Random WFLD thread

[Jase 1164]

Here’s a look at the new parts of the main set. As I have mentioned before, don’t think it blends well with the older areas, but it is what it is. Really hate the brushed metal elements behind the big monitor and in other areas.

 

At least they added a touch screen…

 

 

 

 

 

Edited August 19, 2025 by Jase

[mouseboy33 137]

thats a big no. looks cheap. Particularly whan judged against the other big FOX O&Os thats a badly designed re-fresh. Typical for Chicago stations. The Chicago stations always get shanked whilst NY and LA get nicer updates. 

[MD TV 389]

On 8/18/2025 at 1:09 AM, Jase said:

According to the DirecTV guide….

 

Starting this Wednesday, ‘Chicago Now’ will air from 10a-12p. Sherri will move to 1P. Jennifer Hudson isn’t on the schedule. Not sure if this is a just a limited trial run or permanent.

 

 

I'm willing to bet it's permanent. Fox has gone on record saying they want their duopoly Fox stations to be all-news during weekdays.

[Jase 1164]

5 hours ago, MD TV said:

I'm willing to bet it's permanent. Fox has gone on record saying they want their duopoly Fox stations to be all-news during weekdays.

 

I agree. They have reduced the 9P newscast to 30 minutes M-F. My guess is that 'Chicago Sports Tonight' will be slotted in at 9:30P this Fall.

[Georgie56 3661]

Half-hour 9pm? On the Fox O&O in market #3? That's awful.

 

Should have kept the hour-long 9pm and slotted CST after at 10pm.

Edited August 19, 2025 by Georgie56

[R.R. 126]

39 minutes ago, Georgie56 said:

Half-hour 9pm? On the Fox O&O in market #3? That's awful.

 

Should have kept the hour-long 9pm and slotted CST after at 10pm.

Yeah, they’ve been juggling most of the other Fox 32 shows including “Paris on Politics” in the bottom half of the hour for months.

[Jase 1164]

1 hour ago, Georgie56 said:

Half-hour 9pm? On the Fox O&O in market #3? That's awful.

 

Should have kept the hour-long 9pm and slotted CST after at 10pm.

 

For some reason, they like to operate very bare bones (i.e... only having 1 reporter in the field at 4P, 5P and 9P). I'm going to chalk it up to it being Summer and they may feel an hour isn't necessary at 9P;  but it gives the impression they don't care about being competitive during most day parts/days.

 

They do have a news reporter/content creator job posted, but knowing them, they will only hire 1 person when they need at least 4 more reporters. 

[24994J 5888]

1 hour ago, Georgie56 said:

Half-hour 9pm? On the Fox O&O in market #3? That's awful.

 

On the other hand, they're bringing new content to air every night, in that 9:30 slot. They're going in-depth on sports and politics, depending on the night, which, in the case of the latter, is something WGN isn't doing. Also, 32 has never really had the same kind of long-form reporting that WGN has mastered to fill out that run time, so all that's really being lost is a longer sportscast, another weather update, and a bunch of Fox News wire stories.

 

Personally, I'd hope for CST to be slotted at 10, because most evening games in Chicago just aren't going to be finished in time for a 9:30 broadcast.

[Jase 1164]

On 8/19/2025 at 6:42 AM, mouseboy33 said:

thats a big no. looks cheap. Particularly whan judged against the other big FOX O&Os thats a badly designed re-fresh. Typical for Chicago stations. The Chicago stations always get shanked whilst NY and LA get nicer updates. 

 

It doesn't seem like much thought was given when it came to design. Plus, I believe the weather desk isn't a functional work station and is just for show. The only good thing is the addition of the touch screen (which I assume is/was the one from the weather center). Honestly, they could have just added that, replaced the old FOX 32 logos, changed from TV monitors to LED seamless panels in the alcove and called it a day.

Edited August 21, 2025 by Jase

[Jase 1164]

On 8/19/2025 at 3:55 PM, 24994J said:

Personally, I'd hope for CST to be slotted at 10, because most evening games in Chicago just aren't going to be finished in time for a 9:30 broadcast.

 

Reportedly, 'The Chicago Report' is slated to air at 10P. Not sure what this program is (a replacement for Paris on Politics?, a newscast, etc...). Guess we'll see next week. I'm sticking with 'Chicago Sports Tonight' airing at 9:30P.

Edited September 20, 2025 by Jase

[24994J 5888]

On 9/1/2025 at 11:18 AM, Jase said:

Reportedly, 'The Chicago Report' is slated to air at 10P. Not sure what this program is (new name for Paris on Politics?, a newscast, etc...). Guess we'll see next week. I'm sticking with 'Chicago Sports Tonight' airing at 9:30P.

 

Not sure when the TV listing on their website was updated, but sure enough, CST is slotted at 9:30, which is a boneheaded move. They're airing their own Bears pregame before 7, Monday night, before the game on ABC/ESPN, and CST will be long over before the station-produced postgame airs. Feels so odd to air a sports wrap-up show before most prime/Central time games are over, but whatever. I'll stick to GN Sports. 1st & North remains on Tuesdays, and still no idea what The Chicago Report will be, but I see no Paris on Politics anywhere on the schedule.

Meanwhile, it looks like the mistaken fluke addition of Chicago Now to the 10-noon schedule was simply premature, as it's back on the guide, come Monday.

[Jase 1164]

After being MIA for weeks, Nate Rodgers is no longer with the station. His bio was removed earlier this week. 
 

His ‘dismissal’ likely centers around participating in a ‘Good Trouble’ political rally in July where he introduced Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, etc… which is a big no-no as a journalist.

 

 

[MediaZone4K 2661]

On 8/19/2025 at 7:42 AM, mouseboy33 said:

thats a big no. looks cheap. Particularly whan judged against the other big FOX O&Os thats a badly designed re-fresh. Typical for Chicago stations. The Chicago stations always get shanked whilst NY and LA get nicer updates. 

WFLD's faux wood panels and three cornered background behind the anchor desk seem to be the new trend in Fox O&O set design. It's on WTVT and WOFL. It doesn't look the best.

FOX 35:

FOX 13:

WTTG continues to have the best set amid the O&Os, KTTV is not bad either.

On 8/19/2025 at 7:42 AM, mouseboy33 said:

thats a big no. looks cheap. Particularly whan judged against the other big FOX O&Os thats a badly designed re-fresh. Typical for Chicago stations. The Chicago stations always get shanked whilst NY and LA get nicer updates. 

I wouldn't even put New York on this list, because all the TV stations in NYC  typically fall below their O&O counterparts.  LA stations get nice sets and upgrades though.

 

[Jase 1164]

10 hours ago, MediaZone4K said:

WFLD's faux wood panels and three cornered background behind the anchor desk seem to be the new trend in Fox O&O set design. It's on WTVT and WOFL. It doesn't look the best.

FOX 35:

FOX 13:

WTTG continues to have the best set amid the O&Os, KTTV is not bad either.

I wouldn't even put New York on this list, because all the TV stations in NYC  typically fall below their O&O counterparts.  LA stations get nice sets and upgrades though.

 

 

It's not the issue of using woods (and/or metals, etc..). The new just doesn't blend well with the old. The wood looks like a cheap, thin veneer. Maybe they couldn't source any of the older set materials. And if that was the case, they probably would have been better off leaving things as is or re-doing the entire set. The set is a mish mash now.

[MediaZone4K 2661]

23 hours ago, Jase said:

 

It's not the issue of using woods (and/or metals, etc..). The new just doesn't blend well with the old. The wood looks like a cheap, thin veneer. Maybe they couldn't source any of the older set materials. And if that was the case, they probably would have been better off leaving things as is or re-doing the entire set. The set is a mish mash now.

Agreed. IDC that they used wood and metal, it's just that it wasn't executed well.

[24994J 5888]

The scheduling for the new season keeps getting weirder.

 

WFLD:

10am-Noon - Chicago Now

9:30pm - Chicago Sports Tonight

10pm - Chicago Sports Report. There was no 'sports' in the title prior to the latest guide update. No idea how these two 30 minute shows will differ.

 

WPWR:

6-9pm - Chicago Playlist. NO clue what this is going to be. Maybe a clip show of the day's top headlines and best of segments from all newscasts and Chicago Now?

 

 

 

[Jase 1164]

On 9/7/2025 at 11:58 PM, 24994J said:

The scheduling for the new season keeps getting weirder.

 

WFLD:

10am-Noon - Chicago Now

9:30pm - Chicago Sports Tonight

10pm - Chicago Sports Report. There was no 'sports' in the title prior to the latest guide update. No idea how these two 30 minute shows will differ.

 

WPWR:

6-9pm - Chicago Playlist. NO clue what this is going to be. Maybe a clip show of the day's top headlines and best of segments from all newscasts and Chicago Now?

 

 

 

 

I'm going to say Chicago Sports Report is a mistake. Both DirecTV and Samsung Guide has The Chicago Report at 10P. Also, TCR is likely a replacement for Paris on Politics given the description/tagline for TCR is ...'Newsmakers go on the record to answer the big questions'. I would say you're correct about Chicago Playlist.

 

Also, can they lay off having 'Chicago' in the title of every new show/program?

Edited September 20, 2025 by Jase

[24994J 5888]

12 minutes ago, Jase said:

Also, can they lay off having 'Chicago' in the title of every new show/program?

 

But how will we know what market this is?

[TheRolyPoly 3510]

On 9/8/2025 at 12:58 AM, 24994J said:

WPWR:

6-9pm - Chicago Playlist. NO clue what this is going to be. Maybe a clip show of the day's top headlines and best of segments from all newscasts and Chicago Now?

 

Found this screenshot on Bluesky (H/T T Dog Media) regarding that program.

[TVLurker 389]

2 hours ago, TheRolyPoly said:

 

Found this screenshot on Bluesky (H/T T Dog Media) regarding that program.

And I thought NewsNation was bad.

[Jase 1164]

19 hours ago, TheRolyPoly said:

 

Found this screenshot on Bluesky (H/T T Dog Media) regarding that program.

 

I'm not mad at this. 'The Playlist' is something different and is providing some real-time information. Not sure why they chose to air this from 6-9P instead of 7-10P however.

[Georgie56 3661]

24 minutes ago, Jase said:

 

I'm not mad at this. 'The Playlist' is something different and is providing some real-time information. Not sure why they chose to air this from 6-9P instead of 7-10P however.

 

Can't cannabalize WFLD's 9pm.

[R.R. 126]

Well, Jake Hamilton will be anchoring Saturday mornings. He’s been there long enough so he deserves it.

[Jase 1164]

On 10/11/2025 at 8:55 AM, R.R. said:

Well, Jake Hamilton will be anchoring Saturday mornings. He’s been there long enough so he deserves it.

 

So it appears that Elizabeth isn't coming back anytime soon. Wonder who takes over Sunday morning (or will they continue with a rotation of people).

[Spring Rubber 733]

After tonight's insanely long World Series game, WFLD went right into Chicago Sports Tonight instead of a newscast.

 

Back in the day, didn't they used to pre-record a newscast for air after an MLB game that went especially long?