New publisher
Ex-Fox station manager seen as 'good fit' for women's magazine
After a high-profile career in Chicago television, Stacey Marks Bronner is turning to the print media.
The former vice president and general manager of Fox-owned WFLD-Channel 32 and WPWR-Channel 50 is the new publisher of Today's Chicago Woman. She also has been named an equity partner in parent company Leigh Communications.
Sherren Leigh, who founded the monthly publication in 1982 and continues as president, called Bronner "a good fit" for the job. "She's enthusiastic and really smart," she said.
In relinquishing her publisher title after more than 25 years, Leigh plans to concentrate on the magazine's editorial content.
Bronner, 46, who was the first woman to run a network-owned station in Chicago, oversaw Fox operations here from 1993 to 2004. She previously had headed advertising, promotion and press for WBBM-Channel 2 and the CBS-owned station group.
Since she left Fox, Bronner continued to live in the Chicago area with her two children and became involved in fund-raising and charity work.
Acknowledging the challenge of acclimating to print after a lifetime in broadcasting, Bronner added: "I am so blessed at this point in my career to have such a great opportunity in the media and join such a fabulous brand. Sherren and I go back a long way and share a mutual respect."
DIALING:• • A hearty welcome back to Chuck Swirsky, one of Chicago radio's all-time characters, who's returning to become the radio voice of Bulls basketball.
He'll team with analyst Bill Wennington in the broadcast booth for ESPN sports/talk WMVP-AM (1000).
"The Swirsk" spent 15 years as a Chicago radio sportscaster and sports talk show host before moving to Detroit in 1994. Since 1998, he has been the voice of the Toronto Raptors.
• • The sun was shining and free cake was abounding as WBBM-AM (780) celebrated its 40th anniversary as an all-news station Tuesday with a live broadcast from Daley Plaza.
"It looks like a Bears game is supposed to start, there's so many people out here," said Rod Zimmerman, senior vice president and market manager of CBS Radio Chicago and general manager of Newsradio 780.
• • Chicago attorney Warren Ballentine's syndicated talk show debuted this week on Midway Broadcasting news/talk WVON-AM (1690) -- but not in the time slot originally planned.
Citing contract obligations, the station is keeping Bev Smith's show on from 10 p.m. to 1 a.m. (the slot first announced for Ballentine), airing Ballentine from 3 to 6 a.m. weekdays.
Also at WVON, local political analyst and cable TV host Paul Lisnek turned up Tuesday with a test run for his own talk show.
• • Scott Mackay, the former morning personality at Citadel Broadcasting oldies WZZN-FM (94.7), is on for the foreseeable future at morning host at WERV-FM (95.9), NextMedia Group's west suburban classic hits station known as the River.
• • Lynne "Angel" Harvey, wife of broadcast legend Paul Harvey, was eulogized Tuesday as "the first lady of radio."
Among mourners at Fourth Presbyterian Church of Chicago were John Gehron, general manager of Harpo Radio, Tom Langmyer, vice president and general manager of news/talk WGN-AM (720), and Bruce DuMont, president of the Museum of Broadcast Communications.
Mrs. Harvey, 92, a pioneering producer and her husband's longtime business partner, died of leukemia Saturday.