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
~Sirott & Murciano
I spent the afternoon at WGN radio yesterday interviewing Bob Sirott and Marianne Murciano. We discussed their radio philosophies, the challenges of being married and working together, the evolution of their show, and the changing radio landscape. It'll be a good read in the April issue of Illinois Entertainer. (March's issue comes out in about ten days--my column will be about WXRT's Mary Dixon)
~Chicago Morning Show Ratings
Robert Feder highlights the top ten rated morning shows in Chicago today at the link. WBBM's Pat & Felicia are #1.
The Moguls
~Big Asterisk on the Comcast/Time Warner Merger
When I first heard about this merger, I thought, 'there's no way the FCC is going to approve this'. Apparently, I'm not the only one who feels that way. It sounds to me like Time Warner isn't even convinced this will happen. From Deadline Hollywood today, this review of Time Warner Cable's annual report:
The deal only works if shareholders of both companies, as well as antitrust regulators and the FCC, approve it. But there’s a chance that might not happen ”on a timely basis or at all.” And if the deal does close “there can be no assurance that the anticipated benefits to the Company’s stockholders will be realized.” TWC notes that it faces “certain purported class action stockholder litigations relating to the proposed merger with Comcast.”
~As the Rupert Turns
Former Prime Minister Tony Blair keeps coming up in Rupert World. Yesterday, his name came up again during the phone hacking trial. According to this piece in the Guardian, he had an hour long conversation with Rebekkah Brooks, giving her advice about how to manage the scandal.
Broadcast News
~Dan Marino and Shannon Sharpe Dropped by CBS
I was shocked by this news. They will be replaced on the NFL pre-game show by the recently retired Tony Gonzalez.
~Headline News is Really Re-branding
When they said they were going after a younger (and totally different) audience, they weren't kidding. In the pipeline, according to this piece in the Hollywood Reporter, a show featuring the buzziest social media videos, game shows about trending topics, reality shows and more. It sounds like an entire network about your facebook or twitter news feeds.
~The Only Woman in the Room
This ia an excellent interview with NPR legal reporter Nina Totenberg. Scroll down from the big picture of the Supreme Court justices with sunglasses. I didn't see the article beneath it at first either.
