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It's almost a Modell Miracle as WWWE rises in ratinasBy KEN GOTTLIEBC-T TV Writer' After several less-than-suc-eessful years in both pro football and broadcasting, it looks like Art Modell is headed for the top again.! Modell, principal owner of ike Cleveland Browns and part* owner of WWWE-AM and WDOK-FM, not only has seen his football team revived lately.He also has had one of his radio stations make a big jump in the ratings.. THE ARB1TRON numbers for Juoe-September show WWWE with the highest ratings average of any AM station in Cleveland — and the fifth highest audience share among all stations.WWWE’s share of the audience jumped 61 percent from the same period a year ago.You’ll recall in June Modell and his ownership group dis-S- *• - T-WWWE and WDOK.They switched much of their WJW news/talk staff to WWWE, but held onto the latter’s sportsTV newsShannon Jewell, editorbroadcasts and sports talk host were there when the station was Pete Franklin. bombing.Neither WJW nor WWWE had been extremely successful in recent years, with WWWE just about falling off the chart at times.BUT FOR REASONS no one can quite understand, these two relatively weak stations may yield one very strong station.You look at some of the programming and wonder: an ordinary news operation, a couple of undistinguished talk hosts in John MeCulloeh and Dr. Michael Freedman, and two talkers — Joel Rose and Merlebut seldom much sense.Sports and Franklin obviously form the cornerstone of the station — but those elementsWWWE spokeswoman Martha Brunstein offered some theories, but admitted no one at the station was absolutely certain why the ratings jump occurred.“WHEN WE MADE theswitch (in June), it seems we didn’t burn off any major portion of (either station’s) audience, she said.“We also have a stronger signal now, and we did a lot of promotion in June. Those things got people sampling the station who might not have listenedt. — ~ »•The only thing certain is the station’s greatest strength is in the afternoon and evening, especially the 3-7 p.m. slot.Talk bust Rose is on from 3-5, there’s an hour of news at 5, and the first part of Franklin’s show airs from 6-7.During the summer there were also occasional baseball games butting into that time period.THE STATION was weakest during the 6-10 a.m. period — with news and McCulloch’s show trailing chief competitor WERE-AM by a wide margin.That may be why the people at WERE aren’t panicking — yet.“We were very pleased with the rating book,” said WERE Operations Director George Oliva III.“it was our highest summer rating in years.“They (WWWE) had a nice jump but apparently it wasn't at the expense of our audience. It was mostly in the afternoons evctjiiigs vmu Ddseoaii ana Franklin.“Now that people have had a chance to sample that product,JOE CONWAYlet’s see what they’re going to do.”* * *GLOOMY FORECAST ~ Weatherman Joe Conway will beleaving WKYC-TV Channel 3 by mid-December-*The station, stuck at or near the bottom of the ratings in recent years, has decided not to renew his contract when it expires Dec. 13.Conway could leave the air before the contract runs out if the station can find a replacement before then.Conway came to Channel 3 in December, 1983, after nearly seven years as a TV weatherman in Sacramento, Calif.Earlier this year, Channel 3 news director Ron Bilek said the station would continue to make changes in its news staff “until we find the right formula.* ♦ ♦TIP-OFF TIME — WUAB-TV Channel 43 begins its Cleveland Cavaliers basketball telecasts Friday night at 8:30 as the Cavaliers meet the Chicago Bulls in the Windy City.The telecast will mark the debut of new play-by-nlay man Jim Brinson, a 1V sports anchor in Pittsburgh who will be moonlighting on the Cavaliers games.Jack Corrigan returns as color commentator.
Newspaper Details
The Chronicle Telegram
Elyria, Ohio, US
Sat, Oct 19, 1985
Page 5
Full Page
Clipped by
Nathan O.
OH, USA 12 Oct 2021
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