Community Media Workshop

 Getting On The Air & Into Print 2005 updates

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Chicago Sun-Times: Editor-in-chief Michael Cooke has resigned to head the New York Daily News. Former executive managing editor John Barron has been promoted to editor-in-chief, while former managing editor for news, Don Hayner, has been promoted to managing editor.

Former Daily Southtown City Hall reporter Mark J. Konkol has joined the Sun-Times as transportation reporter. Former transportation reporter Robert C. Herguth now covers labor and does investigations.

Rummana Hussain, who had been assistant to gossip columnist Michael Sneed, was promoted to be a full-time general assignment reporter. Her phone remains the same. Sneed’s new assistant is Ben Goldberger.

Television reporter Phil Rosenthal has resigned to join the Chicago Tribune as its media writer for its business section. His e-mail address is philcolumn@aol.com.

Casinos columnist John Grochowski has left. His replacement, Mark Pilarski, can be reached at 231-929-2740 or at pilarski@markpilarski.com.

Business writer John Ambrosia is now executive editor for Pioneer Press.

Maudlyne Ihejirika is back, mihejirika@suntimes.com.


Chicago Tribune: Associate Managing Editor for Business Rob Karwath has left the paper to become executive editor of the Duluth News Tribune. His replacement is the Tribune’s former media reporter, Jim Kirk. Kirk’s telephone and e-mail are unchanged.

Associate Managing Editor for Projects Robert Blau has resigned to become managing editor of the Baltimore Sun.

DuPage County Bureau Chief Terry Brown has retired. His replacement is former Asst. DuPage Bureau Chief Susan Keaton, who takes Brown’s old phone number of 630-368-4263. All her other contact information remains unchanged. The Tribune also has hired John Bisognano to be a Deputy Bureau Chief in the DuPage County Bureau. Bisognano’s phone is 630-368-4273, and his e-mail address is jbisognano@tribune.com.

Business reporter Rob Kaiser has resigned to become editor of the Greater Ft. Wayne (Ind.) Business Weekly.

Television reporter John Cook resigned. He now has his own blog at www.referencetone.com.

Former Sun-Times television reporter Phil Rosenthal has joined the Tribune as media writer for the business section. His e-mail address is philcolumn@aol.com.

Former New York Times Asst. Bureau Chief Jo Napolitano has joined the Tribune as a full-time reporter in the Southwest Bureau. Her new phone is 708-342-5654. Her new e-mail address is jnapolitano@tribune.com.

Nursing News editor Karen Callaway has left the Tribune.

Crain’s Chicago Business: Editor Jeff Bailey has resigned from Crain’s. current associate publisher Dave Snyder has been named acting editor.

Mike McHugh is the new online editor. He can be reached at mmchugh@crain.com and 312-280-3178. Christina Woolsey has left.

Kate Ryan and Mark Scheffler have joined the paper as reporters. Scheffler covers advertising, while Ryan is an online news reporter. Their contact numbers are TBA.

Assistant Managing Editor Andrea Hanis edits the Business of Life section, direct line is 312.649.5456.

New York Times: Asst. Bureau Chief Jo Napolitano has resigned to join the Chicago Tribune as a staff reporter. Her replacement is Gretchen Ruethling, who takes Napolitano’s old phone number of 312-552-7209.

Wall Street Journal: Brian Gruley has been named the Journal’s new Chicago bureau chief. He previously had worked in the paper’s Washington bureau. Former bureau chief Kevin Helliker remains with the Chicago bureau as a reporter, covering healthcare.

Washington Post: Chicago bureau chief Peter Slevin’s email address is slevinp@wpost.com.

Chicago Daily Defender: Roland S. Martin has joined the paper as executive editor. His phone is 312-225-2400, ext. 142.

Daily Herald: Asst. Features Editor Amy Carr has resigned to become managing editor of the Time Out Chicago. Also, feature writer and “He says/She says” columnist Joel Reese has resigned to be a senior editor at Time Out Chicago.

Daily Southtown: Chicago City Hall reporter Mark J. Konkol has left the paper to join the Chicago Sun-Times. The new Chicago City Hall reporter is former southwest suburban reporter Jonathan Lipman. His contact info remains the same, but now he can also be reached at City Hall at 312-782-1286.

Chicago Reader: Veteran staff writer Grant Pick died unexpectedly on February 1, 2005.

Time Out Chicago: This new weekly publication provides entertainment information and stories. Its address is 247 S. State St, Chicago, IL 60604. Its main number is 312-924-9555. Publisher Steve Timble’s direct line is 312-924-9250. Editor-in-chief is Chad Schlegel, and Managing Editor is former Daily Herald asst. features editor Amy Carr. One senior editor is former Daily Herald feature writer Joel Reese. The paper’s website is www.timeout-chicago.com.

PerformInk: Mechelle Moe is no longer editor. Former publisher, Carrie Kaufman is now the editor, editor@performink.com at 773-296-4600 x 15.

Lerner Newspapers: Bought by Hollinger, The News-Star, Booster and Skyline are now part of Pioneer Press’ City Group; staff phone numbers remain the same. New bureau chief is Kathy Catrambone, formerly the Pioneer Press’ Northwest Group bureau chief. Her email address remains the same; her new phone is 847-329-2070.

Booster and News-Star managing editor Jack Bess’ email address is jbess@pioneerlocal.com; Booster staff writer Patrick Butler’s is pbutler@pioneerlocal.com and columnists Marcella Tardy’s, mtardy@pioneerlocal.com News-Star sport editor Rob Valentin is at rvalentin@pioneerlocal.com.

Skyline managing editor Beth Burmahl is at bburmahl@pioneerlocal.com; associate editor Ann Gerber, agerber@pioneerlocal.com; staff writer Felicia Dechter, fdechter@pioneerlocal.com or write12@comcast.net.

CityLife and Food section editor Leah Zeldes is at lzeldes@pioneerlocal.com; writer Sara Burrows, sburrows@pioneerlocal.com; editorial assistant Deborah Hoppe, dhoppe@pioneerlocal.com

Pioneer Press: Kathy Catrambone shifted from being Arlington Hts. bureau chief to be bureau chief for Pioneer’s new City Group. Jim Pokin replaced her as NW Group and can be found at his desk at Arlington HTs or Algonquin. John Ambrosia left the Sun-Times to be executive editor for all Pioneer papers; Paul Sassone is now bureau chief in Oak Park/West Group. Carol Goddard and Randy Blazer are to be swapping bureaus. Goddard can be reached at goddard@pioneerlocal.com and will be the Glenview/North Group’s bureau chief. Blazer will be the Waukegan/Lake Group’s bureau chief.

North Group sports reporter Jim Coffman has left to pursue other ventures.

Stephanie Fosnight covers health for the Health & Fitness section, sfosnight@pioneerlocal.com

La Raza: Elbio Rodriguez Barilari left in January. Jorge Mederos is Managing Editor, jmederos@laraza.com and 773-273-2014.


TELEVISION

WBBM-TV: News anchor Stacia Dubin has left the station. Roseanne Tellez was hired. Executive producer of investigative reporting Scott Keenan has left the station to become assistant news director of a CBS-owned affiliate in Dallas.

WFBT-TV: Channel 23 continues to be owned by Weigel Broadcasting, but has changed its call letters to WWME-TV, and its format to syndicated entertainment. The WFBT call letters and foreign-language format shift to a new low-power station, Channel 48, that also is owned by Weigel.

WFLD-TV: The station hired Mark Strehl, who previously worked for a station in Rockford, to be weekend meteorologist, replacing the now-retired Harry Volkman. Jason Jedlinski, formerly with WGN-TV is special projects producer.

WGBO-TV and WXFT-TV: Vice President and General Manager Bert Medina has left to take an executive position within TeleFutura in Miami. Vincent Cordero replaces Medina as vice president and general manager of the two stations.

WGN-TV: Anchor Roseanne Tellez has left the station and is at WBBM-TV Channel 2. Morning sports anchor Mike Barz has left Channel 9 to join the cast of ABC’s “Good Morning America.” Robin Baumgarten is morning news anchor.

WLS-TV: News anchor Joel Daly is set to retire on May 6, 2005. Weekend and fill-in meteorologist Larry Mowry has resigned to become a morning weatherman in Orlando, Fla.

WSNS-TV: Esteban Creste has been hired as news director. He replaces Roberto Pons, who left the Telemundo-owned station.

Chicagoland Television (CLTV): Jill Manuel, a former executive producer at WBBM-TV Channel 2, has been hired as news director.

NBC News: Bureau chief Stew Dan retired. Tony Capra, who formerly was in NBC’s Washington bureau, has been named acting bureau chief.


RADIO

WBEZ-FM: Former Detroit-based independent producer Sally Eisele has been hired to the new position of managing editor, overseeing all news and talk programming. Steve Shadley has left.

WFMT-FM: Program director Dennis Moore resigned in November 2004 to pursue other interests.

WGN-AM: VP and General Manager Mark Krieschen has resigned and recently took a job running a station in St. Louis. Also, program director Mary June Rose has resigned. Tom Langmyer has been named vice president and general manager. Rick O’Connor was promoted to producer of Steve Cochran’s midday show.

WKSC-FM: On-air personality “Java Joel” has left the station. Afternoon personality Scott Tyler resigned.

WLEY-FM: Program director Margarita Vazquez has been reassigned. Her new position at the station is TBA.

WLS-AM: John Gallagher has been named vice president and general manager, replacing Zemira Z. Jones. Operations director Michael Packer has left the station. Talk-show host Jay Marvin has left the station and now hosts mornings at a radio station in Denver.

WLUP-FM: Cris Wilson-Ohr has left the station. Mary Nyren takes over her duties as vice president and general manager.

WNND-FM: The station has changed its call letters to WILV-FM and has changed its format to a mixture of adult-contemporary, R&B and oldies. Barry James, who had been vice president of programming at WNND, has been named vice president and general manager of the station.

WSRB-FM: Program Director Glenn Cosby has resigned from the station.

WXRT-FM: Assistant Program Director and Music Director John Farneda has been promoted to operations director.

WZFS-FM: The Christian/Gospel formatted station has been sold to Univision and has changed its format to Spanish-language adult-contemporary music. Former WZFS owner Salem Communications swapped the 106.7 FM frequency with Univision, taking over ownership of Univision’s WIND-AM (560). Salem will operate WIND as a news and talk station with all-syndicated programming. Meanwhile, Univision has changed the call letters of its new Spanish-language station to WPPN-FM (106.7).

WZZN-FM: News anchor David Hagen has left the station.


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