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
~Steve Stone returns to the Score
Interesting story behind the story from Robert Feder. Sounds like an all-out war is taking shape in the local sports-radio world.
~John Pugs on The Game
The former Kevin Matthews producer and co-host of Kelly & Pugs in Dallas is getting a weekend slot on "The Game". He announced it on his facebook page yesterday: "I just accepted an offer to host a Saturday night show (5pm-8pm) on the Game. First show will be this weekend. more details to come. How long have I been trying to break into sports talk? I am very excited!"
~Joel Daly on the WGN-TV Morning news
In case you missed it, here's my report from yesterday. Next week it's WGN radio.
The Moguls
~The Year of the Mega-Merger?
This story depresses me, probably because I fear it's true. I don't want to say that I am always against mega-mergers, but...actually, you know what? I am always against them. Name a mega-merger that has made things better for anyone but the executives who engineered it.
~As the Rupert Turns, Part 1
His ex-wife got the Park Avenue apartment, so Rupert had to buy his own bachelor pad. I hope this $57 million four-floor penthouse will suffice. At his age, I hope the apartment has it's own elevator so he doesn't have to take the stairs.
~As the Rupert Turns, Part 2
Bloomberg has the details from the hacking trial of Rupert's former right-hand-woman Rebekkah Brooks. Turns out, according to her testimony, she had no idea hacking was going on all around her. Coming up next? Character witness Claude Rains.
The FCC
~Proposed FCC Study of News Organizations Sparks Outcry
See if you can guess why I find this paragraph so funny. From the Washington Post:
A proposed government study of how media organizations gather news has incited a powerful backlash, particularly among conservatives, who said that it could be part of an official effort to intimidate or second-guess journalists.And here I thought conservatives believed that journalists were hopelessly biased, and made all their editorial decisions with only one thing in mind: advancing a liberal agenda. Wouldn't this study prove their point? Or has their point been ridiculous all along? I guess we'll never know.
Broadcast News
~RIP Garrick Utley
The great television news correspondent has passed away at the age of 74.
Showbiz
~Look who did a skit with Jimmy Fallon & Will Ferrell
Would you believe it was the First Lady?
