It seems like these days, we're passing along word of a newspaper dying about once every two days or so.While this one isn't local, it has Northeast Ohio ties.Readers won't be able to pick up the Ann Arbor News from newsstands or their doorsteps in that Michigan city after July, as the 174-year-old paper will (mostly) shut down its presses.Echoing the now-dead Dead Trees edition of the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, Ann Arbor News owner Booth Newspapers will replace the paper with "a Web-based, … [Read more...]
Northeast Ohio Papers Consolidate
Posted on March 23, 2009 · Leave a Comment
We actually hinted at this weeks ago, but we've finally picked up some of the details on a story that's been buzzing around the local media rumor mill like a supercharged insect.OMW hears that two co-owned Northeast Ohio newspapers have officially merged their day-to-day operations - as the Lorain County Publishing-owned Medina County Gazette is now being operated out of the company's print mothership, the Elyria Chronicle-Telegram.Sources tell us that the new arrangement started March 3, with … [Read more...]
From Soup To Nuts
Posted on March 18, 2009 · Leave a Comment
Well, OK...from broadcast (mainly television) to print, from broadcast to cable...here's our latest midweek contribution...REMEMBERING TOM: Your Primary Editorial Voice(tm) has been without full-fledged Internet access for much of the past 24 hours, so we had to resort to posting-by-E-mail for our item on the death of former WKYC/3 personality Tom Haley on Tuesday.We'll confess to once being a regular viewer of WKYC's "Today in Cleveland", the folksy and friendly morning news show that used to … [Read more...]
WCLV’s Performance Tax Fight
Posted on March 12, 2009 · Leave a Comment
WCLV Foundation classical WCLV/104.9 president Robert Conrad has certainly been outspoken on other topics before...so it's no surprise to see him making noise on an issue that could cause serious problems for music radio stations.In case you haven't heard, the music performance industry is lobbying Congress for radio stations to be charged performance royalties when they play songs...in addition to the music publishing fees stations already pay to BMI, ASCAP and other such organizations. And … [Read more...]
THIS JUST IN: News Sharing Virus Hits Columbus
Posted on March 11, 2009 · Leave a Comment
First Cleveland, now Columbus.The TVNewsday and TVB/Television Broadcast trade websites report that Columbus is now the second Ohio TV market where two different newsrooms will "pool" news footage of events such as press conferences or other planned events.The players in Central Ohio dipping into the News Sharing Pool? Media General NBC affiliate WCMH/4, and Sinclair ABC affiliate WSYX/6-Fox affiliate WTTE/28.Quoting TVNewsday's report:The stations' assignment desks have built a back channel to … [Read more...]
From Satellite To Print
Posted on March 10, 2009 · Leave a Comment
NOTE: If you already read this item shortly after it came out this morning, scroll down for some updates, which are appropriately marked...We put our items into the OMW Blender this Tuesday, and come up with a decent mix...THE BIG ONE MINUS XM: Now, you can only hear Clear Channel talk WLW/700 Cincinnati in your car if you're in its 50,000 watt AM signal range.The larger-than-life original "Big One" lost its claim to once again being "The Nation's Station" (give or take the Internet) Friday … [Read more...]
Week’s Beginning
Posted on March 9, 2009 · Leave a Comment
There hasn't been much going on in the world of media in Northeast Ohio lately, but we felt the need to cobble together what we have. And as it turns out, we do have some items on this Monday morning...WTAM VOICE SILENCED: A voice long associated with Clear Channel talk WTAM/1100 Cleveland has been silenced.No, he's not a WTAM talk show host or news person. But to an imaging-conscious station like WTAM, Brian James was just as important.Unless you're in the business, you don't know his name. … [Read more...]
Some Mixed News
Posted on March 3, 2009 · Leave a Comment
Let's see where the Tuesday morning item mix takes us...unfortunately, it's mostly not good news...CUTBACKS: The sour economy has resulted in some economic-related cutbacks on Campus Center Drive in Kent.That's the home of Western Reserve PBS, the local public TV outlet which operates WNEO/45 Alliance and WEAO/49 Akron, which is making some financial moves to try to ensure economic stability in an economy that's forced pretty much every media outlet to make some hard choices.Quoting a news … [Read more...]
Another Friday Mix
Posted on February 27, 2009 · Leave a Comment
It looks like another Friday mix as we close out the week, though we could have another piece of news later today.And no, "Mix" doesn't mean we're going to put up a computerized female voice announcing songs...PRINT WOES: As the rumor mill buzzes about yet another round of job cuts said to be in the works at one Northeast Ohio newspaper publisher, yet another major daily newspaper has printed its final edition.Denver is a one newspaper town after today, as the very last edition of the Rocky … [Read more...]
Sue Ann Robak Exiting WEWS
Posted on February 26, 2009 · Leave a Comment
OMW has confirmed that WEWS/5 "NewsChannel 5" sports reporter/anchor Sue Ann Robak is working her last week at the Cleveland ABC affiliate.We hear that Robak's contract isn't being renewed, and that Friday will be her last day at Scripps-owned Channel 5. We're also hearing that she won't be replaced, and that the "NewsChannel 5" sports department will shrink to just two people - sports director Andy Baskin and reporter/anchor Terry Brooks.Though WEWS has indeed managed to become the only local … [Read more...]
