{"id":16138,"date":"2017-12-01T11:15:18","date_gmt":"2017-12-01T17:15:18","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.robertfeder.com\/?p=16138"},"modified":"2017-12-01T14:44:58","modified_gmt":"2017-12-01T20:44:58","slug":"joel-weisman-end-40-year-run-chicago-week-review","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/robertfeder.dailyherald.com\/2017\/12\/01\/joel-weisman-end-40-year-run-chicago-week-review\/","title":{"rendered":"Joel Weisman to end 40-year run on \u2018Chicago Week in Review\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"\"<\/a>

<\/a> Joel Weisman (Photo: WTTW)<\/p><\/div>\n

Stop the presses: Joel Weisman, the Chicago journalism icon who\u2019s been synonymous with \u201cChicago Week in Review\u201d<\/a> since the show began on WTTW-Channel 11, <\/a>is voluntarily stepping down after a record-setting 40 years.<\/p>\n

Weisman, 75, announced at the end of Friday\u2019s taping that he will retire as host and senior editor of the public television program when it celebrates its 40th anniversary next month. It\u2019s the longest-running series in the station\u2019s history.<\/p>\n

A one-hour special January 19 \u2014 Weisman\u2019s farewell broadcast \u2014 will salute his remarkable run as self-styled \u201creporter, editor, traffic cop and referee\u201d of the weekly roundtable of journalists. The show, formally titled \u201cChicago Tonight: The Week in Review,\u201d is a fixture on WTTW's schedule at 7 p.m. Fridays.<\/p>\n

\u201cJoel has done a remarkable job, over an unprecedented four decades, of keeping this program consistently relevant, informative and engaging,\u201d Dan Schmidt, president and CEO of parent company Window to the World Communications, said in a statement. \u201cOn behalf of all of us at WTTW, I extend our congratulations and thanks.\u201d<\/p>\n

In lieu of naming a new permanent host, the show will continue with correspondents from the ranks of \u201cChicago Tonight\u201d serving as moderator each week.<\/p>\n

Weisman said in a statement: \u201cI will be ever grateful for the trust WTTW and its viewers have placed in me each week for 40 years, and it\u2019s gratifying that numerous panelists say their participation gave them visibility, prestige, and a chance to show the public their deep knowledge of Chicago.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve made many lifelong friends here, and Friday at WTTW was always the highlight of my week. Due to an ever\u2010increasing number of out\u2010of\u2010town family and professional commitments, and after much agonizing, I\u2019ve decided it\u2019s time to pass the baton.\u201d<\/p>\n

A Chicago native and graduate of the University of Illinois and Chicago-Kent College of Law, Weisman began his career as a newspaperman, working as a reporter and editor for Chicago's American, the Sun\u2010Times and The Washington Post, among other publications. He joined WTTW as political editor and commentator for \u201cThe Public News Center\u201d in 1974 and launched \u201cChicago Week in Review\u201d in 1978. For 13 years he also served as commentator and news analyst at Tribune Broadcasting WGN-Channel 9.<\/p>\n

(Here is a link to Weisman's 1974 audition on WTTW with John Callaway.<\/a>)<\/p>\n

In 2008 he was inducted in the Silver Circle of the Chicago\/Midwest chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences.<\/p>\n

In addition to his work as a journalist, Weisman maintains a full-time law practice, specializing in media talent representation. Among his clients are meteorologist Tom Skilling, sportscaster Mark Giangreco, and news anchors Allison Rosati, Jim Williams and Steve Sanders.<\/p>\n

Weisman\u2019s announcement caps a tumultuous week in Chicago media that included news of major career transitions for Mark Suppelsa<\/a>, Steve Baskerville<\/a>, Bruce DuMont<\/a> and Phil Ponce<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Here is the text of Weisman\u2019s announcement to viewers:<\/strong><\/p>\n

After 40 years I\u2019ve decided to end my term as host and senior editor of this show I helped create. I\u2019ve been in this chair more than half my life, and it\u2019s been rewarding in too many ways to count, but I\u2019ll try.<\/em><\/p>\n

No one in journalism has been given the trust and editorial control of a show for that length of time. Our viewers make me feel like I\u2019ve made some contribution to journalism, government and Chicago.<\/em><\/p>\n

Our once unusual panel discussion approach has now almost become the news norm. But more than me, our hundreds of guests have made significant contributions to the political and civic dialogue. They\u2019ve been able to showcase their eclectic sides, and do it all in an accurate, sometime argumentative and collegial way. We\u2019ve even tried to do it all with a sense of humor . . . news doesn\u2019t have to be life and death 24\/7. They make the show and will continue to be here.<\/em><\/p>\n

You\u2019ll hear more about our 40th anniversary show in the weeks to come. As for me, I\u2019ll continue to work full time as a media lawyer, stay in the political conversation, and be more free to travel to see my far-flung family. It\u2019s been an agonizing decision because this has been an incomparable privilege. Maybe the best job in journalism! Where you actually get to be yourself on television!<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Stop the presses: Joel Weisman, the Chicago journalism icon who\u2019s been synonymous with \u201cChicago Week in Review\u201d since the show began on WTTW-Channel 11, is voluntarily stepping down after a record-setting 40 years. Weisman, 75, announced at the end of Friday\u2019s taping that he will retire as host and senior editor of the public television... Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[1],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/robertfeder.dailyherald.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16138"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/robertfeder.dailyherald.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/robertfeder.dailyherald.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/robertfeder.dailyherald.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/robertfeder.dailyherald.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=16138"}],"version-history":[{"count":14,"href":"https:\/\/robertfeder.dailyherald.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16138\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":16154,"href":"https:\/\/robertfeder.dailyherald.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16138\/revisions\/16154"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/robertfeder.dailyherald.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=16138"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/robertfeder.dailyherald.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=16138"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/robertfeder.dailyherald.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=16138"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}