The Definitive ABC 7 Thread

[CircleSeven 1944]

I didn't know he'd showed up at the station three weeks ago. Although he'll never be like Ron Rolland, he's definitely one of the best VOs in the business.

 

Now I wished they can get rid of that Asshole Idler..... He's been the detriment to this station since he showed up 19 months ago.

[24994J 5269]

I've said it before, but I'll say it again. At first I was hesitant at the choice of Ratner for the voiceovers. Locally, I closely associated him with his time at WBBM, and the fact that he's the voice on many commercials, as well. After a few months, though, I'm really warming up to his work on WLS.

 

I like Roger Rose's work as a secondary VO and on WCL, but his voice is not strong enough for the hard news promos and opens. It didn't help that he was replacing Ron Rolland. That said, having put some thought to it, Bill Ratner seems to me to a more logical successor to Rolland, much like Charlie Van Dyke was for Jeff Kaye at WPVI.

[former newsboy 50]

Umm why don't they just go back to Ron Rolland? I was very unhappy when Emily Barr dumped him for Roger Rose but I grew to kinda understand what she was going for - a younger, more modest voice that people might better identify with. I even grew to kinda like Roger Rose.

 

But now that Idler has gone back to a stronger, more authoritative voice, why Bill Ratner?! I personally can't stand Bill Ratner, I hated when he was with WBBM, and now every time I hear him on WLS, I think it's a Hyundai Sonata commercial. Again I ask, WHY DON'T THEY JUST GO BACK TO RON ROLLAND?!?! His voice is so iconic...so Channel 7. And you'd think since Idler reprised "Eyewitness News" it would be a no-brainer.

[24994J 5269]

A few notes...

 

- Linda Yu posted an update on her condition...

"Many of you live with constant excruciating pain: mine is beginning to diminish.

Many of you have permanent life altering injuries: I will walk again in 3 months.

Many of you struggle with loneliness and isolation: I am surrounded by healing help.

Life teaches us many lessons. Compassion, understanding and gratitude are the lessons I'm learning now.

I miss you and expect to see you soon."

 

- New hire Tanja Babich (WSYR) made her reporting debut last night. I first saw her this evening, though. Solid reporter, good looks, not an airhead, seems like a good hire...now let's see her at the anchor desk. As we all know, anchor chemistry has always been a hallmark at Channel 7.

 

- I've been thinking about the possibility of an anchor switch. Now, it's been reported (a poorly kept secret) that Ms. Babich has been hired to do more than report and fill in. It should not come as any surprise that she is expected to find a permanent place at the desk before the year is out. The big question is where will she land? Frankly, I'm not sure. There are a few possibilities. Now, all of these are potential vacancies, not necessarily positions for Tanja, just positions that might open up. I do think that should any weekday anchor changes be made, any of the four weekend anchors are in good shape to move up the totem pole. Should that be the case, Tanja will land on Saturdays and Sundays...

• The morning show is the most obvious choice, and would cause the least amount of upheaval and chaos. In recent years, it's become stale, formulaic, and boring. Not only are the demo numbers down, but total viewer count is falling, as well. The broadcast is fighting it out with WMAQ for the #2 spot. It's the only newscast (WCL notwithstanding) that is not number one in either total or young viewers. Who'd be displaced is a good question. Both Hosea Sanders or Judy Hsu (or both) could be removed from the broadcast (not necessarily fired).
  
• The 4 o'clock news can't be ruled out, either. With Linda's injury, it's anyone's guess when she will return. Yes, it would be incredibly cold and cruel to kick Ms. Yu while she's down, but seeing how the Perez dismissal was allegedly handled, well...
  
• Now, another Linda-related option could come with the likely return of a midday newscast, seeing any of the aforementioned female anchors front (possibly with Yu) the show, being set up as a successor for Linda's 4pm role at some point.
  
• Now, the dark horse here is the 5pm news. Now, now, I know that sounds ridiculous, but I'd like to present my evidence to the jury. Over the last several months, Cheryl Burton's role on the 10pm news has been greatly reduced. She never (not in SEVERAL months) fills in for Ron at 10, either, with Alan and Ravi getting the nod, or Kathy going solo. The biggest clue I've noticed has come in the last couple weeks. Kathy has been on at four for Linda every day except this past Friday and yesterday, when Ravi (Friday)/Ron (Monday) and Cheryl anchored all evening broadcasts. Ms. Brock was back on today. Of course, Sylvia used was Linda's primary sub for over 20 years, but when she wasn't available, Cheryl would always be next in line. Kathy would rarely be seen at that early period, as she already had two other shows to do, but Ms. Burton would give up her 10 o'clock role and do the 4. Not anymore. I don't know.
  

Sorry this one was kinda messy and convoluted (especially that last one), just throwing some theories out there.

[Spring Rubber 609]

Tracy Butler is filling in for Phil tonight. Weird.

[24994J 5269]

 

Tracy Butler is filling in for Phil tonight. Weird.

 

Yeah, she pops up on one or two Saturday nights a year. I mean, Jerry's been on vacation every other week lately, and they've been working Mike like a racehorse, so she's next in line...especially if anyone's job is on the line. Mike or Jerry will be in tomorrow night, as they implied that Troy will be solo tomorrow morning and Tracy will be on at 4 AM Monday.

[CircleSeven 1944]

So Mike filled in for Phil, last night. And this morning, Phil & Tracy were tag-teaming.

 

Also new reporter Tanja Babich made her first morning show appearance today.....

_____________________________________________

 

Umm why don't they just go back to Ron Rolland? I was very unhappy when Emily Barr dumped him for Roger Rose but I grew to kinda understand what she was going for - a younger, more modest voice that people might better identify with. I even grew to kinda like Roger Rose.

 

But now that Idler has gone back to a stronger, more authoritative voice, why Bill Ratner?! I personally can't stand Bill Ratner, I hated when he was with WBBM, and now every time I hear him on WLS, I think it's a Hyundai Sonata commercial. Again I ask, WHY DON'T THEY JUST GO BACK TO RON ROLLAND?!?! His voice is so iconic...so Channel 7. And you'd think since Idler reprised "Eyewitness News" it would be a no-brainer.

I know how you feel. Before the October 26 rebrand, the dropping of Ron Rolland was the worst move I’ve seen the station have done. I didn’t really like Roger Rose when he started, and don’t really like his VOs now, even as he’s now a secondary/WCL VO.

 

I first heard Ratner on KABC in 2000 via on satellite (where he still does some news promos, while Charlie Van Dyke does the news opens and female announcer Virginia Hamilton does the show promos, do they really need three VOs at KABC?). So I mostly associate him with KABC than WBBM (which he VO'd the station for nearly a decade). Usually, I would find it strange to hear a voice-over on a competiting, after another station dumped him. But I didn't have that strange feeling, Okay, I did have it one the first day I heard him on the 5pm promo, but afterwards, that kind of slipped away. This happened before when WCBS had Ratner until like 2006, and then by 2008, WNBC started using him. I think this market is well known for using VOs that were previously used a competing stations. Scott Chapin (WBBM & WFLD), Van Dyke (WBBM & WMAQ) are good examples. Even Ron Rolland was on WBBM, and even did some staff announcing on Channel 7 in the late 70s.

 

My problem with Ratner is that he is OVERUSED. You hear him on the station's newscasts, and then you hear him on a car commercial, then a vegetable juice cocktail commercial, then a cell phone ad, and then a movie trailer, then you hear him on a station’s promo, and then another commercial on a different station/cable network. He is used everywhere, and sometimes I feel that’s an overkill. But because he is everywhere, that’s why I stated and commend him that he’s the best in the business. I wouldn’t have picked Ratner as a replacement choice, and it did come as a surprise to me that they would want to use him. But I’ll say this, I rather take a familiar voice, than these “Johnny-Come-Lately” younger sounding voice anyday.

 

If Dumbo Idler & Clueless Miles had guts enough to strip the longest-running theme song in the station’s history for Chris Gari’s New Generation themes (as I said many times, and I will say it again, that this was the worst move the station has ever done, thanks to that Dumbo and his sidekick."…but maybe that isn’t what would have been best for WLS." It isn’t what would’ve been best for WLS My Ass!!!), I had a feeling that they weren’t any chance in hell they would’ve bought Rolland back (I wished that Dumbo and his idekick knew that he was a competing station for almost a decade. Idler was the sales manager at the time Channel 2 dropped Cipriano for Ratner).

 

And I can’t buy the station’s reasoning in 2009 that they were trying to get a younger voice, as my theory was that it was a cost-cutting move. You can’t escape that possibility. I don’t think they would drop him for nothing. I do understand your questioning, though. If they want to bring a more deeper authoritive voice, why bring back the voice who’s been synonymous to Channel 7 for most of the 90s and the 2000s? Hell, I wouldn’t be mad if they brought in Charlie Van Dyke, but I think he’s already have his plate full, as he’s already the VO at four other sister stations, and a countless other stations. But I’ll tell you one thing. I wouldn’t want to use Rolland’s voice while playing any of NG themes. They would have to go back to the 1992 theme. And I wouldn’t want him saying those “Starts Right Now” liners. (OOOHH I hate that shit. That’s my biggest pet peeve. I’m not mad when the anchor says “…..the news starts (right) now”, and then they go to the opening sequence. I hate it when the announcer says it. I know its 10 o’clock and I know the news is on right now. But I don’t want to be reminded that the news starts right now).

 

And since they’d brought in Ratner and kept Rose, they cut loose Roger Thompson (he was the secondary VO for good 20 years), which I had that feeling that they would get rid of him after they dropped Rolland. Those two dynamic VOs Rolland & Thompson worked really well with the brand of Channel 7. I remember times where I would sometimes get the names of the voices confused if that one was that one or the other because Thompson’s voice is a tad bit higher pitched and not as booming as Rolland’s. And it’s a shame that neither one of them are the VOs at the station.

 

You say it would’ve been a no-brainer to bring back Ron Rolland. It would’ve been a no-brainer if they wouldn’t have dropped him in the first place. It would’ve also been a no-brainer if they’d kept the 21-year theme song. But Dumbo and his sidekick saw a different approach. I don’t know what the hell they were thinking, but look where they came from? Stupid Asses. :angry:

 

Why they didn’t promote Graves to GM?!! Hebel would’ve stayed and everything would’ve been straight. The day that Detrimental Dumbo leaves (whenever he leaves), you thought I was happy when Ahern left Channel 2…… And even though it won't undue any of the changes he has done, it would be a godsend whenever it happens.

______________________________

 

About this weather study BS........

 

This Dumbo can't even go for his own gut?!! He wants to spend more of Mickey Mouse's money to conduct another study to see which Channel 7 weathercaster viewers would prefer should Jerry Taft retires, or to replace/reshuffle any other personalities in their current assignments. So whenever Jerry leaves, he's going to follow through on a study? I get the Mike, Phil & Tracy have came around the same time, and I would love for them to stay at WLS, even after Jerry does retire. But it made me feel like this. If this Dumbo decision of Jerry's successor is because of this study, then I wouldn't be shocked if the two that didn't get pick would either leave the station, or stay in the near term and then leave to go through other avenues. Yeah, and to me, announcing this study so soon is almost like IMO, the Dumbo's way almost speed-up the process, almost like Jerry's days are numbered. I don't hope that Jerry won't be pressured to leave. But if I was Jerry hearing about this study, I would be feeling kind of bad, like a slap in the face.

_______________________________

 

A few notes...

 

- Linda Yu posted an update on her condition...

"Many of you live with constant excruciating pain: mine is beginning to diminish.

Many of you have permanent life altering injuries: I will walk again in 3 months.

Many of you struggle with loneliness and isolation: I am surrounded by healing help.

Life teaches us many lessons. Compassion, understanding and gratitude are the lessons I'm learning now.

I miss you and expect to see you soon."

 

I have a strong feeling know she will recover from all of this. But when I first read the Feder article, I first thought in my head, "Why?!!" I think that she think's she "Superwomen" LOL. When I think of someone riding behind motorcycles, I think of younger folks doing that. So I'm kind of surprised to read that Linda would "allegedly" do that. That where I was shocked about.

 

If any of you don't know, this year marks 30th Anniversary since Linda came to Channel 7. And even though she won't be back immediately, should she come back, hopefully later on this year, the station would acknowleged her milestone.

 

Get Well Soon Linda!

[24994J 5269]

Any idea when her anniversary falls? I want to say it's much later in the year.

[CircleSeven 1944]

I'm not too sure. Her LinkedIn says April 1984. I'm not too sure of the exact date.

 

If I remember correctly, I read somewhere that in April 1984, they actually had a one-week experiment (4/16 - 4/20) on an hourly 4pm newscast (they already had a 4:30pm show, and they were still showing 3pm movies as a lead-in). It wasn't until after the 1984 Los Angeles Summer Olympics (which ABC covered), that the hourly 4pm newscasts became permanent. I'm not too sure if Linda was involved in that experiment. But if she was, she probably started around that time.

[24994J 5269]

Wasn't that experimental week with Oprah? If not, I'd guess it would be Mary Ann Childers, as she was doing the 4:30 show at that time. It's hard to figure out these things with WLS, as everything is kind of blurry from when Fahey Flynn died in '83 to when Drury and Kalber joined the station in '84.

[24994J 5269]

According to her Facebook page, Linda will be back on Monday. I dry run sitting at the desk today was successful.

[CircleSeven 1944]

So Tracy & Troy were tag-teaming this morning......

 

I know she'd done Sunday Mornings before. But I think this is a rarity seeing her on a Saturday Morning.

[Spring Rubber 609]

 

So Tracy & Troy were tag-teaming this morning......

 

I know she'd done Sunday Mornings before. But I think this is a rarity seeing her on a Saturday Morning.

 

It was a very weird arrangement. It make sense for the segments where Troy was standing outside on State Street, but there were many segments where Tracy would be at the key wall to do half of the weather segment, and then she would toss to Troy at the Weather Center to finish out the maps. The one at the top of the 8 AM hour was the weirdest. Tracy did almost all of the segment, and then she tossed to Troy, who spent like 15 seconds just showing one more radar image and then the snowfall totals before tossing to Ben Bradley for the top of the hour stories. Talk about forced talent usage.

[24994J 5269]

 

It was a very weird arrangement. It make sense for the segments where Troy was standing outside on State Street, but there were many segments where Tracy would be at the key wall to do half of the weather segment, and then she would toss to Troy at the Weather Center to finish out the maps. The one at the top of the 8 AM hour was the weirdest. Tracy did almost all of the segment, and then she tossed to Troy, who spent like 15 seconds just showing one more radar image and then the snowfall totals before tossing to Ben Bradley for the top of the hour stories. Talk about forced talent usage.

 

The mid-forecast hand-off is nothing new. I will say, I don't really like that Tracy was given the lead role, as this is Troy's broadcast, but that's neither here nor there. I do have to disagree with you about the tag-teaming being pretty much unnecessary. Now, I don't like being a know-it-all, but I think my (limited) weather training/experience gives me a bit of insight in this kind of situation. As it is in my classroom, as it is in the weather center...two pairs of eyes are better than one, plain and simple. Do they both need to be on-air? Maybe not, but when their putting their maps together, looking at the systems, bouncing theories around, multiple personnel is invaluable.

 

A little unrelated, but Tracy actually came to our class this week and talked with us about that middle ground, where the training and the on-air forecasting meets. Having the ability to work with someone else, getting into a discussion only helps them get better. In fact, she had such a good time, that she'd like to come back, sometime. [ATTENTION: shameless self-promotion.] They were filming a segment with our lead professor, for a special that will air in a few weeks...and I'm likely going to make an appearance.

[TVNewsLover 727]

The mid-forecast hand-off is nothing new. I will say, I don't really like that Tracy was given the lead role, as this is Troy's broadcast, but that's neither here nor there.

So if this was a weekend evening, and the weeknight/chief meteorologist was tag teaming with the weekend evening person, is the chief/weeknight evening person supposed to take a back seat to the weekend evening person?

 

Same with anchors. The weeknight team is sometimes brought in to anchor Sunday after special events.

 

Seniority means something, and so does being further up the totem pole.

[24994J 5269]

 

So if this was a weekend evening, and the weeknight/chief meteorologist was tag teaming with the weekend evening person, is the chief/weeknight evening person supposed to take a back seat to the weekend evening person?

 

Same with anchors. The weeknight team is sometimes brought in to anchor Sunday after special events.

 

Seniority means something, and so does being further up the totem pole.

 

I'm just talking about what I've noticed for WLS. It's been done before where weekday afternoon meteorologist Mike Caplan has come in on a weekend afternoon to provide back-up for Phil Schwarz, and the only recent time I recall Phil taking a backseat was when he had been on all day and chief Jerry Taft came in to relieve him.

 

As for the Sunday night anchor scenario, they did have the weekday team do the 10pm show when the NATO summit came to town in 2012, but that's not surprising since the weekend anchors had been on for most of the afternoon. And in regards to special Sunday events, WLS seems to have enough confidence in the weekend anchors that they always do the late show after the Oscars and such. In Chicago, the weekday-crew-on-a-weekend trend is something only the CBS, NBC and Fox stations stick to. I can't remember the last time WLS did that on a big primetime event night.

[CircleSeven 1944]

So if this was a weekend evening, and the weeknight/chief meteorologist was tag teaming with the weekend evening person, is the chief/weeknight evening person supposed to take a back seat to the weekend evening person?

 

Same with anchors. The weeknight team is sometimes brought in to anchor Sunday after special events.

 

Seniority means something, and so does being further up the totem pole.

I have no problem with the tag-teaming, especially when there's severe weather happening, and such. But watching the 5am news today, even though Troy was there, it felt like Tracy was "filling in" for Troy. In November, when that tornado hit, it was Phil & Jerry tag-teaming that what whole weather segment that Sunday Night (Jerry filled in for Phil that previous night), but the first person you saw was Phil, not Jerry, where this morning, the first one you saw was Tracy, not Troy. With Tracy showing up this morning, I felt that Troy got the short end of the stick today. I know some folks would want another familiar face when it comes to severe weather, but forget about seniority for a second. This was Troy's broadcasts and I felt he should've took that role this morning, as he'd always have done every Saturday morning.

 

As for the Sunday night anchor scenario, they did have the weekday team do the 10pm show when the NATO summit came to town in 2012, but that's not surprising since the weekend anchors had been on for most of the afternoon.

If I remember from that whole day (Sunday 5/20/12), the whole weekday anchor talent, (except for Sylvia & Kathy), were there that day, while the weekend talent (except for Karen, which she was in the newsroom doing non-NATO news segment during the 10pm), were on the field. In fact about it, Ravi was one of several reporters that were covering that protester clash at the corner of Cermak & Michigan.

 

The lineup was this:

 

6-7am & 8am-9:30am: Hosea & Judy

Special 10:30-11:30am: Alan & Linda

Midday Cut-ins, After the Game & 10-11pm: Ron & Cheryl

 

The day prior (Saturday 5/19/12), the regular weekend talent anchored. But on that 12pm special newscast, it was Ravi & Karen. Roz was on both Saturday & Sunday morning.

 

And in regards to special Sunday events, WLS seems to have enough confidence in the weekend anchors that they always do the late show after the Oscars and such. In Chicago, the weekday-crew-on-a-weekend trend is something only the CBS, NBC and Fox stations stick to. I can't remember the last time WLS did that on a big primetime event night.

The only time when the Oscars had their weekday talent was when the Oscars aired on Monday. Since it's been moved to Sunday, it has always been their weekend talent, even when ABC carried the Super Bowl. Other than that NATO coverage, I don't think they'd ever brought their weekday talent to anchor on the weekends. I don't think Channel 9 has done that either...

[24994J 5269]

 

Ryan Chiaverini will also have an interview with GMA's Ginger Zee from New York.

[24994J 5269]

The 'Start Here' era promo graphics are FINALLY gone...

 

[yt]Iqs5SkG3jHw[/yt]

[24994J 5269]

The paper's partnership with NBC 5 is ending, and ABC 7 is partnering with The Chicago Sun-Times for weather coverage.

 

http://www.robertfeder.com/2014/02/10/suntimes-com-adds-abc-7-weather-updates/

[Spring Rubber 609]

The Sun-Times has now been a partner of all four non-Tribune stations in Chicago in the last 15 years, haven't they? WBBM, then WFLD, then WMAQ, and now WLS?

[24994J 5269]

I vaguely remember the Fox partnership, but I couldn't vouch for the CBS union.

[Spring Rubber 609]

 

I vaguely remember the Fox partnership, but I couldn't vouch for the CBS union.

 

I want to say it was around the Works For You era or just before it.

[24994J 5269]

ABC 7 is hosting a debate with the Republican candidates for governor on Thursday night. Moderated by lead anchor Ron Magers, it's going to be aired live on 7.2, in late night on Univision's WGBO, and on Friday night at 7 on the mothership. But none of that matters, for the most important part is the THE OLD ELECTION MUSIC IS BEING USED!!!

 

Pardon me for a moment...

 

F*ck. Yeah.

[24994J 5269]

So, this is new...today...

 

 

With a new 7-day graphic...