MEDIA NOTEBOOK
A curation of news items
about the media from this past week, with a particular emphasis on Chicago…
RADIO/PODCASTS
*Museum of Broadcasting tribute to
rock radio
=Sunday August 14th (3pm) at
the Des Plaines Theater, a few local radio legends will be part of a discussion
about the heyday of rock radio (including John Landecker, Tommy Edwards, and
Bob Stroud). Other rock radio legends from around the country will also be
joining via zoom. Wendy Snyder will the host/moderator. Get your tickets here. All proceeds benefit the Museum of Broadcast
Communications.
=By the way, for you Wendy Snyder
fans, she will be filling in all next week for Bob Sirott on the WGN Radio
morning show.
*Radio Hall of Fame nominees
=I’m bummed out that Chicago greats Bob Stroud and Kevin Matthews didn’t get in this year despite being nominees, but the list of inductees announced this week for the National Radio Hall of Fame is still quite impressive, and includes Chicago broadcasting executive Marv Dyson, Emmis CEO Jeff Smuylan, Lon Helton (Country Countdown USA), Chris Mad Dog Russo (Sirius/XM), Walt Baby Love from Gospel Trax, LA’s Ellen K (KOST) and NY Radio vets Carol Miller and Suzyn Waldman. The induction ceremony is November 1st at Chicago’s Radisson Blu Aqua Hotel. Tickets are available here.
*Nick DiGilio to review movies on
Steve Cochran’s show
=The Nick D Podcast is doing quite
well on the Radio Misfits Podcast Network (Top 1% globally, according to ListenNotes ),
but DiGilio announced this week he is expanding his reach. Here’s what he said
on his Facebook page…
I am The Movie Critic
for The Steve Cochran Show on WLS-AM 890, weekday mornings from 5:30 to
9am. I will appear regularly on certain Friday mornings reviewing the latest
movies and more. I am so, so happy to be officially, and regularly reunited
with my old friend Steve and Executive Producer (and my old producer) the great
Tom Hush. And I'm thrilled to be working with the rest of the terrific people
at The Big 89!
=I have previously
interviewed both Nick and Steve for Illinois Entertainer…
*Brendan Sullivan event
=Brendan Sullivan, a former Chicago
radio producer/writer/performer for Jonathan Brandmeier, and renowned improv
artist (IO), author (The Living Wills) and Creativity Coach, is holding a
special event on August 13th in memory of his son Charlie. This is
the way Brendan describes the incredibly worthwhile event…
We are looking forward to an evening of
music and celebration Saturday August 13, as we remember Charlie Sullivan and support young Chicago musicians and social
justice, a cause Charlie committed himself to. We've been asked a lot of
questions. If you plan to attend, tickets are on sale now at www.martyrslive.com. If you cannot
attend, but would like to support the cause, please go to https://cct.secure.force.com/pmtx/dn8n__SiteDonation.... And thank
you. If you would like to learn more about our story, our mission and Charlie,
you can visit www.chuckyarla.org. Thank you
again.
*Podcast Facts & Figures
=It’s a running joke to say that everybody in America has a podcast. This latest announcement by Spotify feeds into that assumption. According to Podcast Business Journal, there are now 4.4 million podcasts on Spotify alone.
=Here is another odd podcast fact, courtesy of Inside Radio. Female skewing podcasts tend to have smaller audiences.
*Morning Show Boot Camp
=Don Anthony’s Morning Show Boot Camp
is returning to Chicago August 18th and 19th at
SwissHotel. I’ve appeared at this event several times as a panelist (including
last year, in a panel discussion with Lee Abrams). To see the full list of this
year’s panelists and moderators, and/or to register for the event, click here.
*Former Chicago Radio Report
=Chicago radio newsman Reed Pence
(WBBM-FM, WLUP-FM) retired from his MediaTracks (public affairs radio) gig last
year, but he is staying in the spotlight. Reed is performing as Max Detweiler
in the Sound of Music this weekend at the Summer Place Theater (Naperville
Central High School) in Naperville. Only 3 shows remaining. Get your tickets here.
=Former Chicago fly-jock Tom Joyner sold his Florida home. It had a full-sized boxing ring inside. A mere $19 million changed hands.
CHICAGO MEDIA BIRTHDAYS
The following Chicago media folks had
birthdays this week. Click on the links to read my previous interviews with
them. The number in the parenthesis is the year I interviewed them.
July 28—Rick Kaempfer (I’ve never
actually interviewed me)
TV/STREAMING
*Chris Cuomo to NewsNation
=Last week I reported that NewsNation scored the first big interview with Chris Cuomo since his exile from CNN. Now we know how they scored that interview. Chris Cuomo has signed with NewsNation to host a show beginning this fall. The Washington Post has the details.
*Credibility Scores of Fox News and
MSNBC downgraded
=The biggest complaint about cable television news is about media bias. It’s been obvious for years that Fox News is skewed toward the conservative side, and MSNBC is skewed to the liberal side. But according to media watchdog NewsGuard, they aren’t just biased. They do not “present news responsibly.” Both networks have had their credibility rating downgraded. The Press Gazette has the details.
*Trump threatening to sue CNN
=Former President Trump is threatening to sue CNN (and anyone else who criticizes him for saying the election was rigged) for defamation. There is zero chance he wins these cases, and he will probably never file them, but the Hill published his statement if you’d like to read it.
*OANN’s future in doubt
=After being dropped by Verizon, the extremely conservative news network OANN is in serious trouble. Verizon was the last major cable operator to carry the network after DISH dropped them in April. CBS News has the details.
*Replacement for Megan McCain on the
View
=Megan McCain left The View
earlier this year, and the show hadn’t revealed her replacement until this
week. Former Trump communications director (and current CNN contributor) Alyssa
Farah Griffin will join the show this season. The Daily Mail has the details.
*Sam Bee canceled
=Full Frontal with Samantha Bee has been a TBS mainstay for the past seven seasons. Unfortunately for Sam and her fans, that Emmy-nominated run has come to an end. The Washington Post has the story.
