WTTW discards broadcast treasure Rich Samuels
Rich Samuels
He may be Chicago’s most literate and thoughtful broadcast journalist, but there’s no room anymore for Rich Samuels. After more than 35 years on local television news — including the last 18 on Window to the World Communications’ WTTW-Channel 11 — he’s out as a correspondent for “Chicago Tonight,” the public station’s flagship news program.
It’s another significant loss for Channel 11, which suffered setbacks earlier in the year with the death of longtime host and revered elder statesman John Callaway and the resignation of “Chicago Tonight” correspondent Christian Farr. Neither has been replaced.
Samuels was notified earlier this month that his contract would not be renewed when it expires this week because of what sources called a “seven-figure shortfall” in the station’s budget. Samuels, who made his last appearance on “Chicago Tonight” Dec. 23, has been on a previously scheduled vacation since then. Beyond confirming his departure, he declined to comment Tuesday.
Samuels, 68, joined Channel 11 in 1991 after 17 years as a reporter for NBC-owned WMAQ-Channel 5. His documentaries, investigative reporting and writing have won countless national and local honors, including 13 Emmys and six Peter Lisagor Awards. Ron Magers, the dean of Chicago news anchors, once called him “the best writer for television I’ve ever worked with.”
A North Shore native and Yale University magna cum laude graduate, Samuels earned a doctorate in Italian Renaissance history from the University of Chicago. He put his training as a historian to work as curator of a website he created “to preserve Chicago’s illustrious history as a broadcast center.” It includes a virtual tour of the former NBC studios in the Merchandise Mart exactly as they appeared when they opened in 1930.
In nominating Samuels for induction last year in the prestigious Silver Circle of the Chicago Television Academy, longtime colleagues Carol Marin and Danice Kern wrote:
“Talk to Rich once and you come away with two things: One, he’s some sort of genius. Two, he’s one of the shyest, most unassuming guys you’ll ever meet. Maybe it’s that crazy mix of intellect and modesty that makes him and his reporting so memorable. . . . He’s kind of a Dvorak or a Matisse or a Niels Bohr in the editing room — and, as anyone who’s worked with him knows, just as passionate and brilliant.”
Just the other day, Samuels posted a comment here on the ouster of Magers from his afternoon gig with Roe Conn on Citadel Broadcasting news/talk WLS-AM (890). “That was the part of the show I always tuned in for,” Samuels wrote. “But at age 68, I’m demographically irrelevant.”
No you’re not, Rich. It’s the television news business that’s becoming irrelevant.
30
12 2009
blogs.vocalo.org
WTTW sucks. No one obviously could have predicted the tragic and premature passing of Callaway, while Farr was a relative newcomer — good, but not irreplaceable. This case, however, is different from those two — voluntarily cutting Samuels is a crap move. Shame on WTTW.
Rich is a true professional and a kind and good person. This sucks.
Oh, and what about Bruce Wolf??????
Apparently, class and experience and talent no longer matter … not for broadcast television, and not for WTTW.
Shut the front door!
He’s one of my favorites on Chicago Tonight! I hope he stays on Twitter because I find his New Glarus updates incredibly interesting, don’t ask me why I just do.
I always enjoyed Rich’s work at WTTW, and earlier, at WMAQ-TV. Let’s hope he lands somewhere. He is literate and perceptive; and he has a wonderful knowledge of Chicago broadcasting history.
Mentioning Christian Farr’s name in a paragraph describing “significant loss” or “setback” for WTTW only proves that the writer is a unaware of Farr’s day late and dollar short attitude towards chasing down a story.
what about the rev. pat?
http://www.chicagonow.com/blogs/blogshakalaka
um, haven’t posted anything new, but my bears story still stands.
as for today’s post, can’t really comment on rich samuuels. the guy must be too shy and unassuming to be noticed. although somehow he managed to get himself noticed for 35 years. johnny carson was shy, too. i’m going to guess here and say that rich samuels was probably always irrelevant. not that there’s anything wrong with that. what is relevant? gossiping about tiger woods? (by the way, my favorite is the blonde one.) you write as if it’s a shame that the tv news business is becoming irrelevant. hooray! now there are all sorts of choices. there’s even a need for an italian renaissance stringer on the history channel. channel 11, yes, it’s becoming obsolete. or at least i hope it is. wttw (wilmette talking to winnetka) isn’t really needed in the internet world. i’d like to take over wttw and make it washington heights talking to woodlawn. that’s where public tv might be needed. i’d be the news anchor and i’d show the rev. jesse jackson how to funnel his talents into something useful, like sportscasting.
correction. that’s “samuels.” vocalo.org does not regret the error.
Letting Rich Samuels go is undeniable evidence that WTTW:
1) top management is inept, at the very least;
2) has failed in its commitment to responsibility and continuity as a major influence in our community;
3) has reacted inadequately to current economic, social and communications pressures;
4) needs to revise its programming to be a realistic force in Chicago and to meet its public mission in a 500-channel, YouTube world; and ultimately,
5) must replace its top managers in 2010 and launch a comprehensive plan for revitalization.
1) Inept. Feder is absolutely right about the impact of the sudden loss of Callaway–both on the air and as a force for competence and teaching at WTTW. Management of the institution must be self-involved to a fault to fail to understand both the internal and viewer impacts that letting Samuels go at this time would have. The fact is, there are no windows in the Window to the World building. The chief has finally proven, beyond a doubt, that he is the wrong executive at the wrong time. Nobody said it is an easy time for TV broadcsters, for nonprofits, nor, for anyone who is sincere about its commitment to deliver competent news and information programming to millions of us who are starved for it on TV. If Samuels’ six-figure salary was out of line, what about the boss’ pay? Dan Schmidt makes about four times as much as Rich Samuels. Schmidt has either had raises or stayed the same while the budget and revenues have nosedived and dozens have been laid off in the past few years. His salary and benefits are significantly more than Mayor Daley’s.
This ineptitude doesn’t stop with Schmidt. The Board of Trustees has several dozen members. As far as I can tell, not one of whom has ever worked as a broadcaster (other than emeritus trustee and former President–for 27 years–Bill McCarter). As the deeply-rooted problems of WTTW/public television have been intensifying, there has never been any public acknowledgment of them. The self-succeeding trustees’ confidence in Schmidt and the systems in place are not and have not been warranted. And, as we see today from the Samuels situation, the trustees must be seen as inept as well. Some say that “inept” isn’t a strong enough description, i.e., that they have been culpable in the decline (some say “near-demise”) of WTTW.
I will address #2:
WTTW failing in its commitment to responsibility and continuity as a major influence in our community;
#3:
how WTTW has reacted inadequately to current economic, social and communications pressures;
#4:
how WTTW needs to revise its programming to be a realistic force in Chicago and to meet its public mission in a 500-channel, YouTube world; and.
#5
actions WTTW must be take to replace top management in 2010 and to launch a comprehensive plan for revitalization.
In any event, it is time for people who care (about the future of broadcasting on Channel 11 and to use its considerable resources in positive ways) to work together to create pressure for sensible, prompt and sweeping changes.
If the people truly miss him, let them make donations to WTTW or withhold their donations if they are already doing so.
I bet the people complaining the most have never participated, financially, during pledge drive periods at the station.
This is the same mentality that tries to save Marshall Fields – if people wanted to save it, they would shop there.
Maybe Rich should have taken a pay cut, like Roe Conn did ? Was he offerred that opportunity ?
Public radio and television outlets have worn that commercial free badge of honor on their sleeve. Based on a seven digit shortfall with no decimal points it’s no longer fashionable. Run limited spot breaks. There are enough product placements on WTTW to make a game show blush anyway. The station has always had a high “wimp factor”. Stiffen up that spine and put a few sales people on the street selling real spots in real breaks. How hard can it be to compete with CBS and NBC local programming these days anyway? And if it means I don’t have to watch well intentioned amateurs with a taste for a little limelight during begathons, all the better.
A reporter with the ability to consistently gather and deliver information in a timely and interesting way.
A writer with skills beyond compare.
A student of the history and responsibilities of television news.
A Chicagoan with decades of experience covering the city he loves.
A self effacing human being with no interest in ever putting himself before the story.
If all this counts for nothing then the last line in Mr. Feder’s column may be, for me, sad but true.
The reasons for watching Chicago Tonight are dwindling. I do not look forward to the big stories of the day being reported on by any of the more recent hires at WTTW. Rich was one of the last of a breed, excellent at breaking news, in depth reporting and enterprising features. Now all I have to look forward to is when Phil Ponce interrupts a guest in mid sentence to ask a question that the guest was in the midst of answering. Eddie Arruza is also very good at this, but he usually employs and accusatory tone rather then Phil’s utter surprise.
WTTW should schedule a few of the endless pledge breaks that break up every decent show they air and ask for listener support to keep Rich Samuels!!
WOW! I never thought I’d see the day when WTTW started “dumbing down” its station. Don’t we have enough of that already on the other stations?
Now, we have no window to the world . . .
I don’t believe–at least right now–that television news is becoming irrelevant. In times of local crisis (I know it’s a lo-o-o-ong time ago, but the 1979 United Airlines crash near O’Hare and the elder Mayor Daley’s death immediately come to mind) people will still flip on the TV to 2,5 or 7. The Internet is not quite there yet from a source-checking standpoint in those type situations.
What I would like to see is more of is what Ron Magers did on Roe’s show: off-the-cuff intelligent banter about issues, media-driven and not, without fear of censorship by station honchos.
The problem at WTTW is the unctuous (that was for Bruce Wolf) Phil Ponce. Choosing him over Sirott, et.al. is a mistake we are all paying for.
You keep Dibby and dump Rich?
You let Phil shill on-the-air for his kids?
You eviscerate WFMT and let WBEZ walk away with it?
You’re into your second decade of letting GBH (and others) mop the floor with you.
You promote Savage and never hold her accountable for her disastrously wrong advice.
You effectively double-anchor with Phil and Carol, but cut your substantive content by axing Christian and Rich.
All you’ve given us is your hollowed-out “Network Chicago” and its blue club chair.
Where are your numbers? Where’s the audience growth?
Fact is, Dan, you are the Joe Ahern of public broadcasting.
Apparently your Board is content to sleep while you continue to talk sh*t and deliver zilch.
You’ve had your chance, to the nth degree. Tinme to go, Mr. Schmidt.
Maybe Rich’s reporting will find its way—with sponsorship or membership—to the internet. Or maybe WBBM-TV/AM will pick him up?
In our current economy if your contract comes up at the wrong time(that means now) it will not be renewed. Quick cost control is the reality of this downturn. Institutions that can do this live to fight another day in this survival of the fittest environment.
I do like Chicago Tonight and hate to see Rich let go for all the wrong reasons. Good Luck Rich.
This is another chapter is the sad decline of PBS stations around the country and WTTW in particular. According to the IRS Form 990 filed a year late, WTTW spends nearly a million dollars just on the salaries of the top 3 people. Dan Schmidt pulls in another 23% ($78,687) of his $341,695 salary as a donation to his pension fund. How many other boards does Shmidt serve on and do any of the compensate him for going to meetings? Have they gone public? It’s happened in Hartford and in TX – and it means the so-called leaders are not paying attention to the ship of state. Ejecting quality reporting is emblematic of a deeper problem. What is it?
So very sorry to read this information. Another real broadcast journalist tossed away like trash. Perhaps WTTW can bring in some younger, less expensive “journalists” in to fill the void. Perhaps “meteorologist” Amy Freeze can do some had hitting investigative reporting. WTTW’s Chicago Tonight was the last place for real television news in Chicago. Soon they will be doing hard hitting reporting about the “Garage Doors of Death” and “Mean Street Diaries.” YIKE!! I’ll leave my television set off!!!
Channel 11 will start pledge breaks to support their pledge breaks. You heard it here first.
Here are my solutions for WTTW’s problems:
The folks at Window to the World should open their doors to Medill.
Seriously, sift through the ranks of the privileged children over there, find two or three who are more interested in doing broadcast journalism than chasing sorority tail or a high-dollar PR job,and put them to work on Chicago Tonight. Yes, on-air. C’mon there’s gotta be somebody in that program who has real TV presence. What about the chick who used to do the Nude Hippo show? She’s a Medill student or recent grad, hot, has the big eyes and knows a little about being on camera. Find another like her, a couple of guys with a modicum of talent, and stir them all into the mix.
Medill (or Loyola or Columbia if you really want to dig) students will work cheap (do a deal with AFTRA if you have to…they’re STUDENTS for cryin’ out loud!) and work well.
We aren’t a school, you say? Nuts! You don’t have the bucks to hire experienced talent, pretty soon you don’t got no show. This way you keep the show AND you help some baby journalistas become the next Callaway or Marin. Works good for everybody. Just watch the little tykes so they don’t blow off a shift because they’re still trashed from the night before. Rotate them so each has adequate face-time. Give them good coaching. Which leads me to my next point.
Bring Wolf in for Ponce. I’ve been thinking about this. It’ll work. Trust me.
Even a modest salary cap for WTTW executives would yield enough savings to pay for people like Samuels, who in contrast actually care about their job. According to the 2007 990 IRS form viewable at Guidestar.com, two WTTW employees alone account for more than $1 million in compensation.
Umm, perhaps you’re unaware, but it seems that the only people who ever get the interships or the very few open positions are in fact from Medill.
Wolf for Ponce?! Wolf is Ponce on ‘adrenachrome’ (a fictitious stimulant derived from adrenal gland extract made famous by the infamous Hunter S. Thompson in “Fear & Loathing In Las Vegas”.
Rich did the work of four people, day in and day out. And he did this, despite extraordinary constraints: time, resources, and organization. This ability to get the job done, on deadline, and to consistently deliver a good story well-told is Rich’s unsung achievement. Those who have worked with Rich know this and respect him all the more for it.
#18 YOU ARE SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO RIGHT!!
I wish they would read these comments, especially #18’s and find out what is going on with management. Are they all still out wit the H1N1 . . . still???
Curious as to how many folks who comment here subscribe to WTTW. I’d also like to extend the poll to include WBEZ and that strange WTTW “sister station with the lousy signal in Northwest Indiana” to it as well.
I don’t subscribe to any of them. Sell commercials! Compete, dammit.
Unfortunately this isn’t anything new for WTTW. They’ve done this to many other long-time employees that weren’t on-cam but were equally as important as Samuels.
Oh, and the heads don’t just make big money– they have fancy company cars to boot.
I hope to see Rich and his fine work again.
Dan Schmidt = douche bag
I thought commercial broadcast GM’s had the monopoly on that, but public television has its share as well.
just another stupid move by a stupid ceo….too many firings of the wrong people at this station….how about firing a senior staff member who lives out of state and is rumored to have a special relationship with a high ranking executive at WTTW. CFO? special privilege?
all the good people are getting fired!!!!
I have never met anyone with the passion of Rich Samuels for the history of Chicago television. How do you put a price on talent, intellect, and creativity? WTTW found a way do do that didn’t they? He is class personified. I remember a piece he did making sewer cleaning a metaphor for politics in Chicago. As someone once said the only thing that surprises me any longer is that I’m still surprised. I assume their pledge drives in the future will only provide more dollars for WGBH programming. Good luck, Rich.
Seems to me that since Network Chicago came to be,the quality and talent at both WTTW and WFMT has declined.I listen and watch less and less to WFMT and WTTW.
Back to WTTW and what has become undeniable. (See yesterday’s long comment number 9, above)
Part #2.
WTTW is failing in its commitment to responsibility and continuity as a major influence in our community.
WGN-TV has always claimed to be “Chicago’s Very Own,” and Chicagoans bought it, especially advertisers who bought Channel 9 had most local cred.
Actually, though, for a several dozen years, WTTW really WAS Chicago. While the best of PBS programming was, of course, broadcast, a major focus was on producing local programs and involving the people of Chicago in them.
WTTW has tens of thousands of local viewer/members whose contributions represent a significant amount of its revenues. It spends many millions on consultants and systems to raise those funds, but the net result is a significant body of Chicago and suburban personal (and foundation) stakeholders in WTTW.
Management’s priority for decades was to hire and encourage local producers, directors, and artists, both staff and free-lance to work on locally-oriented on-air programming. Nearly all of them (other than Chicago Tonight-lite have disappeared or become obsolete. If you read Dan Schmidt’s “Airtime” column in this month’s magazine, touting what’s on the air, there is not a single word or reference to local programming or community involvement of WTTW. This is not an oversight. It is a genuine reflection of his and the station’s orientation.
This is undeniable and wrong-headed. When digital HD technology made it possible for WTTW to have FOUR new stations in addition to WTTW, the 100% local Board of Trustees approved management’s ultra-uninspired decisions to create these four:
1) an HD version of WTTW as is (OK); 2) WTTW Prime (All PBS feeds 24/7, zero local); 3) WTTW Create (all PBS feeds of cooking, food, and travel shows; not a single local program–inexcusable); 4) V-ME (all Spanish language –responsible–but, again not one second of local presence.
WTTW has dozens of millions of dollars to allocate. It is an independent community resource. It has no obligations to non-Chicago corporate owners. It is the ONLY non-affiliated channel in town. Even WYCC has to deal with the constraints imposed by the City Colleges and the educational establishment. WTTW is free to show Chicago.
WTTW will say that it has made a huge commitment to kids’ programming. No doubt, it has…all day long. But, when was the last time you saw a CHICAGO kid or school or after-school program or sports or anything that put actual local people on TV on channel 11?
Part of the sense that WTTW was intertwined with the community was the successful, year-in/year out image-making of “regular people” in real Chicago locations doing breaks and saying “you’re watching WTTW, channel 11.” These have always worked liked gangbusters. People love to see themselves on TV. “Public” TV actually broadcast public faces, voices and places. Simple and effective as wrap-around. But, where’s the local substance.
I am not addressing the commitment to Chicago Tonight–though I think it is lighter and more boring than it ever was. But, what matters most, and can be seen now in so many ways, is WTTW, in its larger orientation and responsibility, as a COMMUNITY RESOURCE: it is woefully lacking.
What a shame! As what is available on TV continually becomes more distant from our real lives, it is almost criminal to squander the opportunity to use “the most-watched” public television station as a positive force in Chicago and suburbs.
What do you think?
Are you there, Dan Schmidt? Reese Marcusson? Daniel Soles? Norman Bobins? James H. Wooten, Jr.? John L. Brennan? David C. Blowers? Ms, Deborah L. DeHaas? Newton Minow? or the vacant chair of the Community Advisory Board?
——
More tomorrow on #3:
how WTTW has reacted inadequately to current economic, social and communications pressures;
and #4:
how WTTW needs to revise its programming to be a realistic force in Chicago and to meet its public mission in a 500-channel, YouTube world; and.
#5:
actions that must be taken to replace top management in 2010 and to launch a comprehensive plan for revitalization.
I just looked at my renewal for WTTW. I’m glad I saw this news before I sent in my money. Letting Rich Samuels go is a cold-hearted mistake. What’s wrong with experience?
RIGHT ON Thomas Eltrain!!!
We’re mad as hell and we’re not going to take it anymore! I’m with you.
TO Crustywalt #29
I used to subscribe long ago & far away, but I stopped because I’m not happy with what I see.
Apparently, they want my money, but they want to spend it their way. I had enough of that with my parents. So I just said goodbye to their Beg-a-thons!
thank you, Apres Ski and the others who aren’t gonna take this any more.
Let’s start to organize for the coup.
Glad you’re with us.
More soon.
Now I’m feeling terrible for joking about old sweaters and the brown cordoroy blazer. Eddie Aruza (sp?) isn’t a bad guy. But he can’t handle that heavy workload by himself. Do Eddie and Carol Marin now split all of Samuels’ assignments? Eddie takes half and she takes half on top of what they’re already reporting? Or does WTTW lean harder on Geoffrey Baer? A year ago that idea might have seemed far fetched. Yet in recent weeks, we’ve seen Baer pinch hit for Phil on several occasions. Reporting hard news, conducting serious interviews. We love Geoffrey Baer in his primary role at the station–cultural historian. But he’s not a journalist. Nor has he ever pretended to be a journalist. This is bad karma for regular viewers of Chicago Tonight if the Samuels position is left open long term. I’m not clowning around today. It just plain stinks. They might as well return all of the cool stuff Bob left behind on the shelves, turn out the lights and go home.
Apparently, WTTW’s management didn’t think we were watching or listening, but these comments have proved them totally wrong. Not only are people listening, but we’re watching just how badly management behaves they think we don’t care.
You can open a bricks & mortar store, but if customers don’t walk through the door, you’re finished. Now, it’s time for the people to stop watching WTTW and let management know just how much we don’t like how they’re treated the station and the people who (used to) work there.
A boycott is in order . . .
Boycott? Could be a good idea.
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My take is that they need to be hit where they live. They live on IMAGE–how WTTW is perceived. WTTW is a CHARITY and its 53! board members are all people who don’t like to have unpleasant things going on. They write the checks. That’s how they get on the self-succeeding board with minimal broadcasting or media savvy. They are some of the same folks who are on the symphony, ballet, opera, Ravinia, etc., boards.
But, TV is different. Public TV is a hybrid that requires a combination of “Charity” and hustle. Its roles and possibilities are changing all the time, but What’s on Channel 11 (and the other digital channels) and its respect in Chicago and the suburbs is the most important way to measure success.
Of course, WTTW needs a board and lots of dollars. But, it needs to use them much better these days.
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Dan Schmidt and his $400,000+ check won’t go away voluntarily.
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Spending $8+ million to raise less than $22 million is not the world’s most effective nonprofit operation.
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Nor is holding $21 million in bonds that require paying interest when you list $34 million in cash and investments in your annual report.
I couldn’t find a 2008 990 public financial filing for WWCI. It is late and not transparent…difficult for anyone to understand, but both by the public and the trustees need to check it out well.
Maybe a boycott is a place to start drawing attention.
Maybe starting a movement to bring back Rich Samuels and taking pledges ON THE AIR until his salary is covered would work on a few levels.
The management stupidity about Samuels (the only person on the cover of the 2008 WWCI slick annual report) is just the most recent and visible act in a long downhill slide, both on TV and in the way that WTTW is perceived in Chicago (and suburbs).
Some fundamental change is needed. The board has the legal authority, although its intervention or questioning of the management seems to be practically nonexistent in the 50+ years of WTTW. At times when management knows what it’s doing, and the external media environment is favorable, this isn’t so terrible. When it’s neither (competent nor in a media upswing), like now, watch out!
I hope I’m wrong, and I hope WTTW can get back a bunch of its lost quality. It was a unique and important influence.
–
But, yeah, Apres Ski, starting soon is required.
I love WTTW.
http://open.salon.com/blog/chicago_guy/2010/01/03/when_a_story_teller_goes_quiet#post_comments
Link is to a tribute to Rich Samuels.
We’re still on this case! Let’s not stop. We need constant vigilance to create a new order at WTTW.
Does anyone have a suggestion for how to set up a useful site for updates, possibilities for taking action, and keeping pressure on WTTW? The shoddy treatment of Samuels represents the general disorder of the institution–on the air and within its organization.
Thanks to Feder for staring the ball rolling and providing this space, but we could use a place of our own. Suggestions?
Rich Samuels was informed, interesting and engaging. As Ron Magers said, he did not try to put himself ahead of the story. We need more like him. Letting him go was a bone-headed decision.