Sometimes, OMW updates write themselves due to breaking media news, and we definitely have that this evening. CLEVELAND RADIO ICON DIES: Much of what you hear on the radio airwaves in Cleveland, even now, can somehow be connected to Carl Hirsch. And calling Hirsch a "radio management icon", as we did in our Twitter update, may be an understatement. Numerous media and trade reports say Hirsch, who was a key manager and owner in Cleveland and beyond, died in Palm Beach FL on Monday at the age … [Read more...]
Six Inches Of Partly Cloudy
Posted on February 24, 2011 · 1 Comment
Northeast Ohio may once again be looking at bad winter weather, but the conditions are sunny on South Marginal Road. That's because the Cleveland TV market's biggest name, Local TV LLC Fox affiliate WJW/8 "Fox 8 News" meteorologist Dick Goddard, celebrates 80 years on this Earth today...and he's still going strong. The Plain Dealer's Mark Dawidziak weighs in on Goddard's birthday and local TV dominance in an article published Wednesday...which is pretty good "Goddard 101" primer focusing on … [Read more...]
Another Big Return
Posted on February 22, 2011 · 3 Comments
This time, the hiatus was caused by technical problems...which are now completely fixed. So, on with the show...we have a LOT of catching up to do! And if we missed anything, we'll get to it later... JOE TAIT: The "Voice of the Cavaliers" has been heard on the airwaves again, at least temporarily. Cavaliers Radio Network Hall of Fame broadcaster Joe Tait made an appearance by telephone on Fox Sports Ohio's Cavaliers pre-game show with Jeff Phelps and Campy Russell last Wednesday … [Read more...]
Four Short Items
Posted on February 11, 2011 · 5 Comments
Three from radio, and one from TV... 19 REACHES A DEAL: Those incessant "we're still negotiating with DirecTV" crawls on Raycom Media CBS affiliate WOIO/19 "CBS 19" and MyNetwork TV affiliate WUAB/43 "My 43" have changed. The message we saw last night announced that the station had come to an agreement to keep the two local affiliates on DirecTV, and thanked viewers for their support. In a Twitter update last night, we promised further details today...but we can't find them. Anywhere. The … [Read more...]
WKYC Revamps 7, Adds Robin
Posted on February 11, 2011 · 2 Comments
As we expected early Thursday afternoon (and hinted on our earlier item), big chances were indeed afoot at a Cleveland TV newsroom, though the news hit earlier than we expected. By the time Gannett NBC affiliate WKYC/3 announced that it would overhaul its 7 PM newscast, bringing aboard a high-profile personality to co-anchor it, the news had been bouncing around the market like a child's bouncing ball. Yes, former Local TV Fox affiliate WJW/8 "Fox 8" personality Robin Swoboda is returning to … [Read more...]
A Better Mix
Posted on February 10, 2011 · 2 Comments
From your Mighty Blog of Fun(tm), a better mix of today's and yesterday's media news items. (Well, since Clear Channel's WMVX changed to variety hits WHLK/106.5 "The Lake", the slogan hasn't been used much - give or take NextMedia's WHBC-FM "Mix 94.1" in Canton...) NEW ASSISTANT NEWS DIRECTOR: Scripps ABC affiliate WEWS/5 will have a new second-in-command in the newsroom, and she's actually a familiar name to long-time Cleveland TV news viewers. That's because Ellen Miller spent a number of … [Read more...]
Monday, Monday, February Style
Posted on February 7, 2011 · 1 Comment
UPDATE 2/7/11 6:15 PM: Our sincere apologies to long-time OMW reader Dr. Phil Hoffman, who may not be so avid a reader after we incorrectly posted his last name. It's probably not the first time his name has been confused with another local media Phil, and we certainly know the difference between the two (it was a temporary brain freeze). But, our apologies to both men! UPDATE 2/7/11 10:53 AM: It looks like "Fox 8" is running one of those "Robin Swoboda Shows" without either a name or Robin, … [Read more...]
The Curious Case Of WXOX…Radio?
Posted on January 30, 2011 · 5 Comments
We reported earlier that Local TV Fox affiliate WJW/8 "Fox 8" has applied to reallocate RF channel 31, its former digital home, presumably hoping to relocate from its post-transition VHF home at RF 8. While investigating that move, we stumbled onto another piece of interesting potential news. Is Cleveland in line for a so-called "Franken FM", a new commercial "radio station" on the lower end of the FM dial? For those unfamiliar with the "Franken FM" phenomenon: Low-power TV station operators … [Read more...]
Fox 8’s New Day Dawning
Posted on January 28, 2011 · Leave a Comment
Several of our readers stumbled upon a new Facebook page purporting to be for Local TV Fox affiliate WJW/8 "Fox 8"'s new mid-morning show (along with a Twitter account), and it appears to be official. That's because "Fox 8" has put up a placeholder on its website for the new show, "New Day Cleveland", in the slot formerly occupied by "Robin", the link for the former-but-still-in-reruns "Robin Swoboda Show". The link on WJW's website doesn't say much...it's "under construction", literally, with … [Read more...]
Three Pronged Item
Posted on January 27, 2011 · 7 Comments
Here's that "three pronged item" we promised, all from the world of radio this time. Wait...it looks like we've added some prongs... NEW Q104ER: This is no surprise to anyone who follows our Twitter account, but CBS Radio hot AC WQAL/104.1 Cleveland "Q104" has named its new afternoon drive host. And she's coming from across the border to do it. She's Heather Backman, who comes to the Cleveland station from Montreal's Virgin 96 FM. Quoting a CBS Radio press release: “Heather’s love of pop … [Read more...]
