Channel 2 makes news on Saturday mornings

WBBM-Channel 2 is about to jump into the weekend morning newsbusiness with an ambitious local news block on Saturdays.

Although no talent or producers have been named, the newnewscast is tentatively scheduled to debut Sept. 13 and air from 6 to9 a.m. Saturdays. At the outset, it may air in two-hour form.

Getting the newscast up and running on schedule is the firstmajor challenge facing Jeff Bartlett, who joined the CBS-ownedstation as news director last month.In his previous position as news director at Philadelphia'sKYW-TV, Bartlett added similar weekend morning newscasts to theschedule and expanded early morning and noon newscasts during theweek as well.During the weekday morning news race, Channel 2 trails the packin the Nielsen ratings.From 6 to 7 a.m. weekdays - when all five local newscastscompete head-on - WLS-Channel 7 widened its lead during July to a 4.8rating and 26 share. WMAQ-Channel 5 was second with a 3.1/17,followed by WGN-Channel 9 with a 2.1/11, WFLD-Channel 32 with a1.4/8, and Channel 2 with a 1.3/7.One local ratings point equals 31,240 households, and share isthe percent of sets in use.Also on the morning television beat, Channel 2 is expected toshift "Guiding Light," the long-running CBS soap opera, to 9 a.m.weekdays - opposite "The Oprah Winfrey Show" on Channel 7."Guiding Light," now airing at 2 p.m., will replace GordonElliott's syndicated talk show at 9 a.m.Tuning in: L.A. looking at Kathy BrockKathy Brock, 6 p.m. news anchor at Channel 7, is being talked up asa possible replacement for Lisa McCree at sister station KABC-TV inLos Angeles. McCree is headed for New York to succeed Joan Lunden asco-host of ABC's "Good Morning America." Brock, who joined Channel 7in 1990, has been filling in as the station's top news anchor whileDiann Burns is on maternity leave.A crew from C-SPAN will be in Chicago to tape Sunday's edition ofBruce DuMont's "Beyond the Beltway" for playback on the cable channelat 7 p.m. Monday. The weekly political talk show is syndicated to 29radio stations nationwide, including WLS-AM (890)."Styx: Return to Paradise Theatre," a 90-minute concert reunitingthe Chicago-based rock group, airs at 9 p.m. Sunday on WTTW-Channel11. The broadcast was taped at the Rosemont Horizon on the finalstop of the group's 75-city tour.Delores Mebain, director of station relations at Channel 5, hasassumed additional responsibilities for day-to-day communicationswhile press manager Jayme Nicholas is on maternity leave.Joseph Kreder, sales manager at Channel 7 since 1990, has beenpromoted to vice president of national television sales for ABC.Dialing: WLS rock jocks plan reunionThe glorious rock 'n' roll era of WLS - from 1960 to 1985 - will becelebrated with a reunion of former staffers over the Labor Dayweekend. The kickoff event will be Aug. 29 at the Museum ofBroadcast Communications.WLEY-FM (107.9), Chicago's newest Spanish-language station, hasunveiled its lineup of Angel Garay in mornings, Ezequiel "Cheque"Gonzalez in middays, Antonio "Orale" Covarrubias in afternoons andChristian Ramos in evenings.Luisa Torres has stepped down as program director of WIND-AM (560).She will continue as news anchor and midday host of "Chicago Al Dia"at the Spanish-language station. No replacement as program directorhas been named.Todd Manley, former production director and evening voice at WPNT-FM(100.3), has joined WCKG-FM (105.9) as production director. Hereplaces the late Bill Towery.Also at WCKG, the new producer of Patti Haze and Mary PatLaRue's midday talk show is Brian Waterkotte, former producer atWMVP-AM (1000).