New sports station?

[mc_billy_bob]

I may sound dumb for even asking cause it's probably common knowledge among you guys, but I was just listening to WKBN and they had an ad on there for a new sports station but they really didn't go much further, does anyone know more about it? Or possibly can speculate?

 

[gabigley1]

The expert on Cleveland radio mentions that new sports station here: http://ohiomediawatch.wordpress.com/

 

[mc_billy_bob]

Thanks for the info.

 

[OhioMediaWatch]

I told you on the Columbus board, Mr. Bigley...I'm not even an expert up here. I don't even know as much about Northeast Ohio radio as you do about Columbus.

But you are correct...we've had articles about this, including the teaser the OP mentions.

Sometime between now and the end of the year, Clear Channel Youngstown will launch "SportsRadio 1390" on WNIO/1390, which now plays adult standards. They'll run the Fox Sports Radio lineup (and presumably Premiere's Jim Rome), which used to run on Warren's WANR/1570 (now classic hits "The Blizzard", and owned by a regular R-I visitor ).

We're speculating that the reason it hasn't launched yet is because CC is waiting for the separate syndication rights for Dan Patrick to expire over at Cumulus' WBBW/1240. Dan launched first in syndication, then WBBW added him (tape delay into afternoons), then Fox Sports Radio started airing his show on the network. But like WANR before it, WNIO can't run DP off of FSR until that other deal expires.

Or maybe they're waiting for "CD 101" in Columbus to buy 102.5 in that market.

 

[Rusty Muck]

WANR/1570 ditched FSR pretty damn quickly, as the "Blizzard" classic top 40 format seemed to be in the planning for quite a bit. I just find it fascinating that WANR will be poaching one of WBBW's local afternoon sports shows, John "Cappy" Caparanis' "A Tip of the Cap" starting next Monday... of course, one of Cappy's regular guests, Marc Means, is now a staffer/news anchor for WRTK/WANR.

The last schedule I saw on WBBW's god-awful website a few months ago (I can't remember the link) had DP on from 7p-10p or so. Methinks it was moved there as ESPN probably demanded clearance for Scott Van Pelt (WBBW was originally airing DP in the old 1p-4p ESPN Radio timeslot).

 

[mc_billy_bob]

Lol, it would be nice if CD 101 took over a station in Youngstown. I live in Greenville, PA and we have fox sports Ohio on cable, but they black out the Blue Jackets games, I'd like to see or hear at least one game this year.

 

[Rusty Muck]

Lol, it would be nice if CD 101 took over a station in Youngstown. I live in Greenville, PA and we have fox sports Ohio on cable, but they black out the Blue Jackets games, I'd like to see or hear at least one game this year.

The FM flagship rights now reside full-time on WBNS/97.1. "CD10102.5" now will air spillover games in case of any scheduling conflicts with Ohio State (the football team, naturally, will always take top priority in the RadiOhio/Dispatch camp).

Blue Jackets radio coverage is pretty darn scant here in Cleveland... the only affiliates I know of are WEOL/930 in Elyria and WARF/1350 in Akron. The former can only air a bare minimum of games, due to the Cavaliers, OSU and HSBB taking top priority (WLKR/95.3 out in Norwalk also has the same arrangement).

I'm not sure off the top of my head how many Blue Jackets games WARF airs, but U of Akron basketball commitments cannot help.

 

[OhioMediaWatch]

The CD 101 comment was a playful jab, based on another thread on the Columbus board. It was a joke not at all related to this topic.

Back to the topic, the Blue Jackets will never air in the Youngstown market, which I presume is Penguin territory. I presume the NHL would allow it, if someone wanted to do it, but no one would be interested in the Columbus team. Any NHL interest in the Valley would be with the Penguins.

Thanks, Nate...I didn't know DP had slid down the WBBW schedule to evenings.

 

[gabigley1]

We're speculating that the reason it hasn't launched yet is because CC is waiting for the separate syndication rights for Dan Patrick to expire over at Cumulus' WBBW/1240. Dan launched first in syndication, then WBBW added him (tape delay into afternoons), then Fox Sports Radio started airing his show on the network. But like WANR before it, WNIO can't run DP off of FSR until that other deal expires.

SPORTS SOON: We’ve wondered…after snatching the Youngstown market’s Fox Sports Radio affiliation from Whiplash Radio’s WANR/1570 Warren (now classic hits “The Blizzard”), what’s taking Clear Channel so long to establish it at its presumed new home, WNIO/1390 Youngstown?

That station is still pumping out the standards (and Christmas music lately), but Clear Channel is now directing the entire “wnio.com” domain to the new domain name, “sportsradio1390.com“. So, it’s not entirely a secret that something’s happening.

Clear Channel has been directing the “wnio.com” domain to “sportsradio1390.com“ for at least the last three to four weeks now. There may be some unforeseen delay on getting Fox sports on 1390?

 

[Rusty Muck]

We're speculating that the reason it hasn't launched yet is because CC is waiting for the separate syndication rights for Dan Patrick to expire over at Cumulus' WBBW/1240. Dan launched first in syndication, then WBBW added him (tape delay into afternoons), then Fox Sports Radio started airing his show on the network. But like WANR before it, WNIO can't run DP off of FSR until that other deal expires.

SPORTS SOON: We’ve wondered…after snatching the Youngstown market’s Fox Sports Radio affiliation from Whiplash Radio’s WANR/1570 Warren (now classic hits “The Blizzard”), what’s taking Clear Channel so long to establish it at its presumed new home, WNIO/1390 Youngstown?

That station is still pumping out the standards (and Christmas music lately), but Clear Channel is now directing the entire “wnio.com” domain to the new domain name, “sportsradio1390.com“. So, it’s not entirely a secret that something’s happening.

Clear Channel has been directing the “wnio.com” domain to “sportsradio1390.com“ for at least the last three to four weeks now. There may be some unforeseen delay on getting Fox sports on 1390?

The delay has to be the Dan Patrick contract. DP, along with Bruno and weekend host Ben Maller are the only three good hosts left on FSR... which is otherwise a superstation version of a god-awful LA sports station, KLAC.

The good news is that the insufferable "PMS" will be frequently pre-empted in favor of sports contests. The bad news is that the equally awful "Loose Cannons" is likely slated to air in afternoon drive, unless WNIO takes it local (and they should, IMO).

 

[OhioMediaWatch]

There was a period of time that only the WNIO.com "listen live" player was redirecting to sportsradio1390.com. The rest of the site was still sitting at WNIO.com, though you could get there by sportsradio1390.com.

About a week ago, any direct visit to WNIO.com was redirected to sportsradio1390.com, meaning even if you were trying for the old domain name, you'd get the new one (right now, with the current format).

Nate, you're right...1390, if they want to really compete with 1240, needs to go local in PM drive. They already go local in the same time slot over in Akron at 1350, and late afternoon drive on WBBW will be in question with Cappy leaving. My guess is that Ryan A. will expand to Cappy's days starting next week, but I haven't heard for sure.

 

[OhioMediaWatch]

The teasers on 570 are an indication to me that they're putting some oomph into this competition.

 

[Rusty Muck]

I was able to catch one of the teasers on WKBN. A Dan Patrick soundbyte was clearly in there, along with Rome's voice, as well as highlights from Paul Keels (OSU) and Joe Tait (Cavs).

 

[OhioMediaWatch]

I was able to catch one of the teasers on WKBN. A Dan Patrick soundbyte was clearly in there, along with Rome's voice, as well as highlights from Paul Keels (OSU) and Joe Tait (Cavs).

A plan is coming together. Of course, WNIO already holds the rights to OSU and the Cavs, and someone asked me about Romey...I said CC wouldn't launch the thing without him, and the rights are available (1570 had them until Chris Lash dumped the format along with the rest of FSR that 1390 is picking up).

It's happening, I just haven't figured out WHEN, yet. It's gotta be the DP rights holding it up, because 1240 still airs him...even delayed.

 

[Rusty Muck]

I was able to catch one of the teasers on WKBN. A Dan Patrick soundbyte was clearly in there, along with Rome's voice, as well as highlights from Paul Keels (OSU) and Joe Tait (Cavs).

A plan is coming together. Of course, WNIO already holds the rights to OSU and the Cavs, and someone asked me about Romey...I said CC wouldn't launch the thing without him, and the rights are available (1570 had them until Chris Lash dumped the format along with the rest of FSR that 1390 is picking up).

It's happening, I just haven't figured out WHEN, yet. It's gotta be the DP rights holding it up, because 1240 still airs him...even delayed.

PBRTV is claiming that it will take place right after Christmas, in time for the NFL playoffs and college football's glorified exhibition games. Then again, they are claiming that WNIO is running an all-Christmas format in tandem with WBBG, yet every time I tune in, I sure as hell don't hear a Christmas tune.

WKBN does still air some sports shows of their own, "Sports Rap" on Monday nights, and the "Two-Wheel Power Hour" on Wednesday nights. Those two shows I expect to slide over to 1390 without any issue (maybe "Sports Rap" gets extended to a weekday slot?). And I wouldn't be shocked to see some assorted Indians games pop up on 1390, either.

 

[OhioMediaWatch]

I've heard Christmas music on WNIO, though I don't know if they're doing it full-time or part-time.

I'm not sure Tom Lavery knows when WNIO is flipping...it sounds like an educated guess to me.

Question: Will they go local in PMD, and who? Will it be one of those part-time shows? (And if so, who does them?) Or will they go a similar route to WARF, and bring in some staffers from their music stations that can host a sports talk show? Or, do they bring in someone from one of the TV stations? (That would be difficult in the PMD time slot.)

 

[W8YSU]

WNIO'S Christmas music is only part-time......On the 570 WKBN sports this morning they said the "SPORTS ANIMAL" is coming on Dec 27th.....


So now we have a date.

 

[Rusty Muck]

There was a period of time that only the WNIO.com "listen live" player was redirecting to sportsradio1390.com. The rest of the site was still sitting at WNIO.com, though you could get there by sportsradio1390.com.

About a week ago, any direct visit to WNIO.com was redirected to sportsradio1390.com, meaning even if you were trying for the old domain name, you'd get the new one (right now, with the current format).

Nate, you're right...1390, if they want to really compete with 1240, needs to go local in PM drive. They already go local in the same time slot over in Akron at 1350, and late afternoon drive on WBBW will be in question with Cappy leaving. My guess is that Ryan A. will expand to Cappy's days starting next week, but I haven't heard for sure.

Indeed, this graphic has Ryan Alessio handling afternoon drive Mon-Fri from 4pm-6pm now.

 

[OhioMediaWatch]

What's Christian's last name? I forget...

 

[Rusty Muck]

WNIO'S Christmas music is only part-time......On the 570 WKBN sports this morning they said the "SPORTS ANIMAL" is coming on Dec 27th.....


So now we have a date.

Indeed, WNIO now has a countdown clock on their website's front page.

The "Sports Animal" name and logo, BTW, were once used on "Homer" (now "ESPN 1530") WCKY/1530 in Cincinnati and is currently used on WDAE/620 in Tampa...