Robservations on the media beat:
Steve Dahl
If you want to subscribe to Steve Dahl’s podcast by the year, it’s going to cost you more. Annual subscribers to the Steve Dahl Network had been paying $99.95 a year since Dahl began his paywall podcast in August 2011. But now they’ll be charged $119.40 a year — matching the rate of monthly subscribers, who pay $9.95 a month. “I’m not raising the price, I'm just not offering two free months anymore,” Dahl explained. “When the Network debuted three years ago, we only offered my daily show. Now we offer over 40 new shows a month from five different hosts (six if you count Steve and Garry). I am revising my business model, and devising other ways to reward our loyal subscribers. Just part of growing the business.”
Rich Gamble
Rich Gamble this week wraps up 16 years at Tribune Co., including the last five as publisher and general manager of Chicago magazine. He announced last month he was stepping down to become senior vice president of operations at the Chicago Zoological Society, which runs Brookfield Zoo. His roles previously included vice president of finance and operations for Chicago Tribune Media Group and general manager and publisher of Exito. A Tribune Media Group spokeswoman said the company would be naming a new leader for Chicago magazine shortly.
Lisa Donovan
Another Sun-Times editor is crossing over to Tribune Tower. Assistant metro editor Lisa Donovan, a 10-year veteran of the Sun-Times, starts Monday as news editor of RedEye, the Tribune-owned tabloid and website. Her move follows the recent departures of Sun-Times assistant managing editor Zach Finken and assistant metro editor Jack Barry for jobs with Tribune Content Agency. Donovan’s position at the Sun-Times is expected to be filled.
John Siuntres
It’s a busy week for Chicago radio veteran John “Shaky” Siuntres, production director at Hubbard Radio adult contemporary WILV FM 100.3. In his other role as host and producer of Word Balloon, a wildly successful pop culture podcast, Siuntres is moderating three panels at Comic-Con International in San Diego. His sessions on “The Future Of Geek,” “The Lost 1978 Comic Book Documentary” and “The 9th Annual Comic Book Podcaster Panel” will be featured on his podcast in coming days. Siuntres has had more than 4.5 million downloads since he started it in 2005.
Rick O'Dell
Smooth Jazz Chicago, the streaming digital station operated by smooth jazz programming pioneer Rick O’Dell, is the latest addition to InternetFM.com. Steve Leventhal of SRN Broadcasting oversees the eclectic collection of streaming radio feeds and podcasts, including Bob Stern’s "Vinyl Schminyl Radio" and Bart Shore’s "Psychedelic Time Warp." Leventhal claims a combined monthly audience of 300,000 for the 10 stations on his network. O'Dell launched Smooth Jazz Chicago in November 2012.
Walter Cronkite
In a subject near and dear to my heart, an inside look at the legendary team behind “The CBS Evening News with Walter Cronkite” has been chronicled by a Chicago area journalism professor. Sandy Fries, assistant professor of mass communication and journalism at the College of DuPage, went behind the scenes to report a day in the life of the network newscast that aired from 1962 to 1981. The result is The Army Behind the Most Trusted Man in America, an e-book available on Amazon.
Wayne Juhlin
Family and friends of Wayne Juhlin will pay tribute this weekend to the late Chicago radio personality, comedy writer and voiceover artist who died April 17 at 77. An overnight host on the former WDAI, he and his wife, Penny Lane, co-hosted mornings on the former WFYR in the 1970s. “A Celebration of Wayne Juhlin's Life” will be from 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday at the DoubleTree Hotel at 9599 Skokie Boulevard, Skokie. RSVP at wayne.juhlin.com.