As we expected and hinted about on Twitter on Tuesday, Good Karma sports WKNR/850 Cleveland “ESPN 850″‘s “major programming announcement” is not about changes to the station’s highest profile shows or their hours, or a new signal.
The station is launching a new daily official Cleveland Browns show, “Cleveland Browns Daily”, weekdays 6-7 PM year-round.
The show’s host, veteran NFL journalist Vic Carucci, will be a Cleveland Browns team employee. It appears from the announcement that the team will produce the show for airing on WKNR.
As we assumed, the announcement of the team-sponsored show does NOT include anything any change in the Browns play-by-rights, which are cemented at Oak Tree (Clear Channel rock/talk WMMS/100.7 and talk WTAM/1100) for some time to come.
Here’s the scoop, courtesy of a Cleveland Browns press release:
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BROWNS TO LAUNCH DAILY RADIO SHOW ON ESPN 850 WKNR; VIC CARUCCI JOINS BROWNS STAFF AND WILL SERVE AS HOST
Browns fans in Cleveland and around the world will get fresh and extended insights into their favorite team starting later this summer. The club announced today that it will launch a daily radio show, devoted entirely to the team and the NFL, called “Cleveland Browns Daily.” The show will air on ESPN 850 WKNR, Monday through Friday from 6:00 – 7:00 p.m., 52 weeks a year. In addition, the show will be streamed live on ClevelandBrowns.com and ESPNCleveland.com.
Joining the Browns’ staff as the show’s host is long-time NFL journalist Vic Carucci, who will serve as the club’s Senior Editor. In this role he will appear regularly as a part of other team media platforms and contribute analysis on ClevelandBrowns.com. Carucci, one of the most respected media members covering the NFL, re-joins the Browns after serving with the team in 2005.
The show will offer fans comprehensive coverage and analysis of the Browns both on and off the field, in addition to the NFL. Regular contributors to “Cleveland Browns Daily” will include the voice of the Browns, Jim Donovan, radio analyst Doug Dieken and sideline reporter Jamir Howerton. Guests will consist of members of the Browns front office, alumni and various personalities from the football industry.
“Cleveland Browns fans are among the most passionate in the NFL, and we are very excited about the opportunity to provide them with a year-round radio forum on WKNR,” said Browns President Mike Holmgren. “Vic’s knowledge of the game and the league make him a perfect fit to host this show. With ‘Cleveland Browns Daily,’ Browns fans will be able to get insights on a regular basis from Vic, in addition to our radio team of Jim, Doug and Jamir, as well as other special guests.”
Good Karma Broadcasting President/CEO Craig Karmazin said, “Our fans have told us that nothing is more important to them than the Cleveland Browns. We are excited to be bringing them the best access and information on the team directly from the source.”
“This is an incredibly exciting opportunity,” Carucci said. “You’re talking about a franchise with such a rich history and some of the most passionate fans in all of sports. The radio show is an ideal platform to interact with them on a daily basis. The other very attractive part of this job is being able to work with one of the true legends of the game in Mike Holmgren and with the highly talented front-office team that he has put together. Everything about this organization is first class.”
Carucci began his journalism career covering the Philadelphia Eagles for the Courier-Post in Camden, N.J. From there, he moved on to the Buffalo News where he handled the Bills beat for the paper. Most recently he served as a columnist for NFL.com. He also hosts a Saturday show on SiriusXM Radio (11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m., ET), which he will continue. A graduate of Utica College, Carucci has authored several books, including “Sunday Morning Quarterback: Going Deep on The Strategies, Myths and Mayhem of Football” (2004, with Phil Simms) and “Do You Love Football?! Winning with Heart, Passion & Not Much Sleep” (2003, with Jon Gruden). He is a past president of the Pro Football Writers of America and has served on the selection committee for the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Vic and his wife, Rhonda, have two daughters, Kristen and Lindsay, and a son-in-law, Larry.
Not to be mean, but as soon as Jamir Howerton comes on a segment, I will be changing the channel. That was a huge blunder by the Browns to replace Andre Knott with in house Howerton as sideline reporter. He basically provides nothing. Andre was light years better. (Just my opinion).