News

Channel 5 names Stafford as station's lead anchor

Posted July 31, 2009 11:00 pm

By Ted Cox

WMAQ-TV Channel 5 has promoted Rob Stafford to lead anchor, alongside Allison Rosati. Effective Aug. 10, they'll do the marquee 10 p.m. newscast, as well as the evening news at 5 and 6.

Stafford joined the station two years ago as reporter and weekend anchor, and has been the Chicago-based correspondent for NBC News' "Dateline" since 1996.

Stafford succeeds the retired Warner Saunders after heir apparent Bob Sirott recently failed to negotiate a contract extension with the station.

In other media news, all-talk WLS 890-AM has extended the weekend talk show of disgraced former Illinois governor Rod Blagojevich indefinitely. Blagojevich did some fill-in shifts earlier this year and did a two-hour noon-to-2 p.m. shift the last two Sundays. He will continue in that time slot.

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