Ohio Media Watch

When the future expiration of the Gannett/PAX agreement became known, some of us kicked around the future status of the Akron/Canton newscast then known as PAX 23 News. (See below for details.)There were really only three options:Option 1: Gannett somehow works out a deal to keep the newscast on WVPX/23. The biggest fly in this proverbial ointment...the very shaky future of both the PAX TV network (now "i"), and the company itself. For a while, it appeared PAX would start running pretty much an … [Read more...]

We kind of knew some sort of change was coming, but it was announced quickly.WKYC/3's Akron/Canton-oriented newscasts, which have been airing on WVPX/23 as "PAX 23 News", will no longer be seen on the station which was once based in Akron as the area's second ABC affiliate. The trigger for the move? Local marketing agreements between PAX and Gannett, the owner of Channel 3, ended today.Starting Monday, July 4th, the newly-rebranded "Akron/Canton News" will air on 23. No, not the over-air 23, … [Read more...]

The vast Ohio Media Watch staff is compiling local media news and events far away from our suburban Akron home. It seems to be falling into our laps!You could say that almost literally, tonight.A tune into CBS' Late Show with David Letterman tonight yielded an audience member who sounded a bit familiar, but we had no idea how familiar. The guy playing Dave's "Stump the Band" audience game was asked what he did for a living, and he told Dave that he was a radio news anchor at Cleveland's … [Read more...]

He'd been broadcasting a weekly show from his hometown of Cleveland...on New York City's oldies WCBS/101.1. So, when the legendary station got all "JACKed" up, Norm N. Nite was without a gig, on a radio station that not only didn't play his brand of music...but on a station with no air personalities!Our good friends at AllAccess.com report today that Norm has a new gig. He'll be on Sirius Satellite Radio's "Sirius Gold" channel on Saturday afternoons, 3-6 PM ET. Of course, that means Northeast … [Read more...]

We try to get away, but we come back, for whatever reason, to Northeast Ohio. There's something that brings native sons home. And as such...AllAccess.com reports that Kasper, the one-named former afternoon drive/MD/APD sensation at Cleveland's 96.5 KISS FM is headed back to that position and back to Cleveland. He's been doing afternoons at WIOQ "Q102" in Philadelphia. For listeners, Kasper wasn't gone as long, as he's been voicetracking nights at KISS for a few months. AllAccess reports that … [Read more...]

The entire Ohio Media Watch staff will be away from Northeast Ohio for the next week and a half or so.This doesn't mean we're going on vacation as far as this brand new blog is concerned. There will still be updates, and there is the ability to hear some Northeast Ohio radio from our current location...though both the listening and updates won't be nearly as frequent until about July 7th. Thanks for bearing with us! … [Read more...]

It seems WNIR/100.1 afternoon talk host Bob Golic has started a trend in Northeast Ohio media.Golic, who took over for legendary host Joe Finan earlier this year, had previously made his mark in sports media. After all, he IS a former NFL player, including a long stint with your (first incarnation) Cleveland Browns. But aside from his flirtation with Hollywood after he left the then-Los Angeles Raiders - his most known TV role was on "Saved by the Bell: The College Years" - Golic had mostly done … [Read more...]

Nearly all of the Cleveland/Akron market's TV stations have digital signals up and running. (The exceptions include WB affiliate WBNX/55 and PAX's WVPX/23, for technical reasons involving Canadian stations.) In addition to providing high definition versions of network programming - or even local news, in the case of Cleveland's WJW/8 (FOX) - they can also deliver second and even third programming services not seen on the main analog channel.Among the digital pioneers is Raycom's WUAB/43 (UPN), … [Read more...]

At the risk of sounding like a radio newscast, here are some stories we're following for the coming days:* As reported by AllAccess.com on Friday, liberal talk WJMP/1520 Kent/Akron is dropping the Air America Radio-led format on July 5th. What will replace it should be familiar to Akron area listeners... the Fox Sports Radio format recently abandoned by Akron's AM 1350, the station now known as liberal talk "Radio Free Ohio" (WARF). WJMP will also reportedly carry Premiere's Jim Rome, making … [Read more...]

Looks like it didn't take religious/talk WCER/Canton long to find a replacement for TRN's Michael Savage, having lost the show due to exclusivity rights for CC's WHLO/Akron.WCER is airing promos for Jerry Doyle, who takes the 12-3 PM slot on the station starting Monday. The station didn't have to go far to get him...he's another TRN talker...Jerry Doyle's WebsiteIt appears Jerry is live 4-7 PM ET, so by the time WCER gets to him, he'll be nearly 24 hours old. ;)Akron market talker WNIR recently … [Read more...]