24994J

You left out the real kicker... https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=1326096727530308

Coming up on 5 months off the air for prostate cancer treatment. Based on Facebook posts, he seems to be much better, putting some weight back on, but no word on when he'll return. He turned 60 last week.

Not sure, but Lourdes also anchored with Steve at midday, so I'd be surprised if she'd do the whole evening slate.

Phil does Monday-Wednesday, and Larry is there Wednesday-Friday. Yes, they sometimes even split Cheryl's shift on hump day with Jerry there.

Meh, seen it.

I've seen those clips a million times, and I NEVER noticed that it was the old set. I have a feeling that if it was a chroma key (versus literally keying the feed over the studio feed), it was a drop-down screen, as the skyline is visible in this image (from 1990)... Now here's where things get confusing, and why I think the December set is temporary. 05/90: 10/92: 12/92: 05/93: Compared to May of 1990 and even October of '92, the backdrop space between the gray dividers behind the anchors is much wider in December. So, ultimately, it sounds like they swiched to the light blue dura on the '87 set sometime in 1992. They moved to a temporary set by the fourth quarter of the year, and debuted a new set by the end of '92 or early in '93. Let's see...an old set, updated with a new background, only to have it reconstructed elsewhere, while a brand new set is constructed. Where have I heard that before?

Question for anyone that's old enough to remember; how long was this set arrangement a thing on WLS? It's the late '80s set with a backdrop that looked like what they used in the '90s. I know these pics (and the clip I got them from) came from a clip from the fall of 1992, which would've been just a couple months before the nearly complete makeover of both set and theme (the red line, serif-font lower thirds had already debuted), but I never knew that the old set received a grandfathered, transitional update. Being so close to the new set, is this possibly a temp set?

Once in a blue moon, he'll take a road trip. I recall once back when he did 4 reports a week (two 11's and two 10's), one whole week was billed as a trip around Wisconsin. He featured like 6-8 places, too.

New reporter. She comes from KMOV... [MEDIA=twitter]884940547588325376[/MEDIA]

Nine months after the newscasts updated their graphics for 16:9, Windy City Live has finally followed suit. Unfortunately, after 6 years, I would've thought they'd be considering new graphics versus adjusting the current look.

On the contrary, they should give him a female sidekick!

Put away the piñata and the tequila. Looks like the hairline Univision victory was actually a half point win for the defending champs. http://www.robertfeder.com/2017/07/06/robservations-whoa-univision-didnt-win-10-p-m-ratings/

Close enough. According to her LinkedIn profile, Sally Schulze is a '93 U of I grad who's anchored in Champaign, Chattanooga, Seattle, and most recently in Orlando. She last held such an on-air position in 2008. Billed as a "recovering newsie", Sally has spent much of her recent life working on social justice issues, and tweeting/re-tweeting about social issues, attending political marches, and spreading some rather politically charged messages. Is that a problem? No, I guess not, considering it is a public, yet non-professional account. HOWEVER, appearing on-air might give some light to such divisive opinions. Displays of such statements and messages might also receive some criticism, considering that she's been a writer at FOX32 for almost a year. Look, I believe that most sane people can put professionalism and fairness before their politics, but this it might be time to set that account to private, and start a new one for reporting, otherwise...FAKE NEWS! BIASED MEDIA!

Yeah, I mean, his biggest offense is overseeing the change of theme music, but it's been almost 4 years, already, and just about everything else he's been a part of has been solid.

They taped promos today...

Be careful what you wish for.

Curtis Miles is leaving ABC 7 to become a GM north of the cheddar curtain. http://www.robertfeder.com/2017/07/05/programming-exec-curtis-miles-exits-abc-7/

I'm going to say no, but not since the holidays, at least. I guess Cheryl was on before.

From January 23, 2015. I got a kick out of that last line. I like being right, even ahead of schedule. Oh, and that roster is still at 20 (+1 full-time meteorologist, -1 male anchor vacancy), could be 21 sometime soon. And only 2 newscasts have gone untouched, talent-wise. Six have seen changes, and one newscast was reintroduced, entirely.

Lauren's move to 'GN was like the worst-kept secret in Chicago...at least in my own head.

Kaitlin Cody debuted today.

At the time those were being shot, Karen Jordan was on maternity leave, and Hosea Sanders had just gone on medical leave. She's been back for a few weeks, but he's still off the air. I also wouldn't rule out that they're waiting for a weekend morning anchor to be hired.

Tracy once said that both she and Mike were interviewed in November '93, and started right at the beginning of 1994. They traded places sometime in '95. The question I've always had, is who filled the void before them, as Jerry was the only one there for a sizeable chunk of time after Steve and Andy left.

It would be nice to see her get to that benchmark. Hopefully she's around another year and a half (she was hired when the morning show started as updates at the beginning of the year, and before it was expanded in April of '89, right?) As for weather, I still think when Jerry retires, that there should be a 3-way position change. It's risky, but the station has proven many times over that they can plug in anyone just about anywhere. Phil takes Jerry's shift, Tracy to weekend evenings, and Larry to mornings. Tracy's would seem like a demotion to some, but it would get her off the 2am wake-up call, give her some family time during the week, just as her girls are starting to get a little older, and it would open her up to getting some weeknight airtime. Just a thought. (I do wonder if they'd go the platoon route with Phil and Larry when Jerry leaves. It's not something you see on prime weeknight shifts, but it would certainly be more cost-effective.)

It certainly appears that Diane's stock is dropping. Yes, she's on vacation, but it seems that Byrne will be permanent enough that she won't be needed to fill in anymore, in addition to her heavily reduced fill-in role alongside Stacey on the weekends. Also, it might be important to address the rumor put forth by CRM, that Roz is possibly leaning toward/being forced into retirement. We just might be seeing a lot more of Kristin very soon.