Ever notice that some days in news about media are just volatile? This is one of those days.
CINCINNATI CHANGES: It’s been more than one of those days in Ohio’s Queen City, with even MORE changes than expected on – and off – the local radio dial.
Cincinnati Enquirer radio/TV guru John Kiesewetter sums it up best in his latest blog entry.
Here’s your lineup of Apple Cart Tipping in the Cincinnati radio market:
* Entercom and Cumulus swap two FM stations. Country WYGY/94.9 “Star” moves over to Entercom, which sends oldies WGRR/103.5 to Cumulus.
The move reunites country stations WYGY and WUBE/105.1 “B105”, only this time with the name “Entercom” on the front door.
Note, of course, that until recently this would have been a CBS/Susquehanna swap. But Cumulus took over the old Susquehanna stations, and Entercom is in the process of doing so with CBS Radio’s Cincinnati properties.
* Entercom doesn’t technically have the keys to the CBS Radio stations in Cincy, but they’re calling some personnel shots already.
Five staffers at alt-rocker WAQZ/97.3 have been let go, apparently under the direction of the incoming management. The station’s music director, afternoon drive personality, midday personality, promotions director and morning show producer are out.
Unlike the Rumors from Every Corner that Wilks Broadcasting plans major budget-related cuts at its acquisitions in Columbus, this would appear to foreshadow a format change for WAQZ.
The Entercom/CBS deal in Cincinnati and other markets has cleared the Federal Trade Commission, but still needs to go through FCC approval.
* Kiesewetter also reports that “The Twilight Zone” is airing on the former home of country WYGY, 96.5, in preparation for the previously reported talk format.
We’re pretty sure that’s it for Cincinnati’s radio changes today, though we could have missed something…
CANTON’S NEWS: This one isn’t related to radio/TV, but since we’ve touched on changes at the Akron Beacon Journal…here’s your bombshell just south on 77.
Copley Ohio Newspapers, the local arm of the Copley newspaper chain, is being put up for sale.
The papers being sold include the venerable Canton Repository, its sister papers the Massillon Independent and Dover/New Philadelphia’s Times-Reporter, plus the weekly Suburbanite based in Summit County’s Green.
From that story in the Repository, it looks like Copley could eventually sell everything but its big city jewel, the San Diego Union-Tribune.
And we’re guessing that the Copley Ohio folks (not to be confused with the Akron suburb) are hoping that a certain new owner of the Akron Beacon Journal isn’t interested in taking over, given the newsroom bloodbath that took place on East Exchange Street a while back…
NOD TO OMW: Speaking of a Copley newspaper, OMW hears that we were invoked in the aforementioned Times-Reporter today.
May we quote a reference to ourselves? Certainly:
Work continues on the site at Canton that eventually will be the antenna tower for the move of WJER-FM 101.7 from Dover.
According to a filing with the Federal Communications Commission, the new 6KW station will be based off 22nd St. NW and Whipple Ave. at Canton. The new WRQK/106.9 tower also will include the antenna for 101.7.
It appears that the tree clearing work prior to winter is complete, according to information on the Ohio Media Watch blog.
That reminds us. We’re due for another trip down to Whipple Avenue and 22nd Street soon.
And our nod back to Times-Reporter business editor Lee Morrison, who we know has been reading our work in one form or another for some time, and who we assume is the uncredited writer behind this article in the T-R’s business section.
Anything we can do to help…
Speak Your Mind