Every weekday in 2014, I'll be keeping an eye on what's happening in the media. My focus will be on some of my favorite subjects...the moguls, the pundits, the broadcast news biz, show business, and the publishing business. (Read "$everance" if you want a crystallization of my positions on those subjects.) And, of course, I'll also keep tabs on Chicago's media.
Chicago Media
~Chicago Radio Beatles Stories
Robert Feder's column from 1984, and my Chicago Radio Spotlight Beatles stories from Ron Riley, Clark Weber, and Ron Britain are at the link.
The Pundits
~Sally Kohn Joins CNN
She had been under contract to Fox News, but is now in the CNN stable. To read more about her, click on the link.
~Ann Coulter Tries To Explain Pot
I'm not a huge fan of legalizing pot, although I certainly concede the points in favor. Ann Coulter uses a pool boy she ran into once as an example of all potheads, and within one sentence says "almost none of my friends are potheads" and then says "I'm around potheads all the time, most of my friends are potheads." How does she keep getting booked on television shows?
Broadcast News
~CNN Ratings Continue To Fall
They are rearranging deck chairs, but it appears that nothing is working. They just had their lowest rated week in 20 months.
Showbiz
~The Grammy Awards
The lineup is getting even better. I'm definitely tuning in this year. The RAMP Newsletter lists some of the acts, including: "a killer finale that features nominees Nine Inch Nails, Queens Of The Stone Age and Dave Grohl, joined by Lindsey Buckingham. They will join an already monster performance line-up that includes Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, John Legend, Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, Kacey Musgraves, Taylor Swift, Keith Urban, Lorde and Katy Perry. Grammy nominee Sara Bareilles will perform with 2014 MusiCares® Person of the Year Carole King, and Metallica will perform with Grammy Cultural Ambassador to China, Lang Lang."
~Cosby Coming Back to NBC
Bill Cosby is not only coming back to NBC, he's going to be doing another family sitcom. (He's also working on bringing back "Fat Albert"--no joke). Deadline Hollywood has the story.
The Radio Biz
~Howard Stern's Birthday Bash
Sirius is going to open it up to non-subscribers. From Radio Online: "Howard Stern's Birthday Bash" will be broadcast live from the Hammerstein Ballroom in New York on the evening of January 31, 2014. The broadcast starts at 4pm ET with a two-hour pre-show featuring red carpet interviews and more. The main event starts at 6pm ET and will be hosted by Jimmy Kimmel, with guests including Louis C.K., David Letterman and Sarah Silverman, with musical performances by Jon Bon Jovi, John Fogerty, Steven Tyler and others.
