Radio and TV, both traditional and "new", in this update. But first... NEXT RADIO MOVE: We're still compiling items for our "#TheNextRadio" series, focusing on non-broadcast versions of "radio" in 2015. One long-time OMW reader is diving into that universe head first. Chuck Matthews, who has a thriving voiceover business, is leaving his "day job" at Akron's Rubber City Radio Group to join the region's most high profile online radio operation. It was John Gorman's "oWOW" that we first … [Read more...]
Here We Go Again
Posted on March 23, 2015 · 1 Comment
Another week, another week opener. We haven't forgotten our #TheNextRadio series. It's just that Life has Intervened to the point that we haven't had time for the extra processing needed for the next segment. But in the meantime... BEEFING UP THE WX: Some more changes (stop us if you've heard this before!) are coming to 3001 Euclid. But it's an effort to add staff to the weather department at "NewsChannel 5". An Alert OMW Reader actually spotted one of the two new additions coming to Scripps … [Read more...]
Youngstown Weather Icon Dies
Posted on January 27, 2015 · 1 Comment
Not many people west of Portage County may be familiar with Don Guthrie. But Don was very much to the Mahoning Valley as Dick Goddard is to the rest of Northeast Ohio, and sadly, Don lost his battle with pancreatic cancer on Sunday night. His long-time home station, now-Media General CBS affiliate WKBN/27, has more on his passing. Despite battling a horrible disease, the same one that felled long-time Cleveland TV and radio sportscaster Casey Coleman, Don Guthrie worked as long as he … [Read more...]
Controversy, Exits And Entrances
Posted on January 26, 2015 · 7 Comments
In which a swirl of controversy envelopes radio and TV personalities...some of it significant, some of it not... HE'S GONE: When David Oliver became now-former chief of the Brimfield Police Department, we noted that as far as we knew, he still had his part-time job as a weekend radio host at Media-Com talk WNIR/100.1 "The Talk of Akron". After all, his employment there didn't depend on being chief of a small town Portage County police force. But Oliver's unceremonious exit from that … [Read more...]
Opening The Year
Posted on January 5, 2015 · 8 Comments
Welcome to 2015...but first, we have to clear out the backlog from the end of 2014... WKYC CHANGES: First, we turn to 13th and Lakeside, one of several busy places TV-wise as the calendar winded down the year. (We'll wind our way through all the other local TV news operations in Cleveland, as this string continues.) The job descriptions in the Spectorsky-Byrnes household have once again shifted, and Gannett NBC affiliate WKYC/3 station manager Micki Byrnes has taken the top job at the station … [Read more...]
John And Johnny
Posted on December 15, 2014 · 1 Comment
And about the only thing missing from our item in that department is "WKRP in Cincinnati"'s Dr. Johnny Fever. But first... UNWRAPPING DIGITAL TV: Those looking for new digital TV options have a couple of new presents on the over-air dial in the Cleveland market...and one, well, let's just say we're checking to see if pigs are flying over Portage County. That is because (as we signaled earlier) a long-time low-power analog TV stalwart has appeared on area digital TV tuners. Media-Com's … [Read more...]
Gone And Staying
Posted on September 29, 2014 · 2 Comments
Some random items while waiting for proverbial footwear to drop...and we're talking large shoes here... RADIO DISNEY IS STILL ALL EARS: You were supposed to be hearing the Sounds of Silence on Radio Disney stations like WWMK/1260 Cleveland by now, and no, not the Simon & Garfunkel hit. But instead of silencing 23 signals nationwide (all AM except for one FM in the Indianapolis market), the Mouse House decided at the last minute to keep them operating at Friday's previously announced … [Read more...]
Rumors And Reality
Posted on September 25, 2014 · 3 Comments
And let's start with the rumblings first... CBS SALE?: The folks at the Halle Building are probably used to it by now...their big boss is once again making noises about leaving below major market radio, selling off its stations in even large markets like Cleveland. But will it ever happen? Cleveland would certainly be a candidate, if CBS boss Les Moonves is looking to concentrate solely on markets like New York, Los Angeles and Chicago, and wants to exit markets below, say, the top 15 … [Read more...]
No Longer Working In Cleveland, Or Youngstown
Posted on June 24, 2014 · 2 Comments
Some items about former Cleveland broadcasters, including one that's being heard in Northeast Ohio again...but first, breaking media news not directly from Cleveland... MICHAELS EXITS: After veteran newsman John Nagy left Clear Channel's South Avenue complex in the Youngstown market due to budget cuts, there was still one experienced newsman in the building. But 30-year talk WKBN/570 veteran Jim Michaels is outside that building now as well, according to WFMJ-TV 21: Clear Channel, which … [Read more...]
Confusion And Change
Posted on June 5, 2014 · 2 Comments
UPDATE 6/5/14 2:00 PM: OMW hears that the open afternoon drive slot at Cumulus rock WYFM/102.9 "Y-103" in Youngstown will be filled by Steve Hammond. Hammond previously worked at Rubber City Radio rock WONE/97.5 Akron in afternoons and evenings. Hammond's time slot at WONE was filled by program director Tim Daugherty, who moved from morning drive when WONE hired Jeff Kinzbach for that time slot. Hammond starts at Y-103 next Tuesday... ----- Those who haven't been paying attention, or … [Read more...]
