The Media Guides: Chris Dufresne, Herb Gould and Mark Blaudschun

Robservations on the media beat:

Herb Gould

Herb Gould, who spent nearly four decades as a sportswriter for the Sun-Times, has teamed up with counterparts from two other cities to launch a subscription website devoted to covering college football in all its glory. Calling themselves The Media Guides, Chris Dufresne, formerly of the Los Angeles Times, Mark Blaudschun, formerly of the Boston Globe, and Gould just unveiled TMGcollegesports.com. The founders aim to provide “well-written and well-informed analysis that is increasingly in short supply at newspapers” along with news and insight on hot topics in the college football world. It’s available for $19.95 for the full season (with an early-bird rate of $14.95). “We’re going to have fun with this,” said Gould, who still contributes to the Sun-Times. “We remember when sports was less of a business and more of a game — and as aging baby boomers, we’re going to do everything we can to keep it that way.”

Maggie Wartik

Maggie Wartik, who’s been on the fast track at Tribune Publishing (now tronc) since she began her career in 2005, has resigned as general manager of the company’s young adult brands, including RedEye Chicago, Metromix, The Mash and ChicagoNow. Wartik, who has been overseeing RedEye since last August, previously was general manager of ‎the suburban Pioneer Press and TribLocal, and headed communications and community relations for Chicago Tribune Media Group. She will announce her new job outside of media later this week. “I’ve had the most incredible 11-year journey at Tribune and am ready to try my hand at a new industry,” Wartik said.

Dan Salamone

Dan Salamone is leaving after one year as executive producer at Fox-owned WFLD-Channel 32. “The timing is right for me to take on another project, and I’m looking at opportunities both inside and outside the Fox family,” he told staffers Monday. Readers of this blog will recall that Salamone composed the infamous memo last January ordering the women who report on “Good Day Chicago” not to wear hats during outdoor live shots in winter. Fox 32 bosses later disavowed the edict and said Salamone received “disciplinary action.” Friends say his departure is not related to the incident. No word yet on a replacement as executive producer of “Good Day Chicago.”

Joe Walsh

U.S. Rep. Keith Ellison, a Democrat from Minnesota, has asked the Justice Department to investigate whether a controversial tweet by former congressman Joe Walsh was a “terroristic threat” against President Barack Obama. Walsh, who now hosts an afternoon talk show on Salem Media news/talk WIND AM 560, tweeted June 7 in response to the Dallas shooting that killed five police officers: “This is now war. Watch out Obama. Watch out black lives matter punks. Real America is coming after you.” Twitter later deleted Walsh’s tweet. Politico reports Ellison wrote to Attorney General Loretta Lynch: “Mr. Walsh’s refusal to renege on the statement could result in real violence against the President or the Black Lives Matter movement.” Republican Walsh served one term in Congress from the northwest suburbs.

Leslie Witt

Colleagues and fans are mourning Leslie Witt, longtime weekend personality on CBS Radio adult album alternative WXRT FM 93.1, who died of ovarian cancer Sunday at 63. The Chicago area native, who first signed on at WXRT in 1977, also worked as a news reporter in the 1980s at Chicago Public Media WBEZ FM 91.5. “She was one of the rare people who saw the best in people even if they didn't really deserve it,” WXRT morning host Lin Brehmer wrote of her on Facebook. “Kindness came as naturally to her as a waterfall off a cliff.” Plans for a memorial are pending.