UPDATED: JBTV Makes Changes, Adds More RM. (As in Ryan Manno.)

By Karl Klockars in Arts & Entertainment on Jan 12, 2010 10:00PM

Chicago cable TV stalwart Jerry Bryant will be dialing back redefining his hosting duties as JBTV moves into its 25th year. Bryant released the news today [.pdf] via Twitter and on his Facebook page that the show will be expanding its format and adding a new host - Q101 jock Ryan Manno. Calling it the "new era of JBTV," Manno will be co-hosting the new format and "hosting and bringing unprecedented interview access to the biggest names in modern rock."

While we love the show and Jerry is a FOC, there are a few questions that remain. JBTV has been notoriously underfunded for a long time, so has a new revenue stream emerged to hire Manno as well as the new general manager of the show, Christian Picciolini of Sinister Muse Records? What exactly does "expanded format" mean? And will the name of the show stay the same? We've reached out to the JBTV team to track down some answers, but we do know one thing - Bryant will still be at the heart of the JBTV process.

UPDATE: Christian Picciolini has filled us in on some of the above questions, and the planned expansion is bigger than they've let on. Piccolini tells us that the expanded format includes plans to "incorporate more programming" and develop into a 24-hour network, and Manno will be hosting his own program.

JBTV will remain the program of the same name, and as for the funding question, Picciolini responds: "For 25 years JBTV has never had a sponsor nor an advertiser. It has been independent for most of those 25 years and for right now it will continue to be. However, we have always and will always welcome great partners that make sense."