With such a busy week, even the weekend provides us with the opportunity to clean up news from the remainder of the week... NOLAN RADIO AND THEN SOME: We were mostly playing around last week when we were speculating about the radio future of now-former Gannett NBC affiliate WKYC/3 morning news co-anchor Mark Nolan. Though that speculation intersected with changes at CBS Radio AC WDOK/102.1, now known as "New 102", it turns out Mark's return to radio will take place at a different location - … [Read more...]
The Local Media Scorecard
Posted on January 16, 2012 · 5 Comments
Yes, as a reader asked, this has indeed been one of the busiest periods of change in Northeast Ohio media...and we've been covering that particular topic for some six years and change. "You can't tell the players without a scorecard," so the saying goes, so let's update the Local Media Scorecard as we write this late on Sunday night... YES, THERE IS A RUSS: Heading off our scorecard is the debut of Gannett NBC affiliate WKYC/3's new evening anchor and managing editor Russ Mitchell, whom you … [Read more...]
A Week of Bombshells
Posted on January 11, 2012 · Leave a Comment
There are so many new media news items this week, you'd think your Primary Editorial Voice(tm) was on vacation in a far off land. (That's our standard statement and rule here at OMW - if we leave town, all heck breaks loose.) We have more big news from the local TV and radio scenes. We'll start with radio, since it's the most recent item... YOUNGING UP: It would appear that the major changes at CBS Radio AC WDOK/102.1 "New 102" are nearly complete. So, if you're an AC warhorse like WDOK, and … [Read more...]
Two TV Notes
Posted on January 10, 2012 · Leave a Comment
And from the world of local TV on this Tuesday... MORNING GLITCH: The world of morning TV news has quickly become a hotly competitive landscape. From the days where congenial "Today in Cleveland" hosts Tom Haley and Del Donahoo held forth on a folksy kitchen set on Gannett NBC affiliate WKYC/3, the playing field has turned morning news into a multi-hour, multi-anchor extravaganza at all four local TV news operations. To say "the stakes are high" in local TV morning news would be an … [Read more...]
The Other Stuff
Posted on January 10, 2012 · 5 Comments
As promised, a few hours late...let's go through the other stuff not connected (mostly) with the rebranding of CBS Radio AC (we think it still is) WDOK/102.1, now known to the world as "New 102". For now... THAT OTHER CONTRACT: The renewal of the contract of WDOK..er..."New 102"'s morning man Trapper Jack Elliot became a public item, when Elliot told the Plain Dealer's Chuck Yarborough late last week that the 2 year deal was sitting there, unsigned. When he came back to the 102.1 airwaves on … [Read more...]
WDOK Is Dead, Long Live The New 102?
Posted on January 9, 2012 · 6 Comments
CBS Radio Cleveland AC WDOK/102.1 unveiled the first part of its new formula for winning this morning: a new name, a returned morning show (mostly), and frequent mentions of Ohio Media Watch! OK, so we're kidding about that last part, but morning show hosts Trapper Jack Elliot, Terry Moir and Jim McIntyre had a lot of fun this morning with us, them on the air, us on Twitter, as they were pretty open with the changes that have taken place at One Radio Lane since last week. For one, "WDOK" only … [Read more...]
Navel Gazing At One Radio Lane
Posted on January 7, 2012 · 4 Comments
Rarely has a station's own "navel gazing" about its immediate future garnered so much public attention. But that's what's been happening the past few days at One Radio Lane in Cleveland, home of CBS Radio AC WDOK/102.1 - and sister hot AC WQAL/104.1 "Q104". Since Monday, the once-reliable station has kept all of its air personalities home, and sent one, 20-plus year vet Nancy Alden, home for good. Listeners have certainly noticed the absence of Alden, and this week, of the station's morning … [Read more...]
THIS JUST IN: Nolan Exiting WKYC
Posted on January 4, 2012 · 7 Comments
We were aware of this "off stage", but thanks to Gannett NBC affiliate WKYC/3 morning co-anchor Mark Nolan talking to a trade site, it's now public. MediaBistro's TVSpy reports that Nolan is leaving 13th and Lakeside, sometime between now and March. Quoting: “After 18 years here at WKYC, I’m allowing my contract to run out and moving on,” Nolan told TVSpy in an email. (snip) The date of his last broadcast is undetermined, but he says it will be before March 14, which is the last day of his … [Read more...]
Bombshell At One Radio Lane – Alden Out
Posted on January 4, 2012 · 14 Comments
UPDATE 1/4/12 10:39 AM: The item has been corrected to reflect that Nancy Alden moved back to middays on WDOK in 2009. And a glitch caused by the WordPress mobile client, with much of the item becoming underlined, has been corrected. ------- CBS Radio AC WDOK/102.1 Cleveland has had one constant on its schedule over the past 20-plus years...veteran air personality Nancy Alden. Well, until today. OMW has confirmed that Alden's contract with WDOK hasn't been renewed, and she has exited One … [Read more...]
BREAKING: CBS News’ Russ Mitchell Joins WKYC
Posted on December 21, 2011 · 6 Comments
It's not often that a major news correspondent leaves one of the legacy "big three" news organizations to take a job at the affiliate level. In an unprecedented move, Gannett NBC affiliate WKYC/3 has made official the hiring of CBS News correspondent/"Evening News" weekend anchor Russ Mitchell as their new evening news managing editor, and primary 6pm/11pm weeknight anchor. He succeeds Romona Robinson, who left WKYC on December 16 after her contract ran out. Russ' start date at WKYC is January … [Read more...]
