Adios, Vince: Chicago’s top Spanish TV boss resigns
Robservations on the media beat:
Vincent Cordero has resigned after five years as vice president and general manager of Univision WGBO-Channel 66 and TeleFutura WXFT-Channel 60, the leading Spanish-language combo in the market. A 1999 graduate of the University of Chicago Law School, Cordero previously served as vice president of business development and labor affairs for Univision Communications. At the time of his appointment here, Cordero was 33 — and one of the youngest general managers in the market’s history. No replacement for him has been named.
- Natalie Moore, public affairs reporter for Chicago Public Radio WBEZ-FM (91.5) is among winners of the Studs Terkel Community Media Awards for 2010. Moore is being cited for her work as South Side bureau reporter covering “real issues to the people in these communities.” This year’s other recipients are Kate Grossman, deputy editorial page editor of the Sun-Times, and Progress Illinois, a news blog produced by Josh Kalven, Adam Doster and Angela Caputo. The awards, named for the late Chicago author and broadcaster, will be presented by the nonprofit Community Media Workshop March 10 at the Chicago Cultural Center.
- And the hits just keep on coming: The latest atrocity at WGN-AM (720) involves the reassignment of midday news anchor Steve Bertrand, a 25-year veteran of the Tribune Co.-owned news/talk station. By scheduling Bertrand to work from 2 to 10 p.m., his bosses are exiling a consistently sharp and quick-witted contributor from their midday lineup. It’s another idiotic mistake in a growing list of them at WGN.
- Just back from a week in earthquake-rocked Haiti with a group of church missionaries from the Chicago area, “Good Day Chicago” anchor Jan Jeffcoat recounted her experience on Sunday’s 9 p.m. newscast on Fox-owned WFLD-Channel 32. Accompanied by cameraman Jeff Sutker and producer Dan Schwab, Jeffcoat said she witnessed amazing stories of hope and and faith among the people she met. Additional reports will air on Channel 32’s newscasts Monday.
- Don’t even think about crashing the 10th anniversary roast for Terry Boers and Dan Bernstein, the afternoon duo on CBS Radio sports/talk WSCR-AM (670). Tickets are sold out for the Feb. 19 event at Belvedere Banquets & Events in Elk Grove Village. It’ll be hosted by their executive producer, Matt Abbatacola.
- Justin Kaufmann, the man who makes the trains run on time for all of us at blogs.vocalo.org, has assembled an ambitious lineup of journalists, political consultants and pols for a live online chat here from 7 to 10 p.m. Tuesday. Steve Edwards, acting program director of Chicago Public Radio, will serve as host and moderator for the three-hour cascade of commentary and analysis of the primary election results. Expected among more than two dozen participants are: Ben Calhoun, Ramsin Canon, Cheryl Corley, John Dempsey, Mick Dumke, Brad Flora, Marcus Gilmer, Ben Goldberger, Don Hall, Marj Halperin, Kitty Kurth, Dave Lundy, Chris Robling, Peter Sagal, Scott Smith, Lynn Sweet, Eric Zorn and possibly me.
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blogs.vocalo.org
The re-assigning of Steve Bertrand is rather lame. At the very least, I’m glad that he still has a job.
What about me?
I hosted a Mike Martz-a-thon on the Score on Saturday (five hours of talk about the Bears offensive coordinator position), and I believe we raised $75,000 to help the Bears purchase a second round draft pick.
As for this post, it must be daunting to run a Spanish-language combo, seeing as how so many Hispanic children, born out of wedlock, have a difficult time learning English or Spanish and are hopelessly behind before they ever enter school because they’ve been neglected by their parents.
What, if anything, can a Spanish-language combo do to remedy this? Probably not much. But I think of the post last week on the history of Chicago tv in which it was mentioned that Bob Sirott said he spent many hours with television as his companion. And he turned out to be a somewhat useful member of society.
Can we somehow ensure that Hispanic children also get the baby-sitting comfort that tv can provide? To that end, maybe we can have Rob and Zoraida (Chicago’s only Hispanic anchor team on a network owned and operated station?) do a segment each morning on NBC5 especially geared to Hispanic children. Maybe one or both of the anchors gets in a jumpsuit and talks to a duck named Chelvestina?
Does that sound silly or snide? How does a permanent underclass sound?
It’s a shame about Bertrand. I wonder if they are trying to force him out to hire a 22 yr old…he’s got school age kids, I know. I wish the world would get back on it’s axis. It’s been off too long……
Robert: I thought Bruce Wolf had his own blog. Why is he always posting his “What About Me” updates on yours?
I hope Garry Meier will engage Steve Bertrand in some funny and clever banter.
He is quick on his feet and has been funny with commenting on news stories
or easy target Elton Jim – when he and Garry have been thrown together.
Garry is at his best bouncing off another sarcastic thinker who can rebarb well.
jeff sutker is an awesome cameraman….kudos to him on his latest adventure!
as for the election night blog/chat….sounds like a good idea….much better than having to hear the inane endless air filling banter of nothingness that you usually get on the radio….at least with it written down you can kind of leaf through it quickly…..
Jan Jeffcoat …did Fox News Chicago really need to send her there? I saw one of her phoned in reports…take away that script…and she is pretty bad.(she actually was on the phone)
And for Steve Bertrand..he is pretty good, been there a long time. The changes at WGN are laughable. I heard Bill Leff on Saturday, usually like Leff, but his show was bad this past weekend. More and more reasons to leave WGN for other choices.
I’m just fuming. Steve Bertrand is one of the brightest guys out there. He knows this city and its workings. His personality is outstanding and quite a character. Andrea Darlas should be the one to go. There is no smooth banter with her and anyone else. She sounds like nails on a chalkboard when she converses with anyone. Not the least bit funny or cleaver. Thankfully I don’t hear her any more because I won’t listen to Greg Jarrett. Garry Meier has engaged Bertrand….Steve’s last newscast was 2:30PM…and the 2 of them sound great. I really hope he doesn’t leave Wgn. I think he fits into a news talk format. BTW….Does Greg Jarrett realize that most of the people that he works with, can’t stand him? Send him a memo………..
Man, I made it into Feder. I’m like Ron Magers but without the star quality and huge money. Anyway, now that my name is in bold, can you get me tix to the Boers/Bernstein roast?
I actually thought Jan Jeffcoat was far better in the field than she has ever been in the anchor chair on Good Day Chicago.
Listening to Steve Bertrand doing news right now, at 10:03 AM. Did the demotion go away?
Steve Bertrand anchored some amazing and touching live radio after Uncle Bobby’s fatal plane crash. They gave him his own weekend show a few years back, then yanked it away. He didn’t complain. He’s been a stalwart mid-day guy through the Judy/Kathy/John fiasco. When they slapped him into the News Director’s chair and force-fed him orders, he handled that with class, too.
Let’s look at this move for what it is. He has a paycheck based on twenty-five years with the company. He has school-age kids. The bosses, one in particular, want him out quietly and by his own choice. They’re maneuvering Judy Pielach the same way. They aren’t messing with @SUSIE’s favorite morning anchor because she works cheap, though ((RED ALERT)) one of the boss’s buddies is being groomed to replace her. All this to save a few bucks while trying to avoid more nasty publicity from RFeder and all us bloggiewhiners.
I always find it fascinating how the media hates the scrutiny of its peers and the public.
A note to RFeder. Much as I like Steve, I think the word “atrocity” to describe his situation, or WGN’s, is a bit over the top. How about saving it for when (favorite Tribune Suit name here) starts running through the halls naked and taking whacks with a machete? Then you can use the word “abattoir,” too.
A roast for dumb & dumber? I guess you should celebrate 10 years of childish potty jokes and a fierce hatred of your listeners. This is the Score’s shining beacon? I’d rather crash into the rocks.
Can we PLEASE hear more about Justin Kaufman?
HE is the future of Chicago broadcasting !!!!
but he needs that wacky red headed guy with the loud cackle as his on air side kick (Tom something?) and Jim Wiser as his producer.
C’mon – “make it so”!
Channel 2’s Monsters and Money in the Morning is like meeting a guy with spinach in his teeth. Embarrasing. Had to turn away.
By the way, will there be any Monsters? I didn’t see them. Are they coming? How will we know them? I only saw zombies.
Will WGN never stop!! I love Steve Bertrand and can’t imagine this move was his choice. Someone mentioned he was named News Director . . . is this true?
Hang in there, Steve . . . don’t let them run you out!
What Jim Walsh said.
I had to watch it once and that was more than enough. North shows a contempt for his audience, whether it be his buffoonish thoughts, condescension towards everyone in the universe or just dressing like a bum. I suppose it’s his vision of what “regular” Chicago folks are like. He’s the Second City version of Johnny Cash’s “Man In Black”. Except he’s “Idiot In Rags”. What’s Terry Savage going to do when he asks her about her use of marital aids as he did his female co-hosts? Shame on Bruno and WBBM for letting this cretin have one second of air time.
Mike North has always had that “love him” or “hate him” vibe, and lots of the times the folks who hated him were listening or watching, so I’m not sure WBBM feels like they are taking much of a risk, since they had no audience before. I caught the first 5 minutes, and Pappy referred to Terry Savage as a “COUGAR”. She looked a bit shocked and very surprised. I’d rather see uncomfortable T.V. than the crap the other channels are airing.
If WBBM were smart, they’d hire Bruce Wolf to do his NBC TV show that aired at 4 AM. That was great edgy stuff. Kind of like a Jewish Soupy Sales!
Who will be working 9-2 @ WGN?
Still holding that Gary Meier will get zero of my time. Too bad, because I like Steve Bertrand.
ROBERT,
WHAT ARE THE RATINGS FOR WGN?
I thought Steve and John were great together. Just like steve was with Kathy and Judy. Since I don’t listen to gary Meier I may never hear Steve again. Whats wrong with WGN management they sure know how to lose listners.
when i’m at the b&b roast on the 19th, it’s good to know i won’t be sharing a table with mr cranky
i have a feeling that this might be the best, i don’t know how to describe it, local event ever
they don’t have a fierce hatred of their listners, just stupid people. there is nothing wrong with expecting a caller to the show to have facts to back up opinions
i hope bruce is there, you can’t find him at his blog
Let’s try that again…………………When I’m at the B&B roast on the 19TH, it’s good to know that I won’t have to share a table with Mr. Cranky. I have a feeling that this might be, I’m not quite sure how to describe it, one of the best local media events ever. As for Terry and Dan, they don’t have a fierce hatred of their listners, only the stupid ones. There is nothing wrong with expecting a caller to the show to have facts to back up opinions. By the way, I hope Bruce is there. He’s never at his blog anymore.
It would sound like we may have an E.E.O.C. issue brewing at WGN. Let’s see Dave Steward 20+ years, Wes Bleed 28 Years I think, Kathy and Judy both seniors, Steve Bertrand a 25 year employee. This is starting to look like age discrimination to me. Watch out Steve and Johnny, your probably in the sights of the PD!
Hey Bruce Wolf, why don’t you brush off that law degree and defend these folks. The 1/3 of the multimillion settlement could keep you blogging in style for the rest of your life. No need to work. And best of all, you would still be as useless then as you are now.
B & B are exactly whats wrong with Chicago radio….celebrating when people are fired, blaming players when they get injured & ALWAYS trying to be too cool for the room…oh & being blatantly racist!!….especially Mr. “I have a lot of black friends” Boers…..Bernstein sold out about 11 years ago after being such a promising personality…now he is on a VERY low rated show & almost irrelevant radio station…just saying WSCR is the number one sports station in Chicago is not saying much when you have such a small audience….The best thing in sports radio is SCOTT FERRALL on SIRIUS/XM Howard 101, he makes these 2 look like the amateurs the truly are & NO it doesn’t matter how many years these morons have been on radio…just remember “Eddie & Jobo” have been on the air for 20 years in this town & they make u toss your cookies every time u hear them & by the way those idiots had enormous ratings compared to “B&B”….”THE SCORE” started out as innovative & intelligent radio, not just sports radio but radio in general, this was in spite of that maniac Mike North but now I can’t listen to a second of it…the only terrestrial radio I listen to in Chicago is WBBM news radio 780 & that is just for updates but my Sirius is usually on some where in the car or house about 20 hours a day in the background…I own 3 of them….SCR has been dead to me for about 7 years & not just me, all you need to do is look at the ratings cuz “Women lie, Men lie but the numbers don’t lie”!!!
It’s about time WGBO wised up the fact you can’t put a KNOW NOTHING kid from law school in to broadcasters job.
I guess his arrogance wasn’t impressing the right people anymore.
Resigned? that’s a good one!
Good riddance to Mr. Cordero. He was classless, clueless and arrogant. He knew nothing about people, television or the business of television.
So sad about Steve Bertrand. What a loss for the listeners. We wondered where he has been as we listen to WGN only during John Williams and the Noon Show.
WGN advertisers, are you paying attention?
Bob thinks the reassignment of Steve Bertrand is ageism. It may be that as well as political. At one time WGN had a healthy mix of hosts with left and right views. Now the station appears to be leaning hard right. Note: Milt Rosenberg is as old as dirt but will be safe because he leans hard right. We used to listen 14 hours a day during the week, but now listen only about four. If WGN dumps John Williams, that number will be close to zero.
Would John Williams get in trouble if he had Steve Bertrand in for an interview? Cochran talks to Dean Richards. Milt Rosenberg has had other WGN personalities on his program. We miss Steve.