As promised, the latest update in our ongoing saga regarding the move of 101.7 FM to the Canton area.As it appears now, the move of the station now known as WJER-FM won't happen in full until shortly after the first of the year.Last night, WJER itself signed off regular programming on the FM side, after its annual presentation of "A Christmas Carol" from 11 PM until midnight.After that, 101.7 began airing a continuous loop of announcements from various staff members directing listeners to the … [Read more...]

On behalf of the entire editorial staff at your Mighty Blog of Fun(tm), our heartfelt wishes to all of our readers for a most joyous holiday season.OMW will resume publication on Tuesday, December 26th. We will then have sporadic updates through Tuesday, January 2nd, when we resume a reasonably normal schedule.Please note, as always, that OMW is updated at our discretion, and when we are able to do so.We're especially thankful at this holiday season.Not only for our enthusiastic readership, but … [Read more...]

Barring unforeseen events, this is probably our last update before Christmas Day, and we've put off a lot in the focus on our two or three major news stories this past week.We're also planning a special Holiday Message/State of OMW post some time in the next few days...yes, more navel gazing is in the cards. Until then...let's clear out our "inbox"...FURMAN TO WFTK: We spent a lot of time on this back when he was fired from WLW/700, the Clear Channel talk powerhouse in Cincinnati, so it's only … [Read more...]

OMW readers in Central Ohio tell us that rumored changes at Clear Channel's two Columbus AM outlets have been announced, officially.This afternoon on talk WTVN/610, station management announced another reshuffling of the station's talk show lineup.Losing yet another large market Clear Channel talk station clearance is Premiere's Glenn Beck, who will be bounced off of WTVN's mid-morning slot in favor of...local host Joel Riley, who's currently on the schedule from 6-9 PM.The Riley move to the 9 … [Read more...]

With apologies to Howie Mandel of NBC game show fame...After our last item, we're continuing to get mixed signals about the future of Clear Channel's new 101.7 move-in to the Canton market.And to balance our last item, we'll also pass along some interesting Internet sleuthing done by some of our readers...many of whom believe that the "101.7 The Bull" website uncovered here yesterday is an act of slight of hand by those at the World Domination HQ/Southern Command on Freedom Avenue.LITE?: A … [Read more...]

It's just under a week before Clear Channel takes over the station now known as WJER-FM/101.7 Dover, and turns it into...a Canton market radio station.We may have an idea of what you'll hear on 101.7 when it starts transmitting from the now-nearly complete transmitter site at The World's Biggest Radio Tower Tourist Attraction at 22nd and Whipple NW in Canton.Thanks to an OMW tipster, we've uncovered a Clear Channel-run website for "101.7 The Bull", which would appear to be pretty much a complete … [Read more...]

Yes, yes, yes...in response to what feels like dozens of E-Mails (please, keep 'em coming!), we heard that new WKNR/850 owner Craig Karmazin was on with afternoon drive host Kenny Roda on Good Karma Broadcasting's new Cleveland sports radio acquisition.Based on what we heard, both described to us and on the radio with our own ears - Karmazin started at 4 PM, and took listener calls with Roda for the rest of the show in a 3 hour session, give or take a sports interview - it appears the new 'KNR … [Read more...]

Tributes to local broadcast legend Joe Finan continue to pour in, after his death earlier today at the age of 79.Finan's last broadcast home, Clear Channel liberal talk WARF/1350 Akron "Radio Free Ohio", has posted audio of his last program on the station on October 10th on the page we linked earlier. There are also pictures of Finan during his debut broadcast, and at various station remotes.And as we saw before with the death of another local broadcast icon, WSLR/1350 morning star Jaybird … [Read more...]

OMW has just learned that long-time Northeast Ohio broadcaster Joe Finan has passed away at the age of 79.Finan, until earlier this year, was the midday talk host at Clear Channel liberal talk WARF/1350 Akron "Radio Free Ohio". But he's most known recently for his nearly 20 year stint in afternoon drive at talk WNIR/100.1 Kent "The Talk of Akron".Long before any of this, Finan was a popular disk jockey in Cleveland, Denver and other cities.OMW hears this afternoon that Finan was scheduled for … [Read more...]

The title here stands for "What Would Clear Channel Sell?", believe it or not.We already know that the company has announced spinoffs of many small market clusters, above the top 100, as part of its recent announced sale to two private equity funds.But the folks at Inside Radio report today that it would appear CC is willing to sell off "extra" stations in many large markets, grandfathered into its ownership...but with that grandfathering going away with a company sale.The trade website has gone … [Read more...]