Some more thoughts about the news video sharing arrangement announced Monday in Cleveland.The initial announcement involved two area stations - Gannett's WKYC/3 and Raycom's WOIO/19 - agreeing to pool video of pre-planned events such as news conferences, scheduled events and the like...with one photographer (from whichever station) taking video that will be used by both.In our item Monday afternoon, we called it "the first" video sharing arrangement in the market.Shortly after that, we started … [Read more...]
Launching The First Digital Wave
Posted on February 17, 2009 · Leave a Comment
UPDATE 2/17/09 9:43 AM: The FCC has released a final list (PDF file) of stations ending analog operations today or earlier. The affected stations are highlighted in red.And we learn from that list that Wheeling's WTRF/7 is listed as an "enhanced nightlight" station, contrary to what we reported below. That apparently means the switch from analog channel 7 to digital channel 7 won't happen today, since the analog signal will continue for the next 60 days with DTV transition and emergency … [Read more...]
WKYC/WOIO Announce News Video Sharing Agreement
Posted on February 16, 2009 · Leave a Comment
Yes, we are aware of some big Cleveland market TV news we haven't been able to post until now.Gannett NBC affiliate WKYC/3 and Raycom CBS affliate WOIO/19 are officially joining forces to share routine news video, according to the announcement posted today on WKYC.com.The deal applies to video that would ordinarily have been shot by each station's separate crews, according to the WKYC story:Videographers from both stations will participate in a pool coverage system to cover basic events of … [Read more...]
The Week That Will Be
Posted on February 16, 2009 · Leave a Comment
So, we're back for our usual Monday morning go-around.Like last week, news about the now-mostly-moved digital TV transition will be hard to avoid this week - at least through the first part of this week, at any rate.For now, we'll start on the radio...with a digital TV update to follow later this morning...PAUL HARVEY...GOODBYE: Clear Channel talk WTVN/610 Columbus is the latest station to part ways with the news commentary nominally hosted by veteran broadcaster Paul Harvey.Echoing earlier … [Read more...]
And Finally On The Digital TV Front
Posted on February 13, 2009 · Leave a Comment
It looks like those "alternate showings" are now in the public FCC files for TV stations listed as needing to meet new conditions to sign off analog signals by the original deadline of Tuesday (February 17th).The filings we've seen support our reporting earlier about the Dayton market, where all full-power commercial stations now say they'll pull back from the February 17th analog shutoff date.And a Dayton Daily News story this afternoon by Jim DeBrosse confirms our own suspicions - that even … [Read more...]
Oh, Never Mind
Posted on February 13, 2009 · Leave a Comment
UPDATE 2/13/09 5:15 PM: And there goes WBDT/26...and maybe even WPTD/16.The unraveling of the Dayton Early Digital Transition is nearly complete, as Cincinnati Enquirer TV/radio guru John Kiesewetter writes on his blog about that market to his north:4:25 p.m. update: WBDT-TV (Ch 26), the CW affiliate, also keeping analog on.4:30 p.m. update: As of now Ch 16 will drop analog after Tuesday. This just in from the station: "ThinkTV is consulting with Washington counsel and the FCC. ThinkTV 16 … [Read more...]
Moving Back For Some Stations
Posted on February 13, 2009 · Leave a Comment
This was supposed to be the last week of full-power analog TV in the United States, but of course, that's not happening now.We have a Digital TV Status Update for two Ohio markets affected by the FCC's new rules about February 17th shutoffs...but stay tuned, there may be other items...we're working on one piece of big radio news that, unfortunately, continues our ongoing theme...The FCC's most recent public notice about February 17th analog TV shutoffs did indeed focus a spotlight on markets … [Read more...]
Mixing It Up
Posted on February 12, 2009 · Leave a Comment
Yes, here at your Mighty Blog of Fun(tm), we realize that we've spent a lot of time and written a lot of items on the Now Officially Delayed Digital TV Transition.As always, we're basically driven by what's going on...and that's been the most active area that we cover. We'll try to mix it up at least a little in this item, though there's at least one DTV transition item in here, too...IT'S GOOD TO BE ALIVE...WEEEEE!: An OMW reader recently wrote:I haven't listened to Tony Rizzo lately but did … [Read more...]
Not So Fast, Dayton
Posted on February 12, 2009 · Leave a Comment
It's official - the DTV Delay Bill is law, after being signed Wednesday afternoon by President Obama.Broadcasting & Cable has more, along with a presidential signing statement:--------"During these challenging economic times, the needs of American consumers are a top priority of my administration. This law, which was crafted in a bipartisan way and passed overwhelmingly in the House and Senate, ensures that our citizens will have more time to prepare for the conversion.""Millions of … [Read more...]
No Longer A Network
Posted on February 11, 2009 · Leave a Comment
Raycom Media WUAB/43 "My 43" in Cleveland won't technically be a "network affiliate" this coming fall, though it'll still be "My" and still air a slate of prime-time national programming.The "My" in "My 43", MyNetwork TV, has announced that it'll consider itself a "programming service" starting in the fall, and will reduce its programming hours by two hours, to 10 hours a week. That move frees up Saturday nights to MyNetwork affiliates like WUAB.And WOIO/WUAB VP/general manager Bill Applegate … [Read more...]
