Random WFLD thread

[Jase 1164]

2 hours ago, speed053 said:

I tuned in to WFLD on my portable TV this morning and it seems that FOX 32 debuted "Chicago's Morning News" for the morning newscasts but moved Good Day Chicago to the 9:00am slot, and debuted the two hour program called "The Loop" at 11:00am.

 

Yeah... I'm not sure what they're trying to accomplish here with all these changes. Having better structured blocks (i.e... Chicago's Morning News: 4:30-9A, Good Day Chicago: 9-11A, The Loop: 11A-1P) is a plus (I guess). But, they can't keep blowing things up every couple of months without alienating the few viewers they have.

[24994J 5890]

To be fair, it doesn't seem like too much talent is being shuffled here. Pre-9am assignments appear to be unchanged, though some were off today. Chicago Now ending doesn't really move the needle, and Tia and Anita simply traded Chicago Report and GDC at 9. Unclear if Scafidi is permanent at 11am, but Sylvia was gone so long and Terrence has now been there for months, so there's continuity there.

[abric 230]

Chicago's Morning News almost sounds like the newscast WGN titled back in the day.

[24994J 5890]

Lauren Scafidi is permanent from 11-1.

 

Two new hires, yesterday, as well. As Cassie & Tina moved up, Sam Panayotovich (WGN Radio, Fox Sports) joins as the third-stringer. Also joining is reporter Brittany Toolis (WXYZ) as a morning reporter, thus filling out the 4 reporter hires we knew were coming (Buganski, Moreno, Scafidi).

[Jase 1164]

Toolis would actually be the 5th reporter(/anchor) they have hired recently. I’m glad they have finally decided to beef up their roster of reporters. Also, Dane has shifted back to primary focusing on investigative reporting it seems (in addition to anchoring Saturday nights). He rarely makes an appearance during the week.

 

The new hires have been a mixed bag, imo. Kwon and Moreno are solid, but Buganski and Scafidi are meh. 

[ns8401 996]

14 hours ago, 24994J said:

Lauren Scafidi is permanent from 11-1.

 

Two new hires, yesterday, as well. As Cassie & Tina moved up, Sam Panayotovich (WGN Radio, Fox Sports) joins as the third-stringer. Also joining is reporter Brittany Toolis (WXYZ) as a morning reporter, thus filling out the 4 reporter hires we knew were coming (Buganski, Moreno, Scafidi).

Toolis was a 2 year and done that came here from Seattle. Nothing bad but nothing special either. She is a south side native so that’s always a plus when they are local. 

Edited 6 hours ago by ns8401

[24994J 5890]

11 hours ago, Jase said:

Toolis would actually be the 5th reporter(/anchor) they have hired recently. I’m glad they have finally decided to beef up their roster of reporters. Also, Dane has shifted back to primary focusing on investigative reporting it seems (in addition to anchoring Saturday nights). He rarely makes an appearance during the week.

 

The new hires have been a mixed bag, imo. Kwon and Moreno are solid, but Buganski and Scafidi are meh. 

 

I forgot that Se Kwon was in this wave. I like Moreno, though not so much as an anchor. Scafidi should be doing weekend mornings, not middays. Not a slight, just seems better for her vibe. I like Buganski as "some guy," but yeah, I'm trying to figure out how and where he slots in that makes most sense.

 

Sylvia doing just the one show now makes me wonder what her/their long-term plan is. Even without a late co-anchor, they're feeling just a bit bloated. Jackson, Premus, Ponce, Bomke, Ewing, Lee, Scafidi, Blanton, Perez, Hasbrouck, Buganski & Moreno (unofficially official) on Friday nights, plus Hamilton & Placko.

[GodfreyGR 812]

21 hours ago, abric said:

Chicago's Morning News almost sounds like the newscast WGN titled back in the day.

  

On 6/8/2026 at 4:20 PM, speed053 said:

I tuned in to WFLD on my portable TV this morning and it seems that FOX 32 debuted "Chicago's Morning News" for the morning newscasts but moved Good Day Chicago to the 9:00am slot, and debuted the two hour program called "The Loop" at 11:00am.

And to quote Paul Konrad form when he was making fun at one of Fox's promos targeting WGN a while back, "That'll put them on a rocket ship straight to third place".

[Jase 1164]

4 hours ago, 24994J said:

 

I forgot that Se Kwon was in this wave. I like Moreno, though not so much as an anchor. Scafidi should be doing weekend mornings, not middays. Not a slight, just seems better for her vibe. I like Buganski as "some guy," but yeah, I'm trying to figure out how and where he slots in that makes most sense.

 

Sylvia doing just the one show now makes me wonder what her/their long-term plan is. Even without a late co-anchor, they're feeling just a bit bloated. Jackson, Premus, Ponce, Bomke, Ewing, Lee, Scafidi, Blanton, Perez, Hasbrouck, Buganski & Moreno (unofficially official) on Friday nights, plus Hamilton & Placko.

 

Honestly, there's no reason Premus, Scafidi, Buganski and Moreno should be anchoring outside of filling in on occasion. Jackson should have been cut long ago. They could have easily divided things up between the core anchor group and been fine. They're going younger (and cheaper) with these new hires; so vets like Perez aren't 'the future' of Fox 32 News. She's closing in on 10 yrs at Fox 32 this October (I believe); so I wouldn't be surprised if she leaves in the near future. Hopefully she gets a proper sendoff whenever the time comes.

 

Now that the Noon show has been cut, the only newscast(s) I watch regularly are the 4P (and some of the 5P). Too bad they couldn't paired Lee with someone else at 11A.