By Free Press

The Federal Communications Commission voted Wednesday to begin a rulemaking process to initiate the 2018 Quadrennial Review of broadcast-ownership regulations. Congress requires the agency to review these rules every four years to determine whether they remain “necessary in the public interest.”
Previous reviews have substantially weakened the FCC’s ownership rules, despite overwhelming public opposition to further media consolidation. Last year, the FCC slashed local television-ownership restrictions while blessing shady sharing arrangements that allow big broadcasters – like the Sinclair Broadcast Group and Nexstar Media Group – to buy up more and more local media.

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Posted on December 13, 2018

By Free Press

Texas-based Nexstar Media Group announced plans Monday to acquire Tribune Media for $6.4 billion, including debt. If approved by regulators, the proposed merger would make Nexstar the largest local-TV station owner in the United States.
Nexstar Media Group already controls 171 stations in 100 markets. Tribune controls 42 local stations, with outlets in major markets including Chicago, Los Angeles and New York. The two broadcasters have stations that overlap in 15 local markets. The merger would create an entity whose actual audience reach exceeds 72 percent, far higher than the congressional and FCC limits on national media ownership.

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Posted on December 3, 2018

By Julia Conley/Common Dreams

Though President Donald Trump this week expressed an interest in establishing a state-run TV news network due to his dissatisfaction with the media’s coverage of his historically unpopular presidency, the Sinclair Broadcast Group on Tuesday appeared to fulfill that role with another of its “must-run” pro-Trump segments, this time defending the use of tear gas on migrant children at the southern U.S. border.
In a segment all 173 Sinclair stations were ordered to air, former Trump adviser Boris Epshteyn rejected criticism of the tear-gassing and said the actions taken by U.S. border patrol agents on Sunday were necessary for the nation’s security.

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Posted on November 29, 2018

“A detective and action-adventure television series, Lady Blue revolves around Chicago investigator Katy Mahoney (Jamie Rose), her violent means of dealing with criminals and tension with her co-workers,” according to Wikipedia.
“She works in the Violent Crimes Division of the Chicago Police Department. The New York Observer’s Bryan Reesman described Mahoney as “the fiery red head” with a “trigger happy” personality and “violent excesses.”
“She frequently uses a .357 Magnum (which John J. O’Connor of The New York Times called “a grotesque extension of her right arm”), and was introduced as capable of “read[ing] a crime in progress like most guys read the sports page.”
The opening is priceless:

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Posted on November 27, 2018

Another Beachwood Special Report

“Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel may finally get paid for a job he’s been doing for free for years: offering opinions on national politics,” the Daily Beast reports.
“Emanuel announced in September that he wouldn’t seek reelection as mayor and has since been largely mum about his post-mayoral plans. But he has attended meetings in New York with top executives at MSNBC and CNN in recent weeks, and discussed a potential future as a cable news pundit, according to several sources familiar with the conversations.”
The Beachwood has learned the following shows are under consideration:

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Posted on November 13, 2018

By Faiza Hirji/The Conversation

The Simpsons’ Apu may be dead, but stereotyping of South Asians most certainly is not. In fact, from the debates that preceded the conflicting report of his demise, we can conclude a few things about Hollywood.
One, Hollywood doesn’t know how to address criticism of its racism. Two, Hollywood doesn’t know how to recognize racism even when it consciously perpetuates it. And three, as audiences, we sometimes perpetuate the cycle of racist portrayals because our options seem so limited.

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Posted on November 7, 2018

It Was There For All To See – If They Wanted To

“Megyn Kelly’s Today show run at NBC is over after a tumultuous week that began when she defended blackface Halloween costumes on Tuesday, causing massive backlash that led her to apologize the next day,” USA Today reports.
Look, NBC knew what it was getting when it signed Kelly. They ignored her record on race – among other things – because they saw dollar signs in their eyes. The media, too, largely ignored her record on race – among other things – because hitching your wagon to a rising star (who might welcome you on to her show!) a much smarter career move than telling the truth. And if she was crushing it in the ratings, she’d still have her job.
Let’s review.
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“Just for the record: I am not a white supremacist!”

If you have to make such a declaration . . .

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Posted on October 30, 2018

By Media Burn

“We are saddened by the recent passing of news anchor and Chicago native Warner Saunders. To commemorate his legacy, watch a clip of Saunders and Studs Terkel discussing racism on Saunders’ show, Common Ground.”

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Posted on October 29, 2018

By Jonathan Pie, TV Reporter!

I’m not even annoyed. It’s worse than that. I’m accustomed.

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Posted on October 24, 2018

By NWCP Pediatrics

Starring Anchor 1, Anchor 2, Not Tom Skilling, Frumpy Sports Guy and the rest of Chicago’s News Team For The Flu Vaccine.

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Posted on October 1, 2018