president of production at MLB Network, has joined Marquee as senior vice president of programming and production. He previously worked with Marquee general manager Michael McCarthy at MSG Network. “Mike has operated the best baseball production unit in the business for years,” McCarthy said in a statement. “We have no doubt he’ll give Cubs fans what they want and deserve as head of programming and production at Marquee.” The new network is set to debut in February 2020, although there’s still no agreement with Xfinity/Comcast or several other major services to carry it. Marquee is jointly owned by Sinclair Broadcast Group and the Cubs. Continue reading →

Alicia Roman and Andy Avalos

Robservations on the media beat:

Are two meteorologists better than one? Alicia Roman this week joined Andy Avalos on NBC-owned WMAQ-Channel 5's weekday morning newscast. "We're going to kind of tag-team the weather together and bring you a closer look at some metro forecasts on a daily basis," Avalos told viewers. Frank Whittaker, station manager and vice president of news at NBC 5, said Avalos continues as the main morning meteorologist with Roman joining him three days a week with "additional coverage on the big weather story of the day." She also will appear on Saturday and Sunday morning newscasts. In addition to Avalos and Roman, NBC 5's weather team includes Brant Miller, Pete Sack and newcomer Paul Deanno. Continue reading →

Rafer Weigel

Robservations on the media beat:

An Indiana judge granted an order of protection Wednesday against Rafer Weigel, morning news anchor at Fox-owned WFLD-Channel 32, in a case involving texts of nude photos and allegations of revenge porn. The order was sought by a Valparaiso woman who alleged she was the victim of harassment by Weigel and his former fiancee. During testimony in Porter County Circuit Court, Weigel invoked his Fifth Amendment right not to incriminate himself in declining to answer whether he knew his former fiancee, Kathy Browne, had downloaded explicit photos of the woman from Weigel’s phone and emailed them back to her. Earlier, Weigel received a protective order against the Valparaiso woman in Cook County Circuit Court. In a statement to the Post-Tribune of Northwest Indiana, Weigel’s attorney, Walter Alvarez, said: “I think it’s very shameful that such sexual misadventures between these two must be aired in a court of law. All of Mr. Weigel’s actions were certainly never in a harassment manner towards [the Valparaiso woman].” Weigel, 50, who has not been charged with a crime, was suspended without pay as co-anchor of Fox 32’s “Good Day Chicago.” He’s the son of the late Chicago sports anchor Tim Weigel. Continue reading →

Lisa Labuz

Lisa Labuz, who’s been a reliable, authoritative voice in mornings at Chicago Public Media WBEZ 91.5-FM for 20 years, soon won't be heard at the crack of dawn anymore.

Labuz will step down as morning news anchor and local host of NPR’s “Morning Edition” early next year and move to middays — from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday — the public radio news/talk station announced today. Continue reading →

Rob Johnson

Robservations on the media beat:

Rob Johnson, who abruptly signed off in March as top news anchor at CBS-owned WBBM-Channel 2, has segued to a new career as a communications consultant. Johnson announced this week that he has joined TechCXO, a firm specializing in temporary placement of senior corporate executives. As a Chicago-based partner he’ll focus on marketing and communications. In addition he's also launched Rob Johnson Communications, offering media training, executive coaching, public relations, image building, crisis management and related services. Calling his 21 years in Chicago TV news “a wonderful journey,” Johnson added: “Basically, I am taking all of my years as a communicator and charitable board member and applying them to the communications consultant world.” Before joining CBS 2 in 2006 Johnson spent eight years as weekend news anchor and reporter at ABC-owned WLS-Channel 7. Continue reading →

93.9 Lite FM

Robservations on the media beat:

Ready or not, it’s that time again! Chicago's annual cavalcade of Christmas music kicks off at 4 p.m. Tuesday on iHeartMedia adult contemporary WLIT 93.3-FM. It'll run around the clock through the end of the year. “There’s no place like home for the holidays and we are delighted to be Chicagoland’s home for holiday cheer in our 19th year,” Mick Lee, program director and afternoon host at 93.9 Lite FM, said in a statement. “We’re honored that so many Chicagoans include us in their annual holiday traditions, and we can’t wait to celebrate the season with Christmas music, fun contests, and a few new surprises along the way.” On Friday Hubbard Radio adult contemporary WSHE 100.3-FM stunted with an afternoon of Christmas music, but then returned to its usual format. “Having some fun playing Christmas music for a wintry Friday commute home,” said Jeff England, market manager of Hubbard Radio Chicago. Continue reading →