WVUT Receives Grant for HD Transition

PBS member station WVUT-TV in Southwest Indiana is the third public station in recent weeks to receive federal monies for digital broadcasting. WVUT, owned by Vincennes University, received $596,000 from the Department of Agriculture’s public station DTV transition grant program, Inside Indiana Business reports.

The two-year grant will fund new studio cameras and other digital production equipment that allows the station to create local programming in hi-def.

http://www.televisionbroadcast.com/article/88832

WOUB Receives Grant for HD Upgrade

PBS member station WOUB-TV received a $255,283 federal grant for its high-definition upgrade. The matching-fund grant will be used by the WOUB Center for Public Media at Ohio University for digital television gear for producing local high-definition content for the primary HD channels of public television stations WOUB in Athens and WOUC-TV in Cambridge. WOUB obtained the other half of the money for the project from the state of Ohio’s eTech program. The federal funding came through the U.S. Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration Public Telecommunications Facilities Program.

http://www.televisionbroadcast.com/article/88632

Past Ohio AP President Dies

Ohio radio and television news veteran Mike Partin, a two-time past president of the Ohio Associated Press Broadcasters organization, has died at age 42.

His wife, Tammy Partin, says he died early Saturday at Genesis Hospital in Zanesville, just hours after serving as the announcer at a high school football game. Doctors told the family the death was from natural causes.

http://www.upnorthlive.com/entertainment/story.aspx?id=361798

Public Broadcasting Adapts in a Changing World

Last week, WNIN-PBS9 received a 2009 My Source Community Impact Award from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting for its efforts to promote healthy lifestyles in the Tri-State. Vincent Curren, executive vice president and chief operating officer of the corporation, presented the award.

http://www.courierpress.com/news/2009/oct/11/public-broadcasting-adapts-in-changing-world/

Viewers React to WHAS Friday Flashback

A special Friday flashback; the Belle of Louisville turns 95 on Sunday, with a special party at 2:00 p.m.

WHAS11 wasn’t there 95 years ago, but as we discovered, we were there on that day in 1962, when the Belle first arrived on the Louisville wharf; looking like a mess. WHAS crews grabbed their film cameras and floated out to the boat.

http://www.whas11.com/news/local/stories/100909whascwTopBelleofLouisville.1feb41d5d.html

Local HD News Coming to Evansville

Last week, I mentioned that 14WFIE-NBC intends at some point to broadcast its newscasts in high definition. That would make WFIE the first station here to broadcast local news in HD.

However, when it comes to network and syndicated programming in HD, the fine folks at 44 Main St. took up the task of converting their station to "all-HD, all the time" just about a year ago — and they did a fantastic job.

http://www.courierpress.com/news/2009/oct/08/wfie-taking-first-leap-into-high-definition-news/

FCC Proposing Changing WCPO's Channel Assignment

The FCC has proposed allowing Scripps' ABC affiliate WCPO-TV Cincinnati to move its channel assignment so it can reach more viewers with its digital signal.

The station told the commission that after the June 12 DTV switch it "received a large number of telephone calls and emails from viewers unable to receive the station's new digital service."

It was not alone.

http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/357108-FCC_Proposes_Changing_WCPO_Channel_Assignment.php

Is WAVE3 Looking for a New "Troubleshooter"?

Is WAVE3 Troubleshooter on the way out?

A posting on the Louisville Ad Federation’s job board from October 2 leads one to believe that the local NBC affiliate is looking for a new “Troubleshooter.”

http://thevillevoice.com/2009/10/07/changes-with-wave3s-troubleshooter-coming/

WNIN to Air the Indiana Channel

It looks like WNIN is the first of Indiana's eight PBS television stations to carry the new Indiana Channel.

In today's "News from WNIN" e-mail newsletter, WNIN's president and general manager, David Dial, said, "As envisioned, the Indiana Channel will effectively bring greater information about Hoosiers, our communities and our aspirations into homes throughout our great state." He added, "It will create opportunities for expanded public service, better education, more visibility for statewide leaders, and new partnerships among Indiana institutions."

http://jakesdtvblog.blogspot.com/2009/10/wnin-first-to-carry-indiana-channel.html

New Cinci ND Arrives to Shut Revolving Door

No more revolving door. That's the goal of Stacy Owen, the new WLWT-TV (Channel 5) news director.

"Every decision we're making is to see what is the best long-term play for us. No changes for the sake of change," says Owen, who arrived from KXTV-TV in Sacramento, Calif., four weeks ago.

http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20091004/ENT11/910040365/1175/ENT/New+Channel+5+director+to+stabilize+staff

WSTR Gets New Antenna

WSTR-TV 64/Cincinnati, which rebranded last week with the old/new moniker of "Star 64", just upped their power to 60 kW, and installed a new antenna custom built for the terrain of the Tri-State.


John Kiesewetter reported Monday that the new antenna is about 72 feet taller, at 902 feet vs. 830 feet. However, the antenna is still located on what's known in local media geek circles as "STAR Tower", aka WSTR's broadcast tower in College Hill on Winton Road. It was custom built for WSTR, so that it can cover the hilly terrain of the area, says John Lawhead, WSTR General Manager.

http://ohkyintristatemedia.blogspot.com/2009/09/churning-out-one-more-item.html

WKRC HD Debut Review

We said we would review Local 12 WKRC-TV/Cincinnati's HD launch - and so we are now with this post.


First off, it wasn't without its technical glitches - which we think will be fixed for tonight's 5 PM newscast in 35 minutes. Sometimes the picture broke up - but that's to be expected for the first broadcast. There weren't audio troubles which is good.

http://ohkyintristatemedia.blogspot.com/2009/09/local-12-in-high-definition-review.html

Stations Moving HD News Off the Backburner

In 2006 and 2007, TV stations seemed to be introducing local news in HD at the same rapid pace that consumers were snapping up big flat-screen TVs. But as the economy started slowing last year, capital budgets tightened and stations began putting HD news upgrades on hold.

The hope now is that the pace of the HD rollout will accelerate next year when stations expect revenue to grow once again.

http://www.tvnewscheck.com/articles/2009/10/01/daily.3/

KET Executive Director to Retire

After just more than six years at the helm of Kentucky Educational Television, Mac Wall announced plans Thursday to retire at the end of the year.

Wall, 63, said a desire to spend more time with his family prompted the decision.

"My wife in early September went on our trip to Spain, and I say 'our trip' because I didn't go," said Wall, who was at a meeting of the Organization of State Broadcasting Executives at the time. "She came back and said that will never happen again."

The couple are expecting their first grandchild next spring and plan to spend their time in Florida and Oregon with family, he said.

Wall said the highlight of his time at KET was the 2005 launch of the network's EncycloMedia education service for schools and its expansion.

"It's free, it's robust, it's deep and it's invaluable. It's just been a rock star for us," he said of the program, which is a partnership with the state Department of Education. "When you get into these really rural poor school districts, and they have this and it's free, it's powerful."

Wall's time at KET also has seen its expansion of high-definition programming. But it also has been a difficult time financially.

http://www.kentucky.com/lexgo/tv/story/960175.html

WBKI Picks Up Lottery Drawings

Nightly Kentucky Lottery drawings in the Louisville area are moving to WBKI, the CW Louisville station — Insight Cable Channel 7 — effective Thursday night.

The drawings have been on WDRB-Fox 41 for the last 10 years. But WDRB did not sign on again with M & S Works, the company that the Kentucky Lottery Corp. has picked for the third consecutive, five-year period to produce the drawings show, said lottery spokesman Chip Polston. The Fox affiliate “didn’t want to participate any more,” he said.

When Will Jack Atherton Debut on Channel 5

It could be any day now… Atherton, the former Fox 19 anchor, finally can work for WLWT-TV (Ch 5) starting Thursday, Oct. 1, when his 9-month “non-compete” clause expires. Over lunch this week, Atherton told me he’s volunteered “to show up on the morning show just to say hello!”

Atherton reports to the Channel 5 newsroom on Thursday. He’s scheduled to anchor his first newscasts with Sheree Paolello on Monday. But News Director Stacy Owen confirms that “News 5 Today” might feature a visit soon by the station’s newest personality.

http://cincinnati.com/blogs/tv/2009/09/30/when-will-jack-atherton-debut-on-ch-5/

WHIO to Broadcast Creighton's Season Opener

Creighton University and Omaha CBS affiliate KMTV announced eight more television games for the local Bluejays fans to enjoy. Travis Justice and former Creighton guard Nick Bahe will broadcast some of the bigger games of the 2009-2010 CU hoops season, including:

http://whiteandbluereview.com/?p=1576

Former WBNS Asst. Newsman Out as ND at WPXI

WPXI general manager Ray Carter said he and news director Corrie Harding have come to a mutual decision that Harding will leave his role at Channel 11 effective immediately.

Harding joined WPXI in 2005 after working as an assistant news director and managing editor at WBNS in Columbus.



Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/09272/1001528-67.stm#ixzz0T0LXjTPR

Former Columbus Assignment Editor Reinvents Himself as Independent Producer

“LifeStyles with Rebecca” is a weekly series that will tell the inspiring stories of Americans who have reinvented themselves. Tom Jacobs, the producer-director behind this PBS show, travels the country in the LifeStyles RV provided by Neff Brothers of Lorain, searching for triumphant tales to share with viewers.

http://www.cleveland.com/tv/index.ssf/2009/09/tom_johnson_producer_of_lifest.html

Cinci Producer Puts Out All Call for Kings Island Home Movies

Somewhere out there, in closets or attics, Nate Byrum figures folks have old home movies or videotapes of Kings Island's earliest attractions.

Byrum, a CET director, wants the footage for his Kings Island documentary, "Riding History to the Limits," which can be previewed in nine segments at www.CETconnect.org.

http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20090927/ENT/909270335/1175/Local+Media++Director+needs+home+movies