Chicago media sharpen political edges

Natasha Korecki

Natasha Korecki

The next big brawl in Chicago journalism may be waged on the political battlefield.

Hoping to win the votes of the campaign cognoscenti — and capture a larger share of advertising revenue — both Crain’s Chicago Business and the Sun-Times are beefing up their coverage of government, politics and public affairs.

As tipped here in December, Crain’s is raising its political profile under newly named government and politics editor Tom Corfman with the hiring of additional reporters to enhance the franchise of veteran political columnist and blogger Greg Hinz. Plans to sign another prominent political blogger are also in the works.

Sun-Times ad

Sun-Times ad

On Wednesday, the Sun-Times began running ads in print and online teasing “Chicago-Style Politics: Coming Soon” and “Deep Dish Politics: Coming Soon.” Details are sketchy, but insiders say the paper will unveil a comprehensive new digital platform for all things political in early March.

Political reporter Natasha Korecki, who already hosts “Off Message,” a weekly online talk show featuring a roundtable of Sun-Times reporters and columnists, will be prominently featured on the website, which will use the “Early and Often” tag line acquired from the former Chicago News Cooperative.

The site also is expected to incorporate the work of Washington bureau chief Lynn Sweet, Springfield bureau chief Dave McKinney, City Hall reporter Fran Spielman, investigative reporter Dan Mihalopoulos and political columnist Carol Marin, among other Sun-Times staffers. Other bells and whistles, sources said, will include aggregated links to political stories elsewhere — even the Chicago Tribune and Crain’s Chicago Business.

Initial sponsor of the site is Jasculca Terman Strategic Communications.