Just some stuff that's been floating around the OMW Inbox, mostly outside of our immediate Northeast Ohio focus. OK, there is one Cleveland item, which we've saved for last...WSYX HD NEWS: As hinted and expected, Sinclair has flipped the HD News Switch at its Columbus stations, WSYX/6 (ABC) and WTTE/28 (FOX).The move makes the company's news operation the last Columbus market TV newsroom to go the HDTV route.We haven't figured out yet, despite input from our readers in the market, how far … [Read more...]
WTOD Programmer Out
Posted on April 11, 2008 · Leave a Comment
OMW has word that Cumulus' Toledo cluster has "downsized" one of our readers right out of his job.Chuck Matthews, who programmed the cluster's talk WTOD/1560 "SuperTalk 1560" and was creative director for all the Cumulus Toledo stations, is no longer working there.We hear Chuck is looking for programming or imaging director duties, and still runs his own voiceover shop. He's heard as an imaging voice on a number of radio and TV stations, including Block Communications cable CW Network affiliate … [Read more...]
Our Brian Wilson Update
Posted on April 10, 2008 · Leave a Comment
And since we're Ohio Media Watch and not Billboard Magazine, that means an update on Clear Channel talk WSPD/1370 Toledo afternoon drive host/program director Brian Wilson, not an update on that Beach Boy.The Baltimore Sun's "Critical Mass" blog provides a first-day update on Wilson's debut Wednesday as the mid-afternoon host (12-3 PM) on that city's CBS Radio FM talker, WFHS/105.7.And the update, and an article in the Dead Trees edition of the Sun the day before, confirms our reporting here … [Read more...]
A Clump Of Toledo News
Posted on April 4, 2008 · Leave a Comment
Here at your Mighty Blog of Fun(tm), we don't know what it is...but media news from Toledo seems to always come in clumps. It's almost never just "one" item.Here we are again, with word of one change that's already been made, and one move that may or may not affect the market.We'll start with the second, with the announcement on Dave Hughes' DCRTV.com, "confirmed" by the Baltimore Sun newspaper, that veteran Baltimore market radio voice Brian Wilson would be returning to the airwaves of that … [Read more...]
More On Milwaukee
Posted on January 25, 2008 · Leave a Comment
A quick follow to the item about Good Karma's Craig Karmazin and his purchase of Salem Christian talk WRRD/540 in the Milwaukee market...The price Good Karma has now been revealed, thanks to FCC filings...$3.8 million.And some more details are being made known.The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel now reports rumblings that Salem is selling its other station in Milwaukee, CCM outlet WFZH/105.3 "The Fish", to the folks at Educational Media Foundation ("K-Love").That would answer a question we had - why … [Read more...]
Sunday Heads Up: Denny’s Northwest Ohio Radio Return
Posted on January 12, 2008 · Leave a Comment
Toledo-area listeners haven't heard Denny Schaffer since he left Clear Channel talk WSPD/1370 for sister station WGST/640 Atlanta.And aside from an occasional national talk radio fill-in (Denny has filled in for Premiere host Glenn Beck at least once), Denny himself hasn't been heard anywhere on the radio since an apparent temporary weekend stint at Atlanta sports talker WCNN/680 "The Fan" - his landing spot after WGST eviscerated its local talk radio lineup.Since then, he's hosted a daily … [Read more...]
Monday’s Return
Posted on December 10, 2007 · Leave a Comment
So, the ol' OMW Inbox has clogged up again over the weekend, and there are still some outstanding items...WJW/FOX SALE?: Estimates are not always perfect, so we weren't 100% sure that we'd hear more by now on our story from last week - the pending sale of Cleveland FOX O&O WJW/8 and eight other FOX below-top 10 market stations, presumably to Oak Hill Capital Partners (Local TV, LLC).The announcement made by a high-level FOX executive in two meetings a week ago today at South Marginal Road … [Read more...]
Cumulus’ Ohio Four Spin
Posted on November 7, 2007 · Leave a Comment
Cumulus, also seeking to end up going private, has just done its own round of spinoffs intended to slim the company's station roster, and four of those spinoffs involve the OMW coverage area.In the Youngstown/Warren market, Cumulus is moving standards WSOM/600 Salem and AC WLLF/96.7 Mercer PA "The River" to Stratus Radio LLC. And in the Toledo market, it's classic rock WXKR/94.5 Port Clinton and top 40 WTWR/98.3 Luna Pier MI "Tower 98-3" headed for Stratus Land.See any connection here?Not only … [Read more...]
Yeah, It’s Monday
Posted on November 5, 2007 · Leave a Comment
While waiting to make an announcement...ESPN 970: As linked here via the Ashtabula Star-Beacon earlier, Media One's WFUN/970 has made the switch from talk to sports.OMW regular reader/tipster Nathan Obral up in Lorain County - apparently getting some good across-Lake Erie reception - tells us that WFUN made the previously announced format change over the weekend, now branding as "ESPN 970 WFUN".The earlier report stated that the format change would move WFUN morning drive host John Broom's show … [Read more...]
And Tuesday
Posted on August 14, 2007 · Leave a Comment
Here we are, for once, for a second day in a row. Feels like old times, no?TOLEDO'S HOME OF THE BROWNS: ...is nowhere, at least on the radio.Some non-radio friends confirmed to us that no Toledo radio station carried the Cleveland Browns' pre-season win over the Kansas City Chiefs over last weekend. Not WTOD/1560, nor any other Cumulus or Clear Channel stations, or...anyone.And radio sources in the market say the situation is bleak for expecting any station to swoop in and carry the Browns … [Read more...]
