Posted by chicagomedia.org on June 11, 2009 at 10:33:43:
In Reply to: Holy crap! Bob Sirott FIRED from NBC 5, NOT promoted posted by Damn on June 11, 2009 at 10:32:56:
Bob Sirott out at WMAQ-Ch. 5
Bob Sirott, long expected to take over Warner Saunder's 10 p.m. anchor chair on WMAQ-Ch. 5, instead is leaving the NBC-owned station three weeks after Saunders' retirement.
Sirott, a veteran Chicago radio and television personality and former CBS News correspondent, already had replaced Saunders as co-anchor on Channel 5's 5 p.m. and 6 p.m. newscasts and has been Allison Rosati's primary co-anchor at 10 p.m. in place of Saunders for several months.
A clause already in Sirott's current multi-year contract assured him of the 10 p.m. broadcast, but sources say the station sought to shorten the guaranteed terms in exchange for actually naming him to the position and negotiations failed to produce a settlement.
WMAQ will likely use other anchors such as Marion Brooks, Dick Johnson and Rob Stafford in Sirott's place, with Stafford, a former "Dateline NBC" correspondent, seen as having the inside track.
"We appreciate all that Bob has done for us for the last three-and-a-half years," WMAQ executive Frank Whittaker said in a memo to staff this morning, noting Sirott will continue to work with Chicago Tribune parent Tribune Co.'s WGN-AM 720.
(Phil Rosenthal, Chicago Tribune)