The season for Press and Tower is changing.

Although there is plenty of local media news out there, I just don’t have the capacity to cover it. My work load has increased by about one-third in the past six months sapping my energy for extra stuff. Add it some projects that are coming up that could put me in an bit of a weird place and I think it’s time to reconfigure this project.

I’ll be leaving up the website, although comments will close on February 1st. My plan is to maintain the pressandtower Twitter account, tweeting news and retweeting interesting articles as we come across them. I would encourage you that if you are not on Twitter, you need to be, since that where all of the media practitioners are posting. And don’t forget to follow pressandtower!

I am extremely gratified at what we’ve been able to accomplish with this blog. We started out providing some continuity to those who faithfully supported Jack Tirak’s Erie Media-Go-Round before his untimely passing in the summer of 2008. From our launch on September 1, 2008 through today, we’ve generated 531 posts, over 3,800 approved comments, and 677 tweets.

Erie media, as well as the national scene has been through extreme change in these past 53 months, and we covered it all. We tracked through the digital TV conversion, and the painful changes at the newspaper. We saw the strengthening of one radio group, and the return to broadcasting of one of its favorite sons. We celebrated when a community came together to host a network TV production, and we mourned when far too many of media’s icons passed away. We went through the advertising depression and are now enjoying the strong resurgence. We broke stories consistently, such as the FCC shut down of a pirate radio station, the removal of Rush Limbaugh from the Erie air, and the TV news consolidation saga. We took you behind the scenes of a local TV morning show, and the Erie Seawolves broadcast, and interviewed some of the smartest thinkers in the business.

Most importantly, we gave voice to the consumers and practitioners, the media-ites starting out, and the reliable veterans. Hopefully, it was done in an environment of good cheer and civility. As for me, I had a blast!

Thank you for your support and encouragement over all these years. We don’t know what the next five years will bring in local media; what successes and trials lie ahead. I would encourage you to be a part of the solution. Support advertisers that invest in local media outlets, thus allowing local jobs. As for the producers, treat your audiences with the highest respect and empathy.

I believe that Erie’s newspapers, TV and radio stations, and new media help make our community a better place. Lets continue to work toward that end, together.

Tom McLaren, 1930-2012

Quite the Renaissance man, Tom was a ordained Presbyterian minister, English professor, classical and jazz music aficionado, and extensive traveler. Viewers of WQLN’s 54.3 channel will often hear Tom’s voice on many of the documentaries the station produced in the 1980′s and 90′s, which are currently played in rotation.

WQLN’s Tom New shares a few highlights of the mark Tom McLaren left on the station:

Tom began working at WQLN on February 7, 1974 host of Sunrise Classics.

He was promoted to station manager of WQLN Radio in 1983. He held that job until his retirement on July 27, 2001.

For the past 11 years Tom has been WQLN’s chief archivist of our station history project, organizing video, audio and print images.

When Tom began working at WQLN Radio we were playing multiple formats from four remote studios. Our main studio in Summit Township featured mostly classical music; we played soul music from our studio in the Erie Opportunities Industrialization Center, jazz from Mercyhurst College, and a mixed bag from Edinboro State College. Tom pulled all of the remote locations back to our main studio and corralled all of our formats into News, Classics, and Jazz.

Tom was most known for his voice. It was perfect. His pronunciation, tone and diction were for markets much larger than Erie.

Viewing is at Burton’s, 26th & Powell on Friday with the funeral Saturday at Wayside Presbyterian Church. Our condolences to the McLaren family and the entire WQLN community.

The interview with “Homeland” star Mandy Patinkin would have to wait…

Click here to view the embedded video.

This clip is making the rounds on Inside Edition and the entertainment news shows.

We wish Dave and his family all the best.

I must say things seem to be looking that way. All indications show strength in advertising sales in all media, old and new. I am really enthusiastic at how the market has taken a huge leap forward with Lilly Broadcasting’s addition of news and first-run syndicated shows in HD, and it shows real commitment to the community with their November-long series of fundraisers for area charities.

You can even be positive that, although a headache for our friend Lou Baxter, the move of Nexstar’s Kim Thomas and Jill Perkins into politics makes more room for new talent and fresh ideas and enthusiasm.

Perhaps right now my greatest optimism is for what is coming out of the Erie Times-News newsroom. It seems that almost everyday were are getting a front page feature on the status of community assets that are critical for our region’s future. I couldn’t wait to read the pieces on the Warner Theater renovation and the Erie City Mission’s construction project, which were well written and comprehensive in their graphics and approach.

Solid, compelling content if promoted properly draws eyes and ears and translates to sales…always has, always will.

To the Grinches who think I sound like a naive cheerleader who shrills for the establishment; humbug. My heart aches every time a local cut-in is missed, or you go 10 hours listening to a station without hearing a jock, or the latest shipment from Butler is a few tons lighter than previously out of 12th Street. However, in a “its as good as it gets” reality, we celebrate when hard work, risk, and excellence are displayed.

Agree or disagree with me in this open forum with civility and cheer. Leave a comment below, send a tweet to @pressandtower, or email.

And be nice…it’s Christmas!

Happi 92-7 HD

Friday at noon WEHP/Lawrence Park-Erie became CHR Happi 92-7 HD. The launch song was Nicki Minaj’s “Va Va Voom,” followed by LMFAO’s “Sexy and I Know It.” Erie Radio Company partner Rick Rambaldo told the Erie Times-News that Happi would be “Erie’s new No. 1 hit spot.”

The previously mentioned website Happi927.com is not functional at this point, but the station is promoting their Facebook page.

WEHP is targeting WRTS’s market-leading radio shares, and has to also deal with WXKC-HD2 on the i104.3 translator. Happi becomes the second Erie market FM to adopt the HD IBOC technology.

So here’s the format run-down on the commercial FM band in the Erie metro (not including translators):

• 1 – AC (WXKC-HD1)
• 1 – Adult Hits (WXBB)
• 2 – Country (WTWF, WXTA)
• 3 – CHR (WEHP, WRTS, WXKC-HD2)
• 2 – Christian (WCGM, WCTL)
• 2 – Classic Rock (WQHZ, WRKT)

Editor’s Note: Special Thanks to Chet LaPrice for sharing his recording of WEHP’s sign-on with the We rocked Erie in the 20th Century Facebook group.

Kim Thomas

WJET/WFXP News Director Lou Baxter tells P&T that he’s on the lookout for a new primary anchor to partner with Sean Lafferty. Kim Thomas will leave at the end of the month to join the office of State Senator-elect Sean Wiley.

Lou continues:

Kim has done a great job for us the past 6 years ago, having spent the last two of them on the anchor desk with Sean Lafferty. We wish her the best of luck. We have launched a nationwide search for her replacement. In the interim, Sean will solo.

Tapes and resumes to lbaxter@wjettv.com.

WEDNESDAY UPDATE…Lance Venta from RadioInsight.com is reporting that 92.7 will end up being “Happi Radio 92.7″ a new CHR station for the Erie area. He mentions the domain registration of Happi92.7.com and ErieRadioCompany.com by Aaron Conley of Edinboro. The station continues to add more “Happy” elements to its stunting loop…could be any day now.

UPDATE…the stunting continues with Shiny Happy People (1991) by REM added to the loop. Evidently, we will be “Happy” with whatever WEHP turns out to be.

First Channel Communications Erie Radio Company LLC, the partnership of Rick Rambaldo and Dave Hallman Jr., have lit up the transmitter for their new WEHP 92.7/Lawrence Park.

Friday afternoon (11/9) they were stunting with a loop of the 1979 disco hit H.A.P.P.Y. Radio by Edwin Starr. They are broadcasting in HD with a dual ID as part of the loop.

More as we monitor…