Barry Winograd

Robservations on the media beat:

After more than 18 years at WDCB 90.9-FM, Barry Winograd is stepping down as midday jazz host on the west suburban College of DuPage public radio station. His last regular show — from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. weekdays — will air September 20. No word yet on a successor. Winograd, who joined WDCB in 2001 after long runs at Chicago Public Media WBEZ 91.5-FM and Entercom adult album alternative WXRT 93.1-FM, will continue to host “When Jazz Was King” at 10 a.m. Saturdays. "Barry is such an important part of who we are as a radio station," said Dan Bindert, station manager of WDCB. "We serve an audience that is serious about jazz. His love for this art form is as genuine and sincere as it gets. That comes across every day he’s on the air.” Said Winograd: “I'd like to thank the jazz community for allowing me to represent America's greatest art form for the past 40 plus years on radio in my home, Chicagoland.” Continue reading →

David Polk (Photo: WFMT)

David Polk, who rose from intern and production assistant to program director of WFMT 98.7-FM, is leaving the Window to the World Communications classical music station after 13 years.

Polk, 36, announced Tuesday he plans to pursue new opportunities in New York. No word yet on a successor. Continue reading →

Stay Tuned: Rock on TV

A major multimedia exhibit on the historic connections between rock music and television in America is coming this fall to Chicago’s Museum of Broadcast Communications.

Created in 2018 by the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, “Stay Tuned: Rock on TV” will open October 18 for a six-month run at the museum, 360 North State Street. Chicago is the first stop on the exhibit’s nationwide tour. Continue reading →

Brent Musburger

Robservations on the media beat:

VSiN

WLS 890-AM, the Cumulus Media news/talk station, is the latest Chicago media outlet to bet on sports gambling. It's teaming up with VSiN, the Vegas Stats & Information Network, the first multi-channel network dedicated to sports betting. As of this week WLS is airing VSiN's "Action Updates," hosted by legendary sportscaster Brent Musburger, at 6:58 p.m. Monday through Friday. Starting August 31, WLS will air VSiN'S "Sunday Preview" with Dave Farra and Matt Brown from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Saturdays. The weekly show breaks down every NFL game from a sports bettor's perspective. The programming additions coincide with the move of University of Illinois football and basketball to WLS this fall. "Chicago has always been one of the greatest sports cities with the greatest sports fans," Musburger said. "With regulated sports betting on its way to Illinois, those sports fans might want to have a little action on their favorite teams. We're glad to bring Chicago's sports betting enthusiasts the news and insights they need to win." VSiN updates previously aired on Entercom sports/talk WSCR 670-AM. Continue reading →

Chris Petlak

There’s big news on the night shift at Chicago’s powerhouse hot adult-contemporary station.

Chris Petlak, who created, wrote, produced and starred in “The Jamz,” a TV sitcom about a fictional Chicago radio station, has been hired as evening personality and director of digital content at WTMX 101.9-FM. Continue reading →

Block Club Chicago

A wayward alligator in the Humboldt Park lagoon — as well as generous grants from three local foundations — are making this a great summer for Block Club Chicago.

On Friday the nonprofit subscription-based digital news site, founded by former editors of DNAinfo Chicago, exceeded 20 million page views since its launch in June 2018. It now boasts more than 8,000 paid subscribers. Continue reading →

CBS Chicago

Robservations on the media beat:

After holding viewers hostage for 20 days, AT&T restored CBS programming Thursday on DirecTV, DirecTV Now and AT&T U-verse platforms. Since July 20, the blackout affected more than 6.5 million customers in 17 cities, including Chicago. CBS-owned WBBM-Channel 2 lost more than a quarter of its viewership during the impasse, according to Nielsen figures. "CBS and AT&T regret any inconvenience to their customers and viewers and thank them for their patience," the two companies said in a joint statement. Terms of the multiyear retransmission agreement were not disclosed. Both sides were under pressure to reach a settlement before the start of NFL preseason games. Continue reading →

"A Love Letter to Chicago Journalism"

The Chicago Reader is counting on the gratitude and generosity of local journalists to help jump-start its latest fundraising effort.

The independently-owned alternative weekly will host a 12-hour telethon August 23 during which journalists will be invited to pay tribute to those who inspired their work and careers. The salutes will come in the form of written testimonials to be read by the hosts or delivered by the journalists themselves live on the program. Continue reading →

"You Better You Bet"

Entercom Communications has enlisted a couple of hosts from sports/talk WSCR 670-AM as regular contributors to a new four-hour nightly podcast on sports betting and fantasy sports.

Danny Parkins and Joe Ostrowski will appear on “You Better You Bet,” from 5 to 9 p.m. Monday through Friday, starting August 19. During NFL season, a special weekend edition will air from 8 a.m. to noon Sundays. Continue reading →

Ryan Baker and Erin Kennedy

Robservations on the media beat:

After 16 years as a high-profile sports anchor in Chicago, is Ryan Baker switching to news? No one will say for sure, but Baker has been spending the week alongside Erin Kennedy as co-anchor of CBS-owned WBBM-Channel 2's weekday morning newscast. "No guarantees where it’s going," he wrote on social media. "Nice to stretch myself." He followed it with the hashtags "Grow or Die" and "Not Sticking to Sports." Reporter Mike Puccinelli has been co-anchoring with Kennedy since March. Baker and CBS 2 officials did not respond to requests for comment. Baker, a south suburban native and graduate of Thornridge High School and the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, joined CBS 2 in 2008 after five years at NBC-owned WMAQ-Channel 5. He previously worked as a sportscaster in Orlando, San Diego and Champaign. Continue reading →