CBS 2 Chicago Announces Plans for New Morning Show

CBS 2 Chicago Announces Plans for New Morning Show

Monsters and Money in the Morning to Feature Hosts Mike North, Dan Jiggetts, Terry Savage & Mike Hegedus

CHICAGO, Dec. 3 /PRNewswire/ -- CBS 2 Chicago announced today that it will launch Monsters and Money in the Morning, an innovative new local weekday 5- 7 a.m. show, beginning February 1, 2010. The morning talk show will feature an ensemble of veteran Chicago broadcasters and a mix of candid discussion of local sports topics, regional business issues and personal money management, as well as news headlines, weather and traffic.

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20091203/CG20828)

Monsters and Money in the Morning will originate from CBS 2's studios and be hosted by an ensemble of veteran Chicago broadcasters, including sportscasters Mike North and Dan Jiggetts - widely recognized by local fans as "The Monsters," along with Chicago Sun-Times money expert and author Terry Savage and former CNBC business reporter Mike Hegedus. Also contributing to the program will be CBS 2 reporter Susan Carlson, who will provide news headlines and traffic updates, and station meteorologist Mary Kay Kleist.

Monsters and Money in the Morning will also feature in-studio interviews with guests from the local sports and business communities, including contributors from CBS RADIO station WBBM News Radio 780.

"It's time for something new and smart that will differentiate CBS 2 from its competitors," said CBS 2 President & General Manager Bruno Cohen. "We are targeting an underserved television audience - Chicagoans who are passionate about sports and want to stay on top of local business news and personal finance - while at the same time continuing to provide the news headlines, weather and traffic information that people want before leaving home in the morning."

"This is a Monster Team we've put together," said CBS 2 Vice-President & News Director Jeff Kiernan. "Mike North and Dan Jiggetts are Chicago's best known sports talk duo. Their rapport was developed during their years on the air on The Score radio station and their TV skills were developed during the last year on Comcast SportsNet Chicago. Terry Savage has more than 20 years of experience as a reporter and commentator on the economy and personal finance. She is known, liked and respected by everyone in the industry. Mike Hegedus is a dynamic television journalist who spent the last 10 years of his career with CNBC, traveling the US and the world profiling successful businesses and the people who made them work. We can't wait to put the four of them together on television for Chicago."

Kiernan added that the on-air team for the CBS 2 Morning News will be reassigned as of February 1.

CBS 2 is part of CBS Television Stations, a division of CBS Corporation.

The Hosts of Monsters and Money in the Morning
Mike Hegedus

Business and finance reporter Mike Hegedus has covered stories in the U.S. and abroad and comes to Chicago from CNBC, where he was a reporter for "On The Money" and the host of feature segments entitled "Mike on The Money." From 1994-96, Hegedus served as special correspondent and show producer for several NBC stations. Prior to that, he was executive producer and host of the weekly syndicated program, "Prime Suspect."

Hegedus began his career as an investigative and economics reporter for WGR-TV in Buffalo, NY, then went on to become a special projects correspondent for KPIX-TV in San Francisco. The Hegedus style of journalism has been recognized by The AP and UPI with awards for features, as well as investigative reporting. He has received the Los Angeles Press Club Award for documentary production/writing, along with eight regional News and Documentary Emmy Awards. In 2006, Hegedus was nominated for a National Emmy Award for Business and Financial Reporting.

Dan Jiggetts

Dan Jiggetts was an offensive lineman who spent his entire seven-year NFL career with the Chicago Bears (1976-82). A New York native, Jiggetts graduated from Harvard, where he captained the school's first Ivy League championship in 1975 and was a two-time All-Ivy League offensive tackle. He was drafted by Chicago in the sixth round of the 1976 NFL Draft and played in 98 games for the Bears. During the off-season, Jiggetts worked for the First National Bank of Chicago.

For 25 years, Jiggetts has built a career in sports broadcasting, having worked as an analyst and television sports reporter and anchor for WFLD-TV in Chicago. In 2008, Jiggetts published a book entitled Then Ditka Said to Payton....The Best Chicago Bears Stories Ever Told. Jiggetts earned a B.A. from Harvard in government and economics.

Mike North

Chicagoan Mike North, grew up on the northwest side of Chicago in the Rogers Park community, began working in 1968 as a Wrigley Field hot dog vendor and, according to his biography, has been serving "hot and spicy conversation ever since." In 1990, North began his broadcast career with the "NFL Handicap Show" on WSCR and in 1992, he was invited to host a radio show on The Score Sports Radio 820, where he teamed up with radio partner Dan Jiggetts and the two became "Monsters of the Midday."

In 1999, North went solo and began hosting series of radio shows, including "The Mike North Show" on 1160AM, "The Wise Guys" and "The Mike North Morning Show," both on 670AM The Score. In January, 2009, North reunited with Dan Jiggetts on CSN.

Terry Savage

The financial press considers Chicagoan Terry Savage among the nation's foremost authorities on personal investments and financial markets. The award-winning author and lecturer writes a weekly personal finance column for the Chicago Sun-Times and is also a regular contributor to TheStreet.com and Moneyshow.com.

Savage has published four books, including best sellers: The Savage Truth on Money and The New Savage Number: How Much Money Do You Need to Retire.

A registered investment advisor for stocks and futures markets, Savage began her career in finance as a stockbroker. She is a founder and the first woman trader on the Chicago Board Options Exchange and serves as a director of CME Group, Inc.

Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20091203/CG20828
PRN Photo Desk, photodesk@prnewswire.com
Source: CBS 2 Chicago

CONTACT: Shawnelle Richie of CBS 2 Chicago, +1-312-899-2022,
skrichie@cbs.com

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