Just this past weekend, your Mighty Blog of Fun(tm) wrote an "open letter" to Craig Karmazin, the man behind Good Karma Broadcasting and owner of new Cleveland sports radio outlet WWGK/1540 "ESPN Radio 1540".We didn't think he'd respond so soon.As it turns out, Mr. Karmazin is not new to the Mighty Blog. He tells us, in an E-Mail, that he's actually been a reader here for over a year and a half...which even dates back before anyone knew he had any interest in owning a station in Northeast … [Read more...]

Ever notice that some days in news about media are just volatile? This is one of those days.CINCINNATI CHANGES: It's been more than one of those days in Ohio's Queen City, with even MORE changes than expected on - and off - the local radio dial.Cincinnati Enquirer radio/TV guru John Kiesewetter sums it up best in his latest blog entry.Here's your lineup of Apple Cart Tipping in the Cincinnati radio market:* Entercom and Cumulus swap two FM stations. Country WYGY/94.9 "Star" moves over to … [Read more...]

At the risk of it getting around here like it was during the SportsTime Ohio launch, when we had four items in a row about that particular news item, we'll break up the ESPN Radio 1540 flow with some random items:CLEAR CHANGES?: We haven't said much about this major national business news story for good reason...we don't know how it'll affect the dozens of Clear Channel stations within our editorial reach in Ohio and nearby markets.But yes, the San Antonio-based radio giant has confirmed that … [Read more...]

UPDATE 10/30/06 9:02 AM: Listening to "ESPN Radio 1540" from this far away is like trying to listen to a station from a foreign country. But we've heard enough this morning to pick out that as we expected, Aaron Goldhammer is doing local "ESPN SportsCenter" updates for the new Cleveland ESPN Radio affiliate.Goldhammer and Bernard Bokanyi, who will do the afternoon updates, were already on the station's website doing interviews...--------------We'd written a whole "handicapping its chances and … [Read more...]

OMW hears that the ESPN Radio format has debuted on "Cleveland's ESPN Radio 1540".And even if you're not within the station's 1000 watt signal range, anyone will notice the rather extensive website which has now popped up at ESPNCleveland.com.Color us impressed.The site is very similar to the website for Good Karma Broadcasting's other ESPN Radio outlet, ESPNMilwaukee.com. Some details we've noticed:NEW CALLS AND INFO: The "Advertising" page notes that the station's new calls will be WWGK. … [Read more...]

Just days after word that Cumulus Cincinnati station WYGY/96.5 is set to flip to a talk format as its country format moves to 94.9 FM, we get word of another FM talk flip in Ohio. And this one has already happened.A simulcast of Cox news/talk WHIO/1290 Dayton has supplanted the "Point" 80s music format formerly heard on the company's WDPT/95.7 Piqua, under the on-air name "AM 1290 and 95.7 FM - News/Talk Radio WHIO".The station talks about it on the front of its website:Cox Radio Dayton … [Read more...]

Midday local talk show host Joe Finan is out at Clear Channel liberal talk WARF/1350 Akron "Radio Free Ohio".A station press release touts its "new fall lineup" with the full three hours of Jones Radio's Stephanie Miller show, and the full three hours of Air America Radio's Al Franken show. The change takes effect today, with Miller's show already airing in the former Finan time slot.Finan has been completely removed from the "Radio Free Ohio" website, including from the list of hosts and from … [Read more...]

The NBA Cleveland Cavaliers continue to test the TV waters in Pittsburgh.McKeesport Daily News writer Patrick Cloonan - a regular OMW reader - passes along an article of his featured in the paper's sports section on Thursday. (For whatever reason, it's not on the Daily News' website.)He writes that the Cavaliers will once again be seen on FOX Sports Net Pittsburgh on a limited basis. The cable network will feature 16 Cavs games - ten from Quicken Loans Arena, and six on the road. Five of the … [Read more...]

This one courtesy of Cleveland Plain Dealer writer Michael Heaton, who's been doing an occasional series on WTAM/1100 sports voice Casey Coleman and his battle with pancreatic cancer...And the news, unfortunately, is not good.In today's piece, Heaton spotlights Casey's road to personal recovery from alcohol addiction. He tells the story not many outside the broadcast industry actually knew, of the hard-charging former TV anchor slamming down booze enough to be arrested for DUI, and to be … [Read more...]

It's still running Dale Edwards' gospel format, at least as of last night, but...The station set to adopt Good Karma Broadcasting's ESPN Radio format is now known to the FCC as WBKC. 1540/Cleveland took those calls officially on Tuesday, as outgoing owner Edwards' D&E Communications swapped the WABQ calls to co-owned 1460/Painesville.That facility has been running gospel music since last week, when it broke from a simulcast with classical WCLV/104.9 Lorain.It's probably a safe guess that … [Read more...]