UPDATE 3/26/07 1:35 PM: As reported and expected, the WHBC talk format has launched. We'll keep the item open for comments until later tonight, as opposed to starting another item... --The Management------------OMW hears from numerous sources that the debut of the talk format on NextMedia's WHBC/1480 Canton will happen on Monday.The date that had been floated out of the building for the debut was April 2nd.But WHBC is apparently ready at the starting gate for March 26th - perhaps because they … [Read more...]
Where Else Does Dennis Go?
Posted on March 23, 2007 · Leave a Comment
The latest entertainment industry entrant into the talk radio realm debuts his Westwood One syndicated talk show Monday.And at launch or soon after, comedian/commentator/former football TV voice/actor/raconteur (whew!) Dennis Miller will have over 80 affiliates in his list, including some in reasonably large markets - including a clearance in his hometown of Pittsburgh, on CBS Radio's new FM talk station WRKZ/93.7.Well, it's rocker WRKZ now. Starting April 2nd it'll be WTZN "The Zone - … [Read more...]
A Few Random Items, AllAccess Style
Posted on March 22, 2007 · Leave a Comment
Here are some local quickies, courtesy of AllAccess:WHBC IS FOX: With a nod to our ongoing coverage of the move of NextMedia oldies WHBC/1480 Canton to talk, AllAccess reports another piece of that puzzle is complete.As rumored here for a long, long time, WHBC is indeed turning to a sports network to fill its non-game-night evening hours. FOX Sports Radio will begin airing on 1480 starting next Monday, from 7 PM to midnight and "around the clock" on weekends.We presume WHBC will keep its … [Read more...]
Pete Kenworthy’s Landing
Posted on March 22, 2007 · Leave a Comment
Earlier, OMW told you of reports out of Buffalo, where WKBW/7 morning anchor Pete Kenworthy was tabbed for a move to the Cleveland market. We just didn't know where he was headed.We do now.OMW hears that Kenworthy is headed for Cleveland ABC affiliate WEWS/5. He'll become the Akron Bureau chief for "NewsChannel 5" when he arrives in Northeast Ohio.Though that bureau at the Akron Beacon Journal has mostly been staffed by Jonathan Costen as a fill-in recently, Kenworthy will be the official … [Read more...]
More STO, And DirecTV
Posted on March 21, 2007 · Leave a Comment
In our rush to put up the item on the new SportsTime Ohio show to be fronted by local sports personality Bruce Drennan, we didn't outline some of the other changes at the network which adopts "full-time" status on April 1.Among them: three new shows.Former WKYC and FSN Ohio staffer Andy Baskin's "Totally Tribe" will be on the STO schedule. As reported earlier, Baskin is producing the show from his own new production shingle, Over The Falls Productions.Veteran local sports voice Al Pawlowski … [Read more...]
Drennan’s New STO Show Announced
Posted on March 20, 2007 · Leave a Comment
As per usual, we're away from the keyboard when news is breaking. In fact, we had to flag down a stray person with a laptop to put this one up...we'll expand it later.To no one's surprise, cable/satellite sports network SportsTime Ohio has officially announced the hiring of long-time local sports personality Bruce Drennan, last heard doing mid-mornings on Cleveland sports talker WKNR/850, on the Internet on SportsTalkCleveland.com, and seen most recently at...well, you know.And our first … [Read more...]
Coming To A TV Newsroom Near You
Posted on March 20, 2007 · Leave a Comment
A heads up we first spotted in our colleague Scott Fybush's NorthEast Radio Watch...WKBW/7 Buffalo anchor Pete Kenworthy is leaving the market's ABC affiliate at the end of this week, and is heading to Cleveland. Kenworthy has been morning anchor and reporter for the Buffalo station.Buffalo News media columnist Alan Pergament reports on the move in an article from Friday, and says Kenworthy's pending move to Northeast Ohio has been in the works (and known) for nearly two months...but this is the … [Read more...]
WKBN To Produce WYTV News – The Details
Posted on March 20, 2007 · Leave a Comment
More details are coming out about that planned "shared services agreement" between two Youngstown TV stations, CBS/FOX combo WKBN/27-"FOX 17/62", and ABC affiliate WYTV/33.And according to FCC filings uncovered by the Youngstown Business Journal's Andrea Wood, it's exactly what observers thought would happen.Wood uncovers the agreement between New Vision Television, the owners which have taken over WKBN/WYFX, and Parkin Television, which is in the process of buying WYTV.To quote the Business … [Read more...]
Word Is
Posted on March 19, 2007 · Leave a Comment
OK, we'll have to admit that we got a chuckle out of the item in the Cleveland Plain Dealer's "TipOff" column this morning, crafted with loving care by columnist Michael K. McIntyre."Word is," says McIntyre borrowing a tride-and-true phrase, that ex-PD sports media columnist Roger Brown is out at Cleveland market CBS affiliate WOIO/19's "19 Action News"...apparently making his own decision to step down from the gig.Brown E-Mailed his former employer to note that he left his role as 19's … [Read more...]
Starting The Week
Posted on March 19, 2007 · Leave a Comment
Consider this something of a light breakfast. Not too filling, but at least it puts some media food into you...SKYFOX HD FLYING: We earlier mentioned some visuals from the Cleveland market's first HDTV-equipped news helicopter, the newly-minted "SkyFOX HD".Well, we haven't seen it ourselves yet, but the station has begun promoting the new HD helicopter capabilities with the same booming station voice which first trumpeted the station's entry into HDTV news some time ago.It's not only the first … [Read more...]
