Conrad Black (Photo: U.S. Marshals Service, 2005)

The revered film critic Roger Ebert spoke for all of us who worked at the Chicago Sun-Times when he stood up to Conrad Black, the Canadian-born press baron who owned the newspaper for 10 years before he was charged with looting the company and defrauding investors.

“You can imagine my dismay when I read auditor's reports indicating the company was run as a ‘kleptocracy,’ and that, between you, you allegedly pocketed 97 percent of Hollinger's profits,” Ebert wrote in an open letter to Black and his partner in crime, publisher David Radler, in 2004. Continue reading →

Deidra White

Robservations on the media beat:

Deidra White, who’s been a role model and mentor to students and young professionals in the news business for decades, is about to wrap up a sterling 40-year career at CBS. As news planning manager at WBBM-Channel 2, White tops the list of behind-scenes veterans who've accepted buyouts from the CBS-owned station. Others include executive producer of specials and investigations Marda LeBeau, political producer Ed Marshall and photojournalist Alif Muhammad, according to insiders. White, a South Side native and graduate of the University of Illinois at Chicago, joined CBS 2 in 1999 after a long run at all-news WBBM 780-AM, where she rose from intern to managing editor. She also served as news director at CBS-owned WWJ Radio in Detroit. CBS 2 declined to comment on the buyouts. Continue reading →

Maze Jackson and Todd Stroger

Former Cook County Board President Todd Stroger just became the latest politician to transform himself into a Chicago radio talk show host.

WVON 1690-AM has signed Stroger as co-host of Maze Jackson’s morning show, the Midway Broadcasting African-American news/talk station announced today. The show airs from 6 to 9 a.m. Monday through Friday. Continue reading →

WTMX

With strong first-place performances by Eric Ferguson in mornings and Kevin “Koz” Koske in afternoons, WTMX 101.9-FM jumped to No. 1 in the latest Chicago radio ratings.

The Hubbard Radio hot adult-contemporary station gained a half-point in audience share to capture the top spot from Entercom all-news WBBM 780-AM/WCFS 105.9-FM, which fell to fourth place in the Nielsen Audio monthly survey released Monday. Continue reading →

Chicago Public Media WBEZ

While conservative blowtorch WLS 890-AM and NPR affiliate WBEZ 91.5-FM may find themselves on opposite sides of the political spectrum, they’re both battling it out for Chicago’s news/talk radio listeners.

So it’s been surprising to hear commercials for WBEZ airing on a couple of other stations owned by the parent company of WLS. Continue reading →

Steve Harvey

Robservations on the media beat:

So long, Steve. It's official: Steve Harvey's syndicated daytime talk show has been canceled after seven years. "Steve" taped its final episode Thursday, according to Variety. For its first five years, the show was produced at NBC Tower here before relocating to Los Angeles. (Remember Harvey's infamous farewell to Chicago?) As long rumored, his show will be replaced on NBC-owned stations, including WMAQ-Channel 5, by “The Kelly Clarkson Show,” starting this fall. Harvey continues as host of the game show "Family Feud" and as syndicated morning personality on iHeartMedia urban adult-contemporary WVAZ 102.7-FM. Continue reading →

Goli Sheikholeslami

The most powerful woman in Chicago journalism isn’t a journalist.

But as chief executive officer of Chicago Public Media, Goli Sheikholeslami, 50, is well on her way to transforming the nonprofit parent company of WBEZ 91.5-FM into the premier broadcast and digital news organization in town.

At a time when other legacy media brands are struggling to survive, WBEZ is thriving under her leadership. Continue reading →

Diane Hannes

Over her remarkable three decades in Chicago television, Diane Hannes has risen from promotion writer at one station to head of marketing at another — with a stop at "The Oprah Winfrey Show" along the way.

On Thursday Hannes was named president and general manager of WVIT, the NBC-owned station in Hartford, Connecticut; and WRDM, the Telemundo station in Hartford. She will oversee all station operations, including news, digital, sales, marketing/promotions, community affairs and operations/technology. Continue reading →

Leslie Keros

Leslie Keros, the weekday morning jazz host on College of DuPage’s WDCB 90.9-FM, will soon be going national.

Starting July 5 Keros will join the talent roster of the Chicago-based Jazz Network, a programming service of WFMT Radio Network, the syndication division of Window to the World Communications classical WFMT 98.7-FM. She is replacing Neil Tesser, whose contract with the network ended. Continue reading →

Mai Martinez

Mai Martinez, a reporter and weekend news anchor at CBS-owned WBBM-Channel 2, announced Wednesday that she's on medical leave for an undisclosed ailment.

"Thank you Chicago for embracing this Southern transplant 13yrs ago," Martinez tweeted. "I’m so grateful for my time at @cbschicago & all of you. Some of you are asking why I’m not on TV or social media. Please do not worry. I am STILL w/CBS 2, but currently on medical leave & hope to return soon." Continue reading →