Well, HERE'S something different, at any rate.100000watts.com reports that Beacon Broadcasting's WRTK/1540 Niles has flipped from urban to black gospel, using ABC's "Rejoice" 24 hour format - also known as "Musical Soul Food".Not like it's a surprise to us here at OMW, of course. In fact, we predicted months ago that this is what Beacon owner Harold Glunt would do with the Youngstown-market daytimer. Glunt hung onto the station's urban format long after he purchased the station, declining to … [Read more...]

In the past week, OMW's mostly resembled the classic Bill Murray movie "Groundhog Day"...what, with our menu pretty much limited to the same topics over and over again - SportsTime Ohio's affiliates, David Lee Roth's radio show, and the upcoming "Cleveland Rants" co-production between Fox Sports Net Ohio and Salem's Cleveland sports talker, WKNR/850.But that's about all that's going on right now, so we apologize for another "Rants" entry...and apologize for OMW looking like the background to a … [Read more...]

In addition to the list of cable providers mentioned below, SportsTime Ohio has announced agreements with stations in the Columbus market (WWHO/UPN) and Erie PA market (WICU/NBC-WSEE/CBS) to carry the over-air Indians games shown in Cleveland on WKYC/3.The over-air network also includes previously announced affiliates WYFX "FOX 17/62" in Youngstown, and WLIO/35 (NBC) in Lima. We're wondering if they're still trying to sign up a Toledo broadcast affiliate, where the cable games will be seen on … [Read more...]

It wasn't quite what we predicted here in the Mighty Blog of Fun(tm) the other day, but close.As expected, SportsTime Ohio has issued its wrapup press release on the cable TV negotiations that have taken place in the past few weeks, saying it's "close to finalizing" all of its talks. STO boss Jim Liberatore notes that in "just six weeks", the new Indians TV network has signed up 17 cable providers, and says there's a "strong possibility" that additional partners will be aboard before STO's … [Read more...]

And no, we're not talking about Media-Com's Fox Sports Radio affiliate WJMP/1520 Kent.(Sorry, we couldn't resist!)Under scrutiny by the Ohio attorney general, the folks at Written Communications Radio Service have been forced to shut down their radio reading service for the blind.WCRS operated on a subcarrier of Akron University's WZIP/88.1, providing reading of the Akron Beacon Journal, the Cleveland Plain Dealer, numerous magazines and original programming aimed at blind listeners. The … [Read more...]

Rumorama alert: Euclid resident and former Fox Sports Radio host Chuck Booms could be headed back to that network for weekend work.Booms, along with former FSR partner Kevin Kiley, recently filled in on weekends on legendary Philadelphia sports station WIP/610. Aaron Bracy of the Cherry Hill (NJ) Courier-Post in suburban Philly said a couple of weeks ago the team could appear again, and called their first WIP appearance "bad", saying the duo managed to "insult just about every Philadelphia … [Read more...]

As (mostly) expected, CBS Radio syndicated morning man David Lee Roth returned to his on-air perch on WFNY, New York's "Free FM", and stations including CBS Radio classic rocker WNCX/98.5 Cleveland.Roth told his audience that he was indeed suspended for two days by CBS, and went off on a rant about a memo by WFNY programmer Mark Chernoff with new show guidelines.The new rules outline, well, the lack of some radio basics that Roth doesn't seem to like...things ranging from having more topical … [Read more...]

...Armstrong Cable, as expected.In a note buried in another item on the Indians' website tonight, an earlier-rumored deal between SportsTime Ohio and Armstrong has been confirmed. MLB.com Indians beat writer Anthony Castrovince reports that the agreement not only covers Armstrong's systems in Medina, Orrville, Ashland and the Youngstown suburb of Boardman, but also Armstrong's Meadville PA system.We believe Armstrong is the final major cable provider in Northern Ohio to agree to carry the … [Read more...]

In what seems to be the biggest promotional campaign for a radio and/or TV show in some time, the move to promote FSN Ohio and WKNR/850's upcoming "Cleveland Rants" (non-official) Indians postgame radio/TV simulcast continues.WKNR has been promoting the show incessantly in the past few days, and the season hasn't even started yet! The hosts - FSN Ohio's Les Levine and WKNR's Neil Bender - appeared with the radio station's Greg Brinda AND Kenny Roda today.We heard part of the duo's appearance on … [Read more...]

Two pieces of information have us wondering if there is more behind the story...INSIGHT ABOARD: As expected, Columbus' third major cable provider has signed up with SportsTime Ohio. The Columbus Dispatch reports that Insight Cable will carry STO on Channel 60, which is normally reserved for - and will retain outside of STO's Indians programming - ShopNBC programming. (Maybe the Tribe can talk to ShopNBC about offering Indians memorabilia after the STO post-game? Heh.)But our question - why … [Read more...]