Robservations: Nine personalities added to Radio Hall of Fame

Dr. Ruth Westheimer

Robservations on the media beat:

Ryan Seacrest

Dr. Ruth Westheimer, the psychosexual therapist who hosted the groundbreaking radio show “Sexually Speaking” in the 1980s, and Ryan Seacrest, the nationally syndicated radio personality, have been chosen for induction in the Radio Hall of Fame. They’re among nine broadcasters named to the 2019 Hall of Fame class today. Others are Sean "Hollywood" Hamilton, Harry Harrison, Joe Madison, Jim Rome, John Tesh, and the team of Kevin Ryder and Gene "Bean" Baxter. The Chicago-based shrine honors radio’s outstanding personalities and programs. No one from Chicago made the cut this year. Winners will be inducted November 8 at Gotham Hall in New York. Tickets are on sale at radiohalloffame.com. Continue reading →

NBC Sports Chicago adds weekday afternoon sports betting show

"The Daily Line" hosts Sara Perlman, Tim Murray and Michael Jenkins

NBC Sports Chicago is betting it can win over viewers with a four-hour weekday afternoon talk show devoted to the burgeoning business of legalized sports gambling.

Starting Monday, “The Daily Line” will air live from 2 to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday. It’s a video simulcast of a nationally syndicated NBC Sports Radio show that has been airing since January. Continue reading →

Justice Department approves Nexstar deal for Tribune Media

WGN

The Antitrust Division of the Justice Department has approved the $6.4 billion acquisition of Chicago-based Tribune Media by Nexstar Media Group.

The decision announced Wednesday puts Nexstar one step away from owning "Chicago's Very Own" WGN-Channel 9 and WGN 720-AM, and becoming one of the largest broadcasting companies in the country with more than 200 stations covering 39 percent of U.S. households. Continue reading →

Robservations: How Barry Rozner got Peggy Kusinski to open up

Peggy Kusinski

Robservations on the media beat:

Barry Rozner

If you didn't read Barry Rozner's column in the Daily Herald Tuesday, don't miss it. (Here is the link.) His extraordinarily sensitive and insightful report on the real reason sportscaster Peggy Kusinski stepped away from NBC-owned WMAQ-Channel 5 has drawn an overwhelming response online and on social media. How did it come about? "Peggy had asked me to come on her podcast not long after my brother had passed and I said I just didn’t have any desire to talk about anything," Rozner told me. "I was really struggling after losing my dad and my brother two months apart. A couple weeks later I ran into her at the BMW Media Day at Medinah and I apologized for blowing her off. She asked me what happened, but I couldn’t talk about it without breaking down. That’s when she began to tell me about her sister and the Patrick Kane question, and I instantly went from tears to work mode. I told her that’s a story that needed to be told. That’s what we do, right? It’s our job to tell stories. She agreed and not long after we sat down to talk." Added Rozner: "I’d like to believe the empathy and emotion would have come through had nothing bad happened [to me] this year. I’m also not foolish enough to believe that my 2019 had no impact, or foolish enough to claim with certainty whether it did one way or another. Right now, I don’t think I’m capable of differentiating." Continue reading →

Robservations: CBS 2 ratings plunge after AT&T blackout

CBS 2 Chicago

Robservations on the media beat:

DirecTV

As expected, the ongoing impasse between CBS and AT&T is wreaking havoc on WBBM-Channel 2’s already low ratings. The blackout of CBS 2 on DirecTV, DirecTV Now and U-verse cable systems appears to have cost the CBS-owned station more than a quarter of its viewership. Nielsen household ratings dropped an average of 28 percent around the clock last week, with some time periods (including CBS 2’s 10 p.m. newscast) down as much as 33 percent. Chicago is one of 17 cities where CBS programming has been blacked out since July 20 when the company’s retransmission agreement expired. AT&T U-verse and DirecTV customers can receive a one-time credit of $15 by calling (800) 288-2020. Continue reading →

ABC 7 to end 7 p.m. newscast on The U

Larry Mowry, Hosea Sanders, Cheryl Burton and Jim Rose

ABC-owned WLS-Channel 7 will cease production of the primetime local newscast it has been producing for Weigel Broadcasting WCIU-Channel 26, the two stations jointly confirmed.

"ABC 7 Eyewitness News on The U" will have its final broadcast August 30.

The one-hour newscast, which has been airing at 7 p.m. Monday through Friday since 2015, originates from ABC 7 studios at 190 North State Street. It's fronted by news anchors Cheryl Burton and Hosea Sanders, meteorologist Larry Mowry and sports anchor Jim Rose. Continue reading →

Robservations: Susy Schultz named executive director of broadcast museum

Museum of Broadcast Communications

Robservations on the media beat:

Susy Schultz

Susy Schultz, the esteemed Chicago journalist, educator, writer and strategist, has been hired as executive director of the Museum of Broadcast Communications. Effective August 19 she will succeed Julian Jackson, who resigned in March. Since 2013 Schultz has been president of Public Narrative (formerly Community Media Workshop), the nonprofit community media training organization. "Susy is experienced in developing and implementing innovative programs with key stakeholders,” said David Plier, board chairman of the museum. “She also has demonstrated the ability to initiate and foster robust partnerships and strategic alliances with community, journalists, sponsors and donors.” Calling the museum "a Chicago gem," Schultz said: "I look forward to working with the board in developing a strong curriculum to discuss the history, the impact and the relevance of broadcast and digital media. Chicago has and always will be integral to the history and future of television, radio and beyond.” Continue reading →