An assortment of news items (updated and annotated) from my Chicago Sun-Times columns of 21 years ago this week:
Time's running out on Radio Hall of Fame balloting
Jul. 28, 2010
Bruce DuMont
With Howard Stern, Carl Kasell, Steve Dahl, Terri Hemmert and "The WLS National Barn Dance" among this year's eclectic group of nominees, voting ends at midnight Sunday for the National Radio Hall of Fame.
Orlando reporter coming home to join ABC 7 news
Jul. 27, 2010Robservations on the media beat:
Jessica D'Onofrio
- Jessica D'Onofrio, who began her career as a part-time news writer at Fox-owned WFLD-Channel 32, is returning home to become a full-time general assignment reporter at ABC-owned WLS-Channel 7. Starting in September, she will be assigned to Channel 7's weekday morning newscast. Her hiring coincides with the expansion of the newscast, which will start a half-hour earlier -- at 4:30 a.m. -- as of this Monday.
ABC 7 to join early birds with 4:30 a.m. newscast
Jul. 26, 2010Not to be outflanked by its competitors, top-rated ABC-owned WLS-Channel 7 will expand its weekday morning newscast by moving its start time to 4:30 a.m., effective next week.
Judy Hsu and Hosea Sanders will anchor the expanded newscast from 4:30 to 7 a.m., along with meteorologist Tracy Butler and traffic reporter Roz Varon.
Monday's announcement came just 10 days after Tribune Co.-owned WGN-Channel 9 unveiled plans to start its morning news block at 4:30 a.m., effective Aug. 16. NBC-owned WMAQ-Channel 5 was first in the time period, starting at 4:30 a.m. in 2007.
NBC 5 gearing up to launch 'Chicago Nonstop' channel
Jul. 26, 2010
Matt Piacente
"Chicago Nonstop," a 24-hour digital channel of local news, entertainment and lifestyle programming, could be up and running as early as this fall, according to insiders at NBC-owned WMAQ-Channel 5.
Nothing has been announced yet, but staffers are developing original local content for the channel, modeled after "New York Nonstop," which was launched at sister station WNBC-TV in March 2009 and billed as "an around-the-clock local information and lifestyle channel." It's targeted to start here in October.
It's official: Anna & Corey to host Fox Chicago mornings
Jul. 23, 2010Robservations on the media beat:
Anna Davlantes & Corey McPherrin
- You read it here first, Part 1: Anna Davlantes, the reporter and contributing anchor to WFLD-Channel 32's 9 p.m. newscast, and Corey McPherrin, the principal sports anchor at the Fox-owned station, will become the new co-hosts of "Good Day Chicago" from 7 to 10 a.m. weekdays. Starting Aug. 2, they'll succeed Jan Jeffcoat, who shifts to the noon newscast with Patrick Elwood, and David Novarro, who moves to Fox-owned WNYW-TV in New York. Kori Chambers and Dawn Hasbrouck will co-anchor from 5 to 7 a.m. weekdays. Jill Carlson will succeed McPherrin as 9 p.m. sports anchor (either permanently or temporarily, depending on whom you believe). In making the announcement Thursday, Mike Renda, vice president and general manager, said:
CBS 2 imports New York co-anchor for 10 p.m. newscast
Jul. 21, 2010This just in: After 16 months of flying solo -- and pretty much under the ratings radar -- Rob Johnson soon will find himself with a new partner on the anchor desk at CBS-owned WBBM-Channel 2.
Singing Ponce sets the stage for reporting encore
Jul. 21, 2010
Dan Ponce
Dan Ponce, who cut short a promising Chicago television news career last year to fulfill his dream of singing professionally, is returning home to join WGN-Channel 9 as a general assignment reporter. The Tribune Co.-owned station is expected to announce his hiring in the next few days, sources said.
Ponce, 33, previously spent three years as a reporter at ABC-owned WLS-Channel 7. His return to the market would restore the Ponces' on-air family dynasty here to full strength, with his father, Phil Ponce, continuing as host of "Chicago Tonight" at public television WTTW-Channel 11, and his younger brother, Anthony Ponce, continuing as a reporter at NBC-owned WMAQ-Channel 5.