Posted by chicagomedia.org on October 30, 2008 at 09:55:08:
Davies, '190 North' celebrate 10th year
At a time when locally produced non-news television programming has all but gone the way of the dinosaur, it's significant that the Emmy Award-winning "190 North" show at ABC-owned WLS-TV-Channel 7 celebrates its 10th anniversary with a 30-minute special Sunday at 10:35 p.m. Executive producer Janet Davies will serve as host, just as she was a decade ago when the entertainment and lifestyle show started with familiar WLS sports anchor Jim Rose at Davies' side.
Rose subsequently returned to his full-time job anchoring sports on WLS' local newscasts, but Davies continues to call the shots at "190 North," where she works closely with a staff of 10 producers, editors and freelance on-air talent that she likes to think of as part of her extended, close-knit family. In fact, Davies admits she's still sad about having to say goodbye a short while ago to longtime "190 North" correspondent Lou Canellis -- he of the buff bod who moved to Fox-owned WFLD-TV to cover the Chicago Bears. Davies hopes to announce Canellis' replacement in a few weeks and expects her newest on-air talent to be doing segments early in the new year.
In the meantime, Canellis, though gone, may appear on a rerun or two during the upcoming holidays. "We do about 32 new shows a year and usually rerun shows when we expect fewer viewers are tuning in," said Davies.
Over the years regular watchers of "190 North" know that its correspondents often have done segments that play to their respective strengths and passions.
"Lou always did the segments where he was required to take off his shirt, while Doug Banks did the goofy stuff and Michelle Alegria was there for anything that had to do with eating," explained Davies, whom viewers also have gotten to know as someone who likes to change hairstyles with some frequency. Fans of the show have proved a fount of interesting tips. "About 50 percent of our material actually now comes from ideas supplied by viewers who write to us on our Web site," added Davies.
There have been times -- though not many -- when "190 North" has taken a serious turn. Davies remembers a show she is especially proud of that ran shortly after 9/11 and was entirely devoted to how the national tragedy affected Chicago and its residents. But such single-subject shows are rare. Davies has in fact quickened each show's pace over time by adding more segments to help hold viewers' interest. For the 10th anniversary special Sunday, Davies will look back at some "190 North" highlights, including the very first piece she did -- a feature about Billy Corgan and the Smashing Pumpkins, a very hot commodity in 1998.
Perhaps the secret to Davies' success with "190 North" can be attributed to her very down-to-earth approach to producing and hosting the show -- "we want people to relax, tune in, find out interesting things about our city and be entertained."
(Lewis Lazare, Chicago Sun-Times)