Posted while listening to Murray Hill Broadcasting WLFM-LP 6/87.7's latest testing loop, dozens of oldies/classic hits/classic rock song "hooks". It's time once again for "Ann's Corner", from one of our most prolific sources of press releases - Kent State University public WKSU/89.7-and-its-many-simulcasters marketing/public relations guru and personal and professional Friend of OMW Ann VerWiebe. (Whew!) The event is the annual Folk Festival put on by the WKSU folks...which means our friend … [Read more...]
A Pile Of Items, Released
Posted on August 16, 2012 · 9 Comments
UPDATE 8/16/12 10:05 AM: If you read this before 10 AM, scroll down for an additional item... -------- As per usual, important items pile up in a clump of anywhere from three to a half-dozen. This update doesn't cover everything in that pile, but we'll get close enough to doing so. And coming 'round the bend sometime in the next few days - "Couch Burner, The Followup". Yes, as reported here and by the Akron Beacon Journal, John Denning has taken over the 10 AM-3 PM time slot on WNIR/100.1 … [Read more...]
Commotion At Broadcast Park, A WNIR Decision?
Posted on August 13, 2012 · 17 Comments
The first of our items this week concerns the most active place media-wise in the OMW Coverage Area...the installation known as "Broadcast Park", the home of Media-Com talk WNIR/100.1 "The Talk of Akron" on Ohio 59 between Kent and Ravenna. We have to get this up early Monday, because it appears likely a major announcement will take place on the station later this morning. We were prepared to tell you that former WMMS/100.7 "Buzzard Morning Zoo"/"Jeff and Flash" co-host Jeff Kinzbach was … [Read more...]
The Storm Rides Out
Posted on July 26, 2012 · 1 Comment
On a day seeing Northeast Ohio pelted with thunderstorms (and some lost power or cable TV service), let's take advantage of a calm period to update some items we've been piling up for the past day or more. But nearly all of the below items have previously been announced on our social media presence... THE END OF ONN: Ohio's only regional cable TV news operation will be no more as of August 31st. The Ohio News Network, an arm of the Dispatch operation in Columbus, announced Wednesday afternoon … [Read more...]
Late July Mixed Bag
Posted on July 24, 2012 · Leave a Comment
In which we update some stuff, bring on new items and more... 87.7 BUILDING BLOCKS, BUT WHEN?: We're hearing some details surrounding the launch of Venture Technologies/Murray Hill Broadcasting's WLFM-LP 6/87.7, which will operate as a radio station under the name "87.7 Clevelanders Rock". First, an appearance by station operators Tom Wilson and Tom Embrescia on the soon-to-be-extinguished "Good Company Today" on NBC affiliate WKYC/3 shed at least some light on what shape the soon-to-launch … [Read more...]
87.7 Clevelanders…Audition?
Posted on July 17, 2012 · 3 Comments
The off-air buzz in the Cleveland radio community is about the curious way new quasi-radio station WLFM-LP "87.7" is going about its upcoming launch. We have heard that the station, operated by Cleveland radio veteran Tom Wilson with help from his old ownership partners, has been working behind the scenes to staff up. In fact, OMW hears that at least one key staffer has already left the operation, before it even has hit the airwaves. But simultaneously, the station now calling itself "87.7 … [Read more...]
A Cooler Combination
Posted on July 11, 2012 · 4 Comments
Cooler because, though we have highs in the mid-80s, it's sure cooler than it was last time we set the air conditioning in the OMW World Headquarters to "freeze"... A STEADY HAND: So, you're a Cleveland TV station, and your news director has "made the move up" to a job with your parent company. You're heading into an all-important period which will gain you new viewers...the 2012 Summer Olympics, live from London. But SOMEONE has to run the newsroom until a permanent candidate is found, and … [Read more...]
Youngstown And Nearby
Posted on July 5, 2012 · Leave a Comment
Most of the items this time around are from the Mahoning Valley, though at least one is from nearby...and one item involves the Cleveland market... RICH MORGAN: Readers in the Youngstown/Warren TV market have been peppering our inbox with questions about market veteran Rich Morgan...who's been absent from his duties as morning and noon meteorologist for New Vision-to-be-LIN CBS affiliate WKBN/27's "27 First News". We did some digging, but the question could have more easily been answered (for … [Read more...]
The Post-Howie Era Begins
Posted on July 3, 2012 · 13 Comments
In announcements airing now on Media-Com talk WNIR/100.1 "The Talk of Akron", the station says it's about to begin the process of filling the open 10 AM-3 PM weekday time slot. The station says it can't "replace" legendary voice Howie Chizek, who died suddenly last month at the age of 65 while taking underprivileged kids and their chaperones to Walt Disney World in Orlando FL. But the announcement - "a message from the Klaus Brothers (owners Bill and Bob Klaus)" voiced by WNIR production … [Read more...]
The Week Ender
Posted on June 29, 2012 · 7 Comments
The week ender, as we head into the weekend... ALBRIGHT TO MIDDAYS: The death of iconic Akron talk radio host Howie Chizek has left a major hole in the schedule of his 38 year home station, Media-Com talk WNIR/100.1 "The Talk of Akron", which is vowing to continue its all-local talk lineup...while faced with the unenviable task of figuring out who will be heard on WNIR, permanently, from 10 AM to 3 PM weekdays. The unfortunate demise of Akron's talk radio king has also presented an opportunity … [Read more...]
