PBS 45/49 moves some offices to Akron and will change on air identity
Youngstown: Updated news from our friends at "Ohio Media Watch" reports that PBS outlets WNEO 45 (Alliance) and WEAO 49 (Akron) has begun using offices from their new satellite headquarters at the United Building in downtown Akron as of July 1st. While the stations are still located in downtown Kent, the Akron offices & studios will be used for some production & underwriting opportunities. Ironically they join NPR affiliate WKSU 89.7 at the same location with it's separate Akron news bureau. The PBS outlets will also drop the "PBS 45/49" identity this fall with "Western Reserve PBS" to coincide with the new name of the company, "Western Reserve Public Media." The station follows a new trend of over the air stations dropping their station numbers. Another in the area is "Fox 17/62" slowly phasing out that identity for "Fox Youngstown." While some stations are no longer using the numbers on air, others that are going digital next February on another channel position are electing to keep their analog number mapped in order to keep the identity viewers are familiar with after the transition. So far, WKBN DT 41 will stick with 27, WFMJ DT 20 will remain 21 and WYTV DT 36 will hold on to 33.Nene to voicetrack
Pittsburgh: Wednesday was the last time Bob-FM afternoon-driver John Nene was on the air. Nene is moving to Minneapolis where he will be getting married soon. However, Nene will not become a stranger to WRRK-FM (96.9). Instead he will begin voice tracking weekend programs. He's scheduled for Saturdays 3:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. and Sundays 10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. (PG)Johnny Marx back on the air
Erie-Meadville: From the "Better Late Than Never" files, Former "93.9 The Wolf" middayer Johnny Marx has resurfaced on crosstown rival "Country 98 WXTA" as of June 16th. Johnny has taken over the afternoon shift from Rick Peters, who is no longer with the station. It's good to see a well known personality back on the airwaves & one that has adapted to the country format since his days at the former "US 93.9" before it's flip to "The Wolf."Kids protest gas prices when cable is cut
National News: This story has definitely caught my attention. Two Salt Lake City kids are learning about the impact of higher gas prices when their mom had to eliminate cable TV from the already tight family budget. The two sisters (7 and 9) decided to vent their frustration over losing their favorite cartoons by protesting the rising fuel costs with picket signs in hand. In times like this, it really does make you realize what you can and cannot do without in a budget. Like many business, both cable and satellite TV services could feel the impact of some subscribers having to eliminate pay TV from the family budget in order to have gas in the car to get to work or the grocery store. Perhaps, it could bring a renaissance of over the air TV antennas back to homes or apartments across America. Let's not forget that this renaissance would have a new addition with TV converter boxes available in order to watch free TV. It might be time to order your $40.00 government converter box coupons in order to lessen the cost of up to 2 boxes per household. Would you make a one time purchase by investing in an indoor or outdoor antenna? What are your thoughts about going back to free TV. Please let us know here at PBRTV.Ambridge grad on ABC's Kimmel Show tonight
Pittsburgh, National News:On tonight's Jimmy Kimmel Show (12:05 AM; ABC - WTAE-TV (4)) the musical performance will be by the All-For-Nots which features Ambridge High School grad Erica Harsch on drums. According to the Beaver County Times, the group is "like a modern day Monkees" in that they are a "reality-blurring band" which got their start on a much hyped web-based program. They could also be seen weekly on a 15-minute program on Satellite TV's HD Net.
Harsch plays a very shy Amish woman adapting her life to being on the road with an indie-rock band. You can find her on the website (sorry no link available) in a "short" called "The Shtop" where she walks into a Sheetz and becomes confused about how to order an 'M-T-O'.
Bell back temporarily
Pittsburgh:Viewers of WTAE-TV (4) may have been surprised to see Wendy Bell back in the anchor chair Monday night. Bell gave birth to twin boys a little over a week ago. Just after the weather segment Bell announced that she was back until the twins were big enough to come home. The babies were born eight weeks early and both children weigh less than 3 pounds and aren't able to be released yet. So, rather than waste the maternity leave while the babies are receiving the "best of care", Bell has opted to save it for when they do come home.
(Almost un-necessary aside: We're taking bets that someone will e-mail PBRTV or even Rob at the Post-Gazette during that time to ask if Wendy has left the station.)
Anchor leaves WTOV-TV
West Virginia, Misc. Ohio:
Anchor Natalie Pasquarella, who anchored the 11 PM news on WTOV-TV (9) has left the station for sister station WSOC-TV (9) in Charlotte, N.C. She will begin her duties in August when she co-anchors the early morning and mid-day newscasts. At WTOV, Pasquarella did live news reports during the evening news and would follow up on the stories from the anchor chair at late night. She also did investigative pieces. Earlier this year, the West Virginia Associated Press rewarded her for her investigative reports. Pasquarella is a native of Stubenville and began her television career while going to school and Kent State in Ohio where she reported for KSU-TV 2. She later worked in New York and for an Ohio PBS station before arriving at WTOV.
Pittsburgh filming boom continues with local story
Pittsburgh:Ohio Valley General Hospital may have looked more like the set of General Hospital or ER this week as film crews and a slew of actors (Daryl Hannah, Steve Gutenberg & George Lopez are a part of that list) moved in to begin taping "Shannon's Rainbow". The story isn't only being taped locally, but was written locally by actor John Mowod and KDKA morning man Larry Richert about a 17-year-old girl and a horse named Rainbow. It's about an experience Mowod's own brother had with a horse a decade ago. Joe Mowod was a horse trainer at The Meadows Racetrack at the time and had a horse who was ill. Ignoring the recommendations that the horse should be put down, Mowod nursed the horse back to health hoping that it could live a normal life. The horse ended up surpassing that goal and won a race at the Red Mile in Kentucky. That was the nucleus for John Mowod's creation.
Mowod and Richert picked up steam on the project about five years ago when they met Frank Johnson, co-founder of Summit Works Films. From there they fought hard to have the film shot in Pittsburgh. "We wrote Western Pennsylvania into the script. The money people, they wanted to make it in New York, New Mexico, Utah, Illinois. We fought really hard to get it made in Pittsburgh," Mowod told the Tribune-Review. It took a while, but the decision to film here was nudged on when Pennsylvania passed a $75 million tax credit for film productions shot here.
In addition to the "A-list" actors, look for John Mowod to play the role of a horse trainer in the film. Larry Richert will make an appearance too.
WYNE 1530 goes online
Erie-Meadville: Fans of WYNE 1530 can now hear the oldies station anywhere in the world. Simply go to http://northeast.mercyhurst.edu/wyne/ and click on the mic for streaming stereo audio. The audio is only available during the time when the station itself is on the air. A chart explaining the sign on & sign off times is also on WYNE's website. So now Captain Dan fans can rejoice with a clearer "signal" during the early morning hours of his program. Kudos to Bill Shannon for this great addition to the internet.Bulletin ... bulletin ... bulletin!
Monday Morning Nostalgia Fix: In memory of George Carlin, here's an almost surreal bit of black-and-white TV.It's Carlin, just 29, doing "Wonderful WINO" on ABC's "Hollywood Palace" on Saturday, Dec. 10, 1966.
The then-clean cut comedian is introduced as "one of the best" by (believe it or not) Jimmy Durante.
Less than six years later, Carlin, sporting long hair and a mustache, would be arrested in Milwaukee, Wis., on obscenity charges for doing his "Seven Words You Can Never Say on Television" routine from his brand new album "Class Clown
."
The charges against Carlin were later dismissed, and if the Great Schnozzola was offended, he didn't say anything.
Goodnight, Mr. Carlin, wherever you are:
P.S.: Contrary to popular belief, New York's WBAI-FM wasn't cited for playing "Seven Words You Can Never Say on Television" over the air. In fact, on Oct. 30. 1973, the station played Carlin's monologue "Filthy Words," from his latest album "Occupation: Foole
."
A listener complained to the FCC, and the resulting court case, FCC v. Pacifica Foundation, established the current (though nebulous) legal standards for broadcast obscenity.
George Carlin dead at 71
National News: The man who one time said "The Seven Words You Can Never Say on Television" on stage has passed away. Comedian George Carlin died of heart failure yesterday (June 22, 2008). The "Seven Words" routine was first performed in Wisconsin back in 1972, resulting in his arrest with the charges later dropped. In wasn't until George's routine was played on a New York City radio station, when the Supreme Court took notice. The court ruling in 1978 would ban such offensive language on both TV and radio when children may be watching or listening. It's language you have to pay to hear on cable or satellite tv as well as satellite radio. George has been on HBO several times as well as "The Tonight Show" with Johnny Carson. And who could ever forget other routines he created like his radio parody "Wonderful WINO" (See Jason's "You Tube" clip above) in which he based it on Top 40 radio stations of that time period. Another was "Al Sleet, Your Hippie Dippy Weatherman." It was people like George and the late Lenny Bruce who basically opened the doors for radio shock jocks like Don Imus and Howard Stern. Programming Note: NBC aired the first episode of Saturday Night Live from October 11th, 1975 with George Carlin as the first host of this groundbreaking program.Nobody asked...but I'm still here
Musings From Eric:You've probably come to expect that Mr. Togyer has become the sole proprietor of PBRTV.com. After all, this Eric guy they claim the site was created by really hasn't been showing his face that much. Well there are several reasons for that and while we really don't like excuses, it's kind of hard to maintain a website when:
- You're at your part-time job where there might be fancy knobs and controls connected to a 5.5 kw transmitter, but the computer technology pre-dates high-speed connections.
- You have the high-speed connection at your headquarters but your computer can't handle all of the spyware that comes through on that high-speed connection.
- Portable technology merely consists of a cell phone which, although web-enabled, is extremely hard to visit a website let alone maintain one.
So no, Jason hasn't taken PBRTV over, rather he's maintained it as any editor who has a constant connection should. For that I am grateful. That said, I realize we have neglected several areas of this site and I plan to work on that over the rest of the summer. We have some inkling that we should return to full status at the headquarters soon, but please bear with us.
Read on....
(more)Taking a look back
Pittsburgh: This feature from Tuesday's Post-Gazette & this follow-up feature from yesterday's PG shows a recollection of ads from radio of yesteryear. How many do you remember?KQV anchor Lohle dies
Pittsburgh: Longtime KQV (1410) afternoon news anchor Steve Lohle died today at his home in Beaver County of an apparent heart attack, the station announced. Lohle was 58.
A graduate of North Hills High School, Lohle began working for KQV in 1974, one year before the station switched to its current "all-news" format.
KQV News Director Frank Gottleib said that Lohle came to KQV from stints at WQRC-FM in Hyannis, Mass., where he covered the Chappaquiddick incident, and WMAS/WHVY-FM in Springfield, Mass.
Lohle co-anchored afternoon drive newscasts with another KQV veteran, Joe Fenn.
He is survived by his wife Barbara, son Colin, father Edward Lohle, and a brother and sister. Lohle was preceded in death by his mother, Catherine, who died last month.
Funeral arrangements are incomplete. PBRTV extends its deepest sympathy to KQV and the Lohle family.
Jack Tirak's site to be archived
Erie-Meadville: A message from Jack Tirak's family (Mary, Kyle and Lita Tirak) was posted yesterday on his website "Erie Media-Go-Round." The family thanked those who attended his funeral and posted many messages of sympathy on his blog. The family stated that while they would like to see a new site continue to criticize Erie media, they also have decided not to let somebody else take over his site because it would not be the same. If a new site were to be created, the family has stated that the names "Erie Media-Go-Round" or the domain "Erie Media Blog" will not be used. Jack's current site will become a tribute site that will be archived for years to come under a different name. The name of the new site will be selected in the future."1330 Talk" goes online
Youngstown: I was tipped off by a reader that WGFT 1330 has a new website for it's new talk format. The site is http://www.1330wgft.com/ which states that it's "Y-town's Talk Station." The streaming audio on the site sounds great and gives me a chance to check out the station since I am out of the the station's traditional coverage area. The weekday lineup includes Don Imus, Laura Ingraham, Dave Ramsey, Sean Hannity and Mark Levine. As for weekends, it's all talk as well despite reports that oldies were being played on Sundays. It might have been something heard during the station's test period or something. It will be interesting to see how well this syndicated lineup fares against talk powerhouse WKBN 570.KDKA reporter resigns
Pittsburgh: KDKA (1020) reporter Rob Milford has resigned, the station announced during its morning newscasts today.Milford, 53, of Castle Shannon was arrested Monday after sheriff's deputies said he tried to bring a loaded .38-caliber revolver into the Allegheny County courthouse.
He was covering the trial of the alleged East End rapist and told police he forgot the handgun was in his briefcase.
An announcement read by morning anchor Bill Rehkopf during the 8 a.m. news said that the resignation was by mutual agreement.
Milford had worked at KDKA since 2006.
Sebak, 'QED crew not gone with the wind
Pittsburgh: Rick Sebak and a crew from Pittsburgh's WQED-TV (13) are making their way across the United States on the old Lincoln Highway for an upcoming PBS documentary.That took them right through the middle of the severe weather racking the Midwest, Sebak notes on his blog: "We're exhausted, drenched, and happy to be safe and sound. And alive. Thunder roars, lightning flashes frequently and rain pours down outside my motel room window. Deep rumbles from the depths of the darkest clouds. Torrents of water falling on an already totally over-saturated and flooded land."
"We say there's a disaster a day on this trip," he writes at one point, but also points out that the crew's problems --- broken windows on their truck, lack of Internet access --- are "tiny" by comparison to the deaths from tornadoes in Nebraska and Iowa.
"It's terrible and tragic and puts our delays and broken glass in perspective," Sebak says. "Four boys, bright and invincible (I know they were, because I went to Boy Scout camp too), died at age 13. We're bonded to them by the same bad storm sweeping eastward across Iowa. Their camp was only twenty-some miles west of where we were headed.
"Of course, we talk about them, try to imagine the terror and the agony of their parents and families. And we grieve too as strangers do when a significant trauma seems way too close and random and pointless."
Lots more at the WQED-TV website. (Tip of the PBRTV propeller-head beanie to Brian Butko of the Heinz History Center.)
Milford suspended
Pittsburgh: KDKA (1020) has suspended a reporter after he was arrested for allegedly bringing a gun into the Allegheny County Courthouse, the Post-Gazette reports.Rob Milford, 53, of Castle Shannon was arraigned on charges of carrying a firearm without a license and possessing a firearm in a court facility.
Allegheny County Sheriff Bill Mullen told the McKeesport Daily News that the agency is trying to trace the registered owner of the gun.
Although gun registration is not required in Pennsylvania, owners do need a permit to carry a concealed weapon, and no one is allowed to bring a weapon into a courthouse.
Milford told deputies "he forgot the gun was in the briefcase," Mullen told the McKeesport Daily News.
Milford was released on his own recognizance; the P-G says a preliminary hearing has been slated for July 26. (The Daily News says the hearing is slated for 12:30 p.m. June 26.)
Ingraham locked out?
Pittsburgh, National News: The Washington Post reports that syndicated talk show host Laura Ingraham, heard locally on WPTT (1360), has been locked out during a contract dispute.According to Post media critic Howard Kurtz, Ingraham's syndicator, Talk Radio Network, took her off the air over her objections.
Ingraham's contract with the network expires in September. Network representatives would not comment to the Post.
(Editor's Note: Kurtz's story quotes what he calls "one popular radio blog," by which he apparently means PBRTV's friends and one-time partners at DCRTV. There is no truth to the rumor that Kurtz gets a nosebleed if he has to credit DCRTV with breaking a story.)
As the anchor chair turns in Erie TV news
Erie-Meadville: WJET TV 24 / DT 58 has posted an ad in the Erie Times-News seeking a replacement co-anchor to compliment the station's current male anchor, Sean Lafferty. The station is losing current female anchor Karla Mullenax for a job opportunity at Gannon University. Among those who are currently on Jet, WSEE TV 35 or WICU TV 12, who would you pick to be Sean Lafferty's co-anchor? Meanwhile, WSEE has yet to unveil it's soon to be new co-anchor for it's 6 and 11 pm newscast. Pat Van Zandt is also leaving the airwaves to work at Therapy Dogs United. For the most part, there have been a lot of changes in the Erie TV market when it comes to news. Jack Tirak has addressed this several times and realized that Erie is more or less a stepping stone for reporters and sometimes anchors to gain experience in Erie & move on to larger markets. In fact, I can see several former Erie newspeople on Youngstown (Talia Hagler & Dave Sess) or Pittsburgh stations (Kevin Benson & at one time Scott Baker). Others have moved to Cleveland (Brian Duffy & A.J. Colby) or Buffalo (Rob Macko) in recent times. Do you think that stability when it comes to Erie TV news is a thing of the past? I really think it is, but let me know what you think.Bell gives birth to twins
Pittsburgh: We have been watching WTAE at the PBRTV World Headquarters and seriously wondering if Wendy Bell was going to make it to her (we thought it was) August due date. Well, if it really was August, you can scratch it from your calendar! Bell gave birth to twin boys on Saturday (June 14) says the PG. Christopher and Bobby join their three older brothers Michael, Jack and Ryan. Bob Longo, WTAE news director, tells the paper that Mom, Dad and all five boys are doing just fine.KD reporter arrested
Pittsburgh: A reporter for KDKA (1020) was arrested today after sheriff's deputies said he tried to bring a loaded handgun into the Allegheny County courthouse.Rob Milford, 53, of Castle Shannon was charged with carrying a firearm without a license and entering a court facility with a firearm, according to the Post-Gazette.
The .38-caliber revolver was found during a routine screening. The newspaper says Milford was covering the trial of the alleged East End rapist.
KDKA Program Director Marshall Adams told the newspaper that there was "no undercover effort" by the station to test security. The incident is being examined by the station, Adams said.
Milford joined KDKA in 2006 after stints at Fox News and CBS Radio.
'It should have worked'
Monday Morning Nostalgia Fix: Comedy writer and pop-culture historian Mark Evanier last week noted the death of Bill Dial.Dial, 66, died June 2 of a heart attack. According to Internet Movie Database, during a career than spanned three decades in Hollywood, Dial was a writer and producer on shows ranging from "Star Trek: Voyager" and "Sliders" to "Simon and Simon" and "Harper Valley PTA."
But one of Dial's first credits was one of his best.
Because, you see, Dial was also a writer (and occasional performer) on "WKRP in Cincinnati," and he wrote the infamous "Turkeys Away!" episode from the show's first season, which TV Guide ranked as one of the top 40 moments in sitcom history.
Dial's death also reminded Monday Morning Nostalgia Fix that this September marks the 30th anniversary of the debut of "WKRP." (more)
Tim Russert dead at 58
National News:According to NBC, "Meet the Press" host Tim Russert collapsed and died today while recording MTP voiceovers for Sunday's program. He was 58. Joining NBC in 1984, Russert would become Washington DC bureau chief and hosted "Meet the Press" since 1991. He was also vice-president of NBC News and head of the DC operations. Earlier this year he was named one of the "100 Most Influential People in the World" by Time Magazine.
Russert was born in Buffalo NY in 1950 and was a graduate of John Carroll University and Cleveland-Marshall College of Law. He was a member of the New York and DC bars. He is survived by his wife Maureen Orth, a writer for Vanity Fair, and a son, Luke. The family had recently returned from a trip to Italy where they celebrated Luke's graduation from Boston College.
FCC to speak about digital TV transition at Blasco library
Erie-Meadville: If you have any questions regarding the transition of TV to Digital, be sure to circle June 25th on your calendar. FCC Legal Advisor Jessica Przybyla will speak at the Blasco Library, located on Erie's Bayfront at 160 East Front Street. Jessica will speak and answer questions regarding the upcoming transition of full powered broadcast TV stations to Digital on 2/17/09. The hour long speech will begin at 10 am at the Admiral Room of the Blasco Library. Admission is free and open to the public. More info can be obtained by calling (814) 451-6927.Daddio is Fla.-bound
Pittsburgh:
As rumored in Pittsburgh broadcasting circles for several weeks, the legendary "Bossman" of the city's oldies scene is headed to Florida.
Porky Chedwick, 90, and his wife Jeanie are moving to Tarpon Springs, near Tampa, writes Scott Tady of the Beaver County Times.
A native of the Mon Valley, Chedwick became famous spinning rhythm and blues records on Homestead's WHOD (860), now WAMO, when few other white DJs would play so-called "race" music by African-American artists.
He was later heard on WWSW-FM, the former WEEP, and Scottdale's WLSW-FM. Most recently, Chedwick had a monthly guest slot on Jeannette-licensed WKFB (770).
"I'm going to live my life in shorts and sandals now," Chedwick tells Tady, adding that he hopes to occasionally DJ dances in Florida among other "transplanted Pittsburghers."
Students discover life on Mars (TV)
Pittsburgh: Student broadcasters are excited about the new TV studios being built at Mars Area High School, reports Sandy Trozzo in the Post-Gazette.
The studios are being constructed as a result of the building's $15.5 million renovation.
According to the P-G, graduating senior Mike Sackley told school directors last week that new software is allowing students to get real-world experience in editing video.
The student-run TV station began broadcasting Mars High sports over the Internet this year, with coverage supplied by Sackley, who will attend Arizona State University in the fall to major in journalism.
"It's nice to see an example of someone with some initiative and making it happen," school director Marjorie Vincent tells Trozzo.
WYEP finds it's easy to be green
Pittsburgh: WYEP-FM (91.3) is a place where the music matters as much as the environment, according to Radio World and Cornerstone, the newsletter of the Green Building Alliance.
The publications visit the non-comm triple-A station, which last year moved into its new "community broadcast center" on the city's South Side.
The studios and offices comprise the first radio station to be certified by the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Green Building Rating System.
WYEP made extensive use of recycled and energy-efficient materials; the ceilings are made of recycled blue jeans, the linoleum on the floors is made of linseed oil and flour, and wheat board was used as a wood substitute.
"This project is simpatico with our mission of improving the quality of life in the region," Lee Ferraro, WYEP's station manager, tells the magazine. "Building green is building quality and it fits into our culture. Everyone who works here is into energy savings."
Former Erie radio newsman commits suicide
Erie-Meadville: Breaking News: AllAccess.com reports that former K-104 newsman John Garber has committed suicide. The incident took place this past Sunday (6/8/08) at his mother's home. It appears that health problems contributed to the suicide. John was most recently morning show host in Savannah, Ga. on I-95 WIXV. Years before that, he reported news on the former K-104 from 1983-84. Funeral services were held in Maryland on 6/10/08. News courtesy of John Gallagher.Fox throws Edye under the bus
Pittsburgh, National News: Fox News afternoon anchor E.D. Hill, also known as former WPXI-TV anchor Edye Tarbox, has apparently lost her regular time slot on the cable channel after accusing presidential candidate Barack Obama of making a terrorist gesture.
Obama, the presumptive Democratic candidate, was videotaped last week in St. Paul bumping his fist against his wife's fist --- the alternative handshake that used to be known as a "dap."
Hill on Friday called it "a terrorist fist jab," sparking widespread criticism.
"If that kind of fist bump is indeed a terrorist gesture, then we're starting to get very scared 'cause we saw them all the time in the recent Stanley Cup playoffs on NBC," noted a blogger for the Los Angeles Times. "We've never liked the Detroit Red Wings; finally a reason."
Left-wing activists claimed that Hill's comment exposed Fox News' alleged right-wing bias; others thought the remark was just careless and sloppy. Hill has since apologized.
Fox News announced today that Martha MacCallum's "The Live Desk," which airs at 1 p.m. EDT, will expand to two hours, replacing Hill's 2 p.m. news block.
Although a Fox spokesperson said the move is "not related to the comment flap," others think Hill offended Rupert Murdoch, CEO of Fox News' parent company, News Corp.
Murdoch has praised Obama and told his New York Post to endorse the Illinois senator during the New York Democratic primary.
People are talking ...
Pittsburgh, National News: ... about the absence of Laura Ingraham from her eponymous syndicated talk show, heard via tape delay during morning drive on McKeesport-licensed WPTT (1360).In his daily email newsletter, Tom Taylor of Radio-Info.com reports that Ingraham has posted a note on her website saying that her absence is "not of her choosing, nor is it health or family-related."
Instead, the conservative former corporate lawyer and Reagan speechwriter blames "contractual obligations."
Taylor speculates that she might be jumping from her current syndicator --- Talk Radio Network --- to a new unit.
Meanwhile, Taylor also reports that reruns of Lou Dobbs' syndicated afternoon talk show will be coming next Monday to Connecticut-based Lifestyle TalkRadio Network, whose outlets include Braddock-licensed WLFP (1550).
Dobbs, an outspoken, self-styled populist, hosts "Lou Dobbs Tonight" on CNN. The rebroadcasts of his radio show, which was launched on 60 stations in March, will air from 7 to 10 p.m. daily, and a "Best of Lou Dobbs" show will run on Saturdays.
'Neighborhood' dropped from PBS sked
Pittsburgh, National News: PBS will drop daily reruns of "Mister Rogers' Neighborhood" from its national schedule, reports Rob Owen in the Post-Gazette.Instead, "Neighborhood" will air only once a week, beginning this fall.
The move, coming five years after the death of Latrobe native and program host Fred Rogers, is being made to make room for more recent programs, say executives of the nation's largest public television network.
Rogers stopped making new episodes of the show in December 2000, Owen notes.
WQED-TV (13), which produced Rogers' shows for three decades, will continue to air the show daily.
Kevin Morrison, chief operating officer of Family Communications, the company founded by Rogers to supervise "Neighborhood," says parents who want their local public TV stations to carry the show should call and let them know.
"All programming decisions for PBS stations are local decisions," he said. "It's not up to PBS or [Family Communications] to tell them what they're going to play."
According to Owen, PBS is making room for at least three new kids' shows, including one from The Jim Henson Co.; a new version of "The Electric Company"; and "Martha Speaks," a series based on the books by Susan Meddaugh.
The human drama of athletic competition
Monday Morning Nostalgia Fix: It's hard to imagine a day before ESPN, Fox Sports and all-sports radio ... but sometimes we like fantasizing about it anyway.
In those primitive days before Bristol, Conn., became the center of the universe, spectators who wanted to watch sports from the comfort of their Lane recliners were limited to the football, baseball or hockey "game of the week."
Then, at 4:30 p.m. on April 29, 1961, ABC-TV debuted the weekly magazine show "Wide World of Sports," hosted by Jim McKay, who died Saturday at age 86.
Every Saturday afternoon for 90 minutes, ABC's cameras went "spanning the globe" (to paraphrase the famous opening) to bring viewers "the constant variety of sport."
Contrary to popular belief, future TV news and sports wunderkind Roone Arledge didn't invent "Wide World of Sports." Arledge was a producer for a company called Sports Programs Inc., which created "Wide World" and was later absorbed into ABC.
Tapped as host was 39-year-old McKay (real name: James Kenneth McManus), a native of Philadelphia, U.S. Navy veteran and a graduate of Maryland's Loyola College. (more)
A couple of Issues I often get asked about
Erie-Meadville:I kind of feel like John McLaughlin (but without the political panel) when I mention that there are "Issues" people ask me about relating to Erie Media. So without further adu, Issue One: What is the hold up with Directv regarding Erie's local stations being added to their service. That is a really good question and one I wish I had a definite answer for. I figured soon after Dish Network added Erie stations to it's packages, Directv would soon follow. Well, the Erie market was added by Dish in 2003 and I soon added them to my service. I have read where Directv would add Erie to one of their new satellites. However, that is still not the case and doesn't help my friend who keeps Directv for the "NFL Sunday Ticket" since he's an Eagles' fan. I doubt that I would see as many Directv dishes in the Erie region if it weren't for the NFL. Good thing I can get the Steelers over the air every week where I am in southern Crawford county. Issue Two: Viewers with the new converter boxes or digital TVs' are having a hard time pulling in Erie digital stations with an inside antenna. There is a pretty simple answer to this question. Most Erie DTV stations are not at full power as of yet. It'll be hard to pull in a digital signal with "rabbit ears" or even an indoor amplified antenna when the stations are not at full power (depending on where you live.) Currently, only WSEE DT 16 & WQLN HD 50 are putting out more than one watt of power. WSEE is at full power at 75kw while WQLN is at 39kw but hoping to get to 200kw once interference issues with Canada are worked out. Meanwhile, there will be no power increases on WJET DT 58 or WICU DT 52 until both stations move to their current analog positions. WJET will move to DT 24 while WICU will move to DT 12, which means you'll need a UHF / VHF Yagi antenna since WICU will remain in the VHF band after the digital transition. Both stations will move on 2/18/09. As for WFXP HD 22, there are rumors that they could possibly go full power by fall. I'm surprised that I can get the 1kw station in my area fairly well but it will be even better once they go 1,000 kw as will WJET DT. It's unfortunate that Erie does not have every digital station at full power & in HD. I can get several stations where I live & people in Erie cannot believe how much better similar sized markets like Youngstown are when it comes to over the air DTV. Time will tell once Erie stations are at full power how well reception of the stations will be with any indoor antennas. You can go to www.tvfool.com & check how reception could be regarding digital stations in your area.
Jim McKay passes
National News: Legendary Sportscaster Jim McKay passed away of natural causes at his home in Maryland today. He was 86. McKay began his television career at a Baltimore TV station before heading to CBS Sports. However, he was best known for his work with ABC Sports where he hosted "ABC's Wide World of Sports" beginning in 1961. Also to his credit were 12 Olympic coverages, most notably Munich in 1972 where he became the anchor after Palestinian terrorists kidnapped 11 Israeli olympians. McKay's son, Sean McManus who is president of CBS News and Sports, told the AP, "Hardly a day goes by when someone doesn't come up to me and say how much they admired my father." No funeral arrangements have been made.We're talkin' (central Pa.) baseball
Johnstown-Altoona-State College: A new series on Penn State's public television station is taking a look at the popularity of minor-league baseball in the Rt. 220 corridor."Hometown Double Play" debuted last week on WPSU-TV (3/15DT). The series, hosted by Steve Jones, "the voice of Penn State" football and basketball, is looking at the relationship between the State College Spikes and the Altoona Curve and their fans, as well as examining life in the clubhouse.
"It is about more than baseball. We want fans to experience the summer pastime through the eyes of players, management and especially the community," said Jones in a press release.
Besides serving as sports director and half of the morning show team of "Steve and Steve" at "3WZ" WZWW-FM (95.3) in State College, Jones is also play-by-play voice of the Spikes.
"Hometown Double Play" airs at 7:30 p.m. Fridays, with repeat broadcasts on Saturdays at 10:30 a.m. (The show is off this week and returns next week, however.)
Select episodes can also be found on YouTube.
Stern to wed Fox Chapel native
Pittsburgh, National News: Fox Chapel High School graduate and former swimsuit and catalog model Beth Ostrosky plans an October wedding to self-proclaimed "King of All Media" Howard Stern, report various gossip and trade papers."We're just getting our best friends together and having a reception in the city," she told a wire service. (When she says "city" she means "New York," in case you were thinking "New Kensington.")
Ostrosky, 35, who attended the University of Pittsburgh, said she and Stern plan to spend this summer in the Hamptons. (The Long Island Hamptons, not the one on Route 8.)
Stern, 54, was heard on "The X" WXDX-FM (105.9) and the former WRKZ-FM (93.7) before he moved exclusively to Sirius Satellite Radio.
Pubcasters pander, provoke pledges
Pittsburgh: Do you ever wonder why self-help guru Suze Orman, mystic/spiritualist Deepak Chopra, alternative medicine huckster Gary Null, wall-to-wall '60s rock reunions, and cooking shows pop up on WQED-TV (13) every time the station has a pledge drive?Wonder no longer. Andy Mulkerin reports in this week's City Paper that WQED is one of many PBS stations that jettisons its usual programming to run shows guaranteed to rake in the bucks.
"There are several reasons concerts and self-help shows became pledge-drive mainstays," Mulkerin says. "For one thing, they're cheap. The shows are produced nationally, and often they come with canned pledge breaks broadcast from a national studio."
Critics tell Mulkerin that stations like WQED are wrecking their reputations by leaning so heavily on programs that are thinly disguised infomercials.
Worse, some of the programs provoke the wrong reactions from viewers. Viewers who like the folk music or doo-wop concerts sometimes spend their money buying DVDs from commercial outlets, not donating to public TV.
. . .
P.S. from Jason: Back in 2000, I wrote about this same problem for the Tribune-Review.* Then-WQED Promotions Director John Seekings told me that Pittsburgh viewers wanted to see people like Dyer and Null.
"Where else are you going to see Dr. Wayne Dyer but on PBS?" he said.
But Dr. Stephen Barrett, proprietor of a website called Quackwatch, said the stations were giving people like Dyer --- who made a big splash with a controversial sex therapy book called The Erroneous Zones --- "free airtime to put money into their products."
At the time, Orman was demanding up to $20,000 for personal appearances, while Null was selling his own line of vitamin supplements.
"The station is selling their opinions," Barrett said then, arguing that some of the self-help shows were dispensing inaccurate or at least questionable information.
"Have they ever considered having someone else on to balance it?" he said. "The answer is no." (more)
Behe overwhelmed by indifference
Pittsburgh: Tribune-Review pop music critic Rege Behe is spending less time listening to the radio these days, he says."For a kid who grew up with a transistor glued to his ear, it's heartbreaking to realize that radio is no longer a haven of imagination, but a province of boorishness and outrageous behavior," he says. "Do you hear what I hear? The same old song, over and over again ...
"For a person who grew up listening to the free-form format of WYDD-FM in the late 1970s and early 1980s, a spin around the dial today is like hearing a stylus scraped across a scratched record," Behe says.
Non-comm triple-A outlet WYEP-FM (91.3) offers an occasional respite, he says, but he can even hear "a perceptible repetition" on its playlists.
"Other than that, there's nothing that catches my ear," Behe writes. "Nothing that compels me to turn on the radio and listen for hours at a time. It's sad, but radio no longer provides a constant soundtrack for my life."
Mrs Dickey passes away
Pittsburgh: PBRTV expresses sympathy to Robert Dickey, owner of Calvary Broadcasting & KQV (1410) and traffic-reporter and WJAS morning show sidekick Carol Finelli on the death of wife and mother (respectively) Patricia Dickey. According to the obituary, Mrs Dickey was on the board of directors for the Schenley Farms Garden Club. She also was a Media Director for the Pittsburgh Opera Society in the late '70s and co-director of the Opera-Tunity Shop in Oakland throughout the '80s. In addition to her husband of 58 years, Mrs Dickey leaves behind 12 children (including Finelli), 34 grandchildren and 4 great-grandchildren.Local "Wild Kingdom" sponsor passes away
Erie-Meadville: If you were a child (or kid at heart) like me back in the 70's, you religiously sat in front of the TV Sunday nights at 6pm to watch "Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom." The program aired on WICU Channel 12 hosted by Marlin Perkins. A key local sponsor of that original series was Mutual of Omaha insurance salesman O.E. "Gene" Prather. After each episode of Wild Kingdom, a picture of Gene would appear on screen with him talking about his local office. Sadly, Gene passed away on Monday at age 86 at the hospice unit of the VA Medical Center. While he sponsored the show, he was also one of the founding members of the Erie Zoological Society. It's thanks to Gene that kids like myself could enjoy Wild Kingdom in a world of four TV stations. More details can be found at www.goerie.com/obits and memorial donations can be sent to The Erie Zoo.Game 5 ratings make NHL smile
Pittsburgh: The Penguins' remarkable win in Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Finals spelled ratings gold (and black) for NBC, according to The Canadian Press.The victory in triple overtime earned the peacock network a 4.3 rating and an 8 share, the best overnight numbers for an NHL game on NBC since 2004.
CP notes that it was a 79 percent increase over last year's Game 5 between Anaheim and Ottawa. (PBRTV propeller-beanie tip: The Pensblog.)
Meanwhile, Ed Willes of the Vancouver, B.C., Province notes that Game 4 was the top-rated prime time show on Saturday night among adults 18-49.
He speculates that your igloo crew are generating much of the excitement: "This series pits the wealthy, established Red Wings against the plucky young Penguins. It has incandescent individual stars in Henrik Zetterberg, Pavel Datsyuk, Sidney Crosby and Marc-Andre Fleury. For fans of angst, there's the brooding Evgeni Malkin. You've even got icons like Scotty Bowman, Mario Lemieux and Steve Yzerman to provide scenery."
But to put things in perspective, Game 5's ratings were only good by the standards of hockey, which has notoriously bad TV ratings in much of the U.S.
According to A.C. Nielsen Co., the Pens-Wings matchup still came in fourth place for most of the night, beating only the relatively weak lineup on The CW. (Fox won both the 8 and 9 p.m. hours with "Bones" and "House," respectively.)
There was no ratings problem in Pittsburgh, of course; according to Chuck Finder of the Post-Gazette, the numbers for Game 5 were "Steeler-esque," with a 35.4 rating and 52 percent share. (The "share" represents the percentage of "televisions in use" that are tuned to a particular program, while the "rating" is the percentage of all televisions that are tuned in.)
Smizik: No replacement for Madden yet
Pittsburgh: ESPN Radio's WEAE (1250) will take its time in finding a replacement for ousted afternoon drive host Mark Madden, reports Bob Smizik in the Post-Gazette.
Replacing Madden is crucial; as Smizik notes, the outspoken, controversial host has long been WEAE's "main attraction" for advertisers and audience.
WEAE GM Mike Thompson tells Smizik that the station has "a couple of people in mind" and wants to have a new host in place before football season.
Madden was fired after making a joke about the assassination of U.S. Sen. Ted Kennedy of Massachusetts.
Smizik speculates on several possibilities to fill Madden's slot, including Ellis Cannon of "FM NewsTalk" WPGB-FM (104.7) and Tribune-Review columnist Joe Starkey, who hosts a weekend chat show at WEAE.
What's not clear is where Madden will land next in Pittsburgh. Although Madden has attracted attention and ratings for years, this PBRTV correspondent has talked off the record to former co-workers and employers who wonder if he's burned too many bridges to work in the market again any time soon.
WEDO on auction block
Pittsburgh: The owners of McKeesport-licensed WEDO (810) have put the station up for sale, reports Tom Taylor of Radio-Info.com.
The station, which was placed into an irrevocable trust several years ago by owner Judith Baron of Florida, has been listed for sale with a Chicago-based broker, Media Services Group, for $1.75 million.
WEDO, which has studios in White Oak and a transmitter in North Versailles Township, is a 1,000-watt daytime-only station. It broadcasts a mix of ethnic and religious programs, paid infomercials and nostalgia shows.
The asking price of $1.75 million may be overly optimistic; WEDO has never appeared in the ratings in recent memory.
And as Taylor notes, Baron's decision to sell WEDO comes as the market for radio stations has bottomed out.
Writes Taylor, "several brokers yesterday say they're hopeful that the glass is half-full on station sales, and that things could turn around fairly soon --- though one joked that in the future he'll tell a disbelieving grandchild about selling stations for 17, even 18 times cash flow.
"That sounds like a fairy tale now, and those salad days probably aren't coming back for a long time," he says.
With radio audiences declining and fewer than two out of 10 listeners currently using the AM band, the most likely scenario would be for WEDO to be sold to a national religious broadcaster or one of several low-budget "networks" that run schedules of nothing but paid programming.
(Tip of the PBRTV propeller beanie to two correspondents.)
Jack Tirak passes away at 64
Erie-Meadville: Breaking News: It is with great sadness that I have to write this article. News just came in that long time advertising executive with "Engel & Tirak" and "Erie Media Go Round" blog creator Jack Tirak has passed away this afternoon of natural causes. I only met Jack a few years ago with e-mails when he started his blog and we always enjoyed sharing thoughts about the Erie media and his mission to get all of Erie's TV stations to broadcast in High Definition. He definitely had passion as you could see in his almost daily blog entries. While we both "competed" on different blogs, it was always a fun rivalry which made both of us better writers. More news as we receive it plus your thoughts and memories are welcome. On behalf of all of us here at PBRTV.com, our condolences go out to the family of Jack Tirak. Godspeed My Friend.KDKA Goes HD on the Radio side
Pittsburgh: This could be a "Good news, Bad news" story, but KDKA 1020 has flipped on the HD Radio switch as of last week according to Fybush.com. While the station may sound good during the day, the true test will be at night when the station is hashed out in outlying areas by CBS sister stations WBZ 1030 in Boston and WINS 1010 in New York City. The HD Radio issue has been a hot topic among those who are for and against it on the AM dial. A lot of stations on any AM radio are hashed out by a sideband HD AM station like the ones I mentioned. KD is now the second AM station to go HD, the other in the area is ESPN Radio affiliate WEAE 1250.'We live here ... we like it!'
Monday Morning Nostalgia Fix: For pure unbridled Kennedy-era optimism about the Pittsburgh region and its first "renaissance," it's hard to beat This is Pittsburgh and Southwestern Pennsylvania: We Live Here ... We Like It, a book published 45 years ago this year.
"But," I hear you say, "this is Pittsburgh Radio & TV Online. What does a book have to do with radio and TV?"
I'm glad you asked that, hypothetical straw man who I made up just for the purpose of this article. You see, the author of This is Pittsburgh was none other than WQED-TV and KDKA radio/TV personality Josie Carey.
And as you can see after the jump, she and illustrator Marty Wolfson (who hosted a drawing program for kids on WDTV-TV and KDKA-TV) probably should also get credit for coining the name "Igloo" for the Mellon Arena.
Plus, there is a healthy dose of broadcasting and media nostalgia on page 75, which lists the names of many periodicals that no longer exist, along with several sets of call letters now absent.
