For whatever reason, today's items all have a fresh, new technology bent to them...WNEO/WEAO HD LIT UP AGAIN: Kent-based public broadcasters WNEO/45 Alliance-WEAO/49 Akron ("PBS 45 & 49") have turned on PBS HD programming again, as of Tuesday, on their digital outlets.The stations had been running the 24/7 PBS HD feed for some time, until various equipment and financial issues got in the way and forced the end of the feed. Then, until Tuesday, the digital versions of 45/49 ran the PBS … [Read more...]
Monday Fatigue
Posted on June 25, 2007 · Leave a Comment
With weekend-long discussion of Friday's biggest media story, the placement of five Clear Channel Cleveland-operated FMs into a trust for eventual sale - and the developments over the weekend in the Jessie Davis Case Media Circus - we feel exhausted on this Monday.But, we'll get to the hits:A PLAUSIBLE EXPLANATION: Some of our commenters have posted possible scenarios for the first item, the move by Clear Channel to place all of its Oak Tree-located FMs into a new trust - presumably to bring … [Read more...]
STO Ups With Captains
Posted on June 21, 2007 · Leave a Comment
This one only made our radar when we tuned into SportsTime Ohio, and saw a Lake County Captains game being aired.But sure enough, the Indians-owned cable/satellite regional sports channel has just inked a five-game deal with the team's single-A South Atlantic League affiliate just up I-90 in Eastlake. The games are being produced by Classic Teleproductions.Tonight, the Captains' 7 PM game with the Delmarva Shorebirds - first in the series - is being broadcast live. The Captains and Shorebirds' … [Read more...]
The Media Circus
Posted on June 21, 2007 · Leave a Comment
Forgive us for treating it like, well, the elephant in the middle of the room...but we have yet to comment on the Northeast Ohio Media Circus.That is, the fact that much of the national media has descended upon Canton and nearby areas concerning the disappearance of a certain pregnant mother, 26 year-old Jessie Marie Davis, from her home in North Canton.A virtual media village has set up at the Stark County Sheriff's Department, and national network and cable news reporters have made the area … [Read more...]
Welcome To The OMW Jungle
Posted on June 20, 2007 · Leave a Comment
With apologies for the title to Premiere syndicated sports talker Jim Rome (weekdays noon-3 PM, WKNR/850 and WJMP/1520):SHOUT OUT: You never know who's reading this missive, but apparently, we've made the national grade in TV news gossip.Popular trade gossip site NewsBlues has a link to the Mighty Blog of Fun(tm), due to our earlier items and discussions about FOX O&O WJW/8 coming onto the market.We'd like to welcome our new readers - surely mostly from outside the market, as we're pretty … [Read more...]
First Shot Of The Week
Posted on June 18, 2007 · Leave a Comment
And our first entry this week is more of a follow-up entry...WJW TO CBS? HOLD ON...: When that big bombshell dropped last week, with FOX announcing its intent to sell Cleveland O&O WJW/8 "FOX 8" and eight other stations, we got a flurry of speculation that almost sounded, well, like it could happen.At least some folks seem to think that it's a foregone conclusion that CBS itself will ride in on the white horse and restore WJW's former CBS affiliation, swiping it with style from the folks at … [Read more...]
Through The Weekend
Posted on June 15, 2007 · Leave a Comment
Clearing out the ol' Inbox again, with some non-connected stuff from various trade sites and our own reporting...LATEST FM HD RADIO OUTLET: We hinted at it earlier, and now it's official - Clear Channel has lit up another Northeast Ohio station with HD Radio.Not long after hot AC WMXY/98.9 "Mix 98.9" in Youngstown turned on the digital bits, its sister hot AC station about 40 miles to the west has also done so.Akron/Canton hot AC WKDD/98.1 is new to the digital radio game, as of Friday morning. … [Read more...]
BREAKING NEWS: FOX Selling WJW
Posted on June 13, 2007 · Leave a Comment
UPDATED 6/13/07 10:00 PMThis just in:News Corporation, owner of TV's FOX network, has announced it is selling Cleveland O&O WJW/8 and eight other below-top-10 market stations."FOX 8" is the largest market station on the block. The Cleveland/Akron (Canton) market is still hanging in there as the nation's 17th ranked TV market, after once being in the top 10.Denver, which has grown to be right under Cleveland in market size (18th) is next on the FOX For Sale Block, with long-time FOX O&O … [Read more...]
Condolences
Posted on June 12, 2007 · Leave a Comment
OMW would like to extend our condolences to WJW/8 "FOX 8 News" sports anchor and WKNR/850 "ESPN 850" mid-morning talk show host Tony Rizzo on the loss of his grandmother.The Cleveland Plain Dealer has more on Josephine "Jeffie" Rizzo's life in a news obituary published Monday.Of course, her son, and Tony's father, is long-time Cleveland radio and TV personality Jack Reynolds... … [Read more...]
Friday Wrapup
Posted on June 8, 2007 · Leave a Comment
Now, on to the stuff clogging up our inbox, and our collective mind...MIX TO KISS PD IN Y-TOWN: AllAccess reports that Clear Channel Youngstown hot AC WMXY/98.9 "Mix" middayer Sean Stevens slides across the hall to top 40 WAKZ/95.9 "Kiss FM" to take its program director opening.The move takes Stevens off the air at "Mix", with newly-minted PD Steve Granato going on the air there. Sean has been holding that pesky "acting PD" title at "Kiss FM" since Jerry Mac left the post a few months ago.And … [Read more...]
