Robservations: Boden replaces Sirott as WGN’s Blackhawks host

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Chris Boden

Robservations on the media beat:

Judd Sirott

Wednesday was a happy day for two veteran Chicago sportscasters. Chris Boden was named pregame and postgame host for all Chicago Blackhawks broadcasts on Tribune Broadcasting news/talk WGN AM 720. He succeeded Judd Sirott, who’s headed to Boston as the new play-by-play voice of the Bruins. Sirott, who served as radio host for the Blackhawks on WGN for the past 10 years, is the nephew of broadcast legend Bob Sirott. All three are Chicago natives. Boden, who was cut in August after 10 years at NBC Sports Chicago (formerly Comcast SportsNet Chicago), tweeted: “Yeah that mouth's open . . .”

Alan Krashesky

Newsroom colleagues surprised Alan Krashesky with a cake Wednesday to celebrate his 35th anniversary at WLS-Channel 7. The veteran anchorman’s first day on the air at the ABC-owned station was October 4, 1982. (Here is a link to a Q&A with Krashesky.) Also feted for hitting the 35-year mark at ABC 7 this year were sports anchor Jim Rose and photographer Manoocher Shadnia.

Jane Nicholson

Jane Nicholson, who headed institutional fundraising for Chicago Public Media WBEZ FM 91.5, has joined the staff of ProPublica Illinois, the independent, nonprofit investigative news startup, as director of development. The University of Michigan graduate previously held development and sales positions for Koahnic Broadcast Corp. in Anchorage, Alaska, and A&E Television Networks. “Jane’s broad experience and successful track record will be essential as we continue to grow our newsroom,” ProPublica editor-in-chief Louise Kiernan said in a statement.

Bill Herriott

Bill Herriott, a longtime Chicago radio sales executive, has been named director of sales and national sales manager of WTMJ and WKTI in Milwaukee. He also will sell for the Green Bay Packers and Milwaukee Brewers radio networks. Herriott most recently was general sales manager of Cumulus Media news/talk WLS AM 890. The move reunites him with Tom Langmyer, vice president and general manager of Scripps Radio Milwaukee. The two previously worked at WGN, where Langmyer was general manager and Herriott was local sales manager. "Bill is a dedicated, mature, battle-tested, experienced leader who knows how to accomplish goals in a very competitive marketplace – and he most certainly understands how to lead at legendary stations like ours,” Langmyer said in a statement.

Frank Mathie

Frank Mathie, who retired in April after 50 years as a reporter at ABC 7, will be honored at Chicago’s ninth annual Irish Books Arts and Music celebration. On October 27 he’ll be cited for outstanding contributions in media/journalism at the Irish American Heritage Center. The three-day festival features more than 30 Irish authors signing their books and making presentations, poetry readings, storytelling and other activities. For information see: ibamchicago.com.

Wednesday’s best comment: Barbara Larkin Gholston · Joliet, Illinois: I'm 65 years old. I know what I like and I'm set in my ways. I love think that Alan [Krashesky] makes me comfortable. I enjoy his news casting, he's the best. That's it and that's all.