PUBLIC TV'S IDENTITY CRISIS

摘要

Chicago public-TV station WTTW11 caused quite a stir in the Windy City in June when it tapped former rock DJ Bob Sirott, a Pox and CBS personality best known for light-hearted entertainment coverage, to host its oh-so-serious 18-year-old flagship public affairs show, Chicago Tonight. One newspaper likened the hiring to Madonna singing with the city's Lyric Opera, while a local wag wondered whether WTTW11 might next revive another Chicago icon, Bozo the Clown. It didn't help perceptions that Sirott was hired to boost Chicago Tonight's sagging ratings by a former Fox col- league, Randy King, who had produced the scrappy network's Super Bowl coverage and kids' programming and is now executive vice-president at WTTW11's parent, Network Chicago. Station hon-chos insist that when the new Chicago Tonight has its debut in November, viewers will not hear happy talk or see cable-style shouting pundits. Says Network Chicago CEO Daniel J. Schmidt: "The show will still be very smart and most of it verv serious."