As usual when big news comes out, there's a followup that comes a little later... BIG SHOES: To say that the next afternoon driver at Clear Channel Cleveland country WGAR/99.5 has "big shoes to fill" is probably our understatement of the year. But the station has begun the daunting process of filling the afternoon drive time slot left open by one of the biggest tragedies in local radio history - the passing of Chuck Collier. All Access reports that Clear Channel Cleveland OM Keith Abrams (Hi, … [Read more...]
THIS JUST IN: WJW/8 Likely Headed To UHF Soon
Posted on October 12, 2011 · 11 Comments
If you're an over-air TV viewer tired of not being able to receive Fox programming or local news from Local TV LLC WJW/8 Cleveland's "Fox 8 News", here is some GOOD news. Your long, regional TV nightmare is nearly over. That's because the FCC has weighed in on WJW's request to move its over-air signal from RF channel 8, to its pre-transition UHF channel of 31...off the trouble-plagued VHF band. In a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) released Tuesday, the agency says it is in favor of the … [Read more...]
Early Week Pileup
Posted on October 10, 2011 · Leave a Comment
Some items have been piling up here at OMW World Headquarters, so it's time to clear the traffic lanes... QUICK EXIT: Scripps ABC affiliate WEWS/5 "NewsChannel 5" has parted ways with reporter/anchor Justin Michaels, rather suddenly. From a brief station memo about his exit from news director Jill Manuel: I want to share the news that Justin Michaels is no longer with NewsChannel 5. Please join me in wishing Justin luck in his future endeavors. From what we're hearing out of 3001 Euclid, … [Read more...]
Ghoulardifest 2011 Release
Posted on October 6, 2011 · 1 Comment
This release on the annual Ghoulardifest is reprinted here in full, due to its wide appeal to our regular readership...the wording is as sent to us... -- Your Primary Editorial Voice(tm) ------------ GHOULARDIFEST OCTOBER 14th, 15th, 16th UAW HALL 5615 Chevrolet Blvd. Parma, Ohio Friday, 5:00p.m. til 9:00p.m. Saturday, 10:00a.m. til 7:00p.m. Sunday, 11:00a.m. til 5:00p.m. Cleveland's giant pop culture celebration, Ghoulardifest returns with a star studded weekend saluting one of the great … [Read more...]
The Wide World Of Media
Posted on October 5, 2011 · 1 Comment
Another set of items on our plate, and we're hungry, so let's eat... 5'S NEW ANCHOR: Again, this is no surprise to OMW readers, who read about it last week, but Scripps ABC affiliate WEWS/5 has officially announced the name of its new 11 PM co-anchor. The shoes Chris Flanagan has to fill at "NewsChannel 5" are big - those of retired anchor Ted Henry (who left those empty shoes in May 2009), but the anchor heading to Cleveland from Dallas is looking to hit the ground running. From the … [Read more...]
Changes Afoot
Posted on September 28, 2011 · 8 Comments
There are lots of changes coming in local radio and TV, and it's time to bring them to light. We'll start on the TV side, first...but sports radio is in the on-deck circle... NEW ANCHOR: Scripps ABC affiliate WEWS/5 has been taking its time and shuffling around its schedule after the departure of market icon Ted Henry. But it appears it's filled at least one of Ted's roles - 11 PM co-anchor. MediaBistro's TVSpy, the entity once known as "ShopTalk", has confirmed earlier rumors about … [Read more...]
Rolling Through The Month
Posted on September 21, 2011 · 1 Comment
Things are piling up again here at the Always In Flux OMW World Headquarters, but we also have a couple of separate items to put up later... HEGAN RETIRES: A familiar voice along the Cleveland Indians Radio Network won't be heard next year. That's because veteran broadcaster Mike Hegan, who has spent the past 23 years as a Tribe broadcaster, is stepping away from the booth after this season is over. He's spent most of those 23 years with Indians play-by-play voice Tom Hamilton on the team's … [Read more...]
Mid-September Grab Bag
Posted on September 14, 2011 · 3 Comments
There isn't really a lot connecting all of the below items, but here we are with the grab bag anyway... KIMBERLY GILL LANDS: After being unceremoniously dispatched from the Scripps ABC affiliate WEWS/5 morning show "Good Morning Cleveland" in early July. co-anchor Kimberly Gill has a soft landing to the east. CBS O&O KDKA/2 in Pittsburgh announced that Gill is joining their news staff. From the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: Ms. Gill will co-anchor at noon and 4 p.m. with Stacy Smith and serve … [Read more...]
Air Traffic Control
Posted on September 8, 2011 · 4 Comments
The comings and goings in Northeast Ohio media are starting to stack up like planes waiting to land or take off at Hopkins Airport, so let's clear some of these jets now... JIM'S BACK, NO, REALLY: Stop us if you're heard this before - Cleveland Browns Radio Network play-by-play voice Jim Donovan will be back in the booth on Sunday, after undergoing successful bone marrow transplant surgery in his 10 year battle with leukemia. No, really, he'll be back...and not just on radio. OMW passed along … [Read more...]
Some Other Stuff
Posted on August 22, 2011 · 1 Comment
We're just a week away from the debut of a new station that's held much of our attention lately...CBS Radio's incoming Cleveland sports talk outlet, the transformation of alt-rock WKRK/92.3 "Radio 92.3" to "92.3 The Fan" next Monday. We'll have plenty more to update about that story later today. But for now, some other stuff... JIM'S COMING BACK: With health problems sidelining him from calling Cleveland Browns preseason games on Gannett NBC affiliate WKYC/3, a lot of viewers are … [Read more...]
