The Buzz at ABC7 Chicago

MARK GIANGRECO HONORED WITH RING LARDNER SPORTS AWARD

ABC 7 Sports Anchor/Reporter Mark Giangreco will be honored tonight, April 30th, during the Ring Lardner Awards for Excellence in Sports Journalism dinner at the Union League Club/Chicago.  Giangreco is being honored with the Ring Lardner Award in the

 " Broadcast" category.

Mark joins an illustrious group of past broadcast award honorees including:  Greg Gumbel, Bob Costas, Brent Musburger, Ron Santo, Pat Foley, Ken "Hawk" Harrelson and Mike Ditka.

Mark Giangreco has become one of Chicago's most popular sports journalists delivering sports with humor, wit and an interesting spin on the day's sports news.  Mark has been a member of the ABC 7 Sports team since 1994.  Mark's sportcasts can be seen at 5 and 10 pm on ABC 7 Chicago.

ABC 7 Chicago's Cheryl Burton and Janet Davies Honored by Women Empowered of Chicago

It's "Bark in the Park" with Roz and Hosea

Aren't they the cutest?  ABC 7 Chicago's Roz Varon and Hosea Sanders cuddle with some of the cutest puppies in town during the taping of the "Bark in the Park" public service announcements.  Come out and meet Roz and Hosea as they participate once again
in the Anti-Cruelty Society's 19th annual 5/k/3.2 mile-walk on May 4, at Montrose Harbor.

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ABC 7 Only Station to Broadcast Pride Parade this Weekend

     “I am always proud that ABC 7 is the first and only television station to broadcast the Pride Parade,” said Janet Davies, host of the event. “I have many friends and acquaintances in the LGBT community and love that this event celebrates their contributions to help making Chicago the best city ever!” “The 43rd Annual Pride Parade," Chicago’s second largest parade with 200 units and over 400,000 people on the street takes place this weekend on Sunday, June 24th at noon. ABC 7 Chicago is excited to once again broadcast the event on Sunday, June 24 from midnight to 1am.

    The parade kicks off from a new corner this year at Broadway and Montrose on Chicago's North Side. The parade ends a weekend of festivities and entertainment supporting the gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender communities. Evan Wolfson, founder and President of Freedom to Marry, the campaign to win marriage nationwide, will be this year’s Grand Marshal.

    This year, ABC 7’s Ryan Chiaverini, Ron Magers, Hank Mendheim, Karen Meyer, and Linda Yu are scheduled to appear in the parade via ABC 7 Chicago’s float. The broadcast will be hosted by ABC 7’s Entertainment Reporter and Host of “190 NORTH,” Janet Davies. Along with Terri Hemmert, WXRT Radio Chicago, who will once again join Davies in the broadcast booth to help co-host the parade, “190 NORTH’s” Mark Nilsson will capture the festivities on the street.

 

 

An all new Ñ Beat this weekend!

    This week's Ñ Beat will profile men and women who exemplify their Latino heritage through the art of comedy and dance. THE Ñ Beat will air Saturday, June 23 at 6pm with an encore presentation on Saturday, June 30 at 2:30pm. THE Ñ Beat is an Emmy Award winning program celebrating the accomplishments of Chicago’s Latino community.

    The Ñ Beat is hosted by Theresa Gutierrez, with special contributions by ABC 7’s John Garcia and Stacey Baca. “I love doing the Ñ Beat because it allows us to cover interesting people and subjects in a half hour format,” said Theresa Gutierrez. “This new Ñ Beat will inspire you to both laugh and dance because it's all about music, dance, art, and comedy.”

THE Ñ BEAT shines the spotlight on some local talent that has the gift of making people laugh. The Mikey O Comedy Show has been promoting a line-up of Latino stand up comedians for the past ten years, all of whom make their home in Chicago. Patti Vasquez, Gwen La Roka, Joey Villagomez, Eli Castro and Mike Oquendo will talk about the courage to be funny and what it takes to make it in Chicago. 

Also featured are Chicago area dance companies.  Pictured below is "Graffiti Rhythms," founded by Cari Garcia.

 

ABC 7 Janet Davies and Frank Mathie Kick Off Jim Gibbons 5K Walk/Run

He succumbed to leukemia in 1994.  But each year, Janet Davies and Frank Mathie remember their colleague and friend Jim Gibbons, who worked as an investigative reporter for ABC 7 News. Davies and Mathie will kick off the 18th Annual ABC 7 Jim Gibbons 5K on the 6 pm News, Thursday, June 14th.  The event talkes place in Lincoln Park at 2551 N. Cannon Drive and includes a bags tournament, awards ceremony and a performance by Black Cadillac.  Through the years, the team of runners and walkers helped raise 1.5 million for lifesaving research for leukemia and other blood cancers.

ABC 7 Chicago Welcomes New GM, John Idler

ABC 7 Chicago welcomes back John Idler, who will now lead the station as President and General Manager. Rebecca Campbell, president of the ABC Owned Television Stations Group, made the announcement, "John Idler's outstanding track record in Raleigh-Durham and his earlier local TV management experience in Chicago demonstrate a consistent commitment to excellence in community service and station operations." ABC 7 staffers know John from his days heading the station's local sales department. (Picured below:  John Idler and Rebecca Campbell)

WINDY CITY LIVE WELCOMES AMERICAN IDOL WINNER LEE DEWYZE!

Did you know that before singer Lee DeWyze became famous he and his band had a regular gig on the sports show Ryan Chiaverini once hosted, The Chicago Huddle? Lee and Ryan remained friends after his Huddle connection and Lee went on to become the American Idol Season 9 winner. He reunites with Ryan (and sings) on the new show Ryan hosts with Val Warner, Windy City LIVE-- tomorrow at 9am!

CHECK OUT BEHIND-THE-SCENES VIDEO FOR UPCOMING 190 NORTH

In this Sunday's edition of 190 North, the chefs at Big Hat Gourmet teach contributor Eva Saha how to marinade a tasty slap of ribs to commemorate National Grilling Month.  190 North airs at 10:35 pm on Sunday, with host Janet Davies.

Download 190 North Big Hat Gourmetvideo

 

 

KRISTIN McCLAMROCH PROMOTED TO VP/SALES MANAGER

     The head of ABC 7 Chicago's Sales Department, Vincent Sollecito, annouced a key promotion in his department. Kristin McClamroch was promoted to Vice President/Sales Manager, ABC 7 Chicago, effective immediately. 

    According to Sollecito, “Kristin has displayed all of the essential qualities necessary to be an effective manager at our television station, today and in the future.  Her success is inevitable and we are excited about having her join our management team.”

       Kristin will be co-managing ABC7’s local team in addition to handling National Sales in the Atlanta, Boston, Chicago and Philadelphia ABC National Television offices.

    McClamroch has worked as an account executive for ABC 7 since 1999.

    She got her start at Kelly, Scott & Madison in 1990 as an assistant and left the media buying agency as an Associate Broadcast Manager after nine years.

    McClamroch grew up in the North suburbs and graduated from Miami University (Ohio) in 1990.