Another set of items on our plate, and we're hungry, so let's eat... 5'S NEW ANCHOR: Again, this is no surprise to OMW readers, who read about it last week, but Scripps ABC affiliate WEWS/5 has officially announced the name of its new 11 PM co-anchor. The shoes Chris Flanagan has to fill at "NewsChannel 5" are big - those of retired anchor Ted Henry (who left those empty shoes in May 2009), but the anchor heading to Cleveland from Dallas is looking to hit the ground running. From the … [Read more...]
Weekend Special
Posted on October 1, 2011 · 3 Comments
A few items hanging around for the weekend, hiding from all the rain and chilly temperatures... WEST MARKET CHANGES: Two staffers are no longer at the Akron Radio Center, as the AkronNewsNow newsroom faces an economic-driven "retooling" of some of its operations. But one other staffer is returning. The layoffs are of two key on-air names at the Rubber City Radio Group newsroom on West Market Street in Akron, which serves oldies/news/sports WAKR/1590, rock WONE/97.5 and country WQMX/94.9: … [Read more...]
LeCharles Bentley Quits WKNR
Posted on September 30, 2011 · 16 Comments
On the eve of what was supposed to be a "major announcement" regarding a scheduling overhaul for Good Karma sports WKNR/850 "ESPN 850", that station has lost one of its star players. LeCharles Bentley abruptly resigned from WKNR Thursday night... just as "Xs and Os with the Pros," the show he co-hosted alongside Je'Rod Cherry, was set to begin. (It was so sudden that liners featuring LeCharles' name still played at the end of commercial breaks, but Je'Rod and show producer Emmett Golden had to … [Read more...]
Changes Afoot
Posted on September 28, 2011 · 8 Comments
There are lots of changes coming in local radio and TV, and it's time to bring them to light. We'll start on the TV side, first...but sports radio is in the on-deck circle... NEW ANCHOR: Scripps ABC affiliate WEWS/5 has been taking its time and shuffling around its schedule after the departure of market icon Ted Henry. But it appears it's filled at least one of Ted's roles - 11 PM co-anchor. MediaBistro's TVSpy, the entity once known as "ShopTalk", has confirmed earlier rumors about … [Read more...]
Reflections On Chuck Collier
Posted on September 23, 2011 · 2 Comments
UPDATE 9/24/2011 10:21 AM: Viewing for Chuck Collier will be Sunday from 3-7 p.m. at Klolidy-Lazuta Funeral Home, 5677 State Road, Parma. Funeral services will be private. ---------- UPDATE 9/23/2011 10:15 AM: Scroll to the bottom for a new video link of Chuck Collier doing his WGAR show in 2004, with video of his Hall of Fame induction five years later... -------- The news of Thursday's death of Clear Channel country WGAR/99.5 afternoon drive host/music director Chuck Collier has hit the … [Read more...]
THIS JUST IN: WGAR’s Chuck Collier Silenced By Heart Attack
Posted on September 22, 2011 · 1 Comment
There's major shock in the Northeast Ohio media community tonight, as the voice of a beloved member of the community has been stilled. Chuck Collier, whose name has been cemented to the call letters WGAR for 40 years - from its time as an adult contemporary station at AM 1220 through the current era as Cleveland's dominant country station at 99.5, has died after a massive heart attack. More from Clear Channel's Tom Moore is found here. We may have more in an update to this item later, but we … [Read more...]
Just Us Folks
Posted on September 21, 2011 · 1 Comment
What has become a major music festival in the Northeast Ohio region has long had the backing of an area public broadcaster. The 45th Kent State Folk Festival turns the Akron suburb of Kent into Folk Music Headquarters...and given that Kent State NPR outlet WKSU/89.7 dedicates a programming stream to its "Folk Alley" service, it's no surprise that the station is heavily involved. We brought WKSU's OMW Handler Ann VerWiebe - who honestly has a more impressive marketing-related title than that - … [Read more...]
Rolling Through The Month
Posted on September 21, 2011 · 1 Comment
Things are piling up again here at the Always In Flux OMW World Headquarters, but we also have a couple of separate items to put up later... HEGAN RETIRES: A familiar voice along the Cleveland Indians Radio Network won't be heard next year. That's because veteran broadcaster Mike Hegan, who has spent the past 23 years as a Tribe broadcaster, is stepping away from the booth after this season is over. He's spent most of those 23 years with Indians play-by-play voice Tom Hamilton on the team's … [Read more...]
Mid-September Grab Bag
Posted on September 14, 2011 · 3 Comments
There isn't really a lot connecting all of the below items, but here we are with the grab bag anyway... KIMBERLY GILL LANDS: After being unceremoniously dispatched from the Scripps ABC affiliate WEWS/5 morning show "Good Morning Cleveland" in early July. co-anchor Kimberly Gill has a soft landing to the east. CBS O&O KDKA/2 in Pittsburgh announced that Gill is joining their news staff. From the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: Ms. Gill will co-anchor at noon and 4 p.m. with Stacy Smith and serve … [Read more...]
Air Traffic Control
Posted on September 8, 2011 · 4 Comments
The comings and goings in Northeast Ohio media are starting to stack up like planes waiting to land or take off at Hopkins Airport, so let's clear some of these jets now... JIM'S BACK, NO, REALLY: Stop us if you're heard this before - Cleveland Browns Radio Network play-by-play voice Jim Donovan will be back in the booth on Sunday, after undergoing successful bone marrow transplant surgery in his 10 year battle with leukemia. No, really, he'll be back...and not just on radio. OMW passed along … [Read more...]
