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…
My resignation letter to NPR CEO @krmaher pic.twitter.com/0hafVbcZAK
— Uri Berliner (@uberliner) April 17, 2024
=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.
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
On this day in 1950, @Dodgers fans heard Vin Scully’s voice over the airwaves for the first time. Over the next 67 years, he would turn baseball into poetry. https://t.co/mVTQkt8KkR pic.twitter.com/5xQOm4u8of
— National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum ⚾ (@baseballhall) April 18, 2024
*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...
When the Prime Minster of Ukraine came to Chicago … he met with the Governor, the Fmr. Sec. of Commerce, and he made time for one interview. @cbschicago https://t.co/6hz3eoGSGD pic.twitter.com/zEeEiEl82s
— Brad Edwards (@tvbrad) April 18, 2024
*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.
The Democratic National Convention in Chicago will have a new political commentator: Stephen Colbert.https://t.co/CEeyOdsL5R
— Chicago Tribune (@chicagotribune) April 18, 2024
*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…
Thank you, Verne. #themasters pic.twitter.com/YJJTXgIfXd
— The Masters (@TheMasters) April 14, 2024
*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…
— Billy Joel (@billyjoel) April 15, 2024
*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.
Caitlin Clark (@CaitlinClark22) stopped by Weekend Update! pic.twitter.com/SSmbUcIOJl
— Saturday Night Live - SNL (@nbcsnl) April 14, 2024
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.
