Posted by chicagomedia.org on September 25, 2008 at 12:20:57:
Ever since former Chicago television kingpin Dennis Swanson announced plans to retire this spring as president of station operations for Fox Television Stations Group, rivals have had his 71st birthday -- March 15, 2009 -- circled on their calendars.
Swanson himself declared that date in an interview with the alumni magazine of his alma mater, the University of Illinois. After the 2008 presidential election season, he mused: "It might be time to do more bass fishing in Vermont."
Well, don't go planning any retirement parties for the foreseeable future.
Feeling fit and healthier than ever, the Chicago Journalism Hall of Famer and onetime boss of ABC-owned WLS-Channel 7 says he won't be stepping down after all.
"The business is getting tougher and the challenges are greater than ever before -- and I think I still have a lot to contribute," he said. "So I went back to management and told them I wasn't going to retire."
Swanson, who held top jobs with ABC, NBC and CBS before joining Fox in 2005, oversees WFLD-Channel 32 and WPWR-Channel 50 here.
(feder/st)