Date Archives → September 2015

Kate Sullivan ‘so grateful’ for CBS 2 run

Rob Johnson and Kate Sullivan

Rob Johnson and Kate Sullivan

Kate Sullivan posted a farewell message of gratitude on her Facebook page Wednesday, one day after she was ousted as weekday news anchor at CBS-owned WBBM-Channel 2.

As first reported here, Sullivan was dropped after five years on the CBS 2 anchor desk alongside Rob Johnson. Replacing her at 5, 6 and 10 p.m., starting October 19, will be Irika Sargent, who’s been anchoring at CBS-owned WFOR-TV in Miami. Continue reading →

Supreme guest host: WFMT welcomes Ruth Bader Ginsburg

Ruth Bader Ginsburg

Ruth Bader Ginsburg

U.S. Supreme Court Justice and opera aficionado Ruth Bader Ginsburg will appear as a guest host Monday on WFMT FM 98.7, Chicago’s classical music station.

Starting at 10 a.m. Monday, Ginsburg will join midday host Lisa Flynn live on the air to share some of her favorite music. At 11 a.m. Ginsburg and Flynn will present “Opera and the Law,” during which singers from Lyric Opera of Chicago will perform operatic excerpts with legal themes. Continue reading →

WBEZ cancels three tasty podcasts

Monica Eng

Monica Eng

Chicago Public Media WBEZ FM 91.5 has pulled the plug on three locally produced podcasts — covering the food culture, craft beers and artists “on the edge of creativity.”

Ceasing production at the station are “Chewing the Fat,” the food show with Monica Eng and Louisa Chu, “Strange Brews,” the beer show with Andrew Gill and Alison Cuddy, and “General Admission,” the art show with Tyler Greene and Don Hall. Continue reading →

CBS 2 bets on anchor Irika Sargent

Irika Sargent

Irika Sargent

You read it here first: Irika Sargent, a Miami news anchor and Cornell-educated lawyer, has been hired to replace Kate Sullivan alongside Rob Johnson on the Monday-through-Friday anchor desk at CBS-owned WBBM-Channel 2.

Sargent, 35, most recently has been 5 and 11 p.m. anchor at CBS-owned WFOR-TV in Miami. Starting October 19, she’ll co-anchor the 5, 6 and 10 p.m. newscasts here with Johnson. Continue reading →

Robservations: Anchor’s away at CBS 2?

Irika Sargent

Irika Sargent

Robservations on the media beat:

Kate Sullivan

Kate Sullivan

Are Kate Sullivan’s days numbered at WBBM-Channel 2? With ratings at an all-time low, the CBS-owned station is believed to be shopping for a new co-anchor to team with Rob Johnson. Adding to speculation is word out of Miami that Irika Sargent, 5 and 11 p.m. news anchor at WFOR-TV, the CBS-owned there, recently met with CBS 2 bosses in Chicago. Sargent, 35, a graduate of the University of Missouri and Cornell Law School, practiced law for four years in New York City before anchoring in Miami and Houston. Sullivan, 39, who still identifies herself as an “East Coaster” on her Twitter profile, has made little impact in the five years since she came from WCBS-TV in New York, where she anchored morning and noon newscasts. In August, CBS 2 barely registered at 10 p.m. with a 0.7 rating among viewers between 25 and 54. Continue reading →

WYCC pulls ‘In The Loop’ premiere

"In The Loop"

"In The Loop"

The widely promoted season premiere of “In The Loop” on public television station WYCC-Channel 20 was abruptly canceled Thursday hours before it was to have aired a show focusing on problems with Chicago Public Schools.

Veteran news anchors Robin Robinson and Lauren Cohn were to have made their debuts on the weekly news program alongside returning co-hosts Chris Bury and Barbara Pinto. Continue reading →