Posted by chicagomedia.org on January 02, 2008 at 14:09:01:
Happy New Year! Here's a preview of what's in store on the television/radio beat in 2008:
• • It's all but certain to be a year in which the stars realign, with the careers of several prominent local news anchors in play.
Foremost among them will be Diann Burns, the highest-paid news reader in Chicago history, whose reported five-year, $10 million contract with CBS-owned WBBM-Channel 2 is up in October.
But the one to keep a closer eye on is Anna Davlantes, the knockout weekend news anchor at NBC-owned WMAQ-Channel 5, whose contract also is coming up. The Chicago native (and Lane Tech High School Hall of Famer) appears poised to make a big move in the year ahead.
• • After 54 years in its cavern on McClurg Court, CBS will leave the site of the first Kennedy-Nixon Debate (among other broadcast milestones) and move Channel 2 to new facilities in the Loop at 108 N. State -- better known as Block 37.
The crown jewel of the new digs will be its streetside studio overlooking Daley Center Plaza and the Picasso sculpture.
Will a new look translate into higher ratings for Channel 2? For the sake of bossman Joe Ahern's reputation and ego, it better.
Also on the construction front, 2008 finally could be the year Chicago's Museum of Broadcast Communications opens its new home at State and Kinzie.
• • The Chicago Emmy Awards will turn 50 this year.
Look for the Chicago/Midwest chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences to go all out to celebrate the event in November.
• • For America's journalists of color, Chicago will be the center of the universe in July when the National Association of Black Journalists hosts its UNITY '08 convention here.
In addition to the NABJ, participating organizations include the Asian American Journalists Association, the National Association of Hispanic Journalists and the Native American Journalists Association.
• • Having spent untold millions to retool sales, programming, promotions and other aspects of their operations, Chicago radio stations were all set to shift to Arbitron's Portable People Meter measurement system in January.
But at practically the 11th hour, Arbitron bowed to pressure from ethnic groups and others, postponing implementation of the elechicagomedia.orgonic ratings system here for nine months or more.
Now the industry will be forced to limp through most of 2008 with the antiquated (and largely discredited) paper-and-pencil diary ratings system while Arbitron struggles to improve its sampling methods and minority participation.
• • Now that billionaire Sam Zell has saddled up as sheriff of Tribune Co. and deputized Randy "The Power Pig" Michaels as his broadcasting gunslinger, all ears will be on news/talk WGN-AM (720).
They'd be nuts to tamper too much with Chicago's top-rated and top-billing radio station, but considering Michaels' antics in the past, anything is possible.
• • CBS Radio has promised to hire a local air staff early in the year for its female-targeted adult contemporary WCFS-FM (105.9). The station has been up and running without any on-air personalities since it signed on as "Fresh FM" last November.
• • The definitive story of one of Chicago's 50,000-watt heritage stations -- the fabled WLS-AM (890) -- will be told in words and pictures by Scott Childers for Arcadia Publishing.
There's no one more qualified to write the book. In addition to being a veteran Chicago radio personality, Childers has been maintaining the authoritative tribute site ww.wlshistory.com for more than 10 years.