Posted by chicagomedia.org on September 23, 2008 at 07:20:21:
In Reply to: Robert Feder leaving Sun-Times posted by chicagomedia.org on September 23, 2008 at 07:16:09:
Chicago radio and TV are going to be shaking this morning -
Robert Feder's leaving the Sun-Times.
Today's column explains to his readers and the industry why he's taking advantage of a buyout offer from the company, and leaving after 28 years of being the must-read TV/Radio columnist. Just think about that "28 years" for a second, because it's literally many generations of TV and radio executives, performers and other staffers who've been welcomed to town and/or to their jobs, evaluated along the way, sometimes skewered when Feder ("feeder") felt it was appropriate, and always (I think) given their due. Same for formats and strategies. The buyout allows Feder to see what other opportunities lie ahead for a superb writer and journalist. His institutional memory of the market and professionalism will be missed, and I hate to add him to the list of other newspaper pros who once "owned" their markets, and helped bring radio alive both to the general public and to the industry. I'm thinking of folks like Dean Johnson at the Boston Herald, and John Smyntek at the Detroit Free Press. "Smynty" has worked at the paper for 38 years and will be wrapping up his job next month. The radio industry is all the poorer for losing folks like that, as newspapers try to survive in a falling media economy - but risk losing the things that make them special and "must-have." Doesn't radio face the same dilemma?
(Tom Taylor)