(photo by Lee Bey)
Imagine the sensation Pride Cleaners must have caused in 1959 when it roared up the northwest corner of 79th and St. Lawrence in the otherwise architecturally-traditional Chatham community. Onto the circa 1920s streetscape, the future landed: like a 1959 Cadillac DeVille--big, fast, tailfins, chrome and Chuck Berry on the radio--pulling into lot filled with vintage Ford Model Ts and Buick Model 45s.
Editor's note: Robert Feder is on spring break until April 7. While he's away, we're running "The Best of Feder." The following post originally appeared on Nov. 23, 2009: Believe it or not, there really was a time when Oprah Winfrey didn't reign over Chicago.
People under 35 may find it hard to imagine, but the local media landscape looked altogether different in the era before she arrived.
The daytime talk show of record was "Donahue." The hottest ticket in town (with a waiting list of‚ 10 years) was "The Bozo Show." The lady with all the answers was Eppie "Ann Landers" Lederer. The highest paid broadcaster on the air was Paul Harvey.
Diann Burns
Diann Burns, the former Chicago news anchor once thought to be the highest paid personality on local television, is making a comeback after two years in exile: Starting April 11, she'll become host of a Sunday morning talk show produced by the Chicago Urban League.
On her website Tuesday, Burns announced that she's fronting "Next TV," a half-hour talk show focusing on up-and-coming entrepreneurs and economic empowerment. It airs at 8 a.m. Sundays on Fox-owned WFLD-Channel 32 (and reruns at 12:30 p.m. Sundays on Fox-owned WPWR-Channel 50). Cheryle Jackson, former CEO of the Chicago Urban League who stepped down to make an unsuccessful run for the U.S. Senate, hosted the show in its first season.
Burns, 53, has been out of the media spotlight since she was dropped by WBBM-Channel 2 two years ago this week -- on March 31, 2008 -- after failing to boost the CBS-owned station's ratings or justify her record-breaking $2 million-a-year salary. Burns had spent 18 years at top-rated ABC-owned WLS-Channel 7 before her five-year debacle at Channel 2.
Anne Kavanagh
Add Anne Kavanagh to the growing list of WFLD-Channel 32 news veterans engaged in major career makeovers: After almost 23 years as a general assignment reporter at the Fox-owned station, she's launching a full-service Chicago-based media consulting company.
Officially opening Monday, MediaPros 24/7 will offer media training, crisis management, publicity and event planning, video production, website renovations and social media. The company's slogan: "We know news. We have the contacts. We make it happen."
Kavanagh's partners in the venture are Maria Dugandzic, a former CNN international producer who previously managed the network's Chicago-based Midwest bureau, and David Viggiano, former entertainment reporter and producer at Channel 32. Working with them will be a team of current and former journalists from CNN, Fox, NBC and elsewhere.
Mike Flannery
On the eve of his 30th‚ anniversary as political editor at WBBM-Channel 2, Mike Flannery is leaving the CBS-owned station to join WFLD-Channel 32. Starting July 1, he'll succeed Jack Conaty, who was forced out last December after 22 years at the Fox-owned station.
In a statement to staffers Monday, Jeff Kiernan, vice president and news director at Channel 2, wrote:‚ "I respect Mike's decision to leave. His contributions to WBBM-TV over the last 30 years have been extensive and we wish him well."
Flannery, 59, a native of Washington, D.C., and graduate of Georgetown University, covered politics and labor for the Chicago Sun-Times for seven years before making the transition to television in 1980.
Lisa Coughlin is guest-blogging this week for Amy KR. Like Amy, Lisa likes to make things. She is currently making doughnuts (not the kind you eat) and writing. Lisa is a vocal supporter of Amy's work and is happy to be a part of any mission that makes the world a happier, wonder-filled place to be. Take it away, Lisa!
(photo by Woodley Wonderworks)
Awhile back we mission-minded people introduced ourselves, sharing a few things we loved, and celebrated with some tunes at a virtual block party. Now feels like a good time for us to gather around in a circle to revisit a cherished school tradition: Show and Tell!
