Media
In Through The Out Door
It’s a lesson in taking the high road and not bashing your ex in public. Make that ex-boss.
News Of Every Kind
GOOD NEWS: When Chicago radio personalities get fired they wind up in one of four places: Michigan (Kevin Matthews), TV (Mancow), the ether (Garry Meier), or the Internet. The last is where you can find former WXRT-FM (93.1) jock Bobby Skafish.
Bad Radio Hurts Musicians
“When my life and my income and my profession are affected by media consolidation, we don’t need to make a move any further in the wrong direction,” George Jones said at a recent Federal Communications Commission media ownership hearing in Nashville. Jones was one of several country musicians – including Naomi Judd – who testified […]
Rockin’ Rock ‘N’ Roll Radio – Let’s Go!
Few things are more satisfying to the ears than hearing Robyn Hitchcock unveil a new song played live with Peter Buck and Scott McCaughey on free radio, then listening to them explain its context and spin some of their favorite records.
The Unheard Music?
Last spring we reported public radio station WBEZ-FM (91.5) and its satellites (Chesterton, Indiana’s WBEW-FM (89.5) and Morris’ WBEQ-FM (90.7)) would scrap music programming altogether when they switch to all news and talk in January. Now Chicago Public Radio says it plans to retain a smidgen of music on WBEZ.
Male Monarch Of Most Media
Move over media royalty Howard Stern and Oprah Winfrey, and make way for renaissance rocker Rob Zombie.
Rock Star Parking
Local musicians who haven’t checked out the independently produced local TV show “Upscale TV” should do so – and soon.
Not-So-Sacred Cow
We were never fans of Erich “Mancow” Muller, the libertarian shock jock who started drawing young male listeners to him like flies when he came to Chicago in 1994. But we were not pleased when Emmis Communications-owned WKQX-FM (101.1) dumped his top-rated “Mancow’s Morning Madhouse” in July.
Tribune Tribulations
There’s a heavy dark cloud draping the gothic spires of Tribune Tower these days, making Chicago ground zero for one of the country’s major media sagas.
Stuck In Muck
The ratings numbers tell us people in Chicago are hearing the radio. But how many people are really listening? Chicago radio used to crackle; it used to excite, entertain, energize, influence, and order its listeners. Now it’s white noise. Today, Chicago radio is becoming to entertainment choices what the Chicago Blackhawks are to sports choices.
No Longer Runnin’ With The Devil
It was not a huge surprise to hear CBS Radio recently fired diminutive former Van Halen frontman David Lee Roth after just four months of trying and failing miserably to do Howard Stern‘s job in New York City and six other markets.
Jazz Heaven
Jazz singing is like pornography, in that you know it when you hear it,” quips local singer Kurt Elling during a conversation with Al Jarreau and Ramsey Lewis on an episode of the new weekly TV series, “Legends Of Jazz.”
At Least Joan Cusack Hasn’t Ditched Us (Yet)
Like “Soul Train,” the band Chicago, and the writers of the Broadway hit “Urinetown,” Ira Glass and his innovative public radio show “This American Life” are packing up and leaving town for greener pastures.
If You Tape It They Will Come — Part II
Imagine seeing your favorite band in an intimate, 400-seat venue where the worst seat in the house is 25 feet from the stage. Imagine the show starts and ends on time, and the artists will show the offstage side of their personality. Then imagine the venue is acoustically perfect. Add free parking and it sounds […]
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