Friday, April 19, 2024

Media Notebook--4-19-24















MEDIA NOTEBOOK

A curation of news items about the media from this past week, with a particular emphasis on Chicago.



RADIO/PODCASTS


 

*Chicago Radio Ratings

=The numbers for March are out, and these are the top ten stations in Chicago (M-Sun, 6am-Midnight, ages 6+)

WLIT (6.8)

WDRV (6.6)

WVAZ (5.5)

WBBM-AM (5.4)

WXRT (5.0)

WOJO (4.5)

WLS-FM (4.0)

WUSN (3.9)

WGN (3.2)

WTMX (3.0)

=These numbers are very similar to last month’s.  The only stations that jumped a bit were WVAZ (+0.4) and WLS-FM  (+0.5). There were no stations near the top of the ratings that took a significant drop.


 

*Danny Parkins book

=Score afternoon co-host Danny Parkins has a new book out (written with Ben Kaplan) on Triumph Books. It’s called Pipeline to the Pros: How D3 SmallCollege Nobodies Rose to Rule the NBA.


 

 

*Eric Hosmer Wants to be the Pat McAfee of Baseball

=In other words, he wants to be a podcast star. Now retired from baseball, the former Cub has started his own media company called Moonball Media. He talked to Bob Nightengale from USA Today about his media plans.


 

 

*WLS 100

=The official celebration was last Friday night. Former WLSers like John Gehron, Catherine Johns, Karen Hand, Turi Ryder, and Roe Conn were there, along with most of the current staff. Author/historian/broadcasting utility-man Scott Childers gave a nice speech about WLS history, as did PD Stephanie Tichenor and GM Marv Nyren, and Steve Cochran identified all of the luminaries in the crowd. Of course, Art Vuolo was there filming it, so if you really want to see it, eventually you’ll be able to do so.

=I was there too. Got a chance to chat with Catherine Johns and Robert Feder.



 

*Carolina Garibay

=WBBM-AM reporter/anchor Carolina Garibay was interviewed by Margaret Larkin for the Illinois News Broadcaster Association podcast.


 

 

*NPR Controversy

=Last week I suggested NPR's Uri Berliner wasn’t exactly being greeted with hugs in the hallway. This week they suspended him, and threatened to fire him if he ever did it again. Details are here.

=He responded this way…

=Media critic Margaret Sullivan’s view of this entire controversy. 

 


 

*Vinylthon

=Over 200 radio stations around the country are celebrating vinylthon this weekend by going all vinyl. Several of the college radio stations in our area are participating, including Depaul University, Harper College, University of St. Francis, Lewis University, Loyola University, and St. Xavier University.


 

*Bob Heymann

=A few weeks ago I mentioned that Chicago’s very own Bob Heymann (managing director of Media Services Group) would be speaking in Vegas this year about the outlook for buying and selling radio or television properties. Radio+Television Business Report was there and reported on Heymann’s presentation.


 

*Yankees Radio Announcer Retires

=This was a bit of a shocker. John Sterling had been doing Yankees games on the radio since 1989. His retirement was effective immediately. Sterling is 85 years old.


 

*The Loop Files

=Two events coming up. May 1, from 7-8pm at the ELA library in Lake Zurich. Reserve your slot here. Here’s what the program says…

    Author Rick Kaempfer transports you to the good ole days of radio, the 1970s and 1980s, when “The LOOP”  reigned supreme, shaking up the airwaves and grabbing listeners with a unique brand of programming unlike anything heard before. Kaempfer shares stories from his book told through the eyes of those who were actually there.

=Also, May 11 at the Pollyanna Brewing Company in Roselle. I’ll be there along with fellow ex-Loopers (like WGN-TV’s Jeff Hoover) from 3-7pm signing and selling books. If you don’t have a copy of the book yet, or you’d like your copy signed, that will be a great opportunity. We haven’t had an event in that area yet.


*Rest in Peace

=Dickie Betts

The Allman Brothers great was 80 years old.


 

 

MEDIA BIRTHDAYS/MILESTONES

 

*April 14--Jack Landreth birthday

=Landreth produced shows for Don & Roma, Paul Harvey, and Kevin Matthews during his time in Chicago. I got a chance to interview him for Chicago Radio Spotlight back in 2008.

 


*April 17, 2019—Chet Coppock’s death

=I got the news via phone call early in the morning that day. We were in the midst of a publicity tour for Chet’s book “Your Dime My Dance Floor” and Chet and I were working on his next book, a collaboration with former Bears receiver Dennis McKinnon. I wrote a tribute to Chet on the Eckhartz Press website that morning. Unfortunately, after Chet’s death Dennis took the book and self-published it.

 


*April 17—Keith Conrad birthday

=Keith is one of the best-known radio producers in Chicago, having worked at WLS, WGN and WIND. He’s also a published novelist. His book “Righteous Might” is still available. 

 


*April 17—Bob Dunsworth birthday

=The talented radio production man (The Loop, AM 1000, Q101, ESPN) is now working full time as a voice over artist.

 


*April 17, 1967—WPGU radio signs on the air in Champaign-Urbana.

=Scores of WPGU grads eventually worked in Chicago radio (including me). I wrote about WPGU and their many alumni for Illinois Entertainer a few years ago.

 


*April 18—Danny Zederman birthday

=Zederman is the content director at ESPN Radio AM 1000 and came up through the ranks as a producer. This photo is from a Randy Merkin book signing in 2022. (L-R...Danny, Randy, Kap)

 



*April 18—Harry Volkman birthday

=Chicago’s great weatherman Harry Volkman is remembered fondly by Chicago viewers all these years after his death. Son Eddie is still going strong hosting afternoons on the suburban Star network.

 


*April 18, 1950



*April 19—Dan Michaels birthday

=Dan worked at WLUP, WCKG and WMET in his Chicago radio days, but moved out of the market and established himself as a well-regarded program director in places like Houston, Washington D.C., and Pittsburgh (among others).

 


*April 19—Eliot Ephraim birthday

=One of Chicago media’s big agents. President and Owner of Ephraim and Associates.

 


*April 19, 1924—WLS debuts “The Barn Dance” radio show, one of the longest running shows in radio history.




TV/STREAMING

 

 

*Paris Schultz to Fox-32

=When Schultz left WTTW’s Chicago Tonight, everyone was speculating where he would land. Politico’s Shia Kapos reports…Political reporter Paris Schutz is headed to Fox Chicago, where he’ll be a political correspondent and anchor for a new weekly political talk show. He’ll join Fox 32 in time for the ramp-up of the political season. The station has been short a political reporter since longtime journalist Mike Flannery retired last June.

 

*Brad Edwards

=Big interview get...




*New TV Home for Bulls, Blackhawks, & White Sox?

=Jeff Agrest (Sun Times) reports the three franchises are likely to soon have a new TV home, a multi-platform network called Stadium. The contract with NBC Sports Chicago runs out in October. 

 

 

*Colbert Coming to Chicago for Democratic Convention

=The Northwestern grad and former Second City main-stager is returning to town this summer for the Democratic Convention.

 

 

*ABC-7’s Jennifer Graves Retires

=For the last 22 years she has been ABC7’s Vice President of News. She’s been with the station for more than 30 years. Here’s more about her retirement.


 

 

*The Masters Says Farewell to Verne Lundquist

=I thought this was a nice touch after 40 years…


 

 

*Heidi Part 2

=Because The Masters ran a little long on Sunday, the remaining shows were a few minutes off, which caused CBS (in the Eastern and Central time zones) to clip the last few minutes of their Billy Joel special, right in the middle of “Piano Man”. It’s reminiscent of the day NBC clipped the end of an NFL game to show the movie “Heidi”.  People are still ticked off about that decades later.

=CBS was forced to make amends…


 

 

*Cable News Corner

=OAN and Smartmatic settled their lawsuit this week. Terms were not disclosed, but you can bet OAN had to pay a boatload. Several other Smartmatic lawsuits remain unresolved.


 

 

*Caitlin Clark Kills on SNL

=Michael Che was the butt of her jokes.


 

 *Rest in Peace

=Robert MacNeil

The co-founder of the MacNeil-Lehrer report. He was 93 years old.


 

 

PRINT/DIGITAL

 

 

*Hugh Grant Settles Suit with Rupert Murdoch

=He explained his reasoning in this Twitter thread. He wrote… Murdoch’s settlement money has a stink and I refuse to let this be hush money. Instead, he’s using that money to help fund groups fighting excesses of the press.


 

*The Daily Beast Names Two New Bosses

=The owner of the Daily Beast, Barry Diller, announced the two new bosses this week. Ben Sherwood (formerly of ABC) and Joanna Coles (formerly of Hearst Publications) will be tasked with revamping the site.


 

 

SOCIAL MEDIA

 

 

*Truth Social Coming Down to Earth

=It’s down over 60% since its debut.

=It’s also fighting a legal battle against itself.


 

 

*X to Charge New Accounts for Posting

=This is part of their effort to control bots. Forbes has more information.



As always, if you have any media story you’d like to share or think that I might be interested in sharing, drop me a line at rick@eckhartzpress.com or amishrick@yahoo.com. If you're in Chicago media and wondering why I didn't mention your birthday, it's probably because I don't know it. Drop me a line and let me know and I'll put you on my calendar.

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