Rubber City Radio's Ed Esposito, who holds the futuristic-looking title of "VP/Information Media" for the Akron-based radio cluster (oldies WAKR/1590, country WQMX/94.9, and classic rock WONE/97.5), was named chairman of the Radio-Television News Directors Association (RTNDA) at the recent NAB convention.We've seen it announced other places, but were a bit slow on this - for one - because Ed was too modest to toot his own horn.But you can hear a honk or two thanks to the good folks at AllAccess. … [Read more...]
THIS JUST IN: WKYC/TWC Akron/Canton News Shutting Down
Posted on April 16, 2008 · Leave a Comment
WKYC and Time Warner Cable announced today that "Akron/Canton News", the WKYC-produced weekday news broadcast airing on Time Warner Cable's "NEON" local programming channel at 6:30 and 10 PM, will close up shop on May 30th.Channel 3 senior director and Friend of OMW Frank Macek has an item on the end of "ACN" on his "Director's Cut" blog this evening, with a quote from WKYC general manager Brooke Spectorsky. The station blames poor economic conditions for the end of the newscast.And the anchor … [Read more...]
UPDATE: WEWS Goes HD From Field
Posted on April 9, 2008 · Leave a Comment
They tried it as long ago as October of last year, but now, Scripps ABC affiliate WEWS/5 "NewsChannel 5" has become the first Cleveland market station to regularly air out-of-studio news field video in HDTV format.OMW hears that after all the glitches were worked out, WEWS' newscasts started featuring the full-resolution 720p recorded video yesterday. And we've seen the results on the air.The move is as a result of the station's investment in a bunch of field HD cameras and in-house and remote … [Read more...]
Up For Air For A Bit
Posted on April 3, 2008 · Leave a Comment
We've still got the "Gone Fishin'" sign up - and that's a stretch, since your Primary Editorial Voice(tm) hasn't ever actually picked up a fishing pole.A lot has happened, and we're just here to mention some stuff we haven't put up due to our continued absence.For one, we mourn the passing of more broadcasters with Ohio ties who have recently passed away, like Wes Hopkins (WAKR/1590 Akron, then-KYW/1100 Cleveland) and former WHK/1420 Cleveland personality Scott Burton.Other brief items, in no … [Read more...]
Another NewsChannel 5 Departure – A Big One
Posted on February 28, 2008 · Leave a Comment
A high-profile face and name is about to leave local television, and in specific, his current employer - Scripps ABC affiliate WEWS/5 "NewsChannel 5".OMW hears that it's already been announced at 3001 Euclid... reporter/anchor Jack Marschall will exit the building, heading out of the business for a job as Director of Community Relations for his home city of Parma.This has been Jack's second tour of duty on Euclid, with a previous stint in the mid-1980's. And of course, he is also known for his … [Read more...]
BREAKING NEWS: WEWS ND Exits For Florida
Posted on February 21, 2008 · Leave a Comment
UPDATE 2:39 PM 2/21/08: Hal Boedeker, TV writer for the "Orlando Sentinel", reports the Hyvonen hiring in Orlando on his "TV Guy" blog...---------------------OMW hears that Steve Hyvonen, news director of Scripps Cleveland ABC affiliate WEWS/5, has announced his resignation today from "NewsChannel 5".We hear from sources at 3001 Euclid that Hyvonen has accepted a new job in Florida, where he has numerous family ties, and has worked in the past. He'll become news director of Orlando market CBS … [Read more...]
Monday And New Stuff
Posted on January 21, 2008 · Leave a Comment
Some actual news has happened this weekend. Or, sometime in the last week, but we just got a Round Tuit(tm) now...STO INDIANS ROAD GAMES IN HD, CONFIRMED: It's been rumored around the Internet for a while that SportsTime Ohio would "drop the other shoe" as far as HDTV coverage of Cleveland Indians games. But now, we have it confirmed.WKYC/3 senior director Frank Macek gets the scoop in his "Director's Cut" blog from STO itself:Regarding STO - yes, all Indians games (home & away) this … [Read more...]
Clear Channel Spins Five To BAS
Posted on January 15, 2008 · Leave a Comment
AllAccess reports this afternoon that Clear Channel has spun off five stations in its Sandusky and Findlay/Tiffin clusters to local operator BAS Broadcasting. The move has been long rumored, and even hinted about here among recent news from that region.The stations listed are CC's Sandusky cluster stations - sports WLEC/1450 "Sports Radio Sandusky", AC WCPZ/102.7 "Mix 102.7", and classic rock WMJK/100.9 Clyde "The Coast", along with WTTF/1600 Tiffin and one of its clustermates, the recently … [Read more...]
Where’d We Go?
Posted on January 4, 2008 · Leave a Comment
Thank you for hanging in there while we took an extended hiatus. And, welcome to 2008!Here are some random items to carry you along for a while. And watch this space for a possible announcement sometime in the next few days...FREEMAN EXITS 45/49: Kent-based PBS outlet WNEO/45-WEAO/49 "PBS 45 & 49" is saying goodbye later this year to a key, long-time employee.The station says chief operating officer Don Freeman will retire on March 28 of this year.Freeman has been with the … [Read more...]
BREAKING NEWS: WJW, FOX O&Os Sold – This Time, Officially
Posted on December 22, 2007 · Leave a Comment
OMW first reported weeks ago that Cleveland's WJW/8 "FOX 8" - and eight of FOX's other smaller market owned-and-operated stations - were being sold to Oak Hill Capital Partners.The sale is now official. (Well, minus one of the stations, which we'll explain later.)OMW hears that this News Corporation press release was put up this morning, on walls all over the local station's South Marginal Road headquarters:------------News Corporation Announces Sale of Eight Television Stations to Oak Hill … [Read more...]
