Northeast Ohio basketball fans and media outlets have basically focused on one thing the past few days...whether a certain Akron native would bring his talents back to the North Coast. And though it has mainly played out on Twitter, local media outlets and personalities have been right in the middle of the commotion surrounding LeBron James' next move...whatever it will be. It started on Sunday, when a tweet from CBS Radio sports WKRK/92.3 "The Fan" weekend host Joe Lull started the ball … [Read more...]
UPDATE: Bob Frantz Out At WTAM In Budget Cuts
Posted on July 8, 2014 · 28 Comments
UPDATE 7/8/14 7:23 PM: WTAM Indians beat reporter Nick Camino announced on Twitter that he'll take over the station's evening talk show time slot, after the exit of Bob Frantz due to budget cuts: Today has been a bittersweet, emotional ride. I received a promotion to become the new nightly talk show host on Newsradio WTAM 1100. The #Indians beat has been a blast! I'll still be doing some pre-game stuff & obviously post-game, but my duties will be shifting. Excited! I'll be keeping my … [Read more...]
Facebook Chief Adds Radio
Posted on June 30, 2014 · Leave a Comment
The chief of a small Portage County police department is known far and wide for his Facebook posts. And that may be an understatement...as of this writing, his department's page has over 150,000 "likes". He's written a book, "No Mopes Allowed", based on his Facebook contributions. And Brimfield police chief David Oliver is certainly no stranger to radio appearances as a result...but now, he's turning pro. Will the "Internet Sensation" become a "Radio Sensation"? Let's let the chief … [Read more...]
Professor, Former Akron Newsman Heading To “Show Me State”
Posted on June 26, 2014 · Leave a Comment
Phil Hoffman has done a lot over his career in Northeast Ohio, specifically in the Akron area in the past 30-plus years. He was known for his "Untold Stories" series at the former "23 Newsday" at WAKC-TV/23, Akron's former ABC affiliate (now Cleveland-focused ION O&O WVPX). He worked in radio in Akron at WAKR/1590, then-WSLR/1350 and WKDD/then-96.5 and WCUE/1150. But for the past few years, Phil has been the "Media Doctor"...Dr. Phil Hoffman has been a professor in School of … [Read more...]
No Longer Working In Cleveland, Or Youngstown
Posted on June 24, 2014 · 2 Comments
Some items about former Cleveland broadcasters, including one that's being heard in Northeast Ohio again...but first, breaking media news not directly from Cleveland... MICHAELS EXITS: After veteran newsman John Nagy left Clear Channel's South Avenue complex in the Youngstown market due to budget cuts, there was still one experienced newsman in the building. But 30-year talk WKBN/570 veteran Jim Michaels is outside that building now as well, according to WFMJ-TV 21: Clear Channel, which … [Read more...]
Working For The Weekend News
Posted on June 19, 2014 · Leave a Comment
Local TV news used to live and die by what happened at 6 and 11 PM weeknights. As audience habits changed, weekday mornings became very important. A big part of that came from the success of non-"big three" station local morning news and talk shows, successfully competing against the network shows after 7 AM. Here in Cleveland, that's more than evident at the powerhouse that is Tribune Fox affiliate WJW/8's "Fox 8 News in the Morning"...a combination of news, weather, traffic and chat … [Read more...]
Marriage, Dogs And Baseball
Posted on June 18, 2014 · 3 Comments
Don't worry, you'll figure out the connection... SHE'S MARRIED AND STAYING: The question has been peppering our inbox for some time now. Is Gannett NBC affiliate WKYC/3 morning meteorologist/host Hollie Strano now leaving the station after her marriage? The question has come up not because Strano is now hitched, but because her new husband doesn't live in Cleveland. Hollie and Alex Giangreco got married over the weekend on the beach in Fort Lauderdale FL (Alex's hometown). And we … [Read more...]
Keep Your Feet On The Ground
Posted on June 15, 2014 · 2 Comments
...and keep reaching for the stars. Sadly, we'll never hear those words uttered (except in long-ago recorded form) by music radio icon Casey Kasem, who passed away early Sunday at the age of 82. The younger folks who have read the TMZ coverage of Casey's family members fighting over his care and end days may not know the man who singlehandedly changed the face of hit music radio. But starting in 1970, Casey's "American Top 40" turned music chart-based radio on its ear, at a time where radio … [Read more...]
On The Way In, And On The Way Out
Posted on June 10, 2014 · 3 Comments
Incoming and outgoing news tops our agenda today, in people, shows and channels... MOVING UP AT DICK GODDARD WAY: Sales wins the day when it comes to replacing former Tribune Fox affiliate WJW/8 "Fox 8" VP/general manager Greg Easterly. The station has tabbed one of two strong internal candidates to replace Easterly, who moved to Chicago to run new Tribune sister station (and Tribune TV flagship) WGN/9. He's Paul Perozeni, who's been VP/general sales manager for WJW for 13 years, and has … [Read more...]
Confusion And Change
Posted on June 5, 2014 · 2 Comments
UPDATE 6/5/14 2:00 PM: OMW hears that the open afternoon drive slot at Cumulus rock WYFM/102.9 "Y-103" in Youngstown will be filled by Steve Hammond. Hammond previously worked at Rubber City Radio rock WONE/97.5 Akron in afternoons and evenings. Hammond's time slot at WONE was filled by program director Tim Daugherty, who moved from morning drive when WONE hired Jeff Kinzbach for that time slot. Hammond starts at Y-103 next Tuesday... ----- Those who haven't been paying attention, or … [Read more...]
