Some items have been piling up here at OMW World Headquarters, so it's time to clear the traffic lanes... QUICK EXIT: Scripps ABC affiliate WEWS/5 "NewsChannel 5" has parted ways with reporter/anchor Justin Michaels, rather suddenly. From a brief station memo about his exit from news director Jill Manuel: I want to share the news that Justin Michaels is no longer with NewsChannel 5. Please join me in wishing Justin luck in his future endeavors. From what we're hearing out of 3001 Euclid, … [Read more...]
THIS JUST IN: Cavaliers Name Michael, Broadcast Team
Posted on October 6, 2011 · 1 Comment
The NBA's Cleveland Cavaliers have named the team's new radio broadcast team. And the new play-by-play voice is a surprise to many. John Michael, a host on Fox Sports Ohio's NHL Columbus Blue Jackets coverage, has the monumental task of being the next Cavs radio voice after retired legend Joe Tait. Michael is not a stranger to working for a Dan Gilbert-owned team at Quicken Loans Arena... he was the first radio/TV voice of the AHL's Lake Erie Monsters. Jim Chones' stint doing analysis with … [Read more...]
Ghoulardifest 2011 Release
Posted on October 6, 2011 · 1 Comment
This release on the annual Ghoulardifest is reprinted here in full, due to its wide appeal to our regular readership...the wording is as sent to us... -- Your Primary Editorial Voice(tm) ------------ GHOULARDIFEST OCTOBER 14th, 15th, 16th UAW HALL 5615 Chevrolet Blvd. Parma, Ohio Friday, 5:00p.m. til 9:00p.m. Saturday, 10:00a.m. til 7:00p.m. Sunday, 11:00a.m. til 5:00p.m. Cleveland's giant pop culture celebration, Ghoulardifest returns with a star studded weekend saluting one of the great … [Read more...]
The Wide World Of Media
Posted on October 5, 2011 · 1 Comment
Another set of items on our plate, and we're hungry, so let's eat... 5'S NEW ANCHOR: Again, this is no surprise to OMW readers, who read about it last week, but Scripps ABC affiliate WEWS/5 has officially announced the name of its new 11 PM co-anchor. The shoes Chris Flanagan has to fill at "NewsChannel 5" are big - those of retired anchor Ted Henry (who left those empty shoes in May 2009), but the anchor heading to Cleveland from Dallas is looking to hit the ground running. From the … [Read more...]
Weekend Special
Posted on October 1, 2011 · 3 Comments
A few items hanging around for the weekend, hiding from all the rain and chilly temperatures... WEST MARKET CHANGES: Two staffers are no longer at the Akron Radio Center, as the AkronNewsNow newsroom faces an economic-driven "retooling" of some of its operations. But one other staffer is returning. The layoffs are of two key on-air names at the Rubber City Radio Group newsroom on West Market Street in Akron, which serves oldies/news/sports WAKR/1590, rock WONE/97.5 and country WQMX/94.9: … [Read more...]
LeCharles Bentley Quits WKNR
Posted on September 30, 2011 · 16 Comments
On the eve of what was supposed to be a "major announcement" regarding a scheduling overhaul for Good Karma sports WKNR/850 "ESPN 850", that station has lost one of its star players. LeCharles Bentley abruptly resigned from WKNR Thursday night... just as "Xs and Os with the Pros," the show he co-hosted alongside Je'Rod Cherry, was set to begin. (It was so sudden that liners featuring LeCharles' name still played at the end of commercial breaks, but Je'Rod and show producer Emmett Golden had to … [Read more...]
Changes Afoot
Posted on September 28, 2011 · 8 Comments
There are lots of changes coming in local radio and TV, and it's time to bring them to light. We'll start on the TV side, first...but sports radio is in the on-deck circle... NEW ANCHOR: Scripps ABC affiliate WEWS/5 has been taking its time and shuffling around its schedule after the departure of market icon Ted Henry. But it appears it's filled at least one of Ted's roles - 11 PM co-anchor. MediaBistro's TVSpy, the entity once known as "ShopTalk", has confirmed earlier rumors about … [Read more...]
Reflections On Chuck Collier
Posted on September 23, 2011 · 2 Comments
UPDATE 9/24/2011 10:21 AM: Viewing for Chuck Collier will be Sunday from 3-7 p.m. at Klolidy-Lazuta Funeral Home, 5677 State Road, Parma. Funeral services will be private. ---------- UPDATE 9/23/2011 10:15 AM: Scroll to the bottom for a new video link of Chuck Collier doing his WGAR show in 2004, with video of his Hall of Fame induction five years later... -------- The news of Thursday's death of Clear Channel country WGAR/99.5 afternoon drive host/music director Chuck Collier has hit the … [Read more...]
THIS JUST IN: WGAR’s Chuck Collier Silenced By Heart Attack
Posted on September 22, 2011 · 1 Comment
There's major shock in the Northeast Ohio media community tonight, as the voice of a beloved member of the community has been stilled. Chuck Collier, whose name has been cemented to the call letters WGAR for 40 years - from its time as an adult contemporary station at AM 1220 through the current era as Cleveland's dominant country station at 99.5, has died after a massive heart attack. More from Clear Channel's Tom Moore is found here. We may have more in an update to this item later, but we … [Read more...]
Just Us Folks
Posted on September 21, 2011 · 1 Comment
What has become a major music festival in the Northeast Ohio region has long had the backing of an area public broadcaster. The 45th Kent State Folk Festival turns the Akron suburb of Kent into Folk Music Headquarters...and given that Kent State NPR outlet WKSU/89.7 dedicates a programming stream to its "Folk Alley" service, it's no surprise that the station is heavily involved. We brought WKSU's OMW Handler Ann VerWiebe - who honestly has a more impressive marketing-related title than that - … [Read more...]
