Kris Kridel Biography

Kris Kridel, one of Chicago radio’s premier journalists and one of its most familiar voices, is retiring after 34 years as a news anchor at WBBM 780-AM/WCFS 105.9-FM. WBBM Newsradio shift gives Kris Kridel ‘best of both worlds’

Kris Kridel, the host of “The Noon Business Hour” and one of the most respected voices on Chicago radio, is back in afternoon drive on WBBM AM 780 and WCFS FM 105.9.

In a realignment of Monday-through-Friday shifts at the top-rated CBS Radio all-news station, Kridel will start her on-air duties with midday news anchor Sherman Kaplan on the noon show and stay on to anchor afternoon newscasts with Keith Johnson through 6 p.m.

“I feel like I have the best of both worlds here,” Kridel said Monday. “I get to work with the afternoon team — Keith Johnson and Jeff Joniak — and I also get to co-host the ‘Noon Business Hour’ with Sherman Kaplan. I really like the energy of p.m. drive, and the biz hour is my favorite part of the day.”

An award-winning broadcast journalist, Kridel joined WBBM Newsradio in 1986 from the former WFYR, where she was news director and anchor/reporter. She also is a regular contributor to “Chicago Tonight” on public television WTTW-Channel 11. In May Kridel was named here one of the most powerful women in Chicago journalism.

Coinciding with the schedule change, Lisa Fielding and Veronica Carter will share anchoring duties with Regine Schlesinger from 10 a.m. to noon weekdays. Fielding and Carter had been alternating in afternoon drive alongside Johnson since Steve Grzanich left last December.

In other news at WBBM Newsradio, Rick Gregg has been named full-time sports anchor and reporter, succeeding the late Eric Brown. A graduate of Joliet West High School and Southern Illinois University, Gregg has worked for Total Traffic and Weather Network since 2007.

Gregg, who joins Joniak, Josh Liss, Dave Kerner and George Ofman on the sports staff, had been filling in while Brown was ill. A 26-year veteran of the station, Brown died of cancer June 24 at 58.

Kris Kridel Age

Kris Kridel is afternoon co-anchor and co-host of WBBM’s Noon Business Hour. As anchor-reporter at WBBM, Kris has won awards for Best Reporter, Feature, Newscast and Documentary from AP and UPI; a 1991 National Headliner Award, Peter Lisagor, and RTNDA reporting awards.

Kris’s writing and reporting were featured in Ted White’s 1993 book, “Broadcast Newswriting and Reporting.” Kris received her BA at Ohio University and her Master’s Degree in Journalism from Ohio State University in the Kiplinger Program in Public Affairs Reporting, led by the eminent Stuart Loory.

Before joining WBBM, Kris worked as reporter-anchor at WCOL in Columbus, and, in Chicago, anchor/reporter/news director at WFYR. Kris has also taught journalism at Loyola University in Chicago. Kris Kridel is 70 years old today because Kris’s birthday is on 12/28/1948

Kris Kridel Husband

Kris Kridel, one of Chicago radio’s premier journalists and one of its most familiar voices, is retiring after 34 years as a news anchor at WBBM 780-AM/WCFS 105.9-FM.

Kridel’s announcement came just two months after she cut back to part-time status and stepped down as afternoon drive anchor at the Entercom all-news station. Most recently she has been anchoring from noon to 3 p.m. weekdays, including the “Noon Business Hour,” which she has co-hosted since 2001.

“It’s time to move on,” Kridel told me Tuesday. “It’s been an enormous gift working with my friends at WBBM. I’m proud of what we do and we’ll always be a team.”

Ron Gleason, director of news and programming at WBBM Newsradio, said Kridel’s last day on the air will be June 7.

“She’s been the consummate journalist, our go-to person for any discussion of ethics and how best to cover stories,” Gleason wrote in a memo to the staff. “We will miss her dearly, but are excited she’ll be able to travel and enjoy much more time with her family and friends.”

Kridel, a graduate of Ohio University who holds a master’s degree in journalism from Ohio State University, began in radio as a reporter for WCOL in Columbus, Ohio. She moved to Chicago with her husband, Paul Hogan, the late reporter for NBC-owned WMAQ-Channel 5, and worked as news director and anchor/reporter at the former WFYR.

After a brief stop at the morning news anchor for Tribune Radio Networks, Kridel joined WBBM Newsradio in 1985. She also was a longtime contributor to “Chicago Tonight” on public television WTTW-Channel 11 and was an adjunct faculty member of Loyola University School of Communications.

In 2014 she was named one of the most powerful women in Chicago journalism.

Kris Kridel Image

Kris Kridel Retire

‘Time to move on’: Kris Kridel to retire from WBBM Newsradio

Kris Kridel, one of Chicago radio’s premier journalists and one of its most familiar voices, is retiring after 34 years as a news anchor at WBBM 780-AM/WCFS 105.9-FM.

Kridel’s announcement came just two months after she cut back to part-time status and stepped down as afternoon drive anchor at the Entercom all-news station. Most recently she has been anchoring from noon to 3 p.m. weekdays, including the “Noon Business Hour,” which she has co-hosted since 2001.

“It’s time to move on,” Kridel told me Tuesday. “It’s been an enormous gift working with my friends at WBBM. I’m proud of what we do and we’ll always be a team.”

Ron Gleason, director of news and programming at WBBM Newsradio, said Kridel’s last day on the air will be June 7.

“She’s been the consummate journalist, our go-to person for any discussion of ethics and how best to cover stories,” Gleason wrote in a memo to the staff. “We will miss her dearly, but are excited she’ll be able to travel and enjoy much more time with her family and friends.”

Kridel, a graduate of Ohio University who holds a master’s degree in journalism from Ohio State University, began in radio as a reporter for WCOL in Columbus, Ohio. She moved to Chicago with her husband, Paul Hogan, the late reporter for NBC-owned WMAQ-Channel 5, and worked as news director and anchor/reporter at the former WFYR.

After a brief stop at a morning news anchor for Tribune Radio Networks, Kridel joined WBBM Newsradio in 1985. She also was a longtime contributor to “Chicago Tonight” on public television WTTW-Channel 11 and was an adjunct faculty member of Loyola University School of Communications.

In 2014 she was named one of the most powerful women in Chicago journalism.

Here is the text of Gleason’s memo to staff:

To all:

Another of our all-time great broadcast journalists has decided it’s time to hang up her microphone and enjoy the good life.

Kris Kridel first joined WBBM in 1985. As she tells the story, at the old WFYR-FM she was part of a large news team that was about to downsize. When she asked the program director what was happening, he told her for news, everyone was turning to 780am so they were better off playing more music. Kris then told him if that was the case, she wanted to work at Newsradio.

While here, she’s covered just about every event imaginable, anchored both mid-day and afternoon drive, filled in mornings (as she’s doing this week), she’s a founding member of the WBBM Noon Business Hour and a staple on election nights.

She’s been the consummate journalist, our go-to person for any discussion of ethics and how best to cover stories. We will miss her dearly but are excited she’ll be able to travel and enjoy much more time with her family and friends.

Kris’ last day on the air will be Friday, June 7th.

Let’s plan to celebrate Kris’ great career with a newsroom gathering that day.

Thanks,

Gleason

Tuesday’s comment of the day: Mike Braden: It seems a little unbecoming for a newsman such as Larry Potash to boast about ratings.

Kris Kridel Reviews

Robservations: Kris Kridel stepping back at WBBM Newsradio

Kris Kridel, who’s been an admired and authoritative news anchor at WBBM 780-AM/WCFS 105.9-FM for 34 years, is cutting back to part-time status and leaving afternoon drive at the top-rated Entercom all-news station. Starting March 25, Kridel will anchor from noon to 3 p.m. weekdays, including the “Noon Business Hour,” which she has co-hosted since 2001.

Until now she’s been anchoring six straight hours a day, overlapping middays and afternoons — “the longest time on the anchor desk of anyone at the station,” according to Ron Gleason, director of news and programming. Succeeding Kridel alongside Keith Johnson from 3 to 6 p.m.

most weekdays will be Lisa Fielding. Kridel joined WBBM Newsradio from the former WFYR, where she was news director and anchor/reporter.
For the fifth time in four years, there’s an opening for editor-in-chief of the Chicago Reader. Anne Elizabeth Moore, who held the job for only five months, was the latest to exit the alternative weekly.

No reason was cited for her departure. “We very much thank her for being part of the relaunch at the Reader and we wish her well,” said publisher Tracy Baim. Since its sale by Sun-Times Media last year, the Reader has been under independent ownership.

While a search is underway for Moore’s replacement, Sujay Kumar, managing editor/print, and Karen Hawkins, managing editor/digital, will be in charge of day-to-day operations. Julian Jackson has resigned after one year as executive director of Chicago’s Museum of Broadcast Communications.

He told the museum board he has accepted a new position with Freeman Exhibit Solutions in Schiller Park. Jackson previously worked at Milwaukee Public Museum as vice president of design, and at Adler Planetarium as director of experience design.

Until a successor is named, sources said, operations at the broadcast museum will be overseen by Justin Kulovsek, vice president of innovation, while strategic planning and fundraising will be headed by board member Carol Summerfield.

Paddock Publications, the parent company of the Daily Herald, announced last week that it has sold its five-story office building in Arlington Heights and will be moving to leased space two blocks west at 95 West Algonquin Road in May.

It will mark the third time in a year that a Chicago area daily newspaper has downsized its office space (following the Chicago Tribune move to One Prudential Plaza and the Sun-Times move to 30 North Racine).

“The modern corporate office environment has been transformed by digital technology, and there is less need for in-the-office accommodations,” Doug Ray, chairman, publisher, and CEO of Paddock Publications, wrote in a memo to employees.

“Like our peers, we believe our financial resources should be directed at innovation through journalism and content improvement, product diversification and marketing to the needs of new and existing customers – all which have been and will be keys to our success.”

What’s behind the sudden interest of the Sun-Times in covering Chicago Sky women’s pro basketball? It’s the result of an advertising deal with the University of Chicago Medicine, now billed as “presenting sponsor” of Sky and WNBA coverage throughout the 2019 season.

The Sun-Times will retain editorial control over team coverage, according to editor-in-chief Chris Fusco. “We see this as a groundbreaking relationship — one that hopefully will serve as a model for other organizations like UChicago Medicine to become presenting sponsors for other team coverage,” Fusco said.

Sun-Times reporter Madeline Kenney was named Sky beat writer. A tip of the hat to Mary Ann Ahern, ace political reporter for WMAQ-Channel 5, who marked her 30th year at the NBC-owned station last week. One of the best in the business, Ahern joined NBC 5 in 1989 from WXIA, the NBC affiliate in Atlanta.

She previously was a reporter and weekend news anchor at WEEK, the NBC affiliate in Peoria. “Thirty years later I still really love my job,” Ahern said on Facebook. “So my advice to all of you: Whatever job you have, I hope you love it as much as I love mine.” In 2017 she was inducted in the Silver Circle of the Chicago/Midwest chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences.

Todd Ronczkowski, longtime Chicago radio producer and program director of Midway Broadcasting urban news/talk WVON 1690-AM, is headed for London. This week he’ll reprise his role as Senator James Slattery in “King of The Policy: Running Numbers.”

Jimalita Tillman’s play about the numbers racket in Chicago and its impact on black society in the 1940s premiered last year at the Harold Washington Cultural Center and later made its way to the Davenport Theatre in New York. In London, it will be staged at the Albany Theatre.

A former Chicago radio personality and programmer is serving up Gino’s East deep dish pizza to Los Angeles. Launching the first location in Sherman Oaks is Dan Michaels in partnership with Tod Himmel, a TV writer, and producer. “In the many years I was on the air at WMET [and] WLUP, and programming WCKG, I continued to be a regular at Gino’s East and would bring out-of-town friends there to introduce them,” Michaels told me.

“Now I have an opportunity to introduce a whole new group of people to this Chicago treasure.” Opening in May, the restaurant will boast the authentic original recipes of Gino’s East served in a decor highlighting the Chicago-Hollywood connection.

Friday’s comment of the day: Regine Schlesinger: So many careers are buried in the CBS 2 graveyard. For some, like Mary Ann Childers and Diann Burns, they’d probably still be on the air if they’d stayed at ABC 7, a much more stable news shop. At least Lester Holt came out on top.