Cleveland area may be getting another liberal talk radio station

[LTR]

Many hints point to Clear Channel-owned WTOU-AM (1350) ditching Fox Sports and going with an all-liberal talk format.

Democracy Radio's website lists the station as an affiliate for Ed Schultz. And Lionel's website also lists WTOU among it's affiliates. Fox Sports Radio, which is owned and syndicated in collaboration with Clear Channel-owned Premiere Networks, no longer lists WTOU on it's roster of stations.

The new WTOU would be different than most CC liberal talkers, in that they would likely not use Air America on any part of the schedule. That's because lower powered daytimer WJMP in nearby Kent is the market's AAR affiliate. This would make the station similar to KRPT in the San Antonio market, a CC liberal talker that airs all non-AAR hosts, such as Ed Schultz, Stephanie Miller, Lionel and Alan Colmes.

There could be a deal to take AAR away from WJMP, or take some of AAR's nighttime programming, but who knows?

Of course, we'll have to wait and see what happens by Monday or Tuesday, when all of this should happen.

http://ltradio.blogspot.com/2005/05/is-clevelandakron-market-getting.html

Here's the word, according to the Times:

To the average listener, Radio Free Ohio has all the earmarks of pirate radio. For weeks, it sounded as if amateurs had been bleeding their voices into the broadcasts of stations in Akron, Ohio, owned by Clear Channel, the corporate radio giant. At the Web site www.radiofreeohio.com, there was a manifesto about "corporate-controlled music playlists" that took potshots at several local Clear Channel stations. But there was no information about who had posted the screed, or what exactly Radio Free Ohio was.

But last week it came out that Radio Free Ohio was not a prank on Clear Channel but in fact a prank by Clear Channel. Tomorrow, an AM station the company owns in Akron will switch formats from sports talk to progressive talk, and Clear Channel would very much like anyone suspicious of corporate media to tune in.

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/05/30/business/media/30clear.html?

[ClassWarrior]

1. Dang, send us one. Milwaukee doesn't have ANY.

Share the wealth, Cleveland!

NGU.

[LTR]

2. Tell me about it

I live in the Milwaukee area.

I wonder when Entercom will give up the ghost on WSSP (1250). Almost six months, and they have no listeners. I always thought liberal talk would be a better ad sell with their other stations, Mix and Kiss.

But then again, look how badly they're screwing up Mix.

[POAS]

3. Good News for me

1520 has an extremely weak signal to my area while 1350 comes in strong. If they get AAR fine, but I can still get AAR streamed. If they get "OTHER" liberal talk shows I welcome the choice it will give me.

Either way, let's ride the liberal wave.

[Torgo Johnson]

4. It premiered today at noon

interestingly enough, it started with a tape delayed broadcast of Stephanie Miller at noon. I do think Thom Hartmann will be in that slot tomorrow. Here's the lineup I could figure out so far:

Early Morning: Bill Press
9AM: Stephanie Miller
12:00 Thom Hartmann
3PM Ed Schultz

Also, Lionel is in the lineup and there appear to be no AAR hosts.

I hear that the station comes in very well in Cleveland. It is staticy in Elyria, but at least it is listenable.

[Kolesar]

5. Bill Press ... cool

He ran for office in California and used to host Crossfire before CNN dug up two prowar Clinton boys who would not criticize their war.

[POAS]

6. Heard it today loud and clear

from Medina to Barberton.

"Radio Free Ohio", Love it!

In Elyria I'd suggest getting a directional AM antenna. The antennas (Antenni?) for AM reception in radios today are crap.

I'd suggest C. Crane Co. or even Radio Shack.

[Kolesar]

7. Fuzzy in my car

It was so bad that I was not even sure I remembered the frequency. It sounded like an out of town station. I never use my car AM radio so I don't know what to expect of AM reception. It has one of those dipshit antennas in the side window instead of a proper aerial. The window antenna is pretty good for FM, but what you want for 1 MHz is a long wire!

[Algorem]

8. Ed Schultz was talking to George McGovern just a bit ago,I forgot about

this and was just trying to find Air America.