Just some stuff to occupy our weekend:DR. LAURA'S RETURN: We don't know how we missed this, but former Premiere syndicated host Dr. Laura Schlessinger has been making her way back onto major market stations as of late.Dr. Laura's show disappeared from the dial a year or two ago in virtually all major Ohio markets, mostly a result of lesser interest in the show by Premiere - the syndicator owned by Clear Channel.The show left a number of Clear Channel stations, in Cleveland, Columbus and … [Read more...]
Jim Somich
Posted on February 24, 2007 · Leave a Comment
His name has been associated with engineering in both New York and Los Angeles, at huge, legendary stations like top 40 WHTZ "Z100", KFI/640 and rocker KMET.But for Northeast Ohioans with any engineering background or interest, Jim Somich is known for his stints at WMMS/100.7, WHK/1420 and the old WJW/850. OMW hears that Somich has died at the age of 65.Somich's career did not just include tending to transmitters and tower sites.He also worked in television, designing a number of stations for … [Read more...]
WKNR Part 2
Posted on February 23, 2007 · Leave a Comment
The other shoe has dropped in the "WKNR Makeover Sweepstakes".As expected, as rumored, WJW/8 "FOX 8" lead sports anchor Tony Rizzo will make his return to regular sports talk radio Monday, as host of "Rizzo on the Radio" on the newly-rechristened "ESPN 850 WKNR".Rizzo guested at 4 PM with the sports station's afternoon drive host, Kenny Roda. He told Roda that he and producer Aaron Goldhammer will "let the show evolve" in the weeks after it starts airing, and see what kind of features and such … [Read more...]
WKNR Part One
Posted on February 23, 2007 · Leave a Comment
Yes, we've heard.And not just on the air...OMW has received an official press release from Good Karma sports talk WKNR/850 on the first announcement in a series of two, about upcoming changes at the station.850's branding changes on Monday, as WKNR becomes "ESPN 850 WKNR". And for good reason, for the station's schedule changes include the return Monday of ESPN Radio morning team "Mike and Mike", featuring Cleveland native Mike Golic and co-host Mike Greenberg.The WKNR press release quotes … [Read more...]
A ‘KNR Preview
Posted on February 23, 2007 · Leave a Comment
As reported here earlier, WKNR/850 owner Craig Karmazin is expected to take to the airwaves of his Cleveland sports station today to announce a new on-air lineup - scheduled to begin Monday.We have a little more information. A little.OMW hears that there are "at least two major lineup changes" starting Monday on WKNR. We also hear that there is no expected job loss as a result of such changes.And further, the moving of the chess pieces on 850 may also have an impact on Good Karma sister sports … [Read more...]
While Waiting For A Sports Radio Overhaul
Posted on February 21, 2007 · Leave a Comment
Some other stuff not related to impending changes in Good Karma Land...well, mostly not related...MILLER REPLACEMENT TIME: WEWS/5 sports director Chris Miller is now under a week away from his departure from the Cleveland ABC affiliate, bound for Washington DC's Comcast SportsNet regional sports channel. His last day is February 28th.We hear that Miller and CSN's Tony Burke (an ex-WEWSer) go back a long time, and that the presence of the offer from DC didn't result in a counter offer from the … [Read more...]
WKNR Changes Afoot
Posted on February 21, 2007 · Leave a Comment
OMW has confirmed that long-rumored changes are about to come to the on-air lineup of Good Karma sports talk WKNR/850.The Cleveland sports outlet has been the subject of many rumors and much speculation since Good Karma boss Craig Karmazin announced he was buying the station, a transaction which recently closed. Karmazin also owns sister sports outlet WWGK/1540 "Cleveland's ESPN Radio 1540".We don't have many details.All we're told is that some sort of lineup change is in the works beginning as … [Read more...]
Monday Night Mix
Posted on February 19, 2007 · Leave a Comment
A whole buncha stuff tonight, mostly updates:TIME WARNER REDUX: We're glad to provide a source of amusement to the fine folks over at Time Warner Cable. No, really, we are!This time, it was our item/speculation about the presence of "Time Warner One", a new channel showing up on cable position 1 on the Akron/Canton-based TWC cable system.It's showing instructional videos right now, and we wondered aloud if Time Warner would mount a new local programming channel there.OK, so we're wrong...again. … [Read more...]
Comings And Goings To The Power Of 5
Posted on February 18, 2007 · Leave a Comment
Cleveland Plain Dealer media columnist Julie Washington has more on one exit and one entrance at 3001 Euclid Avenue, the home of Cleveland ABC affiliate WEWS/5.MILLER TO CSN: Washington confirms a departure first reported here a while back: "NewsChannel 5" lead sports anchor/sports director Chris Miller is headed for Washington DC's Comcast SportsNet. She says Miller will anchor evening newscasts for the regional sports network which covers not only Washington, but nearby Baltimore MD."CSN" … [Read more...]
Saturday Stuff
Posted on February 17, 2007 · Leave a Comment
Three items, including two semi-related, maybe. Or maybe not:MORE LES STILL: At this rate, we're going to have to start charging local sports media personality Les Levine for ad space.But we can't help it if the fast moving developments in local sports radio and TV lately all seem to involve him, for whatever reason.This time, it's Mr. Levine's second straight appearance on the "Saturday Morning Sports Show" on Good Karma sports talker WKNR/850 this morning. But unlike last week, where Les … [Read more...]
