In the current State of OMW, it'll be much more convenient to update via our Twitter feed, which is also seen to the left of this report.
As it turns out, this time around, there's a lot to recap over the past few days...so let's tackle the items in reverse chronological order...
MANGINO TO KDKA: Clear Channel talk WKBN/570 Youngstown morning drive host Robert Mangino is heading down the Ohio and Pennsylvania Turnpikes. He'll take the open 6-10 PM talk slot at CBS Radio news/talk KDKA/1020 Pittsburgh.
The Youngstown Business Journal has more.
That evening time slot used to be occupied by KDKA's Mike Pintek ("Pintek Tonight"), but Pintek was recently named the station's 12 noon-3 PM host.
That midday time slot became vacant in the worst possible way, as veteran host Fred Honsburger passed away.
Mangino started in talk radio as host at what used to be a Clear Channel sister station to WKBN - now-Forever talk WKST in New Castle PA, not that terribly far from Pittsburgh.
There's no word yet on what WKBN plans to do in morning drive...but if Clear Channel Youngstown market manager and OMW reader Bill Kelly is reading, we'd be happy to hear from him...
BACK TO NE OHIO: Word came rather quickly that NextMedia hot AC WHBC-FM 94.1 Canton "Mix 94.1" program director and afternoon host Jerry Mac was no longer in that position, but word came even faster about his replacement.
And what do you know...it's someone who can find the Pro Football Hall of Fame without help.
"Mix's" new PD is inbound from Saginaw MI's WGER (a NextMedia sister to WHBC-FM), but he's familiar to Northeast Ohio radio listeners and readers of the Mighty Blog of Fun(tm) - former CBS Radio hot AC WQAL/104.1 Cleveland "Q104" assistant program director/PM driver Brian "Fig" Figula will start on-air in Canton on Monday.
"Fig" will, according to AllAccess, will continue his duties programming the Saginaw station...from Canton...
A SHANLEY PASSES: The last name "Shanley" is certainly known in Northeast Ohio...the late Gib Shanley was a local sportscaster - at Scripps ABC affiliate WEWS/5 and the long-time radio voice of the Cleveland Browns.
Shanley's son Greg later built quite a career for himself, as a news director and talk show host for Iowa' Public Radio. Greg Shanley died Tuesday night.
The Waterloo (IA) Courier has more:
Pat Blank, his longtime station co-worker, said the on-air host and producer once told her he had thought about doing sports broadcasting like his father, Gib, the voice of the National Football League's Cleveland Browns for 24 years. But Shanley told Blank he got bored waiting for something exciting to happen and realized his passion was in news.
The newspaper reports that the younger Shanley had worked at the Iowa public radio network since 1987. The station's website schedule lists him as the host of the midday talk program "Talk of Iowa":
Host Greg Shanley brings a range of experts to the microphone to discuss the the things that make Iowa unique, offer practical advice on home improvement or insightful analysis of politics.
The main Iowa Public Radio site has a tribute graphic to Greg Shanley:
Over the 23 years we've known Greg, we've admired his curiosity about the world, as well as his ability to speak knowledgeably about anything from politics to horticulture. We'll all miss his engaging conversation, his love of Iowa, and his award-winning Double Burgers.
Greg Shanley died at the age of 49...
REALITY EXPERIMENT: Not on our Twitter list, and really, only worth a small mention.
Clear Channel rock/talk WMMS/100.7 Cleveland has added a new cast member to its afternoon drive "Alan Cox Show".
It's not like we have anything against 22 year-old Erika Lauren personally.
But she's the latest reality TV personality to waltz into a radio studio and take up a chair. Ms. Lauren is a cast member of MTV's "The Real World: Washington, DC", which may or may not be running its current season right now. (We long ago forgot where to find MTV on the cable dial.)
We have this old-fashioned notion that reality TV stars are not really radio hosts by background, trade or skill, but we'll give her a chance.
And long-time readers know we don't entirely hate the reality TV genre. The new season of CBS' "The Amazing Race" is almost underway, and we still hope some Pittsburgh radio station gives a show to Matt Kennedy Gould.
Ms. Lauren joins host Alan Cox and co-host Chad Zumock on the WMMS afternoon show, at least as long as the experiment lasts...
SOCIAL MEDIA: It's fitting that we used our Twitter account to give first word of another new job title for an Oak Tree denizen.
Clear Channel has named WMMS/WAKS "Kiss FM" program director Bo Matthews as its Director of Social Media.
Bo will be responsible for Twitter, Facebook and other online social media presence for the entire Clear Channel Cleveland cluster.
It's kind of a natural evolution. Matthews has already been busy using the various social media outlets to promote his stations, and to interact with WMMS and "Kiss" listeners...
Friday, January 29, 2010
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
A Quick Followup
Some follow-up, mostly, and some other stuff...
BEACON FOLLOWUP: Some additional information about our weekend story on the death of Beacon Broadcasting owner Harold Glunt, who passed away last week at the age of 75.
Beacon's Gregg Allen, not a stranger to the Mighty Blog, shared some of his thoughts in the comment section of the original item...noting Mr. Glunt's passage with "great sadness":
To most at the Beacon family, Mr. Glunt was much more than an owner and a boss, he was a friend and a second father. He was always quick with a smile, a prayer, and even a joke to make you smile.
As for the future of the five Mahoning and Shenango Valley stations under Glunt's ownership, after his death, Allen writes:
It was his wish for the radio stations to continue after his death, and that is EXACTLY what we are going to do.
Some of this may be beyond the staff's control, however.
OMW hears there have been talks with a potential ownership group that wants to buy at least one of the stations, Christian/eclectic/rock/talk WEXC/107.1 Greenville PA "Indie 107.1". The talks apparently took place, initially, while Harold Glunt was still alive.
Whether this group wishes to resume the talks - with Glunt's surviving family members - hasn't yet been determined, and it's not known if these potential investors would be interested in the four AMs in the Beacon chain now that Harold Glunt has passed on.
We also don't have a firm handle on the group itself, or its financial backing....or if Glunt's heirs have any desire to continue operating his radio stations.
So, with all that uncertainty, it appears the five stations will continue operating as they have...at least in the short term.
Allen notes that "Indie 107.1" is sending two party busloads of listeners to a Christian CHR concert, "Winter Jam 2010", this Friday...and is dedicating their sponsorship of the event to their late owner...
AIRLESS AMERICA: Unless you were under a media rock this past week, you're aware that as of this writing, liberal talk network Air America has gone dark.
The network announced that it was filing for Chapter 7 bankruptcy and ending all programming. Air America ended live programming last week, and offered up repeats for remaining affiliates until Monday night. Unlike previous bankruptcy filings, this one was a total liquidation.
This would have been a much bigger story in OMW a few years ago.
But...we're scratching our heads trying to figure out if there are any stations still running liberal talk programming in the state.
We believe tiny WAIS/770 Nelsonville (near Athens) was running Ed Schultz, but Ed is not - and has never been - part of Air America.
Neither has Stephanie Miller, who like Schultz is syndicated by the Dial Global folks. Both Miller and Schultz once counted at least some popularity, within the format, at Clear Channel liberal talkers in Columbus and Akron, and Schultz also ran on the company's liberal talk station in Cincinnati. All of the stations have long since changed format to conservative talk or sports.
We think there may still be a liberal talker owned by Clear Channel in the Portsmouth/Ironton area, but it may have flipped to sports while we weren't looking.
And of the stations listed, we're not sure any were still carrying Air America programming. In its final days, the "trailblazing" network of liberal talk was but a footnote...
SPEAKING OF EX-AIR AMERICANS: Jerry, Jerry, Jerry...could he be getting back into political talk?
No, not on the radio, but in Jerry Springer's more natural medium, television.
The Cincinnati Enquirer's John Kiesewetter has recently passed along word of a new pilot project involving the former Cincinnati mayor, trash TV talker, and former Air America host...with an interesting partner - a former co-worker of Jerry's at Clear Channel Cincinnati:
Score Round One for Jerry Springer. That’s my take on the “Jerry & Bill Show,” the pilot for a weekly debate show starring Springer and 700 WLW-AM’s Bill Cunningham that aired Sunday night (Jan. 10th) on WXIX-TV (Ch 19).
Though the pilot aired locally in Cincinnati on Raycom-owned "Fox 19", Kiesewetter noted that cable/satellite channel WGN America also aired the pilot, which was apparently developed for Tribune owned stations...by...oh, wait, this is too easy to guess...Tribune executives Randy Michaels and Sean Compton, both former Clear Channel (and WLW!) employees.
We'll have to see how far "Jerry & Bill", and Jerry and Bill, go in the format in the future. Jerry wasn't really a good radio host (we're being kind), so it may provide a measure on how he'll hold up in his "home medium" when people aren't throwing chairs around...
BEACON FOLLOWUP: Some additional information about our weekend story on the death of Beacon Broadcasting owner Harold Glunt, who passed away last week at the age of 75.
Beacon's Gregg Allen, not a stranger to the Mighty Blog, shared some of his thoughts in the comment section of the original item...noting Mr. Glunt's passage with "great sadness":
To most at the Beacon family, Mr. Glunt was much more than an owner and a boss, he was a friend and a second father. He was always quick with a smile, a prayer, and even a joke to make you smile.
As for the future of the five Mahoning and Shenango Valley stations under Glunt's ownership, after his death, Allen writes:
It was his wish for the radio stations to continue after his death, and that is EXACTLY what we are going to do.
Some of this may be beyond the staff's control, however.
OMW hears there have been talks with a potential ownership group that wants to buy at least one of the stations, Christian/eclectic/rock/talk WEXC/107.1 Greenville PA "Indie 107.1". The talks apparently took place, initially, while Harold Glunt was still alive.
Whether this group wishes to resume the talks - with Glunt's surviving family members - hasn't yet been determined, and it's not known if these potential investors would be interested in the four AMs in the Beacon chain now that Harold Glunt has passed on.
We also don't have a firm handle on the group itself, or its financial backing....or if Glunt's heirs have any desire to continue operating his radio stations.
So, with all that uncertainty, it appears the five stations will continue operating as they have...at least in the short term.
Allen notes that "Indie 107.1" is sending two party busloads of listeners to a Christian CHR concert, "Winter Jam 2010", this Friday...and is dedicating their sponsorship of the event to their late owner...
AIRLESS AMERICA: Unless you were under a media rock this past week, you're aware that as of this writing, liberal talk network Air America has gone dark.
The network announced that it was filing for Chapter 7 bankruptcy and ending all programming. Air America ended live programming last week, and offered up repeats for remaining affiliates until Monday night. Unlike previous bankruptcy filings, this one was a total liquidation.
This would have been a much bigger story in OMW a few years ago.
But...we're scratching our heads trying to figure out if there are any stations still running liberal talk programming in the state.
We believe tiny WAIS/770 Nelsonville (near Athens) was running Ed Schultz, but Ed is not - and has never been - part of Air America.
Neither has Stephanie Miller, who like Schultz is syndicated by the Dial Global folks. Both Miller and Schultz once counted at least some popularity, within the format, at Clear Channel liberal talkers in Columbus and Akron, and Schultz also ran on the company's liberal talk station in Cincinnati. All of the stations have long since changed format to conservative talk or sports.
We think there may still be a liberal talker owned by Clear Channel in the Portsmouth/Ironton area, but it may have flipped to sports while we weren't looking.
And of the stations listed, we're not sure any were still carrying Air America programming. In its final days, the "trailblazing" network of liberal talk was but a footnote...
SPEAKING OF EX-AIR AMERICANS: Jerry, Jerry, Jerry...could he be getting back into political talk?
No, not on the radio, but in Jerry Springer's more natural medium, television.
The Cincinnati Enquirer's John Kiesewetter has recently passed along word of a new pilot project involving the former Cincinnati mayor, trash TV talker, and former Air America host...with an interesting partner - a former co-worker of Jerry's at Clear Channel Cincinnati:
Score Round One for Jerry Springer. That’s my take on the “Jerry & Bill Show,” the pilot for a weekly debate show starring Springer and 700 WLW-AM’s Bill Cunningham that aired Sunday night (Jan. 10th) on WXIX-TV (Ch 19).
Though the pilot aired locally in Cincinnati on Raycom-owned "Fox 19", Kiesewetter noted that cable/satellite channel WGN America also aired the pilot, which was apparently developed for Tribune owned stations...by...oh, wait, this is too easy to guess...Tribune executives Randy Michaels and Sean Compton, both former Clear Channel (and WLW!) employees.
We'll have to see how far "Jerry & Bill", and Jerry and Bill, go in the format in the future. Jerry wasn't really a good radio host (we're being kind), so it may provide a measure on how he'll hold up in his "home medium" when people aren't throwing chairs around...
Saturday, January 23, 2010
Beacon Owner Dies
The man who has owned a small Mahoning Valley radio group often written about here in OMW has died.
An obituary notes the death of Beacon Broadcasting owner Harold Glunt earlier this week:
NILES – Harold F. Glunt, 75, died of cancer on Thursday evening, Jan. 21, 2010, at his home.
(snip)
He semi-retired from Glunt Industries in 2001 and purchased Beacon Broadcasting in Warren to focus on Christian Broadcasting in the area.
Glunt Industries was the steel supply company Glunt started in 1966. (The photo and obituary are courtesy of Holeton-Yuhasz Funeral Home in Niles, which is handling arrangments.)
We don't have definitive information about the future of Glunt's Beacon Broadcasting stations in the Youngstown market - sports WANR/1570 "Fox Sports 1570" Warren, Christian contemporary WRTK/1540 "Freq 1540" Niles, classic country combo WLOA/1470 Farrell PA and WGRP/940 Greenville PA, and the sole FM in the group, Christian/eclectic rocker/talk WEXC/107.1 "Indie 107.1" Greenville PA...though there has been interest in that latter station, before Glunt's passing...
An obituary notes the death of Beacon Broadcasting owner Harold Glunt earlier this week:NILES – Harold F. Glunt, 75, died of cancer on Thursday evening, Jan. 21, 2010, at his home.
(snip)
He semi-retired from Glunt Industries in 2001 and purchased Beacon Broadcasting in Warren to focus on Christian Broadcasting in the area.
Glunt Industries was the steel supply company Glunt started in 1966. (The photo and obituary are courtesy of Holeton-Yuhasz Funeral Home in Niles, which is handling arrangments.)
We don't have definitive information about the future of Glunt's Beacon Broadcasting stations in the Youngstown market - sports WANR/1570 "Fox Sports 1570" Warren, Christian contemporary WRTK/1540 "Freq 1540" Niles, classic country combo WLOA/1470 Farrell PA and WGRP/940 Greenville PA, and the sole FM in the group, Christian/eclectic rocker/talk WEXC/107.1 "Indie 107.1" Greenville PA...though there has been interest in that latter station, before Glunt's passing...
Thursday, January 21, 2010
TWC Answers
Courtesy of Time Warner Cable, here are some answers for readers wondering about the Mentor-area conversion allowing more HD channels. And some more lineup changes are in the works systemwide in TWC's massive Northeast Ohio system.
First, in regards to Mentor's conversion, TWC's Travis Reynolds tells OMW:
The first "box swap" phase of the box exchange actually concludes today, followed by 6 other phases every 7 days. The final phase is scheduled Feb. 23. Each phase impacts approximately 1,200 customers in certain areas of Mentor. And by "box swap" "concludes" I mean the day the Motorola and General Instrument boxes in those areas will no longer work. If your area has gone through the "shutdown" you will begin receiving the new HDs.
Also, if anyone emails that their box has been shut down, and they live in that area and have a MOTO or GI box, they can visit our Sales and Service Center in Mentor or Concord to exchange it. We'll even give them a coupon book good for 6 Movies on Demand.
Here's the short answer. Everyone in the greater Mentor area will have all the HD channels by Feb. 23.
The lineup change, we first caught on a segment of TWC's "Ask Time Warner" (NEON channel 23), and is reflected on the company's TWCGuide.com site:
Our HD offering has grown so robust, we're moving the HD channels to the 1000 block and grouping them by category. With your new theme-based HD lineup coming in March, finding what you want to watch in HD will be faster and easier than ever.
*To find your favorite broadcaster in HD, you'll just add a "1" to the Basic Cable channel number
*To find your favorite Digital Cable channel in HD, you'll just add a "1" to the Digital Channel number, or go to Channel 1001 and start surfing.
More exciting changes coming in March
*All your Free On Demand favorites are moving to the "Free 400s". This includes Primetime On Demand with your favorite primetime shows and Kids on Demand with kids favorites such as Nickelodeon and PBS Kids Sprout. Local on Demand, your source for free local high school football, travel and news On Demand, moves to channel 411.
*Movies on Demand moving to the 500s gives you instant access to hundreds of hit movies now on our leading-edge platform.
The site (and the "Ask Time Warner" segment) says Cleveland-area customers are also going to get the Navigator program guide software for their cable boxes...
First, in regards to Mentor's conversion, TWC's Travis Reynolds tells OMW:
The first "box swap" phase of the box exchange actually concludes today, followed by 6 other phases every 7 days. The final phase is scheduled Feb. 23. Each phase impacts approximately 1,200 customers in certain areas of Mentor. And by "box swap" "concludes" I mean the day the Motorola and General Instrument boxes in those areas will no longer work. If your area has gone through the "shutdown" you will begin receiving the new HDs.
Also, if anyone emails that their box has been shut down, and they live in that area and have a MOTO or GI box, they can visit our Sales and Service Center in Mentor or Concord to exchange it. We'll even give them a coupon book good for 6 Movies on Demand.
Here's the short answer. Everyone in the greater Mentor area will have all the HD channels by Feb. 23.
The lineup change, we first caught on a segment of TWC's "Ask Time Warner" (NEON channel 23), and is reflected on the company's TWCGuide.com site:
Our HD offering has grown so robust, we're moving the HD channels to the 1000 block and grouping them by category. With your new theme-based HD lineup coming in March, finding what you want to watch in HD will be faster and easier than ever.
*To find your favorite broadcaster in HD, you'll just add a "1" to the Basic Cable channel number
*To find your favorite Digital Cable channel in HD, you'll just add a "1" to the Digital Channel number, or go to Channel 1001 and start surfing.
More exciting changes coming in March
*All your Free On Demand favorites are moving to the "Free 400s". This includes Primetime On Demand with your favorite primetime shows and Kids on Demand with kids favorites such as Nickelodeon and PBS Kids Sprout. Local on Demand, your source for free local high school football, travel and news On Demand, moves to channel 411.
*Movies on Demand moving to the 500s gives you instant access to hundreds of hit movies now on our leading-edge platform.
The site (and the "Ask Time Warner" segment) says Cleveland-area customers are also going to get the Navigator program guide software for their cable boxes...
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
THIS JUST IN: WOIO Channel 24
NOTE: To clear up any confusion, this is an ADDITIONAL translator fill-in channel for WOIO. The current operation on RF channel 10 will stay on the air, unless they find another permanent home for it...
---------
Thanks to a reader tip, we now know what Raycom Media CBS affiliate WOIO/19 wants to do (at least temporarily) to fix its reception problems, particularly in the Akron area.
The station has applied to the FCC for a digital replacement translator on RF channel 24, an 11 kW facility which would be located at the Akron facility which houses ION Media O&O WVPX/23 and a number of area radio outlets.
We don't have much time to go into detail, so dig into it yourself at the station's technical exhibit on the FCC website...
THIS JUST IN: Chris Miller Exits
AllAccess reports today that Clear Channel hot AC WMVX/106.5 and country WGAR/99.5 program director Chris Miller is out at Oak Tree.
Clear Channel Cleveland operations manager Keith Abrams tells the trade site that he's looking for Miller's replacement...
Clear Channel Cleveland operations manager Keith Abrams tells the trade site that he's looking for Miller's replacement...
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Boom and Booming
We'd heard the rumblings...that Elyria-Lorain Broadcasting's new AAA format on WNWV/107.3 Elyria had to drop its name due to trademark issues.
Sure enough, though the station occasionally tries to cleverly use the word "Boom", its official on-air name has reverted to a simple "107.3 Cleveland"...without the explosive word directly attached.
Wbat happened?
Blame another broadcaster competing with 107.3 in Cleveland, but in another market.
Tom Taylor's always excellent "Taylor on Radio-Info" newsletter on Monday had his take:
Seems CBS is employing “Boom FM” in Seattle on the HD-2 channel of classic hits “Jack FM” KJAQ (96.5). It may be used for CBS stations in other markets, too.
Of course, WNWV itself had been running the AAA/eclectic format on its own HD2 channel until late December...using that name, as far as we know.
But a large company like CBS is a lot more nimble when it comes to trademark use and registration. And we're reminded that despite getting the trademark through acquisition of another company, Clear Channel was successfully able to assert the "Kiss FM" service mark even with its newer top 40 outlets mounted long after.
Taylor hasn't confirmed the story of why "Boom!" is no longer, but did find the CBS outlets. (Toronto's new "Boom" classic hits format is apparently not affected due to its presence in Canada.)
And whatever the reason, 107.3 is still pumping out its new format...
BOOMING FORMAT: That's the other part of our subject header this time around.
We've made something of a hobby tracking the rise of FM spoken word formats, including the booming sports format on the FM dial...and it's about to happen really close to Ohio.
As rumored, as expected, CBS Radio is mounting an FM sports talk outlet in Pittsburgh. Rumor leaked out last week, and made it to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. From FMQB.com:
CBS Radio in Pittsburgh has announced that on Monday, February 15, the company will debut Sports Radio "93.7 The Fan," carrying the call letters KDKA-FM. As originally reported last Friday, January 15, the move converts CHR WBZW(B94) to 93.7 The Fan.
CBS Radio SVP & Pittsburgh Market Manager Michael Young exclusively told FMQB, "We’re building this radio station with the sole focus and mantra of providing all sports all the time to the Pittsburgh fans, billing ourselves as the voice of the fans of Pittsburgh."
The CHR format will merge with existing hot AC WZPT/100.7 "Star 100.7".
We bring this up here for two reasons.
CBS Radio has a four station cluster in the Cleveland market, of course - alt-rock WKRK/92.3, classic rock WNCX/98.5, AC WDOK/102.1 and hot AC WQAL/104.1 "Q104".
It also has a brand new market manager, as we reported earlier...Steve Carver.
Is "The Fan" coming to Cleveland?
Well, let's line up the case against it.
For one, Cleveland is one of the smaller markets CBS presumably is still interested in selling. Then again, Pittsburgh is presumably on that list as well.
But Pittsburgh has one thing in its CBS Radio cluster that Cleveland does not - a big, big news/talk station (the legendary KDKA/1020). Even when CBS was first talking about exiting smaller markets, there were rumors that they would hang onto KDKA Radio for one reason - synergy with its TV holdings in Pittsburgh (KDKA-TV/2 and sister CW affiliate WNPA/19).
CBS has no news/talk stations in Northeast Ohio, of course, and no TV holdings. CBS affiliate WOIO/19 is owned by Raycom Media, and CW affiliate WBNX/55 is locally owned.
But...with the coming FM sports format in Western Pennsylvania, you know we had to weigh in one way or the other...
Sure enough, though the station occasionally tries to cleverly use the word "Boom", its official on-air name has reverted to a simple "107.3 Cleveland"...without the explosive word directly attached.
Wbat happened?
Blame another broadcaster competing with 107.3 in Cleveland, but in another market.
Tom Taylor's always excellent "Taylor on Radio-Info" newsletter on Monday had his take:
Seems CBS is employing “Boom FM” in Seattle on the HD-2 channel of classic hits “Jack FM” KJAQ (96.5). It may be used for CBS stations in other markets, too.
Of course, WNWV itself had been running the AAA/eclectic format on its own HD2 channel until late December...using that name, as far as we know.
But a large company like CBS is a lot more nimble when it comes to trademark use and registration. And we're reminded that despite getting the trademark through acquisition of another company, Clear Channel was successfully able to assert the "Kiss FM" service mark even with its newer top 40 outlets mounted long after.
Taylor hasn't confirmed the story of why "Boom!" is no longer, but did find the CBS outlets. (Toronto's new "Boom" classic hits format is apparently not affected due to its presence in Canada.)
And whatever the reason, 107.3 is still pumping out its new format...
BOOMING FORMAT: That's the other part of our subject header this time around.
We've made something of a hobby tracking the rise of FM spoken word formats, including the booming sports format on the FM dial...and it's about to happen really close to Ohio.
As rumored, as expected, CBS Radio is mounting an FM sports talk outlet in Pittsburgh. Rumor leaked out last week, and made it to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. From FMQB.com:
CBS Radio in Pittsburgh has announced that on Monday, February 15, the company will debut Sports Radio "93.7 The Fan," carrying the call letters KDKA-FM. As originally reported last Friday, January 15, the move converts CHR WBZW(B94) to 93.7 The Fan.
CBS Radio SVP & Pittsburgh Market Manager Michael Young exclusively told FMQB, "We’re building this radio station with the sole focus and mantra of providing all sports all the time to the Pittsburgh fans, billing ourselves as the voice of the fans of Pittsburgh."
The CHR format will merge with existing hot AC WZPT/100.7 "Star 100.7".
We bring this up here for two reasons.
CBS Radio has a four station cluster in the Cleveland market, of course - alt-rock WKRK/92.3, classic rock WNCX/98.5, AC WDOK/102.1 and hot AC WQAL/104.1 "Q104".
It also has a brand new market manager, as we reported earlier...Steve Carver.
Is "The Fan" coming to Cleveland?
Well, let's line up the case against it.
For one, Cleveland is one of the smaller markets CBS presumably is still interested in selling. Then again, Pittsburgh is presumably on that list as well.
But Pittsburgh has one thing in its CBS Radio cluster that Cleveland does not - a big, big news/talk station (the legendary KDKA/1020). Even when CBS was first talking about exiting smaller markets, there were rumors that they would hang onto KDKA Radio for one reason - synergy with its TV holdings in Pittsburgh (KDKA-TV/2 and sister CW affiliate WNPA/19).
CBS has no news/talk stations in Northeast Ohio, of course, and no TV holdings. CBS affiliate WOIO/19 is owned by Raycom Media, and CW affiliate WBNX/55 is locally owned.
But...with the coming FM sports format in Western Pennsylvania, you know we had to weigh in one way or the other...
Monday, January 11, 2010
Out Of The Chute
A lot of items on our plate, from all over the map, physically and topic-wise...let's have at it.
"SUMMIT" EXPANDS TO MAHONING: Akron Public Schools AAA outlet WAPS/91.3 "The Summit" is indeed, as noted in our previous item, being heard in the Mahoning Valley.
An OMW listener in WAPS' signal range reported hearing a mention of a simulcast on WKTL/90.7 Struthers, the school district owned station which puts a decent signal into most of the Valley. A Valley listener confirmed the simulcast from the Youngstown-area end.
And now, we know details.
WAPS program director Bill Gruber tells OMW about the arrangement between the Akron station and the Struthers station:
WKTL 90.7 in Struthers/Youngstown has begun carrying WAPS 91.3 The Summit’s programming during the hours and days WKTL previously would be off-the-air.
Local WKTL student-related content, and weekend nationality programs, remain on-air.
Gruber calls it "a very logical and relatively simple" cooperation between two Northeast Ohio community public radio station - allowing the WKTL student and community program to continue as is, but allowing Mahoning Valley listeners to catch the "Summit" programming when 90.7 would otherwise be silent.
Says Gruber: "This allows WKTL to operate as a 24 hour, full-time radio station for the first time ever, with a regional Akron/Canton/Youngstown focus, without the need to turn to satellite or syndicated programming."
Gruber says WAPS has already gotten E-mails from Youngstown-area listeners thankful for their new radio option...
SPEAKING OF SIMULCASTS: A format change for a North Central Ohio station has yet to be noted by this corner.
Clear Channel classic hits/oldies WSWR/100.1 Shelby, part of the company's extensive Ashland/Mansfield cluster, has become "My 100.1".
But unlike the company's Canton market WHOF/101.7 North Canton ("My 101.7"), the WSWR format has moved towards a classic rock direction. Previously, the station had run Citadel's classic hits format ("Classic Hits Radio", also known as ABC's "Oldies Radio" and ABC/SMN's "Pure Gold", one of about a half-dozen Northern Ohio stations once doing so).
And despite the frequency in the moniker, WSWR's "My 100.1" is actually a simulcast. An OMW listener reported hearing it also on WXXR/98.3 Fredericktown, which has long been part of the "Fox" rock format trimulcast. "Fox" is now down to WFXN/102.3 Galion and WXXF/107.7 Loudonville. (We haven't compared playlists to differentiate "Fox" and "My". We get the idea that "My" is a softer classic rock station than "Fox".)
Sure enough, long-time Friend and Colleague of OMW Scott Fybush at NorthEast Radio Watch confirmed and taped the legal ID for "My 100.1" on one of his recent trips through OMW Land...with WXXR on the ID and in the simulcast...
MORE GANG BACK TOGETHER: The former Clear Channel/Jacor mass gathering under Randy Michaels at Tribune has grown by one.
Former Clear Channel talk WTAM/1100 imaging director Chris Duffy has become the latest to join Tribune, taking similar duties at the company's sole radio station, WGN/720 Chicago.
Of course, any regular reader won't have to search to remember that former Clear Channel Cleveland programming VP Kevin Metheny was Duffy's ultimate programming boss at WTAM, and is now programming WGN...let alone have to search for Tribune CEO Randy Michaels' background running Clear Channel and Jacor's radio operations...
AND SPEAKING OF WTAM: We haven't asked yet, but it sounds like former WKDD/WHLO'er Matt Patrick will be back in the Saturday afternoon (4-7 PM) time slot on WTAM next week, after former Congressman-turned-con Jim Traficant's high profile show.
That's putting it mildly - high profile - as Jimbo's debut Saturday attracted a flotilla of TV cameras (and a bunch of his relatives, apparently).
Patrick's 3 hour show got no outside attention other than from the Mighty Blog of Fun(tm), but a decent number of his Akron/Canton area listeners got into the phone lines Saturday, saying they were happy he was "back on the air".
That may have been a bit confusing to Cleveland-area listeners who didn't know him from his 30 year-plus run on WKDD or his local issues talk show on WHLO, both of which ended in mid-December.
Patrick didn't explain his radio past just down I-77 from Oak Tree, though he did mention it when prompted by callers.
He assured his new audience that despite spending his radio career "20 miles south of here", he was a native Clevelander, born and raised on the East Side (either Shaker Heights or East Cleveland, we believe he said)...
"SUMMIT" EXPANDS TO MAHONING: Akron Public Schools AAA outlet WAPS/91.3 "The Summit" is indeed, as noted in our previous item, being heard in the Mahoning Valley.
An OMW listener in WAPS' signal range reported hearing a mention of a simulcast on WKTL/90.7 Struthers, the school district owned station which puts a decent signal into most of the Valley. A Valley listener confirmed the simulcast from the Youngstown-area end.
And now, we know details.
WAPS program director Bill Gruber tells OMW about the arrangement between the Akron station and the Struthers station:
WKTL 90.7 in Struthers/Youngstown has begun carrying WAPS 91.3 The Summit’s programming during the hours and days WKTL previously would be off-the-air.
Local WKTL student-related content, and weekend nationality programs, remain on-air.
Gruber calls it "a very logical and relatively simple" cooperation between two Northeast Ohio community public radio station - allowing the WKTL student and community program to continue as is, but allowing Mahoning Valley listeners to catch the "Summit" programming when 90.7 would otherwise be silent.
Says Gruber: "This allows WKTL to operate as a 24 hour, full-time radio station for the first time ever, with a regional Akron/Canton/Youngstown focus, without the need to turn to satellite or syndicated programming."
Gruber says WAPS has already gotten E-mails from Youngstown-area listeners thankful for their new radio option...
SPEAKING OF SIMULCASTS: A format change for a North Central Ohio station has yet to be noted by this corner.
Clear Channel classic hits/oldies WSWR/100.1 Shelby, part of the company's extensive Ashland/Mansfield cluster, has become "My 100.1".
But unlike the company's Canton market WHOF/101.7 North Canton ("My 101.7"), the WSWR format has moved towards a classic rock direction. Previously, the station had run Citadel's classic hits format ("Classic Hits Radio", also known as ABC's "Oldies Radio" and ABC/SMN's "Pure Gold", one of about a half-dozen Northern Ohio stations once doing so).
And despite the frequency in the moniker, WSWR's "My 100.1" is actually a simulcast. An OMW listener reported hearing it also on WXXR/98.3 Fredericktown, which has long been part of the "Fox" rock format trimulcast. "Fox" is now down to WFXN/102.3 Galion and WXXF/107.7 Loudonville. (We haven't compared playlists to differentiate "Fox" and "My". We get the idea that "My" is a softer classic rock station than "Fox".)
Sure enough, long-time Friend and Colleague of OMW Scott Fybush at NorthEast Radio Watch confirmed and taped the legal ID for "My 100.1" on one of his recent trips through OMW Land...with WXXR on the ID and in the simulcast...
MORE GANG BACK TOGETHER: The former Clear Channel/Jacor mass gathering under Randy Michaels at Tribune has grown by one.
Former Clear Channel talk WTAM/1100 imaging director Chris Duffy has become the latest to join Tribune, taking similar duties at the company's sole radio station, WGN/720 Chicago.
Of course, any regular reader won't have to search to remember that former Clear Channel Cleveland programming VP Kevin Metheny was Duffy's ultimate programming boss at WTAM, and is now programming WGN...let alone have to search for Tribune CEO Randy Michaels' background running Clear Channel and Jacor's radio operations...
AND SPEAKING OF WTAM: We haven't asked yet, but it sounds like former WKDD/WHLO'er Matt Patrick will be back in the Saturday afternoon (4-7 PM) time slot on WTAM next week, after former Congressman-turned-con Jim Traficant's high profile show.
That's putting it mildly - high profile - as Jimbo's debut Saturday attracted a flotilla of TV cameras (and a bunch of his relatives, apparently).
Patrick's 3 hour show got no outside attention other than from the Mighty Blog of Fun(tm), but a decent number of his Akron/Canton area listeners got into the phone lines Saturday, saying they were happy he was "back on the air".
That may have been a bit confusing to Cleveland-area listeners who didn't know him from his 30 year-plus run on WKDD or his local issues talk show on WHLO, both of which ended in mid-December.
Patrick didn't explain his radio past just down I-77 from Oak Tree, though he did mention it when prompted by callers.
He assured his new audience that despite spending his radio career "20 miles south of here", he was a native Clevelander, born and raised on the East Side (either Shaker Heights or East Cleveland, we believe he said)...
Friday, January 08, 2010
Snow Day
UPDATE 1/8/10 1:45 PM: The upcoming Jim Traficant radio show on Clear Channel Cleveland talk WTAM/1100 is "only the beginning", says the former Congressman's new management representation in an article in the Youngstown Vindicator this week. A choice quote:
Traficant signed a three-month contract with WTAM with a clause that lets him out of the deal if he decides to run for Congress, said Dennis Malloy, his director of communications. Feb. 18 is the filing deadline to run in the May 4 primary.
The WTAM program is “the first step in the puzzle for a syndicated radio show,” Malloy said.
So far, there appear to be no details about a potential syndication for the new Traficant show, though we wouldn't be shocked if the former Congressman's hometown WKBN/570 would also air the WTAM show. Traficant's vision (and ego) is clearly hoping for more than that, though... if he doesn't decide to run for Congress again...
----------
There's a lot to clean up off the "roadways" of Ohio media news here...and unlike in the "real world", none of it involves snow...
JIMBO RADIO AND....: We were one of the first outlets to pass along speculation about a radio career in the future of former Mahoning Valley congressman-turned-con Jim Traficant. As it turns out, we were thinking small.
Traficant did turn to the radio after he got out of prison. He made his first radio appearance as a free man on a weekend outdoors show on Clear Channel talk WKBN/570 Youngstown, and later did a couple of fill-in shifts sitting in for WKBN's Dan Rivers.
But he also did a couple of fiil-in shifts on WKBN's "big brother" talker in Cleveland, WTAM/1100...and as it turns out, that's where he lands.
WTAM announced this week that "The Jim Traficant Show" will become a regular part of its weekend lineup, with Jimbo's debut set for this Saturday. The show's time slot is set for 1-4 PM Saturdays. (No word what happens in the spring, when Major League Baseball's Cleveland Indians become the regular occupant of that time slot most weeks.)
Quoting a WTAM release:
“It’s exciting to be on the air on WTAM. I’ve got much to say on many of the issues facing both Ohio and America today,” Traficant exudes, “and look forward to sharing my perspective and experiences on the biggest news station in Northeast Ohio!”
The release quotes WTAM program director Ray Davis, saying "listeners relate to his common sense approach to politics and life in general." Davis says Traficant is "quite a personality" (now, there's an understatement!), and says he is "all about giving people a second chance in life".
A second chance after a 7 year prison term which ended last fall, of course, a fact duly noted in the WTAM release.
And yes, we will be listening...
JIMBO'S FOLLOW: What has not been announced anywhere, as far as we know, is that Traficant's show will be followed, at least this Saturday, by another local call-in show.
OMW hears that former Clear Channel Akron/Canton hot AC WKDD/98.1 morning drive host Matt Patrick gets a "try out" on WTAM, and will be heard this Saturday 4-7 PM...immediately following the debut of Traficant.
The Patrick show Saturday on WTAM is considered an "audition", and there's no word of if the ex-WKDD veteran will be heard past this Saturday.
Matt Patrick is no stranger to conservative, issues talk radio, of course. When he exited WKDD in December, Patrick also exited his 9 AM-noon talk show on WKDD sister talk WHLO/640 Akron...and had hoped to retain the show despite the end of his "main job" on WKDD.
WHLO filled Patrick's old time slot this month by moving WPGB/Pittsburgh-based morning drive syndicated show "Quinn and Rose" into a delayed clearance in the 9 AM-noon slot. Morning drive was filled with "The WHLO Morning Show", a news-information show hosted by Akron and Canton radio veteran Jim Albright...
TOLEDO TV: OMW hears that Toledo Fox affiliate WUPW/36 "Fox Toledo" is making some early news changes.
The LIN TV owned station is shuttering the 4 PM early newscast of "Fox Toledo News", and is instead mounting a new half-hour long news program at 6:30.
The station's flagship 10 PM newscast is unaffected...
SUMMIT EXPANSION?: An OMW reader informs us that Akron Public Schools AAA WAPS/91.3 Akron "The Summit" has apparently picked up another signal.
"The Summit' is, according to our reader, announcing its availablity on a new Youngstown market signal...WKTL/90.7 Struthers.
That is the Struthers school district-owned station, and we don't know the details of the arrangement. We haven't been able to verify the simulcast as of yet, either...
Traficant signed a three-month contract with WTAM with a clause that lets him out of the deal if he decides to run for Congress, said Dennis Malloy, his director of communications. Feb. 18 is the filing deadline to run in the May 4 primary.
The WTAM program is “the first step in the puzzle for a syndicated radio show,” Malloy said.
So far, there appear to be no details about a potential syndication for the new Traficant show, though we wouldn't be shocked if the former Congressman's hometown WKBN/570 would also air the WTAM show. Traficant's vision (and ego) is clearly hoping for more than that, though... if he doesn't decide to run for Congress again...
----------
There's a lot to clean up off the "roadways" of Ohio media news here...and unlike in the "real world", none of it involves snow...
JIMBO RADIO AND....: We were one of the first outlets to pass along speculation about a radio career in the future of former Mahoning Valley congressman-turned-con Jim Traficant. As it turns out, we were thinking small.
Traficant did turn to the radio after he got out of prison. He made his first radio appearance as a free man on a weekend outdoors show on Clear Channel talk WKBN/570 Youngstown, and later did a couple of fill-in shifts sitting in for WKBN's Dan Rivers.
But he also did a couple of fiil-in shifts on WKBN's "big brother" talker in Cleveland, WTAM/1100...and as it turns out, that's where he lands.
WTAM announced this week that "The Jim Traficant Show" will become a regular part of its weekend lineup, with Jimbo's debut set for this Saturday. The show's time slot is set for 1-4 PM Saturdays. (No word what happens in the spring, when Major League Baseball's Cleveland Indians become the regular occupant of that time slot most weeks.)
Quoting a WTAM release:
“It’s exciting to be on the air on WTAM. I’ve got much to say on many of the issues facing both Ohio and America today,” Traficant exudes, “and look forward to sharing my perspective and experiences on the biggest news station in Northeast Ohio!”
The release quotes WTAM program director Ray Davis, saying "listeners relate to his common sense approach to politics and life in general." Davis says Traficant is "quite a personality" (now, there's an understatement!), and says he is "all about giving people a second chance in life".
A second chance after a 7 year prison term which ended last fall, of course, a fact duly noted in the WTAM release.
And yes, we will be listening...
JIMBO'S FOLLOW: What has not been announced anywhere, as far as we know, is that Traficant's show will be followed, at least this Saturday, by another local call-in show.
OMW hears that former Clear Channel Akron/Canton hot AC WKDD/98.1 morning drive host Matt Patrick gets a "try out" on WTAM, and will be heard this Saturday 4-7 PM...immediately following the debut of Traficant.
The Patrick show Saturday on WTAM is considered an "audition", and there's no word of if the ex-WKDD veteran will be heard past this Saturday.
Matt Patrick is no stranger to conservative, issues talk radio, of course. When he exited WKDD in December, Patrick also exited his 9 AM-noon talk show on WKDD sister talk WHLO/640 Akron...and had hoped to retain the show despite the end of his "main job" on WKDD.
WHLO filled Patrick's old time slot this month by moving WPGB/Pittsburgh-based morning drive syndicated show "Quinn and Rose" into a delayed clearance in the 9 AM-noon slot. Morning drive was filled with "The WHLO Morning Show", a news-information show hosted by Akron and Canton radio veteran Jim Albright...
TOLEDO TV: OMW hears that Toledo Fox affiliate WUPW/36 "Fox Toledo" is making some early news changes.
The LIN TV owned station is shuttering the 4 PM early newscast of "Fox Toledo News", and is instead mounting a new half-hour long news program at 6:30.
The station's flagship 10 PM newscast is unaffected...
SUMMIT EXPANSION?: An OMW reader informs us that Akron Public Schools AAA WAPS/91.3 Akron "The Summit" has apparently picked up another signal.
"The Summit' is, according to our reader, announcing its availablity on a new Youngstown market signal...WKTL/90.7 Struthers.
That is the Struthers school district-owned station, and we don't know the details of the arrangement. We haven't been able to verify the simulcast as of yet, either...
Wednesday, January 06, 2010
Another Grab Bag
Here's a bit of OMW Tradition for you in this changing time...a midweek grab bag post:
CBS RADIO CLEVELAND'S NEW BOSS: The Cleveland CBS Radio cluster officially has its new market manager, to replace the unceremoniously-dumped Chris Maduri.
A copy of the memo announcing the new market chief happened to float its way to the OMW World Headquarters:
I am thrilled to announce that Steve Carver has been appointed SVP/Market Manager for CBS Radio in Cleveland.
Steve is a terrific manager and broadcaster with nearly 30 years of local market leadership experience in radio, television, on line and newspaper.
Steve is a proven winner and we’re ecstatic to welcome him back to CBS where he began his career.
For the past 11 years, Steve has worked for The Tribune Company where he was Publisher, President and CEO of The Hartford Courant newspaper (2006-2009); General Manager of WATL-TV in Atlanta (2003-2006) and General Manager of WGN Radio in Chicago (1998-2003). During his years in TV, Steve continued to oversee radio as well.
Prior to joining Tribune, Steve was a veteran CBS guy where he served as VP and General Manager of WBBM in Chicago (1993-1998); Vice President & General Manager of WOGL FM/AM in Philadelphia (1989-1993) and also served as GSM, LSM, NSM and an AE at WCBS in New York. He also was a rep for then owned CBS Radio Spot Sales.
Frankly, Steve has done it all and is widely known as an outstanding manager with a track record of success.
Dan, Anton and I are thrilled to welcome Steve back to CBS Radio.
He officially starts today.
I would also like to thank Tom Herschel for his strong leadership during this transition. Thanks to Tom and all your efforts, we are coming out of the gate strong for January and we expect great things from CBS Radio Cleveland in 2010.
Judging from his long track record at Tribune, Carver likely clashed with the wave of former Jacor and Clear Channel executives brought aboard by Tribune chief Randy Michaels, the suburban Cincinnati-based former radio chief at Clear Channel...
CHICAGO THING: A former Northeast Ohio radio personality has become something of a minor media personality in Chicago in recent days, but not due to her on-air work or radio talent.
We've spent a lot of time thinking about this, and we've decided not to summarize the situation or name the personality.
The situation made the newspapers, and admittedly, it - what has been reported as happening - doesn't look good for the former local radio type.
But at this point, it's become a more heat-than-light-fest powered by blogs and whatnot. It's not the kind of story we like to shed light upon, in general. And the incident in question took place in Chicago, and the radio personality no longer works in this region. (It's not the first time we've not noted a similar story for that reason - lack of relevance to the area.)
We're only putting this up here because more than one reader has called our attention to it, and we're sure to get more requests or E-mails in the coming days...
CBS RADIO CLEVELAND'S NEW BOSS: The Cleveland CBS Radio cluster officially has its new market manager, to replace the unceremoniously-dumped Chris Maduri.
A copy of the memo announcing the new market chief happened to float its way to the OMW World Headquarters:
I am thrilled to announce that Steve Carver has been appointed SVP/Market Manager for CBS Radio in Cleveland.
Steve is a terrific manager and broadcaster with nearly 30 years of local market leadership experience in radio, television, on line and newspaper.
Steve is a proven winner and we’re ecstatic to welcome him back to CBS where he began his career.
For the past 11 years, Steve has worked for The Tribune Company where he was Publisher, President and CEO of The Hartford Courant newspaper (2006-2009); General Manager of WATL-TV in Atlanta (2003-2006) and General Manager of WGN Radio in Chicago (1998-2003). During his years in TV, Steve continued to oversee radio as well.
Prior to joining Tribune, Steve was a veteran CBS guy where he served as VP and General Manager of WBBM in Chicago (1993-1998); Vice President & General Manager of WOGL FM/AM in Philadelphia (1989-1993) and also served as GSM, LSM, NSM and an AE at WCBS in New York. He also was a rep for then owned CBS Radio Spot Sales.
Frankly, Steve has done it all and is widely known as an outstanding manager with a track record of success.
Dan, Anton and I are thrilled to welcome Steve back to CBS Radio.
He officially starts today.
I would also like to thank Tom Herschel for his strong leadership during this transition. Thanks to Tom and all your efforts, we are coming out of the gate strong for January and we expect great things from CBS Radio Cleveland in 2010.
Judging from his long track record at Tribune, Carver likely clashed with the wave of former Jacor and Clear Channel executives brought aboard by Tribune chief Randy Michaels, the suburban Cincinnati-based former radio chief at Clear Channel...
CHICAGO THING: A former Northeast Ohio radio personality has become something of a minor media personality in Chicago in recent days, but not due to her on-air work or radio talent.
We've spent a lot of time thinking about this, and we've decided not to summarize the situation or name the personality.
The situation made the newspapers, and admittedly, it - what has been reported as happening - doesn't look good for the former local radio type.
But at this point, it's become a more heat-than-light-fest powered by blogs and whatnot. It's not the kind of story we like to shed light upon, in general. And the incident in question took place in Chicago, and the radio personality no longer works in this region. (It's not the first time we've not noted a similar story for that reason - lack of relevance to the area.)
We're only putting this up here because more than one reader has called our attention to it, and we're sure to get more requests or E-mails in the coming days...
Tuesday, January 05, 2010
Welcome to 2010
Yes, your Mighty Blog of Fun(tm) (and your Primary Editorial Voice[tm]) have made it into 2010.
It was close, and touch-and-go for a while, but here we are.
This is just a placeholder announcement. Due to circumstances beyond our control, our ability to update this report will vary widely over the next few weeks.
We'll try to keep track of the "big stuff" and major changes, as soon as we can.
But the updates will be sporadic for some time to come. We'll try to keep a regular presence here.
One sad note: a local sports radio personality has passed away.
Though he had an extensive background covering high school sports, Fred Mourey was also host of the nationally syndicated (Sports Byline USA Network) "Joe Average Poker Show".
An obituary published recently reports that Mourey passed away December 12 at the age of 57, from complications from the disease ALS.
Our thanks to local ALS Association executive director - and veteran media personality - Brad Sussman for the heads up...
It was close, and touch-and-go for a while, but here we are.
This is just a placeholder announcement. Due to circumstances beyond our control, our ability to update this report will vary widely over the next few weeks.
We'll try to keep track of the "big stuff" and major changes, as soon as we can.
But the updates will be sporadic for some time to come. We'll try to keep a regular presence here.
One sad note: a local sports radio personality has passed away.
Though he had an extensive background covering high school sports, Fred Mourey was also host of the nationally syndicated (Sports Byline USA Network) "Joe Average Poker Show".
An obituary published recently reports that Mourey passed away December 12 at the age of 57, from complications from the disease ALS.
Our thanks to local ALS Association executive director - and veteran media personality - Brad Sussman for the heads up...
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