UPDATE 6/25/09 2:23 PM: A reader comment on this item led us to our digital tuner, and indeed, the WOAC call letters and channel 67 identification are both history.PSIP information now displays the Canton-licensed station as "47-1, WRLM-DT". We did not have to rescan our Zenith converter box to get the new information.The onscreen legal ID automatically inserted under the WOAC days appears to be in flux...it may well say "WRLM", but the last time we saw it, the call letters went above the top … [Read more...]
We Know And We Don’t Know
UPDATE 6/25/09 2:21 PM: Our report of the buyouts accepted by WJW/8 "Fox 8" veterans Belinda Prinz and Dan Coughlin has been confirmed/separately reported by Cleveland Plain Dealer media columnist Julie Washington...---------There is a lot of information floating around, most of it related to broadcast television in Northeast Ohio.And we "know" most of it, though some of it is still speculation based on information that's out there...WE KNOW - TV: OMW hears that two veteran local TV names are … [Read more...]
Chalmers Service Update
UPDATE 6/24/09 10:47 PM: John now tells us that times have been changed for Saturday:"Visitation will now be from 11 AM to 1 PM and the Memorial service will begin at 1."----------We've gotten some clarification for the timing and events, for Saturday's memorial service for former WMMS/WKYC graphic artist Brian Chalmers.Courtesy of former WMMS program director John Gorman:Regarding Brian Chalmers’ Memorial Service on Saturday June 27 - Visitation will be between 10 AM to 12 noon The Memorial … [Read more...]
Mark Nolan’s Radio Roots
He's much better known as long-time meteorologist - and now morning host and anchor - at Gannett NBC affiliate WKYC/3...but Mark Nolan is coming "back" to radio, and to an old radio home.Umm, for one week.Clear Channel Akron market hot AC WKDD/98.1 is announcing that Nolan will guest host the station's morning show, normally helmed by Matt Patrick, June 29th through July 3rd.The vacation fill-in actually means something of a quasi-homecoming for Nolan, says WKDD program director, Clear Channel … [Read more...]
Even Quicker Hits
A funny thing usually happens to us on the way to a hiatus: Stuff happens, and we feel the need to post it.So, unlike the last item...this is a very quick collection of "quick hits" we didn't want to wait to post...CHALMERS SERVICES MOVE: It's no surprise to us, as an important figure in Cleveland radio (and TV) history will be memorialized Saturday...in a different location than planned.Former WMMS/100.7 program director John Gorman passes along word that a bigger venue has been secured for … [Read more...]
WMMS, WKYC Artist Brian Chalmers Passes On
Long-time local radio and TV artist Brian Chalmers has passed away.Chalmers was most recently a graphic artist for Gannett NBC affiliate WKYC/3, but is likely better known - at least inside the local media world - as the second "pen behind the Buzzard"...drawing the iconic graphic character for rock WMMS/100.7 after original Buzzard artist David Helton moved up in the Malrite Broadcasting chain.Former WMMS programmer John Gorman has an item up about Chalmers on his blog, with plenty of pictures … [Read more...]
ODTV: The VHF DTV Struggle
Here we are, now over a week out from the June 12th digital TV transition, and stations which "transitioned" to a VHF frequency for their permanent digital channels are still getting a lot of flack.Read more on our Ohio Digital TV blog... … [Read more...]
Quick Hits For A Monday
We're still "on hiatus", as it were, but we want to bring out some items we don't want to get moldy.OK, maybe this wasn't as "quick" as we thought...TV CHANGE: Cleveland Classic Media's Tim Lones gives us a heads up on the future of WOAC/67 Canton, the infomercial outlet being sold out of the bankruptcy case of Multicultural Broadcasting's TV division.And there is no future - for either the WOAC call letters, or, apparently, the old channel number 67.Incoming owner Tri-State Christian Television … [Read more...]
Casey Takes WQMX Nights
A housekeeping note: OMW will be mostly be on a hiatus until sometime next week. (Hey, we haven't done one of those for a while! Don't worry, we're fine.)As usual in most of our time away, we'll continue to track major breaking media news, as possible given our demands outside the blog.And even if we can't post, we'll try to keep on top of things with our Twitter account...if you're not following us there, just look at our Twitter posts on the left hand side of this blog.That's where we first … [Read more...]
BREAKING NEWS: Toledo’s “Zone” Flips To Sports Monday
Yes, this is the item we hinted about last week, and now, it's official.The Toledo Blade reports that Cumulus Toledo is changing format on WRWK/106.5, which has been alt-rock "The Zone" until now.Starting Monday, it'll become a simulcaster of Cumulus' sports talk station, WLQR/1470 "The Ticket".The Blade's Rod Lockwood reports that "The Zone" will shift its modern rock music to the Internet, and that the two frequencies will allow Cumulus Toledo to solve sports play-by-play conflicts - with one … [Read more...]