WBEZ Workers Unionize

I admit that I'm a bit behind on news and trends in public media. My three paying gigs are taking up more of my time.

I find it intriguing that another public media outlet is unionizing. Chicago Public Media workers voted 40 - 7 in favor of joining the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists.

Does the need to organize represent that public radio is growing up, at least at the larger stations? It might also mean that workers feel a need to protect themselves against management. I do recall putting in a lot of hours and getting little in return because I believed in the mission. Being let go a few times flies in the face of those beliefs.

You can find more in Trib-Town with a link to an article in the Chicago Sun Times.

Malatia Resigns

WBEZ's Torey Malatia resigned. The Chicago Tribune has more. 

The news is a shock to me. I'm not sure why. I guess I considered Torey a contemporary. He was at WFMT while I was in the midst of a job search. He turned me down..gently. I appreciated the way he handled it.







Among the accomplishments:

• WBEZ became a news and information powerhouse in Chicago.
• He launched local efforts like Eight Forty-Eight
• Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me
• This American Life
• and 
• Vocalo

According to a report in Crain's the relationship between Malatia and the Board had been acrimonious for some time. Among the Board's concerns, according to Crain's, was a lackluster performance in the ratings in the Chicago market.

Revitalizing Middays at WBEZ

Robert Feder blogs in Time Out Chicago that WBEZ is revamping its midday lineup. Justin Kaufmann is being promoted to executive producer of midday programming at Chicago Public Media. Kaufmann says he has two goals.

 1) To provide the audience with the best possible talk programming in the Chicago area, and 2) To beat the Packers."


Is Kaufmann going to personally take on the Packers? Or,will he get help from the midday staff?


As a Packer fan and an observer of many NFL seasons, Kaufmann (or the Bears) might need to draft a blue chip quarterback.