We're just picking up random items here in midweek, with mostly a TV theme...THE CLEVELAND (NON-)EMBARGO: As it turned out, in the end, nothing apparently happened.But there was a lot of behind the scenes intrigue in the past couple of days about a story "you saw first on 19 Action News at 10 on My43 WUAB" on Monday night's show.We hear that the 10 PM show that night on the MyNetwork TV outlet told viewers that the Cleveland Clinic's face transplant patient would make an appearance in front of … [Read more...]
Regrouping On Monday
Posted on May 4, 2009 · Leave a Comment
We're back for a Monday morning update, with some new stuff, and not one direct mention of Something Else that's been kicking around the local media world recently. But this update appears to be All About Clear Channel...like most of last week...A CLEVELAND VALENTINE: OMW reported last week that Los Angeles-based Sean Valentine, he of the one-named "Valentine in the Morning", would be once again expanding his empire to Cleveland.The hot AC KBIG/104.3 "My 104.3" host's syndicated offering was … [Read more...]
Time Warner Cable HD Express Unscheduled Stop
Posted on April 30, 2009 · Leave a Comment
In a well-planned and deliberate effort to add 30 new HDTV channels for its Northeast Ohio customers, Time Warner Cable's HDTV Express has to make an unscheduled stop.The next group of seven new HD channels to be offered in the TWC NEO footprint did not meet an intended April 29th launch on Wednesday, and we don't have any indication when that group of channels will launch.But OMW hears that the company is still working on the second wave of new HD channels, and will let us know when the new … [Read more...]
Picking Up Some Pieces
Posted on April 30, 2009 · Leave a Comment
...pieces involving more fallout from Clear Channel's latest doings, cable TV and more...but we have to get the umbrella first...MORE LAYOFF FALLOUT: OMW hears that in the wake of the involuntary departure of long-time Clear Channel talk WTAM/1100 producer/sidekicks Marty Allen and Paul Rado, the station has officially announced changes in staff involving afternoon host Mike Trivisonno's show.Long-time WTAM board operator Kurt McLaughlin ("Dirty Kurt") has been named full-time technical … [Read more...]
Time Warner Cable Gets The Flu
Posted on April 29, 2009 · Leave a Comment
With growing worldwide attention to the swine flu situation, Time Warner Cable's "Northeast Ohio Network" (NEON) is offering up a special local program on the topic this week.And OMW readers may be interested in who's hosting it.From a TWC press release:-----Medical Special About Swine Flu to Air on Time Warner Cable’s Northeast Ohio Network (NEON)Cleveland Clinic Expert Dr. Thomas Tallman to Discuss Local and National Aspects of the Disease Akron, OH (APRIL 2009) – With the swine flu outbreak … [Read more...]
Local News And Premium Choice
Posted on April 29, 2009 · Leave a Comment
Isn't branding a wonderful thing?"Local news" is a brand, really. Radio stations that still offer news on a local basis hammer that into listeners' brains. "DEPEND on us for LOCAL news!" "We're your LOCAL NEWS SOURCE!"The reality is somewhat different in 2009.For many stations which once had a, well, "local" newsroom...the "source" is often an anchor in a newsroom anywhere from 25 to a few hundred miles away, trying to sound like they know the area they're serving via computer file … [Read more...]
CC Cuts: Lima
Posted on April 29, 2009 · Leave a Comment
OMW has now confirmed Clear Channel's job cuts in its Lima cluster:"DJ OL SKOOL", program director, rhythmic top 40 WLWD/93.9 "Wild 93-9"Eric Michaels, program director, rock WZRX/107.5 "X-107.5"John Bell, business managerEd Douglas, operations managerRuss Ryder, imaging director/music director, country WIMT/102.1-rhythmic top 40 WLWD/93.9-country WCKY/103.7, nights, WCKYFrank Barber, news anchor, talk WIMA/1150 … [Read more...]
Clear Channel Cuts Aftermath, Second Time Around
Posted on April 29, 2009 · Leave a Comment
As with the last time radio giant Clear Channel cut large numbers of employees in a one day sweep, we're still dealing with the aftermath in day two.First, the big picture, courtesy of our friends at AllAccess:-----CLEAR CHANNEL has announced another major wave of staff reductions resulting in the loss of 590 positions, just over 3% of the company, focusing on positions in programming, on-air, engineering, information technology and business office posts such as accounting and customer … [Read more...]
The CC Ohio Cut List, As We Know It
Posted on April 28, 2009 · Leave a Comment
UPDATE: This list will be updated as new names come in...-----------The following is a list of all the Clear Channel employees we know to have been cut this week in Ohio.There are some new names on the list, that we haven't yet reported, and still some unconfirmed names.For the most part, this list contains names on-air or programming department employees laid off at the company's stations starting Monday.It's our belief that each cluster lost at least one or two off-air employees. If we know … [Read more...]
CC Cuts: Akron/Canton and Youngstown Updates
Posted on April 28, 2009 · Leave a Comment
Even our short hiatuses go interrupted! Heh.But we have come up with some more information regarding Clear Channel markets we hadn't heard about yet, and felt the need to put these items up...AKRON/CANTON: OMW hears that Clear Channel's Akron/Canton cluster on Freedom Avenue has lost four staffers:Amy Malone, morning co-host at AC WHOF/101.7 "My 101.7"Megan, 7-midnight personality on rock WRQK/106.9 "Rock 106-9"/afternoon traffic reporterProduction staffer Chad JensenEngineer Bruce … [Read more...]
