This may be one of our final blog updates of 2012, though we will continue to update our social media presence with breaking media-related news. No, not actual breaking news, as some of our E-mailers (not readers) haven't figured out... CLEVELAND RADIO HISTORY INTO HISTORY: As we write this, early Sunday morning, the storied Cleveland media address "One Radio Lane" is no longer occupied by, well, any radio stations. CBS Radio's local operations in Cleveland have been split between two … [Read more...]
A Savage Exit
Posted on September 28, 2012 · 2 Comments
As we quipped when liberal talk radio network Air America died, this would have been a much bigger story here a few years ago. But with syndicated talk show host Michael Savage making his "triumphant" exit from syndicator Talk Radio Network now, we believe that only affects a single station in the OMW immediate coverage area. Savage declared victory in his contract battle with the Oregon-based TRN, as he was seeking to be released from his deal to pursue deals with other syndicators. From the … [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...]
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...]
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...]
The Howie Followup
Posted on June 19, 2012 · 6 Comments
The death of a popular and well-regarded media personality, particularly when it comes in such a sudden way, often feels like a body blow to the rest of the broadcast community. So it has been after Saturday's untimely death of WNIR/100.1 "The Talk of Akron" midday talk show host Howie Chizek of a massive heart attack at the age of 65. Chizek had another range of admirers - those who had no idea he had an Akron talk radio show (let alone for 38 years running, most of those years dominant in … [Read more...]
WNIR Iconic Host Howie Chizek Dead After Heart Attack
Posted on June 16, 2012 · 30 Comments
UPDATE 6/16/12 11:25 PM: WNIR president Bob Klaus tells WEWS "NewsChannel 5": "We have lost a great friend very saddened by it as are thousands of people in Northeast Ohio who spent hours and hours and years and years listening to Howie." --------- MediaCom Akron market talk WNIR/100.1 "The Talk of Akron" midday host Howie Chizek has died, according to station weekend host Bob Earley tonight on the air. Earley says Chizek apparently died of a heart attack on an airplane headed for Florida, … [Read more...]
The Train Goes On
Posted on May 16, 2012 · Leave a Comment
Here we go...it's time to distribute what we have as of late, and even some stuff we missed... MORE PRAYERS: It is a scene unlike anything we've seen in local media. A popular personality not as a polished TV host, but a crying wife just praying for her husband to be brought back to her. Local TV Fox affiliate WJW/8 "Fox 8 News in the Morning" co-host Stefani Schaefer wasn't smiling about the latest news or Hollywood gossip in her return to the show on Wednesday morning. No, she was Roger's … [Read more...]
LeCharles Bentley Quits WKNR
Posted on September 30, 2011 · 16 Comments
On the eve of what was supposed to be a "major announcement" regarding a scheduling overhaul for Good Karma sports WKNR/850 "ESPN 850", that station has lost one of its star players. LeCharles Bentley abruptly resigned from WKNR Thursday night... just as "Xs and Os with the Pros," the show he co-hosted alongside Je'Rod Cherry, was set to begin. (It was so sudden that liners featuring LeCharles' name still played at the end of commercial breaks, but Je'Rod and show producer Emmett Golden had to … [Read more...]
Clearing Out The Inbox
Posted on September 2, 2011 · Leave a Comment
We've spent a lot of time talking about a certain new FM sports station, but that's mostly settled for now. Well, there is one "92.3 The Fan" mention: the "Will or Won't Jeff Phelps Co-Host with Andy Baskin" matter, which has had so many turns that we're about to call it "Cleveland's Talking Heads with Andy Baskin and (a player to be named later)", but... There's a lot more going on, and if we can type it up inside an hour, here goes...an item that is MOSTLY sports radio free from now … [Read more...]
