We have some big updates from the fringes of the OMW coverage area, but let’s start in Cleveland first…
THE MOSSMAN AND REBECCA SHOW?: We didn’t see it, so we don’t know what Local TV Fox affiliate WJW/8 “Fox 8” is calling the temporary replacement for “The Robin Swoboda Show”, taking the 10 AM weekday time slot after the sudden departure of that show’s namesake host on Friday.
But we’re told that indeed, Fox 8 entertainment reporter David “Mossman” Moss was in the former “RS” studio (without the “RS” graphics), alongside former CBS Radio hot AC WQAL/104.1 “Q104” morning co-host Rebecca Wilde, no stranger to South Marginal.
As we’ve noted many times, this would appear to be temporary, depending on what WJW does with incoming weather anchor Kristi Capel – who, as noted in her former home market’s newspaper, is slated to be a part of a new midday “entertainment show” that presumably will take the former Swoboda slot.
That show, as noted by Robin herself in a recent newspaper interview, will have more “advertorial” content…
THE REALLY BIG AFTERNOON DRIVE SHOW?: We have nothing new to report about persistent rumors that Good Karma sports WKNR/850 “ESPN 850″‘s mid-morning host Tony Rizzo is moving his “Really Big Show” to a Really Big Battle with Clear Channel talk WTAM/1100’s established Mike Trivisonno.
But we just wanted to clarify…right now, we are NOT reporting that such a move is likely to happen.
We should point out that we have heard exactly ZERO rumblings from within The Galleria that Rizzo, Aaron Goldhammer, Chris “Negative Ned” Fedor et al. are actually moving to afternoon drive.
Nothing. Zero.
That doesn’t mean it isn’t happening. It just means we haven’t heard it from inside the building, and only the Facebook status update/tweet by Trivisonno or his staff prompted us to talk about it here.
We’re still betting it came directly from Triv himself, complete with all upper case letters. Triv pointed out Monday afternoon that he “doesn’t do” Twitter, but show staffers reminded him that his Facebook status updates are automatically copied to the TheTrivShow Twitter account…
BIG SALES: What has to be the biggest radio station deal since before the recent recession was announced today.
And if your question is “who has $505 million cash to buy radio stations”, your answer is Hubbard Broadcasting.
The Minnesota-based family owned company announced it was buying a number of Bonneville’s clusters, including all four of the company’s Cincinnati based stations, for that price…a total of 17 stations. Bonneville is normally tabbed as a company that actually has money to buy stations, not as a seller.
The company, a commercial arm of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (the Mormons), will hang onto stations in its Salt Lake City home base, as well as markets including Los Angeles and Seattle. It’s selling off in Washington DC, where it owns dominant all-news FM WTOP/103.5.
The sale doesn’t affect Northeast Ohio…we only bring it up here to benchmark station sale prices.
The other big sale in the Cincinnati market, covered by Jeremy Moses’ Tri-State Media Watch, has at least a minor effect on Northeast Ohio.
Northern Kentucky University’s WNKU/89.7, a AAA-formatted public radio outlet that rimshots Cincinnati from the south, is expanding somewhat…purchasing 100 kW powerhouse WPAY/104.1 Portsmouth and co-owned WPFB/105.9 and WPFB(AM)/910 in Middletown to form a new regional network.
Like EMF Broadcasting, the “K-Love” owner that was only interested in Youngstown rimshot WEXC/107.1 Greenville PA and not its AM sisters (WGRP/940 Greenville PA and WLOA/1470 Farrell PA), WNKU says it’ll sell off WPFB’s AM side, along with its own existing translator at 94.5 near the northern Cincinnati suburb of Fairfield.
That’s according to an article by Cincinnati Enquirer media guru John Kiesewetter.
The Northeast Ohio connection?
WPFB/910 has carried the “Ohio Hayride” program, a seasonal classic country music concert series spearheaded by Chris Lash…the owner of two Youngstown market stations, classic hits WANR/1570 Warren “The Blizzard”, and classic country WYCL/1540 Niles “The Farm”. Lash carries his own “Hayride” on WYCL, as well.
Lash’s Whiplash Radio has already sniffed around other stations. He made an offer to buy WZUM/1590 Carnegie PA in the Pittsburgh market, before local officials ordered the station’s bankrupt former owners to tear down the station’s broadcast towers.
And Lash has ties to Southwest Ohio, where he still operates non-comm WYNS/89.3 Waynesville “Hybrid FM” – albeit mostly remotely from his new home in suburban Pittsburgh, his hometown.
We don’t know if he’s interested in picking up WPFB’s AM side, but we’ll keep an eye on it…
It would definitely not surprise me if Mr. Lash did pick up WPFB-AM. I have to believe since he already owns WYNS, it also wouldn’t be a surprise if he picked up the translator in Port Union to rebroadcast WYNS.
Another possibility to kick around: Could NKU flip WPFB-AM back to the previous owner, a la Clear Channel with WJER-AM/FM a few years ago up your way? Remember back then, CC was only interested in the FM to move it to North Canton and it flipped the AM back to the previous owner.