Uncovering Items

It's a very, very busy list today...so, let's get at it...

LAST ONE STANDING: We'll have a one-week-out update on our Ohio Digital TV blog later this week.

For now, just one note...we have confirmation that at least one Cleveland market TV station will be waiting until the very last minute, literally, to shut off its analog signal.

Western Reserve PBS station manager and OMW reader Bill O'Neil checks in to let us know that the PBS station's Akron outlet, WEAO/49, will retire the analog 49 transmitter at 11:59 PM on June 12th.

OMW already reported that at least the four major commercial network affiliates in the Cleveland market - WKYC/3, WEWS/5, WJW/8 and WOIO/19 (along with sister WUAB/43) - are planning to end analog transmissions at 10 AM that day.

We've also heard, but not confirmed, that Univision O&O WQHS/61 will shut off the analog side of their facility at 11 PM that evening.

Back to WEAO, where there won't be much to do other than shut off analog 49 just before midnight the night of June 12th/morning of June 13th. The station continues digitally, post-transition, with its existing facility on RF channel 50, and no other changes will need to be made.

And of course, Western Reserve PBS' other outlet, Youngstown-market WNEO/45 Alliance, has been operating in digital-only mode since last November...

COMMUNITY SERVICE: As it continues to move to syndicated music programming in its "Premium Choice" generic voicetracking initiative, radio giant Clear Channel is taking great pains to note that it's upgrading community and public service commitments at its stations.

That effort has a face and a name now in Cleveland, as cluster veteran host Daune Robinson picks up the extra title of Public Service Coordinator for all the stations running out of Oak Tree - talk WTAM/1100, top 40 WAKS/96.5, country WGAR/99.5, rock WMMS/1007, classic hits WMJI/105.7, and hot AC WMVX/106.5.

(There's nothing like getting even MORE work on your plate, added to your current routine voicetracking hours and hours of work for a number of stations...including the 7-hour time slot Robinson occupies in afternoon drive and early evenings on WMVX!)

Daune (don't call her "Duane"!) will be responsible, says Clear Channel, for new public affairs programming initiatives, and "12 daily public service announcements" under Clear Channel's new effort.

Daune is a talented broadcaster, and a hard worker, no doubt.

But we'd be more impressed with Clear Channel's "new public service commitment" if they actually hired someone to handle it full-time...someone who doesn't already have a whole bunch of work on her plate...

THE FM SPORTS WATCH MOVES ON: And this time, it's in Ohio.

The Lima News reports that Maverick Media has moved its ESPN Radio-fueled sports format from AM 940 to the FM dial in Lima, apparently starting yesterday:

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The new station, called 93.1 The Fan, station will have some additions to its lineup. (Vince) Koza will host his own daily talk show from 5 to 7 p.m. weekdays and will continue with his current "Sportstalk with Koza" from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturdays. Matt Childers and Matt Metzger will host "The Saturday Morning Sportsrap" from 8 to 10 a.m. Saturdays. They will also broadcast Cleveland Browns, Cavaliers and Indians games as well as Notre Dame football.

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93.1's current "Froggy" country format has hopped over a lilly pad or two to a new home 92.1. The country format website reflects the change already, with a slightly new name "New Country 92.1 The Frog", and the calls at 92.1 Wapokaneta are now WFGF. The "Star" AC format on 92.1 is apparently the Odd Format Out.

940 AM transitions to an oldies format under its former calls, WCIT, with a new morning show hosted by Lima market veteran Phil Austin, and 940's existing 3-5 PM talk show with Ron Williams will stay on the frequency after the format change.

We're wondering how much of this was influenced by Dispatch/RadiOhio planting the WBNS/1460 sports format in Columbus onto WBNS-FM/97.1, which, of course, is now known as "97.1 The Fan"...

CELEBRITY CHEF TV: Time Warner Cable's "Northeast Ohio Network" (NEON) local programming channel is adding a taste of new programming to its lineup.

TWC says "Dinner and Drinks" is being added on NEON weekdays at 9 PM, with the first new episode scheduled for June 8. Quoting a release:

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Hosted by local celebrity cooks Jenn Thomas and Stefanie Paganini, “Dinner and Drinks” is a 30-minute cooking show that takes viewers from the local market to the kitchen, and finally, to the dinner table, all done with the idea of making a good, simple meal from start to finish.

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With absolutely no insult intended towards Ms. Thomas or Ms. Paganini, we've never heard of them. That's not their fault...we couldn't find The Food Network on our TWC lineup with help and a roadmap.

So, here's a brief snippet about what makes the local women "celebrity chefs":

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Thomas, winner of Rachael Ray’s 2007 “So You Think You Can Cook” TV contest, has appeared numerous times on “The Rachael Ray Show” and “Good Morning America.” Her recipes were published in “The Rachael Ray Everyday Magazine” and she’s been featured in “People Magazine.”

Paganini, an instructor at the International Culinary Arts and Sciences Institute (ICASI), has appeared on Cleveland TV shows like Studio 3, Cooking with Hollie Strano, Channel 3 Noon News, Fox 8 News in the Morning and is a regular guest on WKYC’s Good Company. She has a weekly radio segment called “Paganini’s Pantry” every Friday on WDOK’s morning show. She is an avid world traveler who is fluent in Italian.

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The show will also air Sundays at noon, and be available via TWC's "Local On Demand" portal (channel 1 or 501).

Now, if you'll forgive us...posting this item made us hungry, so we have to get a late lunch...