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Diane Sawyer's mother has passed away at 94. There were several rumors going around saying that Jean Sawyer Hayes' recent health woes factored into Diane's decision to step down from the ABC flagship. At any rate, condolences to Diane and Sawyer Hayes' family and friends. She was 94. http://www.mediabistro.com/tvnewser/diane-sawyers-mother-passes-away_b243247

That's lame (on their part, of course). I know the original air date is prominent on my television's guide, and I bet it's on yours, too. Besides, someone at the station must be able to see the production card at the beginning of the taping, right?

Day two for Dionne Miller, and she's doing well. Granted, she's only been on the air in live shots, but work environment must be making a difference. I thought she was just okay at Fox, but I see a lot of promise in her delivery now she's at ABC, so far so good.

WARNING: There are a lot of hypotheticals here, many of which are off the top of my head and potentially incoherent. Please be patient. So, I've been scouring over the Feder article, analyzing the wording and phrasing, because I've known Rob's work to be very concise. He will spell things out as they are. And, I keep going back to one excerpt... "Sources said ABC 7 has offered Scott a three-year contract that eventually would elevate her to the station’s top-rated 10 p.m. Monday-through-Friday newscast." Now, please correct me if I'm wrong, but this line really screams to me of this being a short-term option on the intent of both parties. I said it before, and I'll repeat, I'm not going to doubt that Scott is trying to keep a seat warm in her current residing market, and is in a holding pattern until that big Ginger Zee network role opens up on either coast. WLS knows that they're facing a potentially difficult transition (with or without Cheryl in the picture), and are preparing to beef up the team once a vacancy presents itself. What if WLS does let Jerry hang around as long as he wants, on the condition that he retires within three years? In the meantime, Scott finds her way onto the team (don't ask me how, I wouldn't know where to start), and holds tight until the succession is ready. In that time, maybe she finds that big gig, maybe the station changes their mind, maybe one of Schwapler (that's what Phil, Mike & Tracy are going to be called) decides to call it quits. After the three years/end of Jerry's tenure, the station reevaluates their options, and makes an ultimate decision for the future. It's entirely possible that ABC is willing to eat some dough while the non-sinking deck chairs get re-arranged, effectively making Scott a pawn for the future (or more sinister, keeping her locked up so no one else can have her). Through all of this, maybe that eventual 10pm position doesn't open up fast enough (note: she's not necessarily being hired to immediately take the 10), and she wants out. Well, then WLS might be willing to release her, and all sides call no harm/no foul and move on. Now, while I've been writing this, another idea has crossed my mind...Did we EVER learn the terms of Terrell Brown and Tanja Babich's contracts? Didn't think so, but hear me out. What if those two also have a clause stating that they will EVENTUALLY (there's that word again) find a spot on the desk, without any current vacancy? (Heck, those were the rumors, for sure, but they've been around for a combined year and a half and nothing's happened. The morning show has rebounded away from the abyss, and all seems healthy.) You know, with Ron Magers and Linda Yu approaching retirement, maybe the station wants a male and female groomed, familiar and ready to become permanent anchors when the need calls. I highly doubt they'd be installed on the marquee broadcasts, but I could (for example) totally see Judy or Hosea moving up to the evenings and those two assuming the morning show chairs. Or maybe one or both ends up on the weekends...whatever. It almost seems like WLS is building up, for a lack of news terms, but an abundance of sports references, a farm team...a crop of minor-leaguers. I understand that the alleged terms of the Scott deal are more explicit, but what if she were (on the short term), used as a almost-primary fill-in across ALL newscasts, specifically weekdays, allowing viewers to get acquainted with her, developing chemistry with the whole team, and setting the table for when Taft does make his exit? I guess my main point is that a lot can happen in three years, and nowhere does it say that she's going to be top dog next month. So much of this seems short-sighted, and goes against so many recent decisions by the station, that this could wind up being a strategic move with an ulterior motive. What's that motive? Well, that's a discussion for another day. Good night, all.

Two thoughts: With a potential contract being only 3 years, is management covering its ass if Scott's a bust? (Also might she only be here to beef up her resume until bigger things come along?) With his protege gone (remember, on his own terms), and Jerry not far behind, does an increasingly-bored/disinterested Mark Giangeco hang it up?

When Tracy's off (at a conference in Utah), Mike does the early shift on Monday, since Phil was on last night. Occasionally Phil will then do the 4, but Jerry and Mike fill in for each other in most cases. If Tracy's off tomorrow, too, then Phil will be on and Mike back at 4. It's all standard procedure.

Yeah, I've been meaning to mention it, but if anyone doubting the potential evolution of the program under Muir should check the broadcast out sometime. Not only has the fluff been pulled back a little, it almost seems like the quality fluff has been tightened up.

I'd also be inclined to think that other chopping would be done, but I'd bet that they could pay Cheryl handsomely, give the other three a raise to make up for the shafting, and still be spending less than with the current arrangement. That is, of course, if the others stick around. I think management might actually let that sort itself out versus being clouded with a firing. And, I think this is a guarantee, Jerry has probably given some sort of timetable, letting the bosses know that he's hanging it up. Jerry just might be the only winner in this, because if he has stated his intent, then he's definitely going to be leaving on his own terms, whenever he wants, especially if it's within a year.

That's the more ideal set-up that I was thinking of upon hearing this news. Heck, they could even give her the 5 and 6, too, but to install her on the premier broadcast AND give her the 'chief' moniker at only like thirty friggin' years old is a huge slap in the face to Phil, Tracy, AND ESPECIALLY Mike. I'd even be satisfied if she did the 10 (and likely an earlier slot), but give Mike the top position a la WCAU with Schwartz and Parveen. This sounds too much to me like the station is relying too much on viewers habits. She didn't do anything for the numbers at NBC 5, to the point where they didn't fight to stop her leaving, but because Eyewitness News is at the top, the assumption is being made that anyone could go on the air and they'd succeed. Now, of course, one could say that 7 has been relying on those same viewers' habits, for too long, but (and I can't believe I'm saying this) at least you could argue that "if it ain't broke, don't fix it". Keep this in mind, Cheryl was in elementary school when Caplan, Butler, and Schwarz joined the station, and she was still in utero when Jerry hopped on with ABC 7. Oh, and I'll be frank. Part of my disappointment in this stems from my dislike of Ms. Scott. It's nothing personal, I just have ALWAYS seen her as a cheap knock-off of Ginger Zee. Now, if WLS has somehow got Ginger, this would still leave a very bad taste in my mouth, but at least she'd come aboard with... A lot more experience in Chicago than Scott More years in the industry Network experience and prestige

Hello. Pleased to meet you.

What in the holy fuck? I can't even put this one into words, so I'm going to quote the Feder article directly... http://www.robertfeder.com/2014/10/20/with-offer-from-abc-7-sun-is-shining-for-cheryl-scott/ Whatever CircleSeven says about this, I wholeheartedly agree (on this move, anyway). However, I did capitalize a key term to reassure (mostly myself) that NOTHING is set in stone, but Ms. Scott's seemingly inflated ego will likely seal this deal. I hope Mr. Idler is prepared to fill 1, 2, or even 3 other weather positions if and when this is finalized.

Good point, but that's about the gist (sp) of the story. There were quotes out of a box from Mark Giangreco and the ND.

The Dionne Miller deal is done. She'll be the weekend sports anchor, but she starts Monday. http://www.robertfeder.com/2014/10/16/dionne-miller-scores-abc-7-sports-job/

First ones that came to my mind were 6, 7 & 11 out east. Well, the updated the in-show (non-news) weather ticker within the last few months, but with so little severe weather over that time, I'm guessing they were really itching for a reason to use it. Also, to be fair (my forecasting class discussed it this morning), the whole Chicago area was at risk of random pop-up storm cells, so they had to be ready just in case.

It was only on for the duration of a t-storm warning, and went back to normal after a break, once the warning expired.

The first 15 minutes of tonight's 6pm news featured a new in-news weather ticker that includes a map filling the space of the bug. It looks good, not over the top, but it only reminds me how I miss a normal, full-width ticker on the morning news.

I have a tripod. It's big, though, so I just didn't bother to set it up for something that I was going to attempt to grab off the stream later. In the meantime, I also captured and posted two other promos... [yt]ROEnAEaCzq0[/yt] [yt]OXcvm73UMj8[/yt]

I stabilized the video, because the whole thing would've been shaky without it. Here's the better copy... [yt]xs-lHfavOI4[/yt] Huh, just realized that this is a shorter version. Well, you get the idea, anyway.

To be clear, I don't usually like these kinds of promos, but I gotta admit, this is one of the better self-serving campaigns I've seen in a long time. I'm also pretty sure that this is the first time in like decades since ABC 7 shot a promo with all of their evening anchors assembled...the last time being before they even had a morning show. [yt]TJr2ULiUdus[/yt] I'll try to post some better-quality stuff when I can.

And the first thing that comes to my mind is this... Be careful out there today, folks!

Last week's preliminary ratings are in, and 'World News Tonight' has edged out 'Nightly News' for #1, breaking a more than half-decade streak by the NBC program. ...But can ABC maintain the momentum? http://www.mediabistro.com/tvnewser/world-news-tonight-with-david-muir-gets-first-overall-weekly-win-in-6-years_b241212

To be clear, some (like myself) will likely be able to access Rob with my existing Trib subscription, but I was thinking that if that fails, I'll just see his headlines on Facebook and Twitter and decide from there how to use up my 5 alotted articles per month.

WLS has won back the official rights to the Chicago Auto Show, possibly including an unethical journalistic policy. http://www.robertfeder.com/2014/10/02/dealer-trade-chicago-auto-show-shifts-to-abc-7/#more-5185

Yeah, but you forgot one thing...EVERY SINGLE TIME they've gotten new promos, they debuted new graphics! Don't you remember that?

No, and no. The duratran matches the daytime, left anchor backdrop from 2006 when the SSS debuted...