WKRC/12's CW Network Plans

The Cincinnati Enquirer's Cliff Pease finally informs the newspaper readers of Cincinnati about the CW Network's decision to go with Clear Channel's WKRC/12, which will host the new network this fall on a subchannel of digital outlet WKRC-DT.

WKRC general manager Chris Sehring tells the Enquirer that they plan on building "a separate television station" around the programming provided by the CW folks. (It did appear somewhat unlikely that WKRC-DT would default to running the "CW-Plus" cable-only feed on the new channel, if only because of Cincinnati's market size.) One presumes that WKRC's plans for the new CW outlet would include things like mounting a 10 PM newscast produced out of the "Local 12" newsroom, and repurposing its own syndicated shows into different time slots.

Sehring says they'll actively work to make the new CW Network-based channel available on local cable systems.

Pease tells us that current Cincinnati UPN affiliate WBQC-CA "UPN 38" will indeed go independent, according to station owner Elliott Block.

We suspect that the Enquirer's delay on this story is due to the medical absence of veteran TV beat reporter John Kiesewetter, who's on hiatus due to scheduled surgery. Our best wishes to "Kiese" for his good health...