WMAQ-Channel 5 and its relocation to NBC Tower, has resigned aftertwo years as vice president and general manager of the TelemundoSpanish-language outlet.
No successor has been named, and no reason was cited for Ramos'abrupt departure. But insiders pointed to differences he had withIbra Morales, president of Telemundo Television Stations Group.
Ratings for Channel 44 lag far behind those of its maincompetitor, Univision Communications' WGBO-Channel 66, in all timeperiods.
Ramos declined to comment on the reasons for his resignation, butsaid he was proud of his record on the job at Channel 44.
"Here was a station that had had four general managers and fivenews directors in the five years before I got there," he saidThursday. "I'm quite proud of the fact that we put in place a team ofmanagers that I think are going to adapt well to our new company.We've been through a tremendous and dynamic change."
Through Telemundo's merger with NBC and the move of Channel 44'sstudios and offices to NBC Tower after more than 30 years in LincolnPark, Ramos said, "We were able to set the team on the right course,refocus our marketplace and move into a whole new reality.
"We faced all of the challenges that other broadcasters of Chicagohave faced, and now I think the station is poised to really do welllocally."
Ramos, who was born in El Paso, Texas, and raised in Los Angeles,graduated from Harvard Law School, worked for the L.A. cityattorney's office and served as an assistant dean at Loyola LawSchool in L.A. before he shifted to broadcasting in 1985. In additionto running several stations, he held senior management positions atUnivision and Caballero Spanish Media. He joined Channel 44 in 2001from Pax outlet KPXG-TV in Portland, Ore.
For now, Ramos said, he's "open to all possibilities," but hopesto remain in the market. "We made a commitment when we moved toChicago to have an impact and work within the Spanish-speakingcommunity. My whole career I've been a Latino advocate, and I'mcertain that I'm going to find ways of remaining active in thatarena."
Tracking: 'Weather on the 5's'
* Andy Avalos, who recently returned to Channel 5 as morningmeteorologist, is about to get a lot busier. Borrowing a page fromall-news radio, the NBC-owned station plans to air "Weather on the5's"--every 10 minutes--during its morning newscast from 5 to 7 a.m.Monday through Friday.
* On another weather front, WGN-Channel 9 will salute its No. 1star, chief meteorologist Tom Skilling, on his 25th anniversary atthe Tribune Co.-owned station with a series of special segments onits 9 p.m. newscast, starting Wednesday.
* Mike Leiderman, a producer of WTTW-Channel 11's "ChicagoTonight," has been promoted to executive producer of the publictelevision station's nightly news and public-affairs show. A 26-yearveteran of the market, Leiderman joined Channel 11 as producer of the"Chicago Stories" series in 2000.
* Sun-Times City Hall reporter Fran Spielman will be Bob Sirott'sguest on "The Friday Night Live" at 7:30 tonight on Channel 11.Spielman joined the Sun-Times in 1985 after eight years at WIND-AM(560).
* Bill Campbell marks the 500th installment of "Chicagoing" thisweekend by interviewing Mayor Daley, author/broadcaster Studs Terkeland psychic Sonia Choquette. Terkel was Campbell's first guest whenthe WLS-Channel 7 talk show debuted in June 1989. "Chicagoing" airsat 11:30 a.m. Sunday.
* Lissa Druss Christman, former sports producer at WBBM-Channel 2,has joined the campaign staff of Jack Ryan as press secretary. Ryanis seeking the Republican nomination for U.S. Senate.
* NBC kicks off a monthlong test run of "Shop & Style," a livehome-shopping talk show, at 10 a.m. Monday on Channel 5 and network-owned stations in New York, Philadelphia and San Francisco. LynneKoplitz and Kerry McNally will host the one-hour Monday-through-Friday show, which bumps "The Other Half."
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