Jake's DTV Blog

WSIU-TV, radio to air Gov. Quinn's State of the State address Wednesday

2012-01-31T14:01:00.002-06:00

Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn

Illinois Governor Pat Quinn will give his State of the State address on Wednesday at noon, and Southern Illinoisans will be able to tune in and catch the speech on WSIU-TV and WSIU Public Radio.

In his speech, the governor is expected to focus on job creation. "The top things are going to be jobs and the economy," Quinn spokeswoman Mica Matsoff said. "That's what families are talking about around the kitchen table, what they worry about when their first child is born."

In addition to jobs, Quinn is also expected to push for raising Illinois' school dropout age to 18. Currently, the state is one of 29 which allows students to quit school prior to their 18th birthday.

The address begins at noon Central time Wednesday. It will be shown live on WSIU-TV (ch. 8.1) and WUSI-TV (ch. 16.1). Live radio coverage will be available on WSIU-91.9 FM (Carbondale), WUSI-90.3 FM (Olney) and WVSI-88.9 FM (Mt. Vernon).

For the first time in several years, Quinn's speech will not include his budget proposal. The governor will instead deliver his proposal in a separate speech that is scheduled for Feb. 22. It's not yet known if it will be carried by WSIU, but when I know, I'll let you know.

IN CASE YOU MISS IT

Gov. Pat Quinn's State of the State address will be rebroadcast on WSIU-TV/WUSI-TV at the following times:

Wed., Feb. 1: 7 p.m. and 11 p.m. CT

Fri., Feb. 3: 8 p.m. CT

14 NEWS to change afternoon program lineup next week

2012-01-31T12:26:00.002-06:00

14 NEWS (WFIE) is making changes to its afternoon programming beginning Monday, Feb. 6.

Citing the growing popularity of Dr. Oz, the station is moving the doctor's program from its current 2 p.m. timeslot to the all-important 3 p.m. position in the lineup, where it will serve as a lead-in to 14 News at 4 p.m.

In addition to Dr. Oz's relocation, the other afternoon shows on 14 will also be moving:

Jeopardy!, which now airs at 1:30 p.m., will move to the 2 p.m. slot.
America Now, which currently airs double episodes at 3 and 3:30, will stick with two episodes, but will instead bookend Jeopardy! at 1:30 and 2:30 p.m.

The move of Dr. Oz will put the show in direct competition with its fellow Oprah spinoff, Dr. Phil, which moved from 14 to CBS44 WEVV last fall. It'll be interesting to see how each show does now that they'll be facing each other.

Rossen named National Investigative Correspondent for NBC's Today

2012-01-31T10:58:00.002-06:00

Jeff Rossen

Jeff Rossen has been named National Investigative Correspondent for NBC News’ Today. The announcement was made by Today executive producer Jim Bell and is effective immediately.

Rossen will lead Today’s newly created investigative unit, Rossen Reports. He and a team of producers will file special investigative stories for air on Today as well as NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams and Dateline.

“With unmatched passion and curiosity, Jeff continues to find the new story angle that keeps our viewers informed,” said Bell. “His tireless commitment to Today’s investigative series makes his new expanded role a perfect fit.”

Rossen has served as an NBC News correspondent since September 2008. He has covered breaking news events and contributed to all NBC News programs and platforms including Today, NBC Nightly News, Dateline and MSNBC.

During his time at NBC News, Rossen has reported extensively for the Today Investigates series, exposing misconduct and troubling behavior in various industries. The high impact investigations are known for their innovative use of hidden cameras and unique storytelling. In addition to his investigative work, Rossen has covered countless news stories for the network both nationally and overseas. In February 2011, he made national headlines during his series of interviews with Charlie Sheen, conducted at the height of the actor’s very public dispute with his bosses. Rossen also led NBC’s reporting on the death of Michael Jackson, as well as the David Goldman case in Brazil and the disappearance of American tourist Robyn Gardner in Aruba. He was part of the “Today” staff that earned the 2011 Daytime Emmy for Outstanding Morning Program.

Rossen joined NBC News from WABC-TV in New York where he had been a reporter and fill-in anchor for Eyewitness News since May 2001. During his time at WABC, Rossen covered stories ranging from the terrorist bombings in London to the Virginia Tech Massacre, the crash of the Space Shuttle Columbia in Texas and the attacks on 9/11. While at WABC, he also filed reports for ABC News magazines.

Rossen began his broadcasting career in radio at WBLI-FM on Long Island, N.Y. He made the transition from radio to local television as a reporter for ABC affiliate WUTR-TV in Utica, N.Y. Rossen then moved on to report for ABC affiliate WIXT-TV in Syracuse, N.Y., and then Fox affiliate WJBK-TV in Detroit, Mich.

He earned an Emmy Award for Deadline News Writing, and has also received an award from the U.S. Justice Department for his special report on crime victims.

Rossen graduated from the Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University.

Information for this story was provided by NBC News.

NewWave to customers: Those emails aren't from us

2012-01-31T10:13:00.004-06:00

Some NewWave Communications customers have been getting email messages in recent days asking them to provide the company with their username and password.

There's just one problem with that: The company didn't send them.

"[T]hose emails are spam," the company told its followers on Facebook this morning. "[W]e would never ask for that information because we already have it." NewWave advises its customers to delete the emails and not reply to them.

NewWave Communications, which is based in Sikeston, Mo., serves a number of communities in Southeastern Illinois and Southwestern Indiana.

New Eyewitness News Facebook page to replace individual station pages

2012-01-31T09:43:00.000-06:00

Tri-State Facebook users will want to take note of and "Like" a new Facebook page this morning. Eyewitness News' new Facebook page, which is now up and running, is quickly adding fans as I type this.

The individual NEWS 25 and Local 7 WTVW pages will soon be deleted, which makes sense ... after all, it's been two months since the stations combined their operations, and NEWS 25 is now known as WEHT Local.

In addition to the Facebook move, those of you who use Twitter will want to keep an eye out for the stations' new Twitter handle: @WEHTWTVWlocal. If you're not yet following, that's where the news is.

Scripps to receive NAB Distinguished Service Award

2012-01-30T13:10:00.001-06:00

The National Association of Broadcasters announced today that The E.W. Scripps Co. will receive the NAB Distinguished Service Award during the 2012 NAB Show. The award will be accepted by Scripps president and CEO Rich Boehne at the opening keynote session on April 16 in Las Vegas.

"A media pioneer since the 1800s, the Scripps Co. is held in the industry's highest esteem," said NAB president and CEO Gordon Smith. "In recognition of the company's commitment to excellence, innovation and outstanding service to local communities, we are proud to present Scripps with the Distinguished Service Award whose recipients are among broadcasting's most respected leaders."

Each year the NAB Distinguished Service Award recognizes members of the broadcast community who have made significant and lasting contributions to the broadcasting industry. Previous award recipients include Michael J. Fox, Mary Tyler Moore, President Ronald Reagan, Edward R. Murrow, Bob Hope, Walter Cronkite, Oprah Winfrey and Charles Osgood, among others.

Read more of this story after the jump.

"Scripps is humbled to receive the most prestigious and coveted honor the broadcasting industry can bestow," said Boehne. "Only one other company in the storied history of the Distinguished Service Award has had the privilege of joining the ranks of the industry's greatest names. On behalf of the Scripps family and the thousands of Scripps employees who constantly find innovative ways to make their communities better places to live, I express our deepest appreciation to the NAB for this remarkable recognition."

The company's portfolio of locally focused media properties includes: 19 TV stations (10 ABC affiliates [including Indianapolis' WRTV], three NBC affiliates, five Azteca America affiliates and one independent); daily and community newspapers in 13 markets (including the Courier & Press in Evansville and the Gleaner in Henderson), and the Washington, D.C.-based Scripps Media Center, home of the Scripps Howard News Service.

Information for this story was provided by the National Association of Broadcasters.

NEWS BRIEF: WTVW to go off-air for maintenance this afternoon

2012-01-30T12:24:00.001-06:00

Local 7 WTVW will go off the air at 1:30 p.m. Central time this afternoon for maintenance work.

"The outage will last no more than 2 hours," tweeted WTVW/WEHT news director Bob Walters. "We apologize for any inconvenience."

Louisville's WLKY to add morning news to its Me-TV subchannel

2012-01-30T12:14:00.001-06:00

LouisvilleKY.com's Rick Redding reports today that Louisville CBS/Me-TV affiliate WLKY-32 will add two hours of morning news to its Me-TV subchannel (ch. 32.2) starting in March.

To be anchored by Louisville native Natalie Grise, the new newscast will air from 7 to 9 a.m. Eastern time (6-8 a.m. CT in the eastern part of the Tri-State). Redding reports that WLKY GM Glenn Haygood is hiring up to six new staff members for what he says will be a “fresh, live show” on the subchannel.

Fox affiliate WDRB-TV (ch. 41) is the only station in Louisville currently airing news at that time of the day, so it will be interesting to see how the new Me-TV newscast will compete.

NBC dumps disgusting episode of Fear Factor

2012-01-30T11:24:00.002-06:00

When the network announced the return of the show back in October, they said it would be "bigger and more outrageous." They weren't kidding. It turns out that some stunts are just too outrageous for broadcast TV.

Just when I thought the powers that be at NBC had lost their minds by allowing it to air, they have mercifully shown restraint and decided not to televise what may be one of the most disgusting episodes of Fear Factor ever produced, Entertainment Weekly reports.

I won't go into detail about what it was the contestants of tonight's program were to have consumed - if you're not aware of it, you can find that information just about anywhere by Googling "fear factor donkey" - but suffice it to say that "disgusting" is not only an appropriate word to use, it may be too mild.

In the originally-intended episode's place, NBC will instead air a Fear Factor rerun.

The Weekender - Reviewing the week in TV and radio, Jan. 22-27

2012-01-27T12:08:00.000-06:00

It's Friday afternoon, and yes, the Weekender is a bit early this time around, but I've decided to kick off my weekend earlier than usual, so here it is.

This has been a somewhat slower week than usual, but there was interesting news in TV and radio, from Eyewitness News' new set to the latest radio ratings in Evansville, as well as a rebirth of one area radio station. I hope you'll click the links below and catch up on everything that happened this week if you missed anything.

I hope to see you back here again on Monday, or sooner if news breaks! Be sure to check out JDTVB's Facebook page and follow me on Twitter for all the latest information, as well as comments on a host of other topics, too ... you never know what I might say!

FRIDAY 27 JANUARY	MY TAKE: Eyewitness News' new set is a welcome improvement
THURSDAY 26 JANUARY	MY TAKE: TV marks its 60th year as a force in presidential elections Townsquare makes sales manager changes in Evansville, Owensboro
WEDNESDAY 25 JANUARY	Eyewitness News to debut new news set Thursday NBCUniversal to "surround" Super Bowl coverage with numerous broadcast and other assets Fall radio ratings keep WIKY, WKDQ, WSTO and WJLT in the top 4 spots Fox Sports Midwest to televise tonight's Aces game at Wichita State WQXQ debuts new, reinvigorated format today
TUESDAY 24 JANUARY	WNIN transmitter site to get generator Fox to re-air Sunday night's American Idol tonight KMOX's overnight show going national: Overnight America to be syndicated by Dial Global State of the Union speech is tonight
MONDAY 23 JANUARY	Kentucky's budget is the subject of tonight's Kentucky Tonight The Gleaner makes TV Showcase a separate publication Fox, RCN developing Spanish-language U.S. broadcast network: MundoFox to debut this fall WVUT's first Meet Your Legislators program of the year to air Saturday KET's College Financial Aid Call-In program to air tonight
SUNDAY 22 JANUARY	NBC to televise Florida GOP presidential debate Monday night

MY TAKE: Eyewitness News' new set is a welcome improvement

2012-01-27T01:07:00.000-06:00

If you missed Eyewitness News on either Local 7 WTVW or WEHT Local last night, you missed a big story: The stations' newscasts are now airing from their brand-new news set.

The beautiful new set is a major advance compared to the sets formerly used by the stations prior to the merger of operations which took place nearly two months ago. The set is well lit, modern (yet not too flashy) in appearance, and allows for numerous different camera angles to keep the viewer from getting bored. That's a nice touch, in my opinion.

But perhaps the set's most impressive feature, at least to me, is one we'll see a great deal of during severe weather. It's the new weather center, which - in my opinion - is equal to the best in the business. Chief meteorologist Wayne Hart pointed out last night that it's the first new weather center he's worked from in more than 15 years, and it contains everything that he and his fellow meteorologists, Ron Rhodes and David Heckard, will need to keep us safe in bad weather.

In addition to its completely new look, this new set was designed with high definition broadcasts in mind. Lead anchor Brad Byrd reported to viewers that, while they can't simply flip a switch and begin broadcasting in HD, work is now underway to make that happen, and I'm hopeful that it will be completed soon.

All in all, I like what I see. I think it's a positive change, and I believe it and the coming transition to HD will lead to better, more engaging newscasts. I've been very critical of Eyewitness News of late, but I'm certainly encouraged now by the direction that things seem to be going. All I can say now is, "Keep it up!"

Do you like the new set? Share your thoughts via email, on Facebook, or in the comments section below.

MY TAKE: TV marks its 60th year as a force in presidential elections

2012-01-26T11:14:00.000-06:00

Can you believe it's been 60 years since television first played a major role in a presidential election?

It's something we very much take for granted these days, when campaigns start in earnest long before the next election and the candidates are seemingly always on our screens (witness the nearly 20 debates held to vet the Republican field this year, plus a vast amount of additional coverage both good and bad), but six decades ago, radio, newspapers and magazines still set the tone for campaign coverage.

That was about to change.

In 1952, television was still a developing medium, and not everyone had access to it. Only 40% of U.S. households owned a TV set at the time, but when Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower and Illinois Gov. Adlai Stevenson squared off for the nation's highest office that year, the Survey Research Center of the University of Michigan found in a study after the election that 53% of the population watched at least some programming related to the campaign, including the first televised national conventions.

Eisenhower, whose well-known smile endeared him to millions, played well on TV. His strategists took full advantage, getting their candidate on the tube at every possible opportunity.

And of course, Eisenhower's running mate, Sen. Richard Nixon of California, skillfully used live television - in his famous "Checkers speech" - to defuse a scandal that emerged during the campaign when Nixon was accused by newspapers of having received a "slush fund" of $18,000 from wealthy donors. The speech, which was watched by millions, solidified Nixon's place on the ticket.

Stevenson, on the other hand, didn't own a TV set and felt using it to advance his campaign was beneath the dignity of the office which he sought. He complained that campaigning on television was akin to "selling the presidency like cereal." Television viewers thus saw very little of the governor, who preferred to deliver speeches before a live audience - without television cameras present.

It didn't help that Stevenson came across as "stiff" and "unnatural" on television. Critics called him an "egghead," and the derisive moniker stuck.

Eisenhower's skillful use of television - including a series of effective 60-second spots in which he answered questions on a variety of pressing topics as the race drew to its conclusion - won him the trust of many voters. He ended up winning the election handily, garnering 55% of the vote against Stevenson's 44%.

TV had earned its place in the political pantheon, which it still holds today. Whether that's good or bad, I'll leave to you.

Townsquare makes sales manager changes in Evansville, Owensboro

2012-01-26T09:12:00.001-06:00

Townsquare Media Evansville/Owensboro general manager LaDonne Craig has announced sales manager changes for four of the company's seven stations in the area.

Steve Cooke, sales manager for WBKR-92.5 FM and WOMI-1490 AM in Owensboro, will move to the company's Evansville office, where he will serve in the same capacity for WKDQ-99.5 FM and WJLT-105.3 FM.

Cooke's former position in Owensboro is being filled by Traci Davis, who has been an account executive for WBKR/WOMI.

In addition to the aforementioned stations, Townsquare also owns and operates WGBF-1280 AM, WGBF-103.1 FM and WDKS-106.1 FM in Evansville.

Eyewitness News to debut new news set Thursday

2012-01-25T17:47:00.000-06:00

UPDATE #2, 3:25 p.m. THURSDAY: The new set was designed to be HD-ready. Newscasts will not be televised in HD at this point, but that's coming.

UPDATE, 9 a.m. THURSDAY: Brad Byrd has posted sneak peeks of the main news set and the new weather center on his Facebook page.

After nearly two months of operating from a temporary news set in the newsroom, I've been told that Eyewitness News on WEHT Local and Local 7 WTVW will begin airing from the stations' new permanent set starting tomorrow afternoon.

(The new set, as you've probably figured out, is at least part of the reason for the "change is good" teasers featuring meteorologist Ron Rhodes, which have been running for a few days on both stations.)

No details about the set have leaked out, so I can't tell you what to expect, but I suppose we'll know when we tune in tomorrow at 4 p.m.!

NBCUniversal to "surround" Super Bowl coverage with numerous broadcast and other assets

2012-01-25T15:27:00.001-06:00

NBCUniversal announced today that it will surround its coverage of Super Bowl XLVI with an unprecedented and diverse collection of assets ranging from sports to news to entertainment. It will also utilize Spanish-language programs, kids news services, theme parks and in-flight programming to cover and promote the game.

Coverage of Super Bowl XLVI from Indianapolis on Sunday, Feb. 5 begins at 11 a.m. CT with the Super Bowl XLVI Pre-Game Show.

The following NBCUniversal properties and programs will have live presence in Indianapolis to cover this year's Super Bowl:

NBC Sports Network: The recently rebranded NBC Sports Network will be live on site in Indianapolis with more than 18 hours of live coverage including the first ever Costas Tonight: Live from the Super Bowl and daily editions of NBC SportsTalk: LIVE from the Super Bowl.
TODAY Show: America’s No. 1 Morning News Program will kick off Super Bowl weekend with a split show from Indianapolis on Friday with Al Roker and Ann Curry. Natalie Morales and Savannah Guthrie will join TODAY’s coverage on Super Bowl morning.
TODAY with Kathie Lee and Hoda: The fourth hour of the TODAY Show will feature a Super Bowl-themed “Who Knew” segment on Wednesday of Super Bowl week and a Super Bowl kickoff featuring cuisine and chefs from the two Super Bowl cities Friday of Super Bowl weekend.
Weekend TODAY: Jenna Wolfe will report from Indianapolis for Weekend TODAY for Saturday’s coverage.
Late Night with Jimmy Fallon: For the first time in the show’s history, Late Night with Jimmy Fallon will take the show on the road – to Indianapolis – for a total of four shows; including one first-ever LIVE Late Night with Jimmy Fallon show on Sunday night after Super Bowl XLVI.
Weather Channel: Jim Cantore will join NBC’s Super Bowl coverage from Indianapolis, and Wake Up with Al’s Stephanie Abrams and Al Roker will also be on-site reporting the Super Bowl headlines for Weather Channel.
CNBC: Sports business reporter Darren Rovell will do live hits from Indianapolis Thursday-Sunday, and will also tape his NBC Sports Network show, Sports Biz: Game On from Indianapolis on the Friday before the game.
Golf Channel: In anticipation of season two of his critically acclaimed series premiering Feb. 27, David Feherty will host a special Feherty Live stage show from Indianapolis Friday night, which Golf Channel will air as a one-hour special Saturday at 10 p.m. ET. And throughout Super Bowl week, Golf Channel’s popular morning show, Morning Drive, will feature various NFL guests, including former and current players and executives to talk Super Bowl predictions. Friday’s Golf Central show will include look-ins at Feherty’s rehearsals in Indianapolis and promote Sunday’s Super Bowl.
E!: The nation’s premier destination for celebrity and entertainment news will report from Indianapolis Wednesday through Monday with correspondents Catt Sadler and David Burtka.
NewsChannel/Affiliates: NBC’s NewsChannel, which feeds all 235 NBC affiliates nationwide, will have numerous reporters on-site in Indianapolis doing live stand ups for stations and offering technical support for other on-site stations.
Bravo: Top Chef, Bravo’s Emmy-Award winning culinary show, will be on-site in Indianapolis with host Tom Colicchio and two popular former contestants, Richard Blais and Antonia Lofaso, competing to create the perfect tailgate food. Their tailgate preparations and end result will be featured on NBC’s Super Bowl XLVI Pre-Game Show. Tony Dungy and Rodney Harrison of Football Night in America will determine the winner.
NBCU Entertainment: Stars of NBC’s primetime line-up will hit the Super Bowl pre-game red carpet with host Nick Cannon. Celebrities from NBC’s new primetime shows include Jessica Simpson (Fashion Star), Adam Levine, Cee Lo Green, Blake Shelton and Carson Daly (The Voice) and Katharine McPhee (Smash).
Access Hollywood: The No. 1 entertainment show will be on-site in Indianapolis with reports on all Super Bowl festivities Tuesday through Monday.
Style: The destination for inspiring lifestyle programming will feature a pre-game Super Bowl party-planning segment with Bill and Giuliana Rancic. Throughout Super Bowl week, the couple will offer party tips on Style and through Style’s twitter handle, @mystylequicktip. The segments will pay off in a Super Bowl Party reveal with Bill and Giuliana during Super Bowl pre-game, a few hours before the game kicks off.
iVillage: the largest content-driven community for women online, will feature VIDEOS and profiles on wives of NFL players on how they achieve family balance with the hectic schedule of the NFL. iVillage will also feature stories on Super Bowl community and philanthropic events throughout the week. The iVillage community will participate with their Super Bowl content through activities and discussions on the iVillage social media pages.
Telemundo/mun2: Stars of Telemundo and mun2 will be in Indianapolis all week, covering all the NFL and Super Bowl activities. Telemundo will air a 1 hour special, Sabor Al Super Bowl XLVI, on Saturday at 2pm EST/PST, 1pm CST, highlighting all activities leading up to the big game and providing expert analysis for the US Hispanic audience.
Universal Parks: Universal Parks and Resorts in Los Angeles and Orlando will help promote NBC’s coverage of Super Bowl XLVI by featuring NBC Sports-produced trailers and video on their CityWalk Astrovision screens throughout Super Bowl week. Super Bowl signage on print billboards and other signage throughout the Parks will also be present.
Universal Pictures: Several movies from Universal Pictures will be promoted during Super Bowl pre-game.
NBC News Scholastic Reporter: Kids press corps reporter Grace Ybarra will be on-site in Indianapolis to report on the youth-themed Super Bowl activities for Scholastic News, a youth-oriented news service and NBC News partner.
G4: The gaming and technology network will air a special Super Bowl-themed segment of the popular show, Gadget Pr0n, which will feature all the best gadgets and technology needed to create the ultimate Super Bowl viewing experience. The episode will air Monday, Jan. 30.
NBC Experience Store: The popular Rockefeller Center destination features a window display promoting NBC’s coverage of Super Bowl XLVI.
American Airlines: NBC’s in-flight programming on American Airlines, which reaches 5 million viewers/month is airing Super Bowl features throughout the month of January.
NBC Out-of-Home Platforms: NBC Sports utilized the promotional platforms of NBC’s out-of-home assets to extend the Super Bowl tune-in message. Super Bowl spots ran on the following screens: taxi cabs, universities, arenas, PATH stations and gas pumps.
NBC Retail Store Screens: NBC Sports-produced Super Bowl promos ran in retail stores including Wal-Mart, Costco and Sam’s Club stores nationwide throughout January. Super Bowl promos were seen on 210,000 screens in 6,400 stores, reaching 600 million viewers.

Fall radio ratings keep WIKY, WKDQ, WSTO and WJLT in the top 4 spots

2012-01-25T12:30:00.001-06:00

The latest Arbitron radio ratings for Evansville are out for the fall of 2011, and the top three stations - no surprise here - remain the same, with WJLT-105.3 taking fourth place.

Stations owned by powerhouses South Central Media and Townsquare Media continue to hold those rankings.

While South Central's WIKY-104.1 lost a some ground and Townsquare's second-place WKDQ-99.5 gained a bit, WIKY remains number one on the list; WKDQ remains a solid, unchallenged second. WSTO-96.1 keeps its hold on third place, but a surging WJLT-105.3 is now a very close fourth, rising from fifth place one year ago.

South Central's WABX-107.5 and Townsquare's WDKS-106.1 tied for fifth place this fall; the numbers show a one-place drop for WABX and a step up (from sixth last year) for WDKS.

Elsewhere on the list, contemporary Christian station WKVN-95.3 (Morganfield, Ky.) once again had a surprisingly strong showing, with the largest audience increase of any station. In the fall of 2010, the station was tied for 11th place; it's now a solid seventh, tied with WLFW-93.5.

You can see the full list, with comparisons to prior ratings, at Radio Online.

WINNERS

WKVN-95.3 ("K-Love") ... up four spots to seventh, tied with WEJK
WRAY-98.1 ... up two spots to 14th, tied with WSON
WJLT-105.3 ... up one spot to fourth
WDKS-106.1 ... up one spot, now tied for fifth with WABX
WYFX-106.7 ... up from 13th to a tie for 12th
WSON-860 ... up from 15th, now tied for 14th with WRAY (it's unclear if the ratings include the new WSON-FM [W243CU-96.5], but they probably do not)

LOSERS

WBKR-92.5 ... loses three positions; now 16th
WEOA-1400 ... down two to 11th
WABX-107.5 ... down one , now tied for fifth with WDKS
WLFW-93.5 ... down one position into a tie for seventh with WKVN
WGBF-AM & FM ... each down 1 spot; 103GBF is now ninth, while NewsTalk 1280 holds the 10th spot
WEJK-107.1 ... drops one spot to a tie for 12th with WYFX
WKTG-93.9 ... drops one spot to 17th

Fox Sports Midwest to televise tonight's Aces game at Wichita State

2012-01-25T10:54:00.002-06:00

Fox Sports Midwest will televise tonight's men's basketball game between the University of Evansville Purple Aces and the Wichita State Shockers.

Tipoff for this evening's match-up, which is being played in Wichita, is set for 7 p.m. Central time.

If you don't have Fox Sports Midwest, you can always catch the game on the radio at WUEV-91.5 or online at wuev.org.

WQXQ debuts new, reinvigorated format today

2012-01-25T05:47:00.001-06:00

WQXQ-101.9 FM (Central City, Ky.) will debut a completely new format today.

The Starlight Broadcasting-owned station, which can be heard in much of Southern Illinois, Southwestern Indiana, Western Kentucky and part of Tennessee, has many big changes in store for listeners as part of its completely new, reinvigorated sound.

The station has been rebranded as Q102, “Today’s Best Music & Home of the QMIX,” and will refer to its coverage area as “Q102-Land” instead of the typical term “Tri-State” as used by almost all of the other radio stations in the area. WQXQ will also debut a new website, myqmix.com.

Brian Jackson
"Beej & The Breakfast Bunch," 5-9 a.m.

Brian Jackson will host Q102's morning show, returning Beej & The Breakfast Bunch to the area's airwaves for the first time in more than a decade. Jackson's show was formerly broadcast on WSTO-96.1 FM (1982-97), WQXQ (1997-98), and internet radio station LiveOneRadio.com (2011). Jackson has become a highly sought-out voiceover artist, TV personality, and most recently won the “Entrepreneur of the Year” award from The Chamber of Commerce of Southwest Indiana in 2010-11 for his website, WatchEvansville.com.

Beej & The Breakfast Bunch makes its premiere on Feb. 1 and will air from 5 to 9 a.m.

Paul Poteet
"Indiana's Weatherman"

“Indiana's Weatherman,” Paul Poteet, will provide weather forecasts for Q102. Poteet has been a well-known Central Indiana media figure since 1982, and in addition to Q102, can be heard forecasting the weather on radio stations in Anderson, Indianapolis, Marion, as well as the South Bend area. Every morning, he gets up at 2:45 to develop forecasts and generate audio, video, and text content for clients ranging from radio stations to websites, including his own, PaulPoteet.com. Poteet recently added IndyStar.com as a partner, producing weather videos and graphics for the site.

The 9 a.m. hour will be called the QMIX Morning Music Fix, and will feature music with no on-air talent.

Rick Daniels, 3-7 p.m.
Q102 Program Director

Rick Dees' The Daily Dees,
10 a.m.-3 p.m.

Rick Dees and his syndicated program The Daily Dees will be Q102's midday show, airing from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m., when Rick Daniels takes over for the afternoon drive with his program, Rick Daniels On-Air, from 3 to 7 p.m.

In addition to hosting his afternoon show, Daniels is also the new program director of WQXQ-FM. He's the founder and owner of Evansville-based LiveOneRadio.com, and is an award-winning radio personality, having made stops in several markets in the Midwest.

Jill Wilderman, Hollywood reporter

Kim Iverson, 7 p.m. to midnight
Your Time With Kim Iverson

Hollywood entertainment reporter Jill Wilderman, an Evansville native, will bring a “hometown girl” presence as she gives the scoop in the latest and greatest Hollywood news. She has made appearances and shared her insight on shows like E! THS, Entertainment Tonight and The Gossip Queens, and has been heard on several radio stations across the country. Wilderman's reports will air in the afternoons.

Finally, from 7 p.m. to midnight, Your Time with Kim Iverson will premiere. The show has never been heard in this area prior to now. “[The show] will be a nice alternative to longtime personalities and give a very strong female based show in this market,” said Daniels. “Kim is very mass appeal and works the phones like no other.”

Overnights will serve as a extended QMIX Music Fix with a large selection of Hot AC/CHR hits from midnight to 4 a.m. weekdays. Weekends will feature Rick Dees' Weekly Top 40 and 90’s on 9, and will also feature Round Trip with Dave-O as well.

WNIN transmitter site to get generator

2012-01-24T17:51:00.000-06:00

Three years ago, when a crippling ice storm hit the state, WNIN-TV and FM were off the air for several days, but such outages should be a thing of the past once a new generator is installed at the stations' transmitter site near Boonville.

The new generator, which is being funded by a U.S. Department of Commerce Warning, Alert and Response Network (WARN) grant of more than $259,000, should be ready by September or October, said David Dial, WNIN president and general manager, in a Courier & Press story on the new equipment.

MORE READING:

Courier & Press: Generator will keep WNIN on air in times of disaster

Fox to re-air Sunday night's American Idol tonight

2012-01-24T10:30:00.001-06:00

If you couldn't stay up late to watch Sunday night's episode of American Idol (which aired following the New York Giants' NFC championship win over the 49ers), don't fret: Fox will rebroadcast the program tonight at 7 p.m. Central.

In the Tri-State, you can watch it on Fox44 (as well as the other Fox affiliates which surround the area). Check your local listings. The show will air immediately preceding the State of the Union address.

Glee - which was scheduled to be a rerun anyway - won't be seen tonight.

KMOX's overnight show going national: Overnight America to be syndicated by Dial Global

2012-01-24T10:08:00.002-06:00

A St. Louis-based overnight radio show is going into national syndication.

Radio syndicator Dial Global and CBS Radio's KMOX-1120 announced yesterday that KMOX's Overnight America with Jon Grayson will be available nationally starting next Monday, Jan. 30.

The show, which debuted about three years ago, according to Radio Ink, is already carried by CBS stations KDKA in Pittsburgh and WCCO-AM in Minneapolis, and can also be heard on the Radio.com mobile app. No word yet on whether it will come to the Tri-State directly, but since KMOX's signal reaches much of the area already during the nighttime hours, it's not hard to find.

I happen to be a fan of the program, which airs from midnight to 5 a.m. Central time. Grayson covers a variety of topics on each show and always makes it interesting. Last night, for example, Grayson talked about the death of former LAPD detective Philip Vannatter, who was one of the lead investigators on the O.J. Simpson murder case. The wealth of anecdotes Grayson shared captured my interest, and I ended up listening for quite a while, as I often do.

If you're having trouble sleeping some night, give the show a try. I think you might just like it ... and maybe, just maybe, if one of our local talk stations is looking for something different for the overnight hours, it'll come here.

State of the Union speech is tonight

2012-01-24T08:50:00.001-06:00

President Obama

President Obama will deliver his annual State of the Union speech tonight before a joint session of Congress, and it won't be hard to find on TV (or anywhere else, for that matter), should you wish to watch.

ABC, CBS, Fox, NBC and PBS stations will all carry it live beginning at 8 p.m. Central time (as usual), as will Fox News, CNN and MSNBC on cable (also as usual). It'll even be on the radio in places if you'd rather listen than watch.

The networks will have online coverage, too, with additional features and analysis you might not see on air.

Even the White House is in on the online thing; the official whitehouse.gov stream can be had two ways tonight - the standard feed or an "enhanced" version that will have multimedia doodads to help you understand what the President is talking about.

Hoosiers will have an extra reason to tune in tonight: Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels will give the Republican response to President Obama's speech, and that too will be carried live by the networks.

Kentucky's budget is the subject of tonight's Kentucky Tonight

2012-01-23T15:33:00.001-06:00

It's no secret that the Commonwealth of Kentucky has a real mess on its hands when it comes to plugging all the holes in the state's budget for the next two years. What services should be cut? Which should be spared?

Gov. Steve Beshear has already submitted his proposal to the General Assembly, and four men serving in Frankfort who will help decide what the state's next step will be are scheduled to appear with host Bill Goodman on KET's Kentucky Tonight this evening at 7 p.m. CT.

Goodman's guests will be:

State Sen. Bob Leeper (I-Paducah), chair of the Senate Appropriations and Revenue Committee
State Rep. Rick Rand (D-Bedford), chair of the House Appropriations and Revenue Committee
State Rep. Bob DeWeese (R-Louisville), vice chair of the House Appropriations and Revenue Committee
State Sen. Ray Jones (D-Pikeville), member of the Senate Appropriations and Revenue Committee

In addition to airing live on KET this evening, Kentucky Tonight can be seen online at 7 p.m. CT tonight by visiting ket.org/live, and will be broadcast on radio in Western Kentucky on the following radio stations Tuesday at noon CT:

WKMS-91.3 FM, Murray
WKMD-90.9 FM, Madisonville

TELEVISION REBROADCASTS:

Tonight at 11 p.m. CT on KET KY
Tuesday at 6 a.m. and 5 p.m. CT on KET KY
Wednesday at 1 a.m. CT on KET and 4 a.m. CT on KET KY

For a video preview of tonight's program, click here to visit Bill's Eye.

The Gleaner makes TV Showcase a separate publication

2012-01-23T12:13:00.001-06:00

On Sunday, the Henderson Gleaner officially made its weekly television guide, TV Showcase, a separate publication.

Following in the footsteps of its sister paper, the Courier & Press, which recently required a separate $2 monthly subscription for those who wish to keep getting TV Week, TV Showcase will also cost Gleaner home subscribers $2 per month. It will not be available in copies purchased at local stores or via the mail; however, individual copies can be purchased at the Gleaner's Klutey Park Plaza office for 50 cents.

To more or less replace the Showcase, readers will find a daily TV schedule in the classified section. The Sunday edition will include schedules for both Sunday and Monday.

Fox, RCN developing Spanish-language U.S. broadcast network: MundoFox to debut this fall

2012-01-23T11:46:00.000-06:00

The growth of the Hispanic population in the U.S. has led to the success of TV networks like Telemundo and Univision, which broadcast in Spanish. Now Fox is getting in on the action with a new joint venture between its Fox International Channels division and Colombia's RCN Television Group (RCN).

The companies will launch MundoFox, a new Spanish-language broadcast television network, this fall.

MundoFox will “aim to bring a similar sensibility as the Fox network to Latino audiences,” Fox said in a statement, with “exciting entertainment, best-in-class programing content and differentiation from the limited options currently available to viewers.”

“Our partnership with RCN is a key step in the launch of MundoFox,” said Hernan Lopez, president and CEO of Fox International Channels. “There is an increasing demand for quality Spanish-language content in the U.S. from both viewers and advertisers. Fox saw similar dynamics in play 25 years ago when it launched the Fox network, and it would be a missed opportunity not to provide an alternative for the 50 million-plus Latino viewers who currently have limited options in Spanish-language broadcast television. Our partnership with RCN will help us do this and we aim do it in a big way.”

“RCN has provided the main Hispanic networks in the U.S. with much of their primetime content for over two decades. We now plan to maximize our capabilities and bring an increasing variety of fresh and innovative productions directly to Spanish-speaking viewers. I am certain that Fox is the best partner to make this a successful network,” said Gabriel Reyes, CEO of RCN.

Fox International Channels operates 350 channels in 35 countries, including a consortium of three cable networks targeting the U.S. Hispanic consumer: Fox Deportes, Utilisima and NatGeo Mundo. RCN is one of the largest producers and exporters of Spanish-language television in the world and operates cable channels throughout the Americas.

Content for the network will come from several sources, including:

Colombia’s RCN Television SA (Ugly Betty, El Capo)
Fox International Channels
Fox Deportes (exclusive U.S. Spanish-language rights to the UFC, as well as various soccer tournaments)
Shine Group (formats for The Biggest Loser, MasterChef and One Born Every Minute and international dramas including Merlin and The Hour) will producing original Spanish-language content
NTN24, RCN’s international, 24-hour channel that offers Spanish-language news, analysis, opinion, sports and entertainment news programs.

MundoFox will also license and/or commission original programs and movies from a variety of third-party producers, both from the English-language world as well as Spanish.

Fox said that although distribution for the network is in the process of being set up, MundoFox has plans to be carried on stations covering 75% of U.S. households. Affiliate deals are currently being wrapped up in top Hispanic markets across the country.