Bob Sirott
Encyclopedia
Robert Michael "Bob" Sirott (born August 9, 1949), is a Chicago broadcaster who currently is one of the two principal news anchors at WFLD
-TV in Chicago and is a radio host at WGN-AM.
neighborhood on Chicago's North Side, on Ridgeway Avenue. He began working as a page for NBC
in Chicago in 1966, while a senior in high school. He then graduated from Theodore Roosevelt High School
in Chicago in 1967, later earning a bachelor's degree from Columbia College Chicago
.
in 1971 before moving to WLS (AM)
in 1973. He was a top disc jockey at WLS from 1973 until 1980. Sirott shifted to television in 1980, taking a job at WBBM-TV
. After five years at WBBM, Sirott took a job with the CBS
newsmagazine West 57th
, although the network allowed him to remain based in Chicago.
Sirott left West 57th
in 1988, telling the Chicago Sun-Times in an article that ran on December 22, 1987: "If ('West 57th') were more of a personality-oriented show, and if I had the opportunity to do some live things, I'd be able to withstand it longer. But it's just been too difficult for me to work in this system with 25 different producers and not have hands-on control over my own pieces."
In March 1989, Sirott returned to Chicago's airwaves at WMAQ-TV
as a noon news anchor and program host; the following year, he launched and was the co-anchor of WMAQ-TV
's "First Thing in the Morning" along with Allison Rosati
. After four years at WMAQ, he was fired in July 1993—for the first time in his career—after he and management had a difference of opinion over his and his show's autonomy.
In March 1994, Sirott returned to work, anchoring "Fox Thing in the Morning" on Chicago's FOX
affiliate WFLD
with his future wife Marianne Murciano
, until she was moved to another time slot at the station in June 2000. It was ranked high in the Nielsen ratings
, and fans were taken aback when they learned that the show was unceremoniously cancelled and renamed "Fox News in the Morning." On September 27, 2000, Sirott was bounced as the station's host—concurrent with the show's renaming. News reports had stated that Sirott didn't want to work with new anchor, Tamron Hall
, who had replaced his wife, but Sirott downplayed those rumors in a Chicago Sun-Times article on September 28, 2000. "It's not about Tamron," he told the paper. "It's about changes in the focus and direction of the show." Sirott was removed as co-host with 2½ years remaining on his contract, and he was nominally kept on WFLD's payroll to develop new programming for Fox stations and the company's syndication division. On July 19, 2010, Sirott rejoined WFLD as co-anchor of the 9 p.m. news alongside Robin Robinson
.
From June 2002 to December 2005, Sirott hosted "Chicago Tonight
" on the Chicago PBS
station WTTW
. At WTTW he also hosted the "Friday Night Show." His contract was not renewed in 2005 because of cost cutting.
In early 2006, Sirott rejoined WMAQ
as a weekend anchor joining Anna Davlantes on the weekend 5 and 10 PM broadcasts. He at one time co-anchored the 4:30 PM newscast with Marion Brooks. Most recently, he had co-anchored the 5:00, 6:00 and 10:00 PM newscasts (briefly succeeding the now-retired Warner Saunders
in this capacity) with Allison Rosati and also had been developing new programming for the NBC
owned station. However, on June 11, 2009, Sirott left WMAQ-TV after he and the station were unable to come to financial terms in the wake of Saunders' departure.
On April 12, 2007, Chicago radio station WGN
announced that it was reviving The Noon Show with Sirott as its host. Sirott also hosts The Sunday Night Radio Special with his wife on that station. Sirott was removed from The Noon Show on January 25, 2010.
Sirott is also known for his "One more thing" commentaries in which he muses on various topics, many of which are Chicago related.
Sirott was also seen in a cameo appearance on the FOX Drama Prison Break during its first season as a reporter and as a reporter on FOX Drama The Chicago Code.
-TV until they separated in November 1995. The couple didn't officially divorce, however, until April 1999.
Sirott and newscaster Marianne Murciano
married on June 11, 1999. They have one daughter, and Sirott also has two stepchildren from Murciano. Sirott and Murciano reside in Wilmette, Illinois
.
Sirott is the uncle of Chicago Cubs's pre-game host and fill-in play-by-play man Judd Sirott
.
WFLD
WFLD, virtual channel 32 , is the Fox owned-and-operated television station, based in Chicago, Illinois; through its parent company News Corporation, the station is owned in a duopoly with area MyNetworkTV affiliate WPWR-TV...
-TV in Chicago and is a radio host at WGN-AM.
Early life and education
Sirott grew up in the Albany ParkAlbany Park, Chicago
Albany Park is one of 77 well-defined Chicago, Illinois, community areas on the Northwest Side of the City of Chicago. It includes the Albany Park neighborhood, one of the most ethnically diverse in the United States...
neighborhood on Chicago's North Side, on Ridgeway Avenue. He began working as a page for NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
in Chicago in 1966, while a senior in high school. He then graduated from Theodore Roosevelt High School
Theodore Roosevelt High School (Chicago)
Theodore Roosevelt High School is a public secondary school in the Albany Park neighborhood of Chicago, Illinois. The school began existence in 1922 as William G...
in Chicago in 1967, later earning a bachelor's degree from Columbia College Chicago
Columbia College Chicago
Columbia College Chicago is one of the largest art colleges in the United States with nearly 12,000 students pursuing degrees within 120 undergraduate and graduate programs...
.
Professional career
Sirott began his career in radio as a summer vacation fill-in disc jockey for WBBM-FMWBBM-FM
WBBM-FM, known on air as "B96", is a Rhythmic Contemporary outlet in Chicago, Illinois with a Rhythmic based playlist. The station is owned by CBS Radio and broadcasts at 96.3 MHz with an ERP of 4.2 kW. WBBM's main competition is WKSC-FM "103.5 Kiss FM", as well as urban rivals WGCI-FM &...
in 1971 before moving to WLS (AM)
WLS (AM)
WLS is a Chicago clear-channel AM station on 890 kHz. It uses C-QUAM AM stereo and transmits with 50,000 watts from transmitter and towers on the south edge of Tinley Park, Illinois....
in 1973. He was a top disc jockey at WLS from 1973 until 1980. Sirott shifted to television in 1980, taking a job at WBBM-TV
WBBM-TV
WBBM-TV, virtual channel 2 , is the CBS owned-and-operated television station in Chicago, Illinois. WBBM-TV's main studios and offices are located in The Loop section of Chicago, as part of the development at Block 37, and its transmitter is atop the Willis Tower.-History:WBBM-TV traces its history...
. After five years at WBBM, Sirott took a job with the CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
newsmagazine West 57th
West 57th (TV series)
West 57th was a newsmagazine series which aired on CBS from August 13, 1985, through September 9, 1989. Thought by Don Hewitt to be the younger rival of 60 Minutes, he campaigned internally against the show. West 57th originally premiered as a summer series, and took its name from the New York...
, although the network allowed him to remain based in Chicago.
Sirott left West 57th
West 57th (TV series)
West 57th was a newsmagazine series which aired on CBS from August 13, 1985, through September 9, 1989. Thought by Don Hewitt to be the younger rival of 60 Minutes, he campaigned internally against the show. West 57th originally premiered as a summer series, and took its name from the New York...
in 1988, telling the Chicago Sun-Times in an article that ran on December 22, 1987: "If ('West 57th') were more of a personality-oriented show, and if I had the opportunity to do some live things, I'd be able to withstand it longer. But it's just been too difficult for me to work in this system with 25 different producers and not have hands-on control over my own pieces."
In March 1989, Sirott returned to Chicago's airwaves at WMAQ-TV
WMAQ-TV
WMAQ-TV, channel 5, is an owned-and-operated television station of the NBC Television Network, located in Chicago, Illinois. WMAQ-TV's main studios and offices are located within the NBC Tower in the Streeterville neighborhood, with an auxiliary street-level studio on the Magnificent Mile at 401...
as a noon news anchor and program host; the following year, he launched and was the co-anchor of WMAQ-TV
WMAQ-TV
WMAQ-TV, channel 5, is an owned-and-operated television station of the NBC Television Network, located in Chicago, Illinois. WMAQ-TV's main studios and offices are located within the NBC Tower in the Streeterville neighborhood, with an auxiliary street-level studio on the Magnificent Mile at 401...
's "First Thing in the Morning" along with Allison Rosati
Allison Rosati
- Early life :Rosati was born in Dover, Delaware and grew up in Pine City, Minnesota. She attended Gustavus Adolphus College where she studied speech and communications. She graduated in 1985 and received cum laude....
. After four years at WMAQ, he was fired in July 1993—for the first time in his career—after he and management had a difference of opinion over his and his show's autonomy.
In March 1994, Sirott returned to work, anchoring "Fox Thing in the Morning" on Chicago's FOX
Fox Broadcasting Company
Fox Broadcasting Company, commonly referred to as Fox Network or simply Fox , is an American commercial broadcasting television network owned by Fox Entertainment Group, part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation. Launched on October 9, 1986, Fox was the highest-rated broadcast network in the...
affiliate WFLD
WFLD
WFLD, virtual channel 32 , is the Fox owned-and-operated television station, based in Chicago, Illinois; through its parent company News Corporation, the station is owned in a duopoly with area MyNetworkTV affiliate WPWR-TV...
with his future wife Marianne Murciano
Marianne Murciano
Marianne Murciano co-hosted a morning program called "Fox Thing in the Morning" on Chicago's Fox affiliate from 1993–97, with husband, Bob Sirott. In 2005 Murciano conducted some co-interviews with Sirott for Chicago Tonight.- External links :*...
, until she was moved to another time slot at the station in June 2000. It was ranked high in the Nielsen ratings
Nielsen Ratings
Nielsen ratings are the audience measurement systems developed by Nielsen Media Research, in an effort to determine the audience size and composition of television programming in the United States...
, and fans were taken aback when they learned that the show was unceremoniously cancelled and renamed "Fox News in the Morning." On September 27, 2000, Sirott was bounced as the station's host—concurrent with the show's renaming. News reports had stated that Sirott didn't want to work with new anchor, Tamron Hall
Tamron Hall
Tamron Hall is a day-side anchor for MSNBC and host of the program NewsNation with Tamron Hall.-Early career:...
, who had replaced his wife, but Sirott downplayed those rumors in a Chicago Sun-Times article on September 28, 2000. "It's not about Tamron," he told the paper. "It's about changes in the focus and direction of the show." Sirott was removed as co-host with 2½ years remaining on his contract, and he was nominally kept on WFLD's payroll to develop new programming for Fox stations and the company's syndication division. On July 19, 2010, Sirott rejoined WFLD as co-anchor of the 9 p.m. news alongside Robin Robinson
Robin Robinson
Robin Carolle Robinson , known professionally as Robin Robinson, is a longtime Chicago television news anchor who is currently one of the two principal news anchors at WFLD-TV in Chicago...
.
From June 2002 to December 2005, Sirott hosted "Chicago Tonight
Chicago Tonight
Chicago Tonight is an evening television news program broadcast weeknights on WTTW in Chicago. Chicago Tonight reports primarily on local news and presents features showcasing local artists and events. The show started in 1984 and for 15 years popular Chicago broadcast journalist John Callaway...
" on the Chicago PBS
Public Broadcasting Service
The Public Broadcasting Service is an American non-profit public broadcasting television network with 354 member TV stations in the United States which hold collective ownership. Its headquarters is in Arlington, Virginia....
station WTTW
WTTW
WTTW channel 11 is one of three Public Broadcasting Service member public television stations serving the Chicago, Illinois market; the others are WYCC and WYIN. WTTW began broadcasting on September 6, 1955 and it is owned and operated by Window to the World Communications, Inc., a not-for-profit...
. At WTTW he also hosted the "Friday Night Show." His contract was not renewed in 2005 because of cost cutting.
In early 2006, Sirott rejoined WMAQ
WMAQ-TV
WMAQ-TV, channel 5, is an owned-and-operated television station of the NBC Television Network, located in Chicago, Illinois. WMAQ-TV's main studios and offices are located within the NBC Tower in the Streeterville neighborhood, with an auxiliary street-level studio on the Magnificent Mile at 401...
as a weekend anchor joining Anna Davlantes on the weekend 5 and 10 PM broadcasts. He at one time co-anchored the 4:30 PM newscast with Marion Brooks. Most recently, he had co-anchored the 5:00, 6:00 and 10:00 PM newscasts (briefly succeeding the now-retired Warner Saunders
Warner Saunders
Warner Saunders was the 10 PM co-anchor for WMAQ-TV in Chicago. Saunders' primary co-anchor in the NBC 5 evening newscasts was Allison Rosati. A Chicago native, Saunders holds a bachelors degree from Xavier University and a Masters degree from Northeastern Illinois University...
in this capacity) with Allison Rosati and also had been developing new programming for the NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
owned station. However, on June 11, 2009, Sirott left WMAQ-TV after he and the station were unable to come to financial terms in the wake of Saunders' departure.
On April 12, 2007, Chicago radio station WGN
WGN (AM)
WGN is a radio station in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It is the only radio station owned by the Tribune Company, which also owns the flagship television station WGN-TV, the Chicago Tribune newspaper and Chicago magazine locally. WGN's transmitter is located in Elk Grove Village, Illinois...
announced that it was reviving The Noon Show with Sirott as its host. Sirott also hosts The Sunday Night Radio Special with his wife on that station. Sirott was removed from The Noon Show on January 25, 2010.
Sirott is also known for his "One more thing" commentaries in which he muses on various topics, many of which are Chicago related.
Sirott was also seen in a cameo appearance on the FOX Drama Prison Break during its first season as a reporter and as a reporter on FOX Drama The Chicago Code.
Personal
Sirott's first wife, Carrie Cochran, was a news anchor at WBBM-TV at the time he worked there. Sirott and Cochran married on November 7, 1981. They worked together at WFLDWFLD
WFLD, virtual channel 32 , is the Fox owned-and-operated television station, based in Chicago, Illinois; through its parent company News Corporation, the station is owned in a duopoly with area MyNetworkTV affiliate WPWR-TV...
-TV until they separated in November 1995. The couple didn't officially divorce, however, until April 1999.
Sirott and newscaster Marianne Murciano
Marianne Murciano
Marianne Murciano co-hosted a morning program called "Fox Thing in the Morning" on Chicago's Fox affiliate from 1993–97, with husband, Bob Sirott. In 2005 Murciano conducted some co-interviews with Sirott for Chicago Tonight.- External links :*...
married on June 11, 1999. They have one daughter, and Sirott also has two stepchildren from Murciano. Sirott and Murciano reside in Wilmette, Illinois
Wilmette, Illinois
Wilmette is a village in New Trier Township, Cook County, Illinois, United States. It is located north of Chicago's downtown district and has a population of 27,651. Wilmette is considered a bedroom community in the North Shore district...
.
Sirott is the uncle of Chicago Cubs's pre-game host and fill-in play-by-play man Judd Sirott
Judd Sirott
Judd Kevin Sirott is an American sportscaster on WGN 's coverage of the Chicago Cubs and Chicago Blackhawks. On Cubs broadcasts he does color commentary during the 5th inning, provides scores on other games throughout the broadcast, and hosts pregame and postgame shows...
.