Whew!
OMW may have been on hiatus, but things just don’t stop happening in the world of radio and TV while we leave the keyboard. We’ll catch up with a few short items first, then have some more later:
CASEY’S RETURN: We did get a chance to catch WTAM/1100 sportscaster Casey Coleman doing some play-by-play on a recent SportsTime Ohio afternoon Indians game, and we were thrilled.
We also note that Casey’s told Browns Radio Network play-by-play voice and WKYC/3 sports director Jim Donovan that he hopes to return to the sidelines for Browns radio broadcasts this fall. We hope that’s medically possible for him…and wouldn’t it be interesting if the Browns started winning football games with Casey working on the sidelines? OK, so we’re asking too much…but we can dream.
By the way, don’t forget the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network’s “5th Annual Cleveland Walk For Hope”, Saturday, June 24th at 8:30 AM. Details are on WTAM’s Wills and Coleman page…
LEAVING ‘JER: Long-time WJER/101.7 Dover-New Philadelphia personality Steve Kelly has left the in-limbo station, and takes the afternoon slot at AC WSNY/94.7 “Sunny 95” in Columbus.
OMW has received a couple of inquiries about this – wondering if Kelly’s departure from WJER means that the FM station’s move up to North Canton is going to happen sooner rather than later. We see no evidence of that at this time…for one, A) WJER-FM’s construction permit application for the move has not yet hit the FCC database, and B) Clear Channel will likely not make any moves until the 101.7 signal is no longer based in Tuscarawas County (or is very soon to move). But we could be wrong…
IT’S A GAS STATION, MAN: As OMW expected, the noise out of Clear Channel talk WTVN/610 Columbus was not about the takeover of another radio station, but about a promotion at a gas station. So much for the rampant speculation of the final move of a Marion Clear Channel station to a 106.7 allocation in the Columbus market…
CW’ING IT: Cincinnati CBS-TV affiliate WKRC/12 has launched a web page for its upcoming CW Network digital TV affiliate. It’s asking WB and UPN fans to contact local cable systems and satellite operators to urge them to carry the station on an “analog channel on the basic tier”. Meanwhile, on the My Network TV side, we haven’t yet heard an official announcement from Youngstown ABC affiliate WYTV/33 on its expected addition of a digital subchannel for that new network…
NEW TRIBE OUTLET: We don’t know how we missed it, but a Buffalo market station has picked up the Cleveland Indians’ over-air TV games originated from Cleveland NBC affiliate WKYC/3. It’s WNGS/67 Springville NY, a suburban Buffalo independent station running Equity TV’s “RetroTV” feed of classic TV shows. WNGS is now operated by Granite’s ABC affiliate in the market, WKBW/7. It’s the former UPN affiliate in the Buffalo market…
WHK TRIBUTE SITE: Thanks to long-time OMW reader Johnny Morgan for the tip on this one – a true treasure for anyone interested in Cleveland top 40 radio history. WHKColorChannel14.com is chock full of memories of WHK/1420’s days as a popular music stations, including so many sound clips we lost track. OMW highly recommends a visit.
It’s the second such tribute site to a Cleveland AM music giant of the past – WIXY1260.com is also out there, and is also excellent for those who remember the days when big music hits were heard on the AM dial. WHK, of course, is today’s Salem-run news/talk station, and WIXY eventually ended up as local Radio Disney outlet WWMK…
MUSIC CITY PROMOTION: And a tip of the hat to a long-time (and we mean long-time) Friend of OMW on his new job. Cumulus Youngstown staff engineer Gary Zocolo has scooted off to Nashville, where he’s been promoted to a new position as chief engineer for the Cumulus stations in the Music City. Congratulations!
“Gary Z” goes way back with your Primary Editorial Voice…he’s one of two human beings on the planet who have voiced an “hour opener” for us. The other is veteran WWSW/94.5 Pittsburgh morning host and imaging voice legend Jim Merkel…
More later. Thanks for hanging in there in our absence!
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