It appears that the folks at Toledo's Cornerstone Church may be getting out of the broadcasting business.AllAccess reports that the church's two radio stations - WNKL/96.9 Wauseon and WNWT/1520 Rossford - are being sold to California-based Educational Media Foundation for $2.8 million.EMF, of course, programs the satellite Christian contemporary music format "K-Love" from suburban Sacramento, and has been operating with that format on WNKL via a local marketing agreement since late 2004. The … [Read more...]
Sports Radio Fallout
Posted on January 22, 2009 · Leave a Comment
Some changes at a national sports radio network have created quite the fallout - at least for some stations.As part of massive changes announced by Clear Channel on Tuesday, Fox Sports Radio (run by Clear Channel's Premiere syndication arm) also announced a lineup shift.Out the door at FSR: shows including mid-morning's "Out of Bounds with Craig Shemon and James Washington", the nighttime show hosted by Andrew Siciliano and Crystal Fernandez, and Ben Maller's overnight show.Locally, "Out of … [Read more...]
Clear Channel Layoffs Day 2
Posted on January 21, 2009 · Leave a Comment
OK, as much as we tried to put it off, we have to dig in and share the fallout from the massive Clear Channel restructuring - and how it affects Ohio, as news of yesterday's 9% layoff at the radio giant continues to trickle down.Or, as the trade website AllAccess headline says: "Now, 1850 People Have To Restructure Their Lives"...YOUNGSTOWN: We have some word of the cuts made Tuesday at Clear Channel's South Avenue compound in suburban Youngstown.OMW hears two on-air names let go were actually … [Read more...]
The Clear Channel Cuts Item
Posted on January 20, 2009 · Leave a Comment
This item will no longer be updated tonight.Due to circumstances beyond our control, Wednesday's first update may be a little later in the day than usual, perhaps later in the afternoon. We'll revisit "what we know" about this big day of bad employment news, add any updates, and return to our usual cycle of other news (there is some of it!) as well.But it'll won't be "first thing in the morning".=========We'll continue to update this item through the day, bringing it to the top of this blog as … [Read more...]
That Other Story
Posted on January 20, 2009 · Leave a Comment
With the inauguration of President Obama in the history books, the coverage and wrapup of today's events will continue into the night.Though there will be some regular entertainment programming on the broadcast TV networks - most notably the FOX powerhouse "American Idol" at 8 - there will also be network specials wrapping up the day's events.We'll also take this opportunity to note an hour-long ABC News Radio special airing on Rubber City Radio oldies WAKR/1590 Akron from 7:05 to 8 PM tonight. … [Read more...]
Captains Move Flagship To WREO
Posted on January 20, 2009 · Leave a Comment
Though long-time Lake Erie Captains flagship WELW/1330 Willoughby will continue to air the Class A minor league baseball team's games, the team is getting a new flagship station in 2009.The Captains have announced that Media One AC WREO/97.1 "Star 97.1" Ashtabula will become the new primary station on the Captains Radio Network, with "selected weekday day games" heard on Media One sister sports WFUN/970 "ESPN 970".Quoting a press release the Captains sent directly to OMW: “We are very excited … [Read more...]
That Big Day Is Here
Posted on January 20, 2009 · Leave a Comment
We feel kind of short handed on this day, with major news breaking out all over, and just one person to keep track of it - your Primary Editorial Voice(tm).But we'll do our best...and please, if you hear anything, let us know...AS SCHEDULED: It's been rumored for weeks, and reported in major newspapers the past few days...and yes, it does appear radio giant Clear Channel has brought out the layoff axe.Trade websites are starting to line up the job cuts, which are expected to affect roughly 7 … [Read more...]
The Week Ahead
Posted on January 19, 2009 · Leave a Comment
Our Monday morning update is more about what's ahead, as opposed to what's behind. But the view ahead is kind of scary...MORE ON EXPECTED CC CUTS: There are now some numbers and details being attached to the reported first round of Clear Channel-related job cuts, thanks to the national media.Over the weekend, the Wall Street Journal's Sarah McBride reported that the San Antonio-based radio giant is planning on "about 1,500 layoffs" on Tuesday, resulting in a loss of about 7 percent of the … [Read more...]
Closing Friday
Posted on January 16, 2009 · Leave a Comment
Many of the items below have to do with the upcoming transition to digital TV, which is currently scheduled for February 17th, 2009.But first, we've got an elephant in the middle of the room that we can't ignore...CLEAR CHANNEL RUMORS: We've touched on it before, briefly...the rumors that massive job cuts are in the works at Clear Channel clusters around the country, after an important managers' meeting in Dallas a while back.Since then, the radio rumor mill has pumped out January 20th - next … [Read more...]
Assorted Thursday
Posted on January 15, 2009 · Leave a Comment
Welcome to our Thursday random scattering of items...we'll try to make sure none of the scatter hits our readers directly!We don't want to injure anyone...GANNETT FURLOUGH: Media giant Gannett is forcing workers to take an unpaid week off, a move the company says is meant to reduce layoffs in this troubled economic world for the media.We first saw the item in a wire story posted on Frank Macek's "Director's Cut" blog for his employer, Gannett's NBC affiliate in Cleveland, WKYC/3.But the … [Read more...]
