Friday, July 28, 2006

Big News Soon Out of Canton

OMW is hearing that big radio news is about to break out of Canton.

Could there be changes afoot at one local radio operation there as soon as Monday, or maybe even before then?

At Your Mighty Blog of Fun(tm), we're plugged in and will let you know as soon as we get more details. But you'll want to be checking in frequently...

14 comments:

Anonymous said...

You people are really getting a kick out of this aren't you? There are real people being affected by all these rumors about WHBC. But people love to hear about people's lives being in turmoil. So enjoy yourselves!

Anonymous said...

Who said anything about WHBC? You must be working there.

Anonymous said...

Yeah, we all know about those rumored changes at the mighty "Win-Wonderful" 1520. Please.

Anonymous said...

While it involves real people with real jobs, it still in the universe of those of us who are radion junkies, news. Just the same as the fire that burned the house down the street, the elected official who did something stupid, the plant that is being closed. All affected real people.
I don't see anyone gloating, but reporting what being heard on the streets.

If anyone is a WHBC employee, I salute you and the station. Expecially the AM which is still a classic full service station. In this day and age, that's a rarity that hopefully won't be lost with a new owner.

Ohio Media Watch said...

A note about our earlier WHBC items:

I hope no one believes we (OMW) are "gloating" over the turmoil on South Market.

AM 1480, particularly, has been a fine local station. It has kept a strong presence in the community for decades, and its local news operation has been kept fully staffed long after anyone expected the station to do so.

We take no pleasure in the apparent demise of the station as a fully-staffed local entity.

As far as our reporting of same...we've actually thought long and hard about this.

It does indeed affect people's lives. But we believe in general, the greater good is served by those people being armed with knowledge about what's happening to their future.

And the goings on at WHBC are exactly what this site covers...news. We talk about "wild rumors" here on occasion, but the stuff we've posted about WHBC is pretty solid. As always here on OMW, if rumblings are mostly just "rumor fodder", we use discretion. This one is different.

What's happening there is happening despite us, not because of us. The station is undergoing drastic changes that will affect not only the employees at South Market, but the listeners. OMW has no part of that change, and no connection to NextMedia.

We're just reporting it.

And yes, we do have sources connected to South Market...and THEY aren't happy about this either, but it'll happen whether we talk about it or not.

The Management

Anonymous said...

As a self professed radio history "geek" who has followed broadcasting since I was a teenager over 35 years ago, I take no pleasure in seeing a broadcsst instiution such as WHBC apparently being pared down to a shell of what it once was. Yes it does affect people's lives, both listeners and employees. And though I've never met OMW/OA personally, I honestly believe he has integrity and sense of when and how to report a story..This will all be in the Repository soon enough..

Anonymous said...

I have to agree with the above poster. I have never met OA personally but I have exchanged e-mails with a few times and I personally donot believe he was not trying to gloat or hurt anyone. He was only trying to tell about radio news that is going on in our area. I can understand you may feel the way you do and have pain in addition to be frustrated (trust me I was there), and I personally hope there are no layoffs or cutbacks, but the story will be told at some point so why not fair and honest. I do hope everyone at whereever it is is not fired or there is no cutbacks and they are allright and if someone does lose there job they can land saftely on their feet and can obtain a better job.

Ohio Media Watch said...

And actually, we've been there, too. Even worse.

Your Primary Editorial Voice(tm) worked at a station where the owner was basically operating the place on financial fumes.

When "the end was near", it was quite evident to us in the building.

WHBC is not in the same position, being owned by a company which will at least still exist (assuming they don't sell out entirely), and paychecks won't be bouncing there like in our previous experiences.

But to think that any of our reporting on the changes at WHBC is news to anyone at South Market is, frankly, insulting them.

If anything, OMW has actually been somewhat conservative on our reporting of the rumblings going around down there.

-OMW

Anonymous said...

Anyone noticed this:

http://www.kisscanton.com


hmmmmmm.....

Anonymous said...

I, too have been through station sales before and have been tnrough layoffs before. I am well aware it is a part of the business. I seriously doubt your sources on South Market are people "in the know."

Anonymous said...

Anyone noticed this:

http://www.kisscanton.com


hmmmmmm.....

Goes to WKDD 98.1..

WHOA is this the big news for Canton area????

STAY TUNED !!

and did the move in with WJER have anything to do with it???

I THINK NOT

:)

Anonymous said...

OMW's WHBC sources include people both in and outside the building who have more than a passing knowledge of what is about to take place..and what is going to happen will likely take place in the days following the Pro Football Hall of Fame Festival..could be the last time 1480 provides much of the coverage for the event since its inception..

Anonymous said...

I for one think CC will take WJER SAC. WKDD is HAC. That will put the squeeze on HAC WHBC, and it's female demos. I don't see CC putting up a CHR. There's more $$$ in SAC.

WJER will be like WRVF/Toledo, WNIC/Detroit or WSNI/Philly. Somewhere along those lines.

Anonymous said...

If WJER follows the path of WRVF/Toledo, will Daune Robinson be voicetracking there as well? (In addition to WMJI/Cleveland, WMVX/Cleveland, WLTZ/Columbus, etc) :)