WTAE dropping all-weather on 4.2 for movie channel
Pittsburgh: Rob Owen, in his Tuned-In Journal, has announced that WTAE-TV (4; D 51) will drop the all-weather format on Channel 4.2 in favor of "This TV-Pittsburgh". WTAE owner Hearst signed the contract earlier this year. "This TV" plays movies by MGM, United Artists and Orion production companies. Owen has heard more interest and appreciation for WPXI's (11; D48) RTN channel gets more viewers than any other digital subchannel in the market and that an all movie channel for WTAE might be a better way to go.WYTV gets power increase approved
Youngstown: A reader over at "The Mighty Blog of Fun" Ohio Media Watch has reported there that the FCC has approved a power increase for ABC affiliate WYTV DT 36 (33-1) from 50kw to 1,000kw. The station has always had less power than both WKBN and WFMJ in the valley going back to its former analog signal which did not even broadcast in stereo. WYTV also carries "MyYTV" 33-2 which is a "MyTV" affiliate as well as "My Valley Weather" on 33-3. A power increase will certainly be a plus for the station but financial problems with New Vision (who recently filed for bankruptsy) could prevent the increase from happening. Hopefully, it will not be an issue and the increase can go on as planned if the station is to remain competitive.Rogers commits to keeping WQLN on cable
Erie-Meadville: Last evening, WQLN station president Dwight Miller received very good news for the PBS outlet. Rogers cable in London, Ontario has threatened to pull WQLN off its cable system and replace it with Detroit public station WTVS. The issue was the off air signal of WQLN that Rogers said was dropping out at times at their hub. However, Rogers has made a verbal commitment to keep the station on its service. WQLN has pledged to work on getting a reliable fiber connection to Rogers which will save the station from being pulled. Without Rogers cable coverage in Canada, WQLN would have lost an additional $200,000 annually from London & the region. With the lack of state funding, an additional revenue hit would have possibly meant closing the doors & selling the station. WQLN has also been letting viewers there know that the station could have been pulled and how to contact Rogers in order to keep the station on cable channel 8. (Note: Tom Lavery is currently an employee of WQLN Public Media.)Bob Dearborn "beached"
Musings From Eric:
In a press release emailed to PBRTV, came the announcement that Bob Dearborn is now unemployed after two years as a morning show host at Soft AC CKWR-FM in Ontario, Canada. (Among the many US Stations he served, was WTAE-AM 1250 here in Pittsburgh.) Although he was able to bring up the ratings in the latest book, the community station's newly-elected Board of Directors says his contract will not be renewed. The decision was not based on his performance, but rather the station's financial distress which has also displaced its General Manager, General Sales Manager, Program Director, News Department, Promotions Department, receptionist and most of its sales staff. The previous Board is blamed for financial mismanagement compounded with the economic downturn.
Dearborn says he has no plans to retire. "Not on your life! I tried it and found out I'm no good at it," he said having moved to Ontario with retirement on his mind. The position at CKWR came up and his mind was changed. He admits that his appeal is now with the 40+ crowd, speculating that they will become the medium's "bread and butter" with so many newer technologies being chosen by younger listeners. He plans on staying in Canada, but is still willing to adapt to any audience, format, management style, city, region or country. He's been in the business over 40 years.
A web copy of the press release is available at Radio Daily News.
Former WTAJ-TV co-owner dies
Johnstown-Altoona-State College, Misc. Pennsylvania: Word has been received of the death of former WTAJ-TV co-owner George Koehler, who died July 5 in Delaware. He was 87.Earlier in his career, Koehler served as general manager at WFIL-TV in Philadelphia, where he helped create the "Action News" format widely imitated by other stations, including Pittsburgh's WTAE-TV.
In 1972, Koehler was one of the executives who purchased WFBG-TV --- now WTAJ --- and two other stations from Philadelphia's Annenberg family.
The Annenbergs, who also published the Philadelphia Inquirer and TV Guide magazine, were forced to sell their broadcast outlets under pressure from the Federal Communications Commission over allegations that their holdings constituted a monopoly.
Koehler and his business partners, including the owners of the Bergen, N.J., Evening Record newspaper, formed Gateway Communications to operate WTAJ and two other former Annenberg stations in Lancaster, Pa., and Binghamton, N.Y.
The company merged out of existence in 2000. More in the Inquirer.
Patrick sentencing delayed
Johnstown-Altoona-State College: Sentencing for former WJAC-TV weatherman Jay Patrick has been delayed pending a psychiatrist's report.The 43-year-old Patrick --- whose real name is James Holcomb --- pleaded no contest four years ago to sexually assaulting a then-6-year-old girl.
But before he could be sentenced, Holcomb fled overseas. He was caught in March in Kiev, Ukraine.
Holcomb is challenging a finding that he's a "sexually violent predator," according to the Tribune-Democrat. If the ruling stands, Holcomb would be on the state's Megan's Law Registry for the rest of his life.
Cambria County Judge Gerard Long has delayed the sentencing until Sept. 25.
Somerset native movin' on up
Misc. Ohio: Somerset native and former Johnstown Chiefs announcer Bob McElligott is moving to the big leagues.
The National Hockey League's Columbus Blue Jackets have tapped McElligott to join veteran play-by-play man George Matthews on the team's radio network.
McElligott also will host pre- and post-game shows and contribute to the Blue Jackets' website.
For the past 10 seasons, McElligott did play-by-play for the Blue Jackets' farm team in Syracuse, N.Y., and for the minor-league baseball team there.
Flagship stations for the Blue Jackets are Columbus' WBNS (1460) and WWCD-FM (101.1). The nearest stations to PBRTV-Land are probably Massillon's WTIG (990) and Akron's WARF (1350).
iPhone app grabs archived NPR shows
National News: Since December, users of the Apple iPhone could tune in Pittsburgh's WDUQ-FM, State College's WPSU-FM, Youngstown's WYSU-FM, the West Virginia Public Radio Network and hundreds of other National Public Radio affiliates from across the country using an application called "Public Radio Tuner."
Now the newly renamed Public Radio Player also allows users to find archived shows from NPR, including "Car Talk," "Fresh Air," "Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me" and others.
The updated app can be downloaded for free from Apple's iTunes store.
More than 1.8 million people were already using the older version.
Unfortunately, early reviews of the 2.0 release are mixed at best. Some users are delighted by the new functionality, but others logging into the iTunes store call the player "almost unusably slow," prone to crashing and "full of bugs."
WICU no longer on 35-3
Erie-Meadville: Almost since WSEE signed on with its digital station on 35-1 (DT16), sister station WICU would be added as a sub channel on 35-3. This was due to WICU's very low powered digital signal then on DT 52. With the digital upgrade from analog 12 to digital 12, the station's chief engineer John Wilkosz stated in an earlier PBRTV article that once all cable outlets and Dish Network were converted to receive the 12-1 signal, 35-3 would go away soon after. However, this could be a problem for those with outdoor UHF only antennas who will now need a combined UHF / VHF antenna in order to receive all of Erie's digital stations.Spring book
Pittsburgh:The spring Arbitron Book is out and there really isn't that much noteworthy other than WAMO-FM (106.7). As it is about to be sold, the station jumped upward nearly one point to it's highest number in a while - 5.2 - taking 6th place. WAMO-AM (860) did not follow the trend. Instead it has gone the other way to a .8 - comparable to its Spring '08 number but after enjoying a steady rise.
Here are the complete numbers.
WQED has plan for stability; Rogers program limited by PBS
Pittsburgh:WQED Rolls Along
WQED Multimedia unveiled a strategic plan on Thursday to help continue its mission in the community and remain financially sound. This comes just days after the company dismissed 9 staffers in layoffs. The plan includes investing in programming and further strategic plans which could be collaborating with other public media outlets.
One plan is to change the acknowlegement of viewer support. General Manager Deborah Acklin says the station, and PBS, are both guilty of acknowleging viewers last (think "...and viewers like you") The plan is to move that to the top of the list over the corporate and foundation grant acknowlegements to show the value of individual contributions.
A budget has not been set for next year (beginning October 1) but WQED President George Miles does expect "On-Q" to continue as a daily program returning for new episodes in September. He called the program, "the centerpiece of what we do," referring to the mission of serving the community. Miles is confident that the organization is poised to grow.
Miles took a 30% pay cut in March and has no plans to further cut compensation for executives and sees no need for future layoffs.
PBS cuts distribution of Mister Rogers' Neighborhood
Last year at this time, PBS announced that it would be limiting the distribution of Mister Rogers' Neighborhood to one day a week. Stations who wanted to continue airing the program daily could choose that option, but no more. Family Communications Inc. COO, Kevin Morrison tells the Post-Gazette that budget constraints at PBS and the fact that the network has a full program lineup makes the option of providing the program on a daily basis an expensive one. WQED, nonetheless, is making efforts to continue to carry the program on the weekdays.
Morrison says PBS is still supportive of Mister Rogers and has recently launched a revamped website at www.pbskids.org/rogers. "The put a lot of time and effort into keeping that fresh and alive, and it certainly looks good," he said.
Numbers game
Pittsburgh: Washington Observer-Reporter reporter Terry Hazlett crunches some numbers in regard to local media in his latest column.The way it was, and what we've lost
Signal-to-Noise: (Commentary/Editorial)In honor of Walter Cronkite, who died Friday at 92, here are several minutes of the "CBS Evening News" from 30 years ago in March, with coverage of an event that many PBRTV readers of my generation will remember well: The accident at MetEd's Three Mile Island nuclear power plant near Harrisburg.
Watch this clip and you'll remember why Walter Cronkite was the "most trusted man in America," and why most of what currently passes for broadcast journalism isn't.
I'm not sure why this clip is in black-and-white (the "CBS Evening News" went to color back in the '60s), but several aspects of the coverage present a striking contrast with modern TV news. (more)
Erie TV news
Erie-Meadville:(more)Late last week, WICU DT 12 finally flipped to HD on 12-1. The station had been only offering NBC HD programming to both Time Warner and Armstrong cable systems but now its available over the air as well as on Dish Network. Meanwhile, WQLN is now airing spots aimed at Rogers cable customers in London, Ontario. Rogers is planning on replacing WQLN with another channel. However, WQLN is asking viewers there to inform Rogers that the station should remain on the cable outlet. Otherwise, viewers may have to resort to over the air reception for the PBS outlet at DT 50 (54-1).
Your radio career, 75 years ago
Monday Morning Nostalgia Fix:
Mr. Monday Morning Nostalgia Fix recently ran across a fascinating little book called "Making a Living in Radio."
With all of the recent budget cuts, that title can probably be filed now in the "fiction" department of the Carnegie Library. (Rimshot.) (Thanks, make sure to tip your waitress.)
Written in 1934 by Zeh Bouck, an engineer and contributor to Radio News magazine, the book was published by McGraw-Hill and aimed at out-of-work men who were casting about for a career during the Depression.
. . .
After admitting that the job market of the early 1930s was bleak, Bouck reminds his readers that "hundreds of thousands of unemployed today ... (will be) making a living in radio in the next decade or two."
Radio "has suffered its figurative ups and downs," he writes, "but no one can doubt the solidity" of its future growth. (more)
"That's the way it is..."
National News:Legendary CBS anchorman Walter Cronkite passed away in New York Friday Night at the age of 92. He was surrounded by his family in his New York home when he died of cerebrovascular disease. Conflicting reports of Cronkite's health had emerged from various sources in June causing the family to release a statement that he had been suffering with the disease for some years. The statement also said he was not expected to recuperate.
Walter Cronkite was the face of CBS news for 19 years (1962 to 1981) during one of our country's most volatile periods. In a 1972 poll, he was determined to be "the most trusted man in America".
Cronkite was born in St. Joseph, Missouri in 1916 and his family moved to Texas when he was still young. It was an article in "Boys Life" magazine about reporters working around the world which lured the young man into his career starting with the school paper and yearbook. He entered the University of Texas in Austin in 1933 to study political science, economics and journalism but would never graduate. Instead he began his career with a part-time job at the Houston Post. During his years at the United Press, Cronkite married the woman who would be his wife for six decades - Mary Elizabeth Maxwell or "Betsy" who passed away in 2005. Edward R. Murrow offered Cronkite a job which he initially turned down. He accepted the second offer in 1950 crossing into the new medium of television which, at a time when radio and print were for "real reporters" and television was for actors. Cronkite was named anchor of CBS Evening News in 1961 when it was still a 15-minute summary. Expectations were not high, but when the program was expanded another 15 minutes in 1963, the program had more depth and variety. He retired in 1981 at the age of 65 leaving the seat to Dan Rather. Cronkite signed off each broadcast with the catch phrase, "That's the way it is..."
Cronkite last visited Pittsburgh in 2002 as a featured speaker in the Robert Morris Speakers Series. This editor was honored to have been an audience member that evening.
Goodnight Uncle Walter.
Bankruptcy for WPGH, WPMY parent?
Pittsburgh, National News: Sinclair Broadcasting Group could file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection if it can't restructure its debt, the Baltimore Sun reports.
In a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, the Maryland-based owner of Pittsburgh Fox affiliate WPGH-TV ("53"/43) and MyNetwork affiliate WPMY-TV ("22"/42) says that local advertising revenue has plunged more than 18 percent, while national ad revenue dropped 31 percent.
Car dealers, movies and fast food are among the categories hardest hit, the Sun says,
Sinclair is also trying to sell "non-TV assets," according to the newspaper.
Chapter 11 protection allows a company to continue operating while it reorganizes. Besides its two local stations, Sinclair owns or operates 56 other TV outlets in the United States, including WCHS-TV and WVAH-TV in Charleston, W.Va.
WAMO Sale approved
Pittsburgh:This afternoon, the FCC approved the sale of WAMO-AM/FM (860/106.7) and WPGR-AM (1510).
In a report earlier today by Pat Cloonan (McKeesport Daily News; online for subscribers) some of the minor obstacles have been dealt with while some are still in the process of being worked out. None are fatal to the sale.
An objection to the sale, filed by a WAMO listener, was downplayed by the FCC. Originally called a "petition to deny" approval of the sale, it was reclassified as an "informal objection." The listener, from the East Hills, sent a one-page letter objecting to the sale which would eliminate the black-oriented formats on the stations. An FCC staffer said that the commission does not regulate formats. Additionally neither the buyer (St. Joseph's Missions) nor the seller (Sheridan Broadcasting) had received a copy of the objection which is a required action.
Meanwhile, St. Joseph's Missions has filed an application to modify the WAMO-FM license, most specifically waiving the main studio requirement. The FCC regulates that a station's studio can be located up to 25 miles from its city of license, but SJM wants to located its studio near its home base of Latrobe. WAMO-FM is licensed to Beaver Falls more than twice the regulated distance from the proposed new studio location. WAMO-AM was originally licensed as WHOD in Homestead but is now licenced to Millvale and WPGR is licensed to Monroeville. The new owners are hoping the FCC will approve the modification based on the fact that WPGR would still remain within that 25 mile limit.
DT Signals still not settled in
Pittsburgh:All local TV stations should be airing in digital as of late Sunday Night. KDKA-TV (2; RF 25) and WTAE-TV (4; RF 51) kept their analog signals on with a "nightlight" message for 30 days following the official shut off on June 12.
By August 18, WQED-TV (13; RF 38) will be switching back to Digital 13 while sister station WQEX-TV (16; RF 26) will transfer to RF 38. RF 16 is being used by WBGN-TV (59).
Confused yet? Good...cause there's more.
Several stations are applying to the FCC to build repeater signals to get their digital service to cover the areas the analog service once covered.
- KDKA-TV (2; RF 25) would like RF 31 in Morgantown, West Virginia and RF 40 in Johnstown, Pennsylvania. It's possible that 31 will extend into Forward Township while 40 will reach Irwin.
- WTAE-TV (4; RF 51) is looking for two repeaters on RF 22 - both within Pittsburgh city limits. Both would be used to cover Allegheny County with one extending North to Butler and the other extending south to Monessen.
- WPXI-TV (11; RF 48) applied for RF 21 in Derry Township, Westmoreland County; RF 23 in Uniontown and RF 30 in New Castle. RF 21 might cover Westmoreland while 23 could reach up into McKeesport.
- WPCW (19; RF 11) is looking at RF 27 for Johnstown. (When WPCW was WNPA, it was licensed to Johnstown before moving to Jeannette in 1997.)
There are no plans to expand signals for WQED, WQEX, WPMY (22; RF 42), WPCB (40; RF 50), or WPGH (53; RF 43).
With all of these changes one still asks, "What was the advantage of digital TV again?"
Thanks to Patrick Cloonan for the tip.
WAMO...the latest...
Pittsburgh: According to Radio-Info's Tom Taylor, the FCC had granted the transfer of WAMO-AM/FM (860/106.7) and WPGR-AM (1510) to St. Joseph Missions, but then recinded it. Now there seems to be an effort that an ammended filing was made to clear up some questions. Apparently there is also a formal petition to deny the controversial sale. Stay tuned...Mistick hits WQED execs hard
Pittsburgh: Duquesne University associate law professor Joseph Sabino Mistick is fighting mad at WQED-TV.
In an op-ed for Sunday's Tribune-Review, Mistick, a former executive assistant to Mayor Sophie Masloff, blasted the public station for laying off employees while upper managers make "six-figure salaries ... (with) Duquesne Club memberships included for some."
"The top executives continue to live in the lap of luxury while those employees who are least able to take the hit are the ones who were targeted," Mistick says.
"Ask yourself what it says about a public charity when it acts like Bernie Madoff or AIG or any of the robber-baron corporations that have coddled the rich and cast adrift the poor."
He's particularly hard on the station's production of the French and Indian War miniseries "The War That Made America," which he calls one of WQED's "colossal mistakes" and one that broke faith with Pittsburgh's major philanthropists.
"Other folks around the station point to the day that Fred Rogers died as the day that WQED lost its soul," Mistick says.
Until recently, Mistick has been one-half of an occasional Monday night panel show with Allegheny County Executive Jim Roddey, but says he's now "effectively ended my public-television career." We'd have to agree.
"Saturday Night Oldies Style" to return to SE-93
Erie-Meadville: News from nearby Southwestern New York from our friend & PBRTV reader Bill Dorrion. Oldies fans will have their live and local all request program back come August 1st. The "Saturday Night Oldies Style" with Bill Dorrion will return to SE-93 (WWSE 93.3) in Jamestown, New York from 7pm - Midnight. Bill and station owner Media One worked out a deal for the show to return. The very powerful signal reaches a wide area including parts of Erie and Crawford counties which is good news for yours truly since I usually tuned in for the show at home near Cochranton. We'll now see if Bill plays the theme from "Welcome Back Kotter" to open the first show.Follow-ups
Pittsburgh:- Included among the staffers let go at WQED Multimedia this week were Jocelyn Hough, the executive producer for local programming, and Dave Rhodes, one half of "Dave & Dave's Excellent Adventures but also director of in-studio programming. There is no word on whether or not the D&D program will continue with Rhodes working on a freelance basis. The press release earlier in the week said the layoffs would not "immediately impact" local programming.
- Meanwhile over at KDKA, Sonni Abatta leaves the station today to set off for Orlando, Florida and Fox Affiliate WOFL-TV. She will be anchor of the newscasts at 5, 6, 10 and 11 p.m. The Pittsburgh native and 2003 Carnegie Mellon graduate admits she's doing things "backwards" especially since her friends moved away after college and are beginning to return now. This new opportunity gives her a chance to be closer to her sister and family. Abatta joined KDKA as "reporter trainee" in 2003 and by the end of 2005 was anchoring all morning newscasts. A new morning team is expected to be in place by the end of summer. Traffic reporter Jim Lokay is the last member of the team put together in 2005 and is likely an in-house candidate to fill one of the anchor positions. Stephanie Watson and David Highfield are also being considered.
Cullen to City Paper Site
Pittsburgh:Pittsburgh's "Lone Liberal" talk host Lynn Cullen will soon be at it again, this time online. The new program, "Lynn Cullen Live" will begin streaming August 18 at 10 a.m. weekdays on the Pittsburgh City Paper Website. Each program will be one-hour in length and will be archived for download. Cullen spent many years at the former WTAE-AM (1250) and WPTT-AM (1360). In March she joined WAMO-AM (860) but was off the air two months later when the sale of the station and its sisters was announced.
City Paper publisher Michael Frischling tells the Post-Gazette that the paper has been seeking ways to expand web contend with original programming. After hearing WAMO's announcement, "we thought it might be an interesting concept to have Lynn be a part of our Website," he said.
Savran on Sportsbeat cancelled
Pittsburgh:The longest running sports program in Pittsburgh TV has been cancelled. "Savran on Sportsbeat" on FSN Pittsburgh has been cancelled by owner Liberty Media. The program began March 11, 1991 on KBL and was then known as "Sportsbeat". Savran joined the program in 1992 and was teamed with Guy Junker for nearly a decade after that. Junker was let go in May 2003. According to Bob Smizik, Savran was supposedly working without a contract, but PBRTV has since heard rumors that Savran has been let go. The decision is strictly financial. Station management continues to applaud Savran and the program had the best ratings ever. It is expected that further job reductions will follow at FSN. "Sportsbeat" and "Savran on Sportsbeat" has been the focal point of FSN Pittsburgh for nearly two decades.
Savran will continue to co-host the 10 a.m. - Noon talk show with Guy Junker on WEAE-AM (1250) ESPN Radio.
WQED Layoffs
Pittsburgh:WQED Multimedia laid off 9 employees on Tuesday and eliminated two vacant positions citing the economic climate and the delayed state budget will eliminate funding for public television throughout the Commonwealth for fiscal year 2010. "Since 1968, WQED used these state monies for station operations and production. For the past five months we mounted a public communications campaign to explain why those monies were important to our daily operations. We now have to confront the reality that these state monies may never be reinstated," said WQED president George Miles.
There was no word about which staff members were let go, but the highest ranking staff member was the executive producer of local programming. Those let go will be assisted in job searches.
The layoffs will not impact the station's ability to produce signature programs such as "On Q", Black Horizons and "Dave & Dave". However, the programs remain in jeopardy as do national programs purchased separately such as "The Lawrence Welk Show."
The last round of layoffs at WQED was in October 2005.
Shovlin to WJAS Afternoons
Pittsburgh:
As most radio stations are cutting staff and programming, WJAS-AM (1320) will be adding a new afternoon music show using a familiar host beginning Monday, July 13. Chris Shovlin, a veteran fixture on the WJAS morning show from 1991 until 2008, returns to the air from 3 to 7 p.m. weekdays. Shovlin will provide a live and local voice to the afternoon drive. John Tesh's program, currently in that time slot, will move to 7 p.m. to Midnight.
According to a company press release, Shovlin will continue his duties as Director of Marketing and Promotion at Renda Broadcasting - a position he has held since 1995. He originally came to the company as the morning sports anchor on WSHH-FM (99.7) in 1991 and was soon brought on as morning news anchor and sidekick to Jack Wheeler and later Jack Bogut on WJAS.
A native of Midland, Beaver County, Chris Shovlin is also the longtime voice of Robert Morris University's Basketball and Football teams, the lead play-by-play voice on Comcast TV in Pittsburgh, the Pittsburgh Riverhounds pro soccer team on radio and Pittsburgh Passion women's pro football on FSN Pittsburgh. In 2008 he was the first radio announcer to win three Pittsburgh March of Dimes A.I.R. Awards in three different sports. He was inducted in to the Beaver County Sports Hall of Fame in 2006.
Baughman airing from Greensburg
Pittsburgh:We thought this might be the case, but today it was confirmed. Pat Cloonan of the McKeesport Daily News (online by subscription only) reports that Hank Baughman has moved his offices to Renda's Greensburg studios housing WGSM-FM (107.1). The Greensburg resident recently added afternoon drive news duties at WGSM but continued to serve WSHH-FM (99.7) and WJAS-AM (1320) in Pittsburgh where he had been for over 20 years. Now Baughman is doing morning news on WGSM in addition to the Pittsburgh stations. WSHH, WJAS and WMNY-AM (1360) program director Ron Antill told Cloonan that Baughman is doing two entirely different newscasts. "We're not looking to shortchange that marketplace whatsoever," he said.
With Baughman in Greensburg, it means "Westmoreland County Roundup" anchor Brent Whigham is out. Mark Bertig, general manager for Renda's St. Pier Group - operating stations including WGSM and four Indiana, PA stations, called the ouster a "tough decision" saying that, in his opinion, Whigham, "did just a great job for us." WGSM has not made any other personnel changes.
An overnight producer at Renda's Pittsburgh cluster helps Baughman produce the news for WJAS and WSHH.
Sonni leaving KDKA; new sports anchor at WTAE
Pittsburgh:As he was leaving town, Rob Owen posted to his Tuned In Journal that Sonni Abata is leaving KDKA. Her last day will apparently be sometime this week and after that Sonni will be in Sunny Florida.
WTAE appears to have a new sports anchor in John Meyer. Sources say he's been hired to do the weekend shift, but he appears to be filling in during the week already. More as we hear it...
Verizon and City reach agreement for FiOS
Pittsburgh:Assuming that Pittsburgh City Council and the Cable Advisory Board approve, neighborhoods within city limits could start receiving FiOS TV service from Verizon. The deal, which will bring the first cable competition ever in the city, was made today.
City residents have had only one choice since cable TV has existed and that choice is currently known as Comcast. According to the Post-Gazette, Comcast's 10-year agreement expires at the end of this year. Now that negotiations are through with Verizon, City Information Systems Director Howard Stern expects contract renewal with Comcast should be easier.
Verizon will have six years to offer cable to every city neighborhood or it will face fines. In fact, the company has three years to market TV in half of the city. Areas expected to be ready the soonest are most of the North Side, South Hills neighborhoods bordering the suburbs, Downtown and some parts of Lawrenceville. FiOS Internet service is already available in some of these areas and TV would be easy to add. Officials say it's possible that these services could start in August or September.
The city will benefit for letting Verizon offer TV to the city and allowing the company to use rights of way. Pittsburgh gets 5 percent of the gross revenue which is the same as it gets from Comcast. Additionally, Verizon will provided dedicated fiber-optic lines between public safety facilities, $700,000 over 5 years to improve in-house video serves and five channels - two for governmental use, one for PCTV and one for city schools.
Happy birthday, Mr. Allen, wherever you are
Monday Morning Nostalgia Fix:When Mr. Monday Morning Nostalgia Fix was just a little shaver, knee-high to a Zenith 27-inch color console, I discovered a show on WQED-TV (13) that I didn't know of anyone else watching --- I don't think my parents watched it, anyway --- and I thought it was just about the most wonderful thing in the world.
The show, "Dave Allen at Large," didn't have any elaborate sets or special effects. All it had was a dapper-looking Irishman, sitting on a stool with a glass of whiskey and telling stories, taking occasional breaks for sketch comedy. Usually there was a theme linking the stories with the sketches, but not always.
. . .
The host was calm, suave, droll --- imagine an Irish Dean Martin, and you'll have something almost, but not quite, like the impression he gave. For one thing, he was much more dismissive of authority than Dean Martin ever appeared to be.
It wasn't until years later that someone pointed out that he was missing part of one of his fingers; I never noticed that. I was too busy watching him. To a small, impressionable child, this what was being an adult --- a man of the world --- was about.
. . .
Dave Allen would have been 73 today. I can thank him for opening my eyes to the wider world in general, and sketch comedy and British humor (or should I say "humour"?) in particular. (more)
Erie TV update
Erie-Meadville: As we stated before, WICU DT 12 would be adding sub channels. They recently added the CW affiliate "WBEP" which is now on 12-2 as well as 35-3 on WSEE's sub channels from DT 16. It would have been better if the station added something other than what's already available. "My Network TV" or "This TV" would be a couple of options to choose from giving OTA viewers more choices. Speaking of choice, WLEP LP 9 has recently signed on and is currently showing a slate for "RTV" formerly "RTN" (Retro Television Network) which will be good news for those near the transmitter of the low powered translator that does not reach much of Erie county with its 0.1kw signal. However, Hapa Media Properties who owns the station also has a construction permit for a low powered digital translator for LD 43 (that will remap to 9-1) and 15kw which will cover most of Erie county according to the map on the FCC website.Updates
Pittsburgh:Here's some scoop from Pat Cloonan of the McKeesport Daily News (portion not offered online):
- Renda's WGSM Greensburg (107.1) is morphing from "Sam-FM" into "G-107". The Sam format, launched in January 2006, has been an "anything we want" style format a la "Jack" and/or "Bob-FM." The station is slowly going to a classic hits of the 60s, 70s and 80s. Station manager Tony Michaels told Cloonan, "Renda Broadcasting is solidly committed to Westmoreland County," adding that the new afternoon news by Hank Baughman has been positive and complimentary to Brent Whigham's morning news. Baughman adds these new duties to his role at Renda Broadcasting. A Westmoreland resident, he has been the morning news anchor on sister station WSHH-FM (99.7) for over 20 years recently adding similar duties on AM sister WJAS (1320).
- Over the air TV viewers will have noticed WBGN's presence at "virtual" 59.1 while airing from 16. WBGN has three subchannels in addition to its main channel. PBRTV has been particularly intrigued with the 3rd channel called "Stuff" which carries local ads and public service.
- Country-wide top-40 expert Casey Kasem is giving up his host duties for American Top-20 and AT-10. This weekend will be his final program which will allow him the opportunity to do voiceover jobs he's had to turn down more recently. No one carries AT20 or 10 in this market that we are aware, but older programs can be found on Satellite Radio.