DuMont’s ‘Beyond the Beltway’ sets agenda for 35 years

Bruce DuMont

Bruce DuMont

It’s had two titles, three local radio outlets and countless guests since it began in 1980. But in all that time, “Beyond the Beltway” has had one host — and a singular mission.

This week Bruce DuMont marks his 35th anniversary as host of the celebrated two-hour weekly talk show that “takes America's political pulse, and provides a fresh and balanced perspective of national politics.” Continue reading

WCPT promotes Wayne Besen to weekday afternoons

Wayne Besen

Wayne Besen

Wayne Besen, a prominent gay rights activist who hosts a weekend talk show on WCPT AM 820 and WCPT FM 92.5, is moving up to Monday-through-Friday afternoon host on the Newsweb Radio progressive talk station.

As the station’s first live and local weekday program, “The Wayne Besen Show” will replace the syndicated “Jeff Santos Show” and air from 2 to 5 p.m., starting July 20. Continue reading

Feder flashback: When Lester Holt replaced another anchor giant

Tim Weigel, Lester Holt, Linda MacLennan and Steve Baskerville

Tim Weigel, Lester Holt, Linda MacLennan and Steve Baskerville

Thursday’s official announcement that Lester Holt had been named permanent anchor of "NBC Nightly News" marked the culmination of a remarkable career for the veteran broadcast journalist and former Chicago television newsman.

“Lester is the perfect person to meet the moment,” NBC News chairman Andrew Lack said in tapping Holt to replace Brian Williams after a four-month on-air tryout. Holt becomes the first African-American solo anchor of a weekday network nightly newscast. Continue reading

Great Scott! Score suspends Bernstein for another tweet

Dan Bernstein

Dan Bernstein

For the second time in recent months WSCR AM 670 talk show host Dan Bernstein is in hot water for tweeting an offensive message about a female television personality.

Bosses of the CBS Radio sports/talk station yanked Bernstein from his afternoon show Wednesday and ordered him to delete a tweet he posted Monday night about Cheryl Scott, the meteorologist on ABC-owned WLS-Channel 7. Continue reading

NBC 5 scores championship ratings

NBC 5 Chicago (June 15, 2015)

NBC 5 Chicago (June 15, 2015)

Half of all television households in the Chicago area were tuned to WMAQ-Channel 5 in the final minutes of the Blackhawks’ victory in the Stanley Cup Final Monday night.

The NBC-owned station registered a gigantic 49.2 rating in the last quarter-hour of the game for a total household viewership of 1.71 million, according to Nielsen Co. figures. Continue reading

Hastert cancels on Illinois broadcasters convention

Dennis Hastert

Dennis Hastert

Memo to Illinois broadcasters: Dennis Hastert won’t be coming to your convention this week.

The former U.S. House Speaker was scheduled to appear before the Illinois Broadcasters Association Wednesday to present the group’s Vince Wasilewski Broadcaster of the Year Award to longtime friend and radio station owner Larry Nelson.

Now comes word that Hastert has been taken off the program at the association’s annual state conference at the Bloomington-Normal Marriott Hotel and Conference Center. Continue reading