It started in 2007 when the Jimmy Fallon-looking Rob Elgas, the America Ferrera-looking Zoraida Sambolin, weatherman Andy Avalos & traffic guy Matt "The Dancing Fool" Rodewald started NBC5's local version of the "Today Show" when many are still sleeping.

A couple weeks ago, WGN's CW9 announced plans to start its "WGN Morning News" at that half hour with traffic gal Valerie Warner & meteorologist Paul Konrad delivering that station's first news of the day. That won't start until August 16th.

Come Monday, the undisputed leader in local news, ABC7 will start its own "News This Morning" and FOX32's new look "Good Day Chicago" will start at this time. The time I'm referring is 4:30a. You read it right, folks. With the exception of CBS2's low-rated disaster that is "Monsters & Money in the Morning", every local owned & operated station will be starting their local news before the crack of dawn. News directors at these outlets will tell you that starting their local news at 4:30a weekday mornings are the result of their audiences evolving and that viewers are getting news from other sources. I don't know about you, but I'm not so sure it's a smart idea to start news at an hour where I'm still trying to sleep...

When will I get to watch my Andy Griffith show reruns now?

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It should still be on at 4

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Who is this Dawn, why is she up so early, and why isn't she FACING the television set?

Are you referring to Dawn Hasbrouck, Harry? FOX32 hired her in back in February after anchoring news in Boston. At the time of her hiring, Nancy Loo, who had been anchoring the 12Noon news with Patrick Elwood, kinda felt the writing on the wall that she was expendable in the opinion of her FOX bosses. Ms. Loo was indeed expendable, and her contract wasn't renewed. Nancy has since resurfaced...as a free-lance reporter on WGN's CW9 on their "Morning News".