As usual, the busiest times in the life of your Primary Editorial Voice(tm) roughly coincide with the busiest times in local media news, and the past few days are no exception…
NEW RESERVE SQUARE LEADER: We’ve written words and words and more words about now-retired Raycom Media CBS/MyNet affiliate WOIO/19-WUAB/43 VP/general manager Bill Applegate.
Will his successor have such a high profile?
Incoming at Reserve Square is Dominic Mancuso, who has been leading Sinclair’s stations in Nashville – Fox affiliate WZTV, MyNet affiliate WUXP and CW affiliate WNAB – for four years.
A release actually found its way directly to us from Reserve Square (see, they can find us!), noting that like his predecessor, Mancuso has major market background:
Prior to Nashville, Mr. Mancuso was Vice President Of Programming and Promotions for WFLD / WPWR in Chicago, Illinois. Before that, he held the positions of Account Executive, National Sales Manager, Local Sales Manager, Director of Sales, and Station Manager for Tribune Broadcasting’s WGN in Chicago. He brings a very successful background in all facets of station operations and revenue development.
Bill Applegate also worked in Chicago at CBS O&O WBBM/2 (more on that station later).
The release also quotes WOIO/WUAB’s new hire:
“It’s an honor and a privilege to be chosen to head WOIO/WUAB in Cleveland; Raycom’s largest market. I look forward to working with the staff and continuing the growth of operations.”
Will Mancuso continue Applegate’s branding for the station’s newsroom, “19 Action News”?
As we told our social media followers, don’t expect changes to be automatic.
And as we noted, “Action News” in 2014 is a different animal…with the addition of market veteran Romona Robinson, and a dialing back from the days where criminal suspects were routinely called “creeps” and “scum”…
SPEAKING OF WBBM: Bill Applegate’s former Chicago newsroom has hired a Cleveland news person.
She’s Erin Kennedy, who has been co-anchoring mornings at Gannett NBC affiliate WKYC/3.
Heads up first came from Chicago media reporting guru Robert Feder, who noted some wording in an official statement on Kennedy’s hiring as morning co-anchor at CBS O&O WBBM/2:
“Erin is an exceptional broadcaster,” (WBBM VP/news director Jeff) Kiernan said. “She’s an experienced news anchor and reporter who will bring an intelligence and warmth to morning news in Chicago.”
“I’m excited to be a part of a community as diverse as Chicago,” Kennedy said. “I learned the business and practice of journalism in the Midwest, beginning at Notre Dame, and my goal has always been to return here to tell the stories that make the people of these communities great.”
AND ANOTHER ONE OUT THE CLEVELAND DOOR: We already knew that anchor/reporter Elisa Amigo was leaving Tribune Fox affiliate WJW/8’s “Fox 8 News”, but now, we know where she’s going.
She’s heading to San Antonio, where she’ll be the 9 PM co-anchor at Sinclair Fox affiliate KABB/29 “Fox 29”.
From a story on her new station’s website:
Elisa joins the award winning Fox 29 team from WJW in Cleveland, where she spent seven years as a news anchor and reporter.
“The addition of Elisa to our FOX team is very exciting,” said KABB General Manager Dean Radla. “As a journalist, she’s a real pro but most importantly, I feel our viewers will find her very personable and genuine, as well as a great on-air partner for Michael Valdes.”
And Amigo, despite a new opportunity in a vibrant market, will still miss Cleveland, as she says in this tweet:
CLE viewers are the best! I'm headed back in a few weeks for my brothers wedding – can't cut the ties to the #216
ALL CLEAR: Elisa’s “Fox 8 News” co-anchor, OMW reader Mark Zinni, got some good health news.
From the station’s website:
Our own Mark Zinni had his final post-thyroid cancer body scan Friday and it’s ‘all clear.’
Almost three months after having his thyroid removed, Mark recently underwent his first body scan after being put on a strict low-iodine diet.
Mark had to be on the diet because thyroid tissue responds to iodine in the body.
Mark says that “there is very little thyroid tissue remaining” in his neck, pleasing both him and his doctors.
Our very sincere good wishes to the “Fox 8 News” weekend anchor/reporter, not just because he’s a long-time admitted OMW reader…
JOHNNY FOOTBALL: It’s a media craze that hasn’t been seen here since a certain Akron basketball star signed up with the local team a few years ago.
On his driver’s license and the roster, he’s Johnny Manziel, but to the world and the world of media hype, he’s “Johnny Football”…and last week in the NFL draft, he became a (still to be signed) Cleveland Brown.
We’re not new to national sports media hype here (see above), but the quarterback’s presence in Berea threatens to break all sorts of records.
Sports reporters from around the country descended Friday on the team’s practice facility…and that was just for Manziel’s first appearance in Cleveland.
The team’s first pick, Oklahoma State defensive star Justin Gilbert, seems destined to become the answer to a trivia question.
The hype certainly wasn’t muted coming from local media outlets, with radio and TV alike carrying that press conference with Manziel and the aforementioned Other Guy.
Both Cleveland sports radio stations, which have already featured “what if” scenarios regarding Manziel coming to Cleveland for weeks, went into overdrive…with late night coverage on the first day of the draft.
Expect a lot of “Johnny Football” talk from CBS Radio sports WKRK/92.3 “The Fan” and Good Karma sports WKNR/850 “ESPN Cleveland” over the next few months and beyond.
Or is that “ESPN Johnny Cleveland”?
WKNR announced that it would change its on-air name (presumably temporarily) to just that.
The station even registered the “espnjohnnycleveland.com” domain, which redirects to the station’s main website…though on-air references to the name faded after Friday…
STAR TO BE BORN: As of this writing, the newest Youngstown market radio station is supposed to start.
It’s “Star 93.7”, an urban contemporary station broadcasting from two signals: WGFT/1330 Campbell and FM translator W232AI/93.7 Niles, which gives it its name.
Star head honcho Skip Bednarczyk told the Youngstown Vindicator over the weekend that “Star 93.7” would debut Monday morning at 10, with continuous music until the station adds Reach Media’s Steve Harvey for morning drive and Premiere’s Keith Sweat for nights.
In between, Bednarczyk says the station will broadcast “live from the studio” in middays.
For those who were expecting a repeat of urban WRBP/101.9 “Jamz 101.9”, Skip says 93.7 will be different in its music playlists:
“It’s so much different than JAMZ,” said Bednarczyk. “You will hear Earth, Wind and Fire, KC and the Sunshine Band, Michael Jackson, Luther Vandross, Barry White. … It will be a variety of hits and old-school music, with a much broader appeal than JAMZ. You’ll hear these songs and say, ‘I remember that one.’”
Unlike JAMZ, the new station will not play hip-hop or rap music.
Bednarczyk, of course, was the local market manager for 101.9’s owner, Bernard Media.
He, and his wife Helen, filed back in February to buy WGFT and sister daytimer WASN/1500 from Bernard Ohio under the company name Y-Town Radio Broadcasting, LLC.
Both AM stations have been silent, and it’s been reported that WASN is likely to remain off the air.
The 93.7 translator, which will pump out 200 watts from the WKBN-TV tower in Boardman, is owned by Helen Bednarczyk.
As of this writing, we have no confirmation from the Youngstown market that either 1330 or 93.7 made their planned start time. The OMW World Headquarters(tm) is way outside the broadcast area of either station.
But on what appears to be the station’s Facebook page (where we got its new logo), it’s posted:
Welcome to the facebook page of 93.7 Star!
Youngstown / Warren
Playing a better variety of hits & old school music!
We will be posting the website information soon for those of you who would like to listen from your internet!
Tune- in Now on your radio dial@ 93.7 FM
I’ve always thought it’s always been unintentionally hilarious when bad toupee-wearing and 10 pounds of Maybelline-coated TelePrompter jockeys call the bad guys a “guy” and “creeps” and “scum.” I’ve especially wondered if the people saying it know they’re being complete unprofessional idiots and total jokes, or if they say it knowing they’re pandering to moronic viewers and have a wink in their eye during the commercial breaks.
Good…Maybe now that Mr. Mancuso will be the new gm perhaps he will make sure those of us left behind from the conversion from analog to digital will someday be able to actually get Channel 19. What I don’t understand is that Channel 19 has all the good programming and not Channel 43 – which I receive. And it’s not just a small portion who don’t receive – it’s rather large.