UPDATE (03-31-2011 at 5:29PM): Or is it? We've heard from different sources that WCER may have changed their minds about signing off today or tonight. More on this as details emerge... The original post as follows: ---------------------------------------------------- **This is a developing story... please keep checking back for the latest developments! ** We've also received word that another AM radio station in Canton has decided to throw in the towel and go silent. This time, it's … [Read more...]
A Youngstown Two-For-Tuesday
Posted on March 22, 2011 · 1 Comment
Two big news items impacting the Mahoning Valley today: WHTX's "Fabulous" Turn: Back in January, Whiplash Media's WHTX/1570 Warren formally announced plans to convert the station to adult standards, in response to Youngstown standards stalwarts WSOM/600 Salem and WNIO/1390 Youngstown to spoken word formats (WSOM went all-talk; WNIO went all-sports). After some contractual hang-ups with the TKO Radio Network - providers of the now-former "Classic Top 40" format - WHTX finally made the switch to … [Read more...]
WINW, R.I.P.
Posted on March 22, 2011 · 4 Comments
One recent story that had been extremely problematic to report on recently has been the fate of tiny daytimer WINW/1520 Canton. Actually, make that DWINW/1520 Canton. That is the official call sign in FCC records, as the Pinebrook Corp.-owned gospel station last known as "Joy 1520" was officially yanked from FCC records on March 3. The details as to how and why this happened were and still are hard to figure out. For one, neither the Primary Editorial Voice (tm) nor yours truly were ever able … [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...]
The Best Calendar Ever
Posted on December 24, 2010 · Leave a Comment
Our apologies to long-time personal friend and professional colleague Scott Fybush ("NorthEast Radio Watch", 100000watts.com, The Radio Journal) for not putting this up in time for Christmas, but there's still another week to get it before the New Year. It, of course, is Scott's world-famous Tower Site Calendar. For those of you unfamiliar with the Tower Site Calendar, it's really the only calendar a radio/TV enthusiast or engineering type will ever need. We'll let Scott describe it himself, … [Read more...]
TV, Radio And Other Stuff
Posted on December 1, 2010 · 4 Comments
We guess you could say that items have been piling up again. But we have another full menu for you this late Tuesday evening, and it's chock full of TV, radio and other stuff... NOT THE HELP THEY WERE LOOKING FOR: A recent FCC filing is bound to disappoint some over-air TV viewers in the immediate Akron/Canton area. OMW uncovered two recent filings by signal-challenged Local TV Fox affiliate WJW/8 "Fox 8", to add low-power digital translators to improve the station's reception in some … [Read more...]
WPFX Finally Gets “Luckey”
Posted on October 12, 2010 · 2 Comments
A few days ago, we updated you on the future of BAS-operated, Tiffin Broadcasting-owned and Heidelberg University-bound WTTF/1600 Tiffin. Former sister station WPFX/107.7 North Baltimore, on the other hand, has had a long and complicated adventure in their return to the air. But at long last, the station has arrived at finish line in the suburb of Luckey, Ohio, returning to the air this past Friday as a country station, "107.7 The Wolf." Whether or not this is a stunt remains to be seen. A … [Read more...]
Seven Days of WAKR’s 70 Years
Posted on October 6, 2010 · 3 Comments
A really big birthday party is forthcoming for Rubber City Radio oldies/news WAKR/1590 Akron. So big, in fact, that it will span seven days. Starting with Ray Horner's Morning News at 6:00 a.m. Friday, WAKR will begin a week-long celebration, with each weekday focusing on a "Decade In A Day," examining the culture, economy, entertainment and life in Akron - corresponding with WAKR's rich history. This project is the brainchild of WAKR program director/midday host Chuck Collins, who compiled … [Read more...]
WTTF’s New Home
Posted on October 6, 2010 · Leave a Comment
Tiffin station WTTF/1600 is set to move to their new home, and meet new neighbors WHEI/88.9 and cable access "WHEI-TV10," sometime this month. It's been a bizarre trip for the station founded by Bob Wright and Milton Maltz (now you know how "Malrite" - Maltz-Wright(e) - got its name!) ever since Clear Channel sold off WTTF, along with now-silent WPFX/107.7 North Baltimore and their Sandusky cluster, to Fremont-based BAS Broadcasting back in early 2008. (The remaining Tiffin station, WCKY/103.7, … [Read more...]
That Columbus Blue Jackets FM Flagship Shuffle
Posted on October 1, 2010 · Leave a Comment
Ever since Dispatch/RadiOhio sports WBNS/1460 began simulcasting on their sister 97.1 frequency back in January 2009, the longtime OSU and Columbus Blue Jackets flagship station was never able to make it a full-time simulcast. This was due to Fun With Radio Columbus market alt-rock WWCD/101.1 having been the team's FM flagship since the team's 2000 inception - and as a result, "97.1 The Fan" would have to break away from their AM counterpart to run ESPN Radio whenever the team's coverage … [Read more...]
