Or, late Thursday night, if you prefer, as we can't sleep...for reasons having nothing to do with OMW... THE WNIR DRAMA: A MUST READ for anyone interested in recent WNIR events, by former local newspaper columnist Stuart Warner in one of his old newspaper haunts, the Akron Beacon Journal via Ohio.com. Retired WNIR morning man Stan Piatt opens up to Warner about how his exit from the station was handled. The details are (nearly) identical to unconfirmed rumblings we've heard for months now. It's … [Read more...]
An Experimental Blog Post
Posted on October 10, 2013 · 10 Comments
We've received a very mixed response to our "move" to social media. While we've received a flood of new Twitter followers, others are openly hostile to that being the only outlet for Ohio Media Watch. And hostile may not be a strong enough a word. So, we'll try this: copying and editing our Twitter posts to a blog post, without all the responses, tags and whatnot. -------- CRONAUER BACK TO RADIO, STILL ON TV: Joe Cronauer is now PM drive at Salem CCMer 95.5 The Fish. Still on WKYC, too, … [Read more...]
John Hambrick Passes Away
Posted on September 11, 2013 · 5 Comments
The anchor who started a family brand name in Cleveland TV news has passed away. John Hambrick, who came to Cleveland in 1967 and helped steer Scripps ABC affiliate WEWS/5 to local TV news dominance in the early 1970's, passed away Tuesday in a Texas hospital after a battle with cancer. (Photo by NewsNet5.com) "TV 5 Eyewitness News" went from the local news cellar to the penthouse with Hambrick and co-anchor Dave Patterson, with household names in local TV news by their sides...sports director … [Read more...]
Updates And More Updates
Posted on August 24, 2013 · 1 Comment
In which more is revealed, and new things come out... WKNR CHANGES: The Semi-Extreme Makeover of Good Karma sports WKNR/850 "ESPN 850" has some more details attached to it. For that, we thank two people...Good Karma boss Craig Karmazin, and Akron Beacon Journal sportswriter George M. Thomas for writing about Karmazin's appearance Wednesday afternoon on his station. And the lineup changes prompted by the dismissal of 21 year veteran Kenny Roda, along with Will Burge and T.J. Zuppe and the … [Read more...]
UPDATE Departures And, Uh, Departures
Posted on August 20, 2013 · 9 Comments
UPDATE 8/21/13 8:30 AM: The always plugged in Bob Finnan sheds more light on WKNR's Tuesday talent purge, where veteran personality Kenny Roda and the station's Will Burge and T.J. Zuppe were let go in one day. The News-Herald sportswriter says that Michael Reghi will have a more limited role as well, appearing only on the station's official Cleveland Browns programming...as host of "The Rob Chudzinski Show" with the Browns head coach (also appearing on co-flagship CBS Radio sports WKRK/92.3 … [Read more...]
Akron/Canton News
Posted on August 16, 2013 · 12 Comments
And we don't mean the former TV newscast which aired on WVPX/23 and Time Warner Cable... DELUCA'S LANDING: When former D.A. Peterson top 40 WDJQ/92.5 Alliance "Q92" program director John Stewart took a ride down U.S. 62 and I-77 to downtown Canton to a new radio home, many expected him to "bring a friend". But it took the departure of Rik Elliott from the morning show at NextMedia hot AC WHBC-FM/94.1 "Mix 94.1" for the long-expected change to happen. Now programming "Mix" from Market South, … [Read more...]
Browns Radio Set For 2013
Posted on August 6, 2013 · 5 Comments
The Cleveland Browns have set their 2013 radio programming schedule, and the team's affiliate list on the Cleveland Browns Radio Network. The 23 affiliates across the state - in addition to three Cleveland flagship stations - include no stations owned by Clear Channel. That was entirely expected, since Clear Channel's rock/talk WMMS/100.7 and talk WTAM/1100 lost game rights to a combination of CBS Radio sports WKRK/92.3 "The Fan"-classic rock WNCX/98.5 and Good Karma sports WKNR/850 "ESPN … [Read more...]
Yet Another Retrans Battle, And A Bit Of Football
Posted on August 1, 2013 · 4 Comments
The latest retransmission consent battle (read: over money) has left Dish Network subscribers in the Cleveland TV market without CBS or MyNetwork TV programming...since early Thursday morning. The dispute between the nation's number two satellite TV provider and Raycom Media removed WOIO/19 and WUAB/43 from the Cleveland local channels lineup. So, since we've been down this road before, let's bring in both sides...first, the local TV stations: For months, we have been working to resolve this … [Read more...]
Quicker Hits
Posted on August 1, 2013 · 2 Comments
Random thoughts about recent media news...since we have more time... THE PAIN FEELER: The pain was felt by dozens of staffers at the Cleveland Plain Dealer on Wednesday, which dropped the job axe on a large number of its editorial staff as it prepares to go to four-day-a-week home delivery. From the Newspaper Guild union's "Save The Plain Dealer" Facebook page: Today, The Plain Dealer eliminated the jobs of approximately 50 journalists whose dedication produced one of the country’s best … [Read more...]
Chuck’s Head
Posted on July 30, 2013 · 2 Comments
Tuesday was an ordinary day, sort of, for Rubber City Radio Group operations director Chuck Collins. He made his way to the station's West Market Street studios in Akron's Wallhaven area, and was heard on oldies/news WAKR/1590's "Ray Horner Morning Show". Ordinary, except did we mention that Chuck had brain surgery just a couple of weeks ago? Thus, it was hugs all around at the Akron Radio Center, where Chuck is also program director and midday host at WAKR. (Photo courtesy: Facebook, WAKR … [Read more...]
