Thursday, September 12, 2024

Media Notebook--9-12-24















MEDIA NOTEBOOK

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


(A day early because I'm leaving town)


RADIO/PODCASTS

 

*Barstool vs. Bernstein

=There appears to be a professional feud going on between WSCR’s Dan Bernstein and Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy. I know Bernstein is a little prickly and condescending, but this response by Portnoy seems like he’s bringing a howitzer to a knife fight.

=Jeff Agrest of the Sun Times is on Barstool’s side.


 

*CMA Award Nominations

=The Country Music Award nominations were announced this week. Once again, Scotty Kay from US-99 was nominated in the major market category. The Bobby Bones show, which airs locally on Free Country in the suburbs, was also nominated in the national show category.

=One big name was missing: Beyonce. Her hugely successful country album Cowboy Carter didn’t get nominated as album of the year, none of the 27 songs were nominated as single of the year, and she wasn’t nominated as artist of the year.

 


*Podcast Corner

=Mark Zuckerberg appeared on the Acquired podcast. The show was recorded in front of 6000 people.

=Candace Owens was suspended by YouTube for hate speech.

=According to this piece, podcasters report that the best social media to promote a podcast is still Facebook.

 =The NSA has a podcast now too, and they're talking about their role in the killing of Bin Laden.



*Don Stuck

=The longtime radio pro was a relative newcomer to Chicago (doing weekends at iHeart’s WCHI) when he made news this week. He tendered his resignation to iHeart after 34 years because he is pursuing an acting career, and a new radio syndication deal in Indiana (Kokomo, Greencastle, Vincennes).



*Rest in Peace

=Sergio Mendes

Singer/musician was very popular in the 1960s. Died of long-form Covid. He was 83.


 

MEDIA BIRTHDAYS/MILESTONES

 

 

*September 9—Jackie Bange birthday

=The WGN-TV news anchor began working at the station more than 30 years ago.

 

*September 9—Frank E. Lee birthday

=Supposedly retired, but still on the air regularly on WXRT. One of the best.

 

*Sept 10--Marc Silverman birthday

=I last interviewed ESPN’s afternoon man in 2020.

 

*Sept 10--Chris Jones birthday

=Jones is the Chicago Tribune’s theater critic.

 

*Sept 10--Irma Romano birthday

=She was known as Irma Blanco when she was on Mancow’s show.

 

*September 11, 1964

=The top hits on WLS this week in 1964…


 

*September 11—Bruce Wolf birthday

=Former sportscaster at WXRT and WLUP in radio, WFLD and WMAQ in television. I interviewed Bruce for Illinois Entertainer back in 2014.

 

*September 11--Maura Myles birthday

=I chatted with Maura back in 2009 for Chicago Radio Spotlight.

 

*September 11—Phil Rogers birthday

=The Channel 5 investigative reporter retired last year.

 

*September 12, 1993

=Steve & Garry broke up after nearly 15 years as a top-rated radio duo. That story, of course, is featured in my book The Loop Files.


*September 12—Janda Lane birthday

=The Drive’s Janda Lane was my featured interview in June 2022 issue of Illinois Entertainer.

 

*September 13—Rick Kogan birthday

=It’s always a pleasure speaking to Mr. Chicago. I last interviewed him for Illinois Entertainer in 2019.

 

September 14—Dick Biondi birthday

=He passed away in July ‘23. Still can’t believe he’s gone. I worked with Dick for ten years at WJMK.



 *September 14—Brian “Whip” Paruch birthday

=I interviewed the WTMX morning show team member during the pandemic in 2020. None of the news about Eric had broken yet.

 

*September 14—John Dempsey birthday

=I got a chance to speak with the former WLS Newsman for Illinois Entertainer in 2015.

 

 

TV/STREAMING


*Courtney Spinelli

=WGN-TV reporter Courney Spinelli posted a thread of tweets this week regarding the man who assaulted her. She’s understandably upset that our justice system let him off so easily…


 *NBC Sports Chicago Shutting Down

=The official announcement came this week. The network will be no more at the end of September.


*Jewell Hillery to Anchor WGN Weekend Morning News

=She announced the news this week and starts this coming weekend.


 

*Will there be another debate?

=67 Million viewers tuned in to the presidential debate on ABC. Harris immediately challenged Trump to another one, but Trump will only agree to another debate if Fox News hosts it. And…only if the most strident Trump supporters (Sean Hannity, Jesse Waters, or Laura Ingraham) moderate it. The only actual journalists at Fox News, Brett Baier and Martha MacCallum, are not sufficient.


*The Palace Coup at the Magic Kingdom

=I’ve always been fascinated by the machinations of the media CEOs. In fact, I wrote a whole book about it ($everance). This piece in the Sunday Times isn’t a book, but it’s close. A long and engaging look at the egos at the top of the ladder at Disney.


*Tonight Show Cutting Back to 4-days a Week

=Yes, it’s being done because Jimmy Fallon is increasingly busy, but let’s face it, NBC-Universal isn’t opposed to saving a few dollars, either.

 

*Trump Tried to get DOJ to go after SNL for Mocking Him

=That’s what a report in Rolling Stone claims. He also wanted DOJ to go after Colbert, Fallon, and Kimmel.


 

*Kendrick Lamar to play Super Bowl Halftime concert

=The New York Times broke the news over the weekend.


 

*Sports Broadcasting Hall of Fame Class of 2024

=The names are here. Among them, former Chicagoan Bryant Gumbel, and former Big Ten Commissioner Jim Delany. The ceremony is December 17th in New York.



*Joe Buck Accidentally Broke His Wife’s Ankle

=Sounds like a freak accident on the golf course…


 *NFL Goes Where Their Fans Are

=Roger Goodell appeared on CNBC and talked about the game in Brazil, and the movement of NFL games to streaming services. In both cases, he says the NFL is going where their fans are.


*45 Years of ESPN

=The launch was this week in 1979. Barrett media talked to Bill Rassmussen about the history of that legendary brand.


STAGE/SCREEN

 

*The Sun-Times Reviews Royko Stage Show

=The one-man show about Mike Royko has been the talk of the town. The Sun Times posted their review earlier this week.


*Big Box Office for Beetlejuice Beetlejuice

=Second biggest opening weekend ever in September. $110 million.


*Rest in Peace

=James Earl Jones

The voice of Darth Vader, The Lion King, and CNN. He was 93. For me, this is how I will always remember him…

=Edward Johnson

The CIA agent portrayed in the film Argo. He was 81.

=Will Jennings

 

DIGITAL/PRINT

 

*What is Sanewashing?

=Never heard the term until a few weeks ago. Now I’m hearing it everywhere. Margaret Sullivan explains what it is and why it is popping up so often.


*Rest in Peace

=Tom Squitieri

Award-winning journalist. Reported from war zones and the White House. He was 71. 

=Bob Dubill

Legendary USA Today editor. He was 88.


SOCIAL MEDIA

 

*Biggest Social Media Moment of the Week

=Taylor Swift to her 283 million followers…



 

 

*Selena Gomez on Instagram

=She now has 424 million followers. She gets $4.9 million for every Instagram post. This, in addition to her beauty line, and her acting and singing, has made Selena a billionaire.

 

 

 

*Reddit Gaining Popularity with the Help of AITA

=One of the most popular sub-reddits is called “Am I the Asshole?” Vox reports on how this subreddit, and a change of the algorithm has helped propel Reddit’s popularity.


 

*U.S. Faces Google in Court Again

=This time it’s about Google’s on-line ad dominance.


 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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