We've got some reading for you to help fill your media weekend. Or, you can catch up at work on Monday morning... BACK UP: For nearly a week, Western Reserve PBS' Akron outlet was nowhere to be found on the airwaves. The outage at WEAO/49, the Cleveland-Akron market half of the public TV station's duo, lasted at very least from early Friday morning of last week. This Thursday night, a half-power signal came on the air from the station's Copley Township tower at about 9 PM. WEAO then … [Read more...]
Quick Hits Revisited
Posted on July 15, 2014 · Leave a Comment
UPDATE 10:16 AM 7/15/14: Another long-time friend of OMW, Kent State University WKSU/89.7-and-its-many-simulcasters marketing guru Ann VerWiebe, points out that the WEAO outage is also affecting other occupants of that tower, including WKSU, Rubber City Radio country WQMX/94.9 and the University of Akron's WZIP/88.1. Ann tells us that WKSU's Akron signal has to be shut off for obvious reasons when workers are on the tower (ZAP!), so the station switches to its backup tower in Kent. That means … [Read more...]
The King Of All Cleveland Media
Posted on July 14, 2014 · 4 Comments
No, it's not Howard Stern, the SiriusXM star once heard on CBS Radio classic rocker WNCX/98.5. If you're just rejoining us from a vacation under a rock, we're talking about "King James"...Akron superstar basketball player LeBron James, who announced last week that he would be rejoining his close-to-hometown Cleveland Cavaliers four years after the infamous ESPN-televised "Decision". And just about anything with a transmitter, a printing press or a presence right here online has been LeBron … [Read more...]
Before LeBron Decides
Posted on July 11, 2014 · 1 Comment
Northeast Ohio basketball fans and media outlets have basically focused on one thing the past few days...whether a certain Akron native would bring his talents back to the North Coast. And though it has mainly played out on Twitter, local media outlets and personalities have been right in the middle of the commotion surrounding LeBron James' next move...whatever it will be. It started on Sunday, when a tweet from CBS Radio sports WKRK/92.3 "The Fan" weekend host Joe Lull started the ball … [Read more...]
UPDATE: Bob Frantz Out At WTAM In Budget Cuts
Posted on July 8, 2014 · 28 Comments
UPDATE 7/8/14 7:23 PM: WTAM Indians beat reporter Nick Camino announced on Twitter that he'll take over the station's evening talk show time slot, after the exit of Bob Frantz due to budget cuts: Today has been a bittersweet, emotional ride. I received a promotion to become the new nightly talk show host on Newsradio WTAM 1100. The #Indians beat has been a blast! I'll still be doing some pre-game stuff & obviously post-game, but my duties will be shifting. Excited! I'll be keeping my … [Read more...]
Facebook Chief Adds Radio
Posted on June 30, 2014 · Leave a Comment
The chief of a small Portage County police department is known far and wide for his Facebook posts. And that may be an understatement...as of this writing, his department's page has over 150,000 "likes". He's written a book, "No Mopes Allowed", based on his Facebook contributions. And Brimfield police chief David Oliver is certainly no stranger to radio appearances as a result...but now, he's turning pro. Will the "Internet Sensation" become a "Radio Sensation"? Let's let the chief … [Read more...]
Professor, Former Akron Newsman Heading To “Show Me State”
Posted on June 26, 2014 · Leave a Comment
Phil Hoffman has done a lot over his career in Northeast Ohio, specifically in the Akron area in the past 30-plus years. He was known for his "Untold Stories" series at the former "23 Newsday" at WAKC-TV/23, Akron's former ABC affiliate (now Cleveland-focused ION O&O WVPX). He worked in radio in Akron at WAKR/1590, then-WSLR/1350 and WKDD/then-96.5 and WCUE/1150. But for the past few years, Phil has been the "Media Doctor"...Dr. Phil Hoffman has been a professor in School of … [Read more...]
No Longer Working In Cleveland, Or Youngstown
Posted on June 24, 2014 · 2 Comments
Some items about former Cleveland broadcasters, including one that's being heard in Northeast Ohio again...but first, breaking media news not directly from Cleveland... MICHAELS EXITS: After veteran newsman John Nagy left Clear Channel's South Avenue complex in the Youngstown market due to budget cuts, there was still one experienced newsman in the building. But 30-year talk WKBN/570 veteran Jim Michaels is outside that building now as well, according to WFMJ-TV 21: Clear Channel, which … [Read more...]
Marriage, Dogs And Baseball
Posted on June 18, 2014 · 3 Comments
Don't worry, you'll figure out the connection... SHE'S MARRIED AND STAYING: The question has been peppering our inbox for some time now. Is Gannett NBC affiliate WKYC/3 morning meteorologist/host Hollie Strano now leaving the station after her marriage? The question has come up not because Strano is now hitched, but because her new husband doesn't live in Cleveland. Hollie and Alex Giangreco got married over the weekend on the beach in Fort Lauderdale FL (Alex's hometown). And we … [Read more...]
Keep Your Feet On The Ground
Posted on June 15, 2014 · 2 Comments
...and keep reaching for the stars. Sadly, we'll never hear those words uttered (except in long-ago recorded form) by music radio icon Casey Kasem, who passed away early Sunday at the age of 82. The younger folks who have read the TMZ coverage of Casey's family members fighting over his care and end days may not know the man who singlehandedly changed the face of hit music radio. But starting in 1970, Casey's "American Top 40" turned music chart-based radio on its ear, at a time where radio … [Read more...]
