Terri Hemmert (Photo: Amy Boyle)

Culminating a ton of well-deserved tributes to Terri Hemmert, the beloved Chicago radio icon will mark her final broadcast as midday personality on WXRT 93.1-FM July 9.

After 45 years on the Entercom adult album alternative station, Hemmert, 71, announced last month she’s cutting back to part-time status. The Radio Hall of Famer said she'll continue to host her Sunday morning “Breakfast with The Beatles” program and fill in for other on-air hosts many weeks throughout the year. Continue reading →

Patti Vasquez

The dismissal of Patti Vasquez as late-night host at Tribune Broadcasting news/talk WGN 720-AM, and the move of Terri Hemmert from middays at Entercom adult album alternative WXRT 93.1-FM led the top 10 most-read stories here in June.

To read the full posts, click on the headlines: Continue reading →

ABC 7 Chicago newsroom

WLS-Channel 7 is looking to stay on top of local news in Chicago by experimenting with new forms of animation, graphics, and data visualization in the way it tells stories.

The ABC-owned station is one of only two TV news operations in the country to participate in a cutting-edge video news research project led by Northeastern University School of Journalism in Boston and the Stanton Foundation. Continue reading →

WLS 890 AM

Robservations on the media beat:

The sale of legendary New York radio station WABC last week sent shock waves through Cumulus Media Chicago where employees of news/talk WLS 890-AM wondered if their station could be next. The flagship of the former ABC Radio empire went for $12.5 million to Red Apple Media, owned by New York billionaire John Catsimatidis. Mary Berner, CEO of Cumulus Media, sought to allay fears of more sales to come. "In New York’s case, we’ll be exiting a market that has been tough for us, and through these deals we will be able to realize significant value for the company – over and above what we could have generated from continued operations," Berner wrote in a memo to staff. "And for anyone who is still listening to rumors out there, I will say again that there is absolutely no grand plan to exit our big markets.” Continue reading →

Geoffrey Baer (Photo: WTTW)

Geoffrey Baer, who's been Chicago's genial tour guide and unofficial historian at WTTW-Channel 11 for more than 25 years, is taking on a major new role at the public television station.

Baer has been named vice president of original content production for television, effective Monday. In his new position, he'll oversee creation of programming in such areas as local history, documentary and lifestyle. Continue reading →

David Plier

David Plier, a marketing and branding executive and weekend talk-show host at WGN 720-AM, will succeed Larry Wert as interim chairman of Chicago’s Museum of Broadcast Communications.

Wert announced Wednesday he’ll step down from the post effective Friday, but will continue to serve on the board and executive committee of the nonprofit museum. Continue reading →

Russ Ewing

For decades “Call Russ Ewing!” was a familiar refrain among fugitives, hostage-takers and suspects in the Chicago area before they would turn themselves in to police.

A trusted and courageous reporter for two local television stations, Ewing escorted more than 100 suspects to custody in the course of his celebrated career. His calm and reassuring presence guaranteed their safety — and their appearance on the 10 o'clock news.

Ewing died of cancer Tuesday at his home in Paw Paw, Michigan. He was 95. Continue reading →

Dave Fogel

Robservations on the media beat:

Chicago radio veteran Dave Fogel says he expects to be back on the air today after spending two days in the hospital for treatment of a brain aneurysm. Fogel, 58, who hosts mornings on Cumulus Media classic hits WLS 94.7-FM, reminded me that I wrote about an identical occurrence in 2003 when he hosted afternoons at hot adult-contemporary WTMX 101.9-FM. That time he was called live on the air by his former morning colleagues, Eric Ferguson and Kathy Hart. On Tuesday he took a call from his WLS co-host, Kim Berk. “I’m a healthy guy, Mr. Feder! Really!” he texted, adding that he’ll be on medication for his condition for the rest of his life. “I much prefer making it into your column for the ratings — which I plan to do again July 10!” Continue reading →

A.D. Quig (Photo: WTTW/Chicago Tonight)

Robservations on the media beat:

A.D. Quig, a reporter and producer for The Daily Line, a subscription newsletter on state and local politics, has been hired to cover government and politics for Crain's Chicago Business. Her hiring signals an expansion of the "power and influence" beat for the publication and its website. Working closely with political columnist Greg Hinz, Quig will "zero in on the government news that matters to our business-minded readers — as well as what our business-minded readers are doing (and spending) to influence those government players," according to Crain's editor Ann Dwyer. A graduate of Indiana University, Quig previously worked for Rivet Radio and NPR. Continue reading →

Terri Hemmert (Photo: Mary Rafferty)

Terri Hemmert, the Radio Hall of Famer who’s been the heart and soul of WXRT 93.1-FM for 45 years, says she is cutting back her workload at the Entercom adult album alternative station but will "continue to be proud of being part of the XRT family."

Hemmert, 71, told colleagues in an email today that she plans to step down from her Monday-through-Friday midday shift in a few weeks and switch to “a schedule with much more flexibility.” Continue reading →