Here goes... WNIR TRYOUTS: Media-Com talk WNIR/100.1 "The Talk of Akron" brings in two radio pros Tuesday morning alongside Steve French and Phil Ferguson: Mike Novak (ex-WQMX) and Angela Bellios (ex-WKDD, WHBC-FM). Novak has been on for a few days now, as WNIR seeks to replace Stan Piatt. Maybe they won't hire a comedian as expected? Bringing in Angela Bellios may be a sign that they keep the composition of the old show, and actually replace Maggie Fuller as well as Stan... WE HARDLY KNEW … [Read more...]
John Hambrick Passes Away
Posted on September 11, 2013 · 5 Comments
The anchor who started a family brand name in Cleveland TV news has passed away. John Hambrick, who came to Cleveland in 1967 and helped steer Scripps ABC affiliate WEWS/5 to local TV news dominance in the early 1970's, passed away Tuesday in a Texas hospital after a battle with cancer. (Photo by NewsNet5.com) "TV 5 Eyewitness News" went from the local news cellar to the penthouse with Hambrick and co-anchor Dave Patterson, with household names in local TV news by their sides...sports director … [Read more...]
Quicker Hits
Posted on August 1, 2013 · 2 Comments
Random thoughts about recent media news...since we have more time... THE PAIN FEELER: The pain was felt by dozens of staffers at the Cleveland Plain Dealer on Wednesday, which dropped the job axe on a large number of its editorial staff as it prepares to go to four-day-a-week home delivery. From the Newspaper Guild union's "Save The Plain Dealer" Facebook page: Today, The Plain Dealer eliminated the jobs of approximately 50 journalists whose dedication produced one of the country’s best … [Read more...]
Broadcasting Under The Influence
Posted on June 25, 2013 · 3 Comments
In less than 24 hours, two prominent Cleveland TV personalities got pulled over by the police, in two entirely separate traffic stops. First in the OVI Charges Hopper is someone who's no stranger to the routine. After all, it was in 2003 when local sportscaster Chuck Galeti, a veteran of a number of area TV sports operations, had an alcohol fueled car crash and entered rehab after his first tangle with being caught driving under the influence. In 2013, police in Parma picked him up on OVI … [Read more...]
Quick Hits For May
Posted on May 13, 2013 · 2 Comments
Some quick hits before we focus on Cleveland's media obsession this past week...which will be in a separate item as soon as we get a Round Tuit(tm)... SUNNY FORECAST: Congratulations to former Scripps ABC affiliate WEWS/5 "NewsChannel 5" morning weather forecaster Christine Ferreira. As predicted, she's landed at a TV station in her new/returned to hometown area of Central Pennsylvania, Hearst NBC affiliate WGAL/8 in Lancaster PA...where she's that station's midday and weekend … [Read more...]
Bleeping Bleep, You’re Fired
Posted on April 25, 2013 · Leave a Comment
An administrative note, first: Ohio Media Watch is on "deep hiatus". Things Offline(tm) have conspired to reduce our available free time to almost zero. We'll try to continue getting the Big News up here as soon as possible...items like the last few ones, for example. Any other items will be posted as soon as possible to our growing social media presence. You don't need to be signed up at Facebook or Twitter to read our items... just click here or read the feed at the right of this page. If … [Read more...]
Wilma’s Exit
Posted on March 20, 2013 · 2 Comments
It's no surprise that "Fox 8 News" anchor Wilma Smith would retire sometime soon...it's just not been known when. That changed on Monday, when the long-time WJW/8 anchor (with a total time in Cleveland TV news of some 35 years) announced to viewers that she was calling it a career at the end of May. A lengthy, steady career it's been for the former Wilma Pokorny. Wilma is one of the last remaining members of a class that dominated the local TV landscape in Cleveland for decades. She spent a … [Read more...]
Of George, Nash And Other Stuff
Posted on January 24, 2013 · 6 Comments
It's a "name" theme this time around for your Mighty Blog of Fun(tm)... GEORGE OF RESERVE SQUARE: Raycom Media CBS/MyNet combo WOIO/19-WUAB/43 has a new anchor who started this week, and he's coming off a national stage. George Smith was a reporter for sports TV giant ESPN for nearly 10 years, and moves to "19 Action News" as 4:30 PM and 5:30 PM weekday anchor (with Danielle Serino) and reporter for the station's 10 PM news on "My43 The Block", and the 11 PM news on "CBS 19". Smith's "Action … [Read more...]
Remembering Danielle Fink, WKYC Assignment Editor
Posted on January 21, 2013 · 2 Comments
In the past, the tragic death of a TV newsroom assignment editor wouldn't register with most members of the "general public". But for some very specific reasons, those beyond the local TV news community are mourning the death of Danielle Fink, who worked as an assignment editor for Gannett NBC affiliate WKYC/3...and earlier, she was employed by Scripps ABC affiliate WEWS/5. Danielle's home station reports that she died in a car crash in North Olmsted sometime late Saturday night/early Sunday … [Read more...]
Welcome To A Busy 2013
Posted on January 5, 2013 · 2 Comments
And as usual when we start a new year, or return from a hiatus, there's stuff waiting to land like so many airplanes. We are probably missing a topic or three, so don't be surprised if there's a crash...we'll pick up where we left off in a future update... UPDATE 1:35 AM 1/5/13: Cox and Raycom have reached an agreement, and OMW social media followers tell us that the local stations, WOIO/19 and WUAB/43, are back in the Cox lineup. Here's part of what we originally wrote before Friday … [Read more...]
