Buffalo Broadcasters Association March Newsletter

Volume IV, Issue I

March 2011

In This Issue

Industry News

Comings and Goings

BBA Board of Directors Election

Memories of WNIA

A tribute to Liz and Dawn and more

INDUSTRY NEWS

Here are the Fall 2010 ratings of Buffalo radio stations as compiled by the Arbitron company for the 12+ audience.  WYRK is still number one with a 10.3 share.  WBEN keeps its second place ranking with an 8.7.  The rest of the top ten:  WBLK, 8.1; WGRF, 7.5; WKSE, 6.5; WJYE, 5.6; WHTT, 5.3; WEDG, 4.9; WGR, 4.8 and WTSS, 4.7.  Here's how the remaining stations ranked:  WBUF, 4.1; CKEY, 2.7; WBFO and WLKK, 1.9; WNED-FM, 1.5; WWWS, 1.3; CFZM and CHTZ, 1.0; WXRL 0.9 ; WNED-AM, 0.8; WHLD, WLVL, WUFO and WWKB, 0.7; WDCX and WECK, 0.6; CFNY, CHFI, CILQ and CKFM, 0.4.

On the television side, results of the February sweeps were not available in time for this newsletter.  TV critic Alan Pergament reported on his blog Still Talkin TV that the race for TV news supremacy is close between WGRZ and WIVB.  After three weeks of the sweeps period, Pergament said WGRZ's "Daybreak" was number one while WIVB was leading during the afternoon, early evening and 11pm newscasts. 

Citadel Broadcasting, owner of five Buffalo radio stations, and Cumulus Media say they are negotiating a merger agreement that would see Cumulus acquire Citadel for $2.5 billion.  Such a merger would create a single broadcasting ownership group consisting of 570 radio stations in 120 markets nationwide.  Citadel owns WGRF, 97 Rock; WEDG, 103.3 the Edge; WHTT, Classic Hits 104.1; WHLD, Swing 1270 and WBBF, 1120AM. 

The Niagara Radio Group, owner of CFLZ-FM and CKEY-FM in Niagara Falls, Ontario, sold the stations in December to Toronto-based Haliburton Broadcasting Group.  Haliburton President Chris Grossman told Business First that his company was attracted to the strong tourism-based economy in the Niagara region.  CKEY, known as Z101, targets the Buffalo market with its contemporary music format. 

WGRZ was nominated for a record breaking 16 Emmy Awards by the New York Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences.  WGRZ's total of 16 is the most in the station's history.  Reporter Scott Brown had five nominations and anchor Maryalice Demler received four.  WIVB was nominated for seven Emmy Awards.  Veteran News 4 reporter Rich Newberg had three nominations.  WKBW received one Emmy nomination.  The New York Chapter's 53rd Emmy Awards honor outstanding achievement in the television industry from September 2009 to August 2010.  The 2011 ceremony will take place on April 3rd in New York City.   

WGRZ and BlueCross BlueShield of Western New York are partnering on a new 30-minute daily program titled, "The Healthy Zone."  It premiered on December 27th and focuses on current health and wellness issues, including nutrition, fitness, stress management and overall health.  The show airs Monday through Friday from 11:30 a.m. until 12:00 noon and will continue throughout 2011.  It's hosted by Janet Snyder and Dr. Derek Alessi. 

WIVB and WNLO have announced that DISH subscribers may lose access to the two stations, if their parent company LIN Media does not reach a retransmission consent agreement with DISH Network.  The current retransmission consent contract expires this Friday, March 4th at 12midnight.  According to a statement from WIVB, it appears unlikely at this time that a new agreement will be reached.  If it is not by the deadline, by law, DISH cannot carry WIVB or WNLO on its satellite system.

Time Warner Cable and Sinclair Broadcasting reached a carriage agreement in January.  The agreement allows Sinclair's two Buffalo stations, WUTV, FOX29 and WNYO, MyTV, to continue on Time Warner Cable systems in Western New York.  There were concerns the two stations would be dropped at midnight New Year's Day.  But shortly before that deadline, the two sides agreed to an extension, and an agreement was reached soon after.  Time Warner had an agreement with the FOX network that would have allowed the cable system to broadcast such popular FOX programming as "American Idol,"  "The Simpsons" and the NFL playoffs and Super Bowl if WUTV was dropped, but it never came to that. 

Speaking of the Super Bowl, WUTV's airing of the game had the highest rating for a Super Bowl in Buffalo broadcasting history.  The game had a 52.7 rating and a 71.7 share in the Buffalo television market.

WSBU, St. Bonaventure University's student-run campus radio station, is one of 10 finalists for mtvU's 2011 College Radio Woodie Award.  A college-oriented member of the MTV family, mtvU first narrowed its list of 50 nominated college stations to 25 with online voting from Feb. 1-8, and then pared the list of 25 to 10 with voting that concluded Feb. 15.  Annually among The Princeton Review's top 5 college radio stations, WSBU now has a chance to be named the nation's top college station and be recognized at the sixth annual mtvU Woodie Awards March 16, airing at midnight on MTV, MTV2 and mtvU from the Austin Music Hall in Austin, Texas.

WNED-TV's "WNED Cooks:  Family Favorites," aired on Saturday, February 26th, hosted by Eileen Koteras Elibol.  The program featured eight local cooks who prepared their recipes live during a three-hour cooking extravaganza.  The popular "WNED Cooks" series returned after six years, blending food, fun and proven kitchen tips. It will be rebroadcast on Saturday, March 26th at 10am.  Also, WNED is airing its 16th community "video scrapbook production, "Our  Town, Niagara Falls, Canada" on Saturday, March 26th at 6:30 p.m.  Segments feature churches, cemeteries, nightlife, the Maid of the Mist and the War of 1812. 

Talks between the University at Buffalo and Western New York Public Broadcasting over the future of WBFO have not yet resulted in anything concrete.  Both released a statement last September that they were hoping to conclude talks by December 31st.  But that deadline passed without any announcement.  All is quiet as WBFO prepares for its spring fundraiser in early April.  Meanwhile, both WBFO and WNED are mobilizing their respective listeners/viewers to lobby their congressional representatives to stop a Republican proposal that would eliminate all federal spending on public broadcasting. 

WBFO's Mark Wozniak is being honored by the Am-Pol Eagle as its Citizen of the Year in the media category.  Wozniak is the local host of All Things Considered on WBFO.  But for several years in the 1980s, he was co-host of the station's Sunday evening polka program.  Wozniak also spent 13 years working with the late Stan Jasinski on his weekend polka shows on the old WHTT-AM. 

WBLK's Andrianna Viverette was honored by Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown in the media category for helping to make Buffalo "a better place."  WGRZ's Claudine Ewing was the Master of Ceremonies for the annual Black History Month commemoration in City Hall on February 28th.

WKBW-TV will air the 49th Variety Kids Telethon on Sunday, March 6th, from 7am to 7pm.  The telethon raises money for local organizations, including Women and Children's Hospital of Buffalo and many other children's charities.  Some of this year's performers include local band "More Than Me," Terry Buchwald, Mr. Food and Channel 7 personalities.  Joe and Paula Salvatore are this year's honorary chairpersons.  Last year's telethon raised over $1.2 million, and this year those involved hope it will only get bigger. 

I try to do a comprehensive search for news from the Buffalo TV and radio market.  But I need your help!  If you have industry news you would like to see included in our quarterly newsletter, please send your news releases to Editor Mark Scott at bfoscott@buffalo.edu.  

Comings and Goings

Veteran WIVB news reporter and anchor Mylous Hairston resigned suddenly on February 24th, stunning his colleagues and viewers.  Media reports indicate Hairston received a standing ovation from fellow employees as he left the station for the last time.  His career spanned 20 years at News 4.  He anchored weekend newscasts and served as a reporter during the remainder of his work week.  Hairston told the Buffalo News that he was planning to leave sometime this year and decided that now was the time.  He does not have a new job lined up yet.  But the News is reporting that Mayor Byron Brown has confirmed his administration has talked with Hairston about the vacant communications position in the Mayor's office.  Hairston is president of the WIVB chapter of the American Federal of Television and Radio Artists (AFTRA) and has been involved in contract negotiations with the station's parent company, LIN Media.  WIVB's Nalina Shapiro was in the anchor chair the weekend after Hairston's departure.  

Reporter Laura Gray is leaving WKBW's "Eyewitness News" to become the communications specialist at Buffalo-based Delaware North.  Gray joined Channel 7 in Fall 2006 from WJET in Erie, PA.  Her last day is Friday, March 4th. 

WGRZ reporter Mary Friona returned to "Daybreak" in February.  Friona was on leave for several months to care for her ill daughter. 

Former WKBW morning anchor Bridget Blythe is the new morning anchor for New England Cable News.  She was let go from "Eyewitness News This Morning" last fall when anchors Patrick Taney and Ginger Geoffrey were moved to mornings.  Also at Channel 7, six newsrooms staffers were laid off in early December - three photographers, an assignment editor, a producer and a website specialist. 

Reporter Nicki Mayo was laid off from Time Warner Cable's Your News Now (YNN).  She was an original hire when the 24-hour local news service went on the air in March 2009.  Mayo has returned to her hometown of Baltimore to look for work. 

Nationally, Kenmore native Jeff Glor was appointed news anchor in January of CBS' "The Early Show." 

Mark Hamrick is the 2011 president of the National Press Club in Washington.  Hamrick was a news anchor at WEBR Newsradio 970 and WBEN.  He is currently a business reporter and online video producer for the Associated Press. 

Marcia Mule, a 1985 graduate of Buffalo State College, has been appointed head of programming at Engel Entertainment in New York City.  Mule received her start as a producer for "PM Magazine" in Buffalo and went on to make a name for herself in reality TV.  Engel provides programming for the History Channel, A&E, TLC and Discovery.

In comings and goings in Buffalo radio, Brian DeMay was released as program director of WTSS, Star 102.5, where he also handled an air shift.  Operations Manager Sue O'Neil has assumed the station's programming duties.

Veteran Buffalo broadcaster Tom Schuh was let go as program director of WECK.  Afternoon host Brad Riter has taken over as PD. 

In memoriam... 

Liz Dribben, former co-host of WKBW's "Dialing for Dollars" and CBS News producer

Dawn Hamilton, former news editor of WEBR, Newsradio 970, and senior vice president of foundations and community development, WNED 

Donald W. Wiilkinson, freelance audio engineer for WEBR and WNED

Joe Ader, Longtime WBEN/WIVB Videographer

BBA Board of Directors Election

Members of the Buffalo Broadcasters Association have elected six members to the organization's board.  Three are returning board members and the other three are new to the board.  

Jackie Albarella is a veteran Buffalo broadcast engineer and producer, who currently runs her own video production company.  Jackie also freelances as a gardening reporter for WGRZ's "Daybreak" on Saturday mornings.  Jackie is one of our new board members.

Herb Flemming, a retired Buffalo broadcaster and public relations executive, returns to the board.  Herb is a founding board member of the Buffalo Broadcasters Association and has been our secretary/treasurer for the past ten years.

Bob Koshinski is new to the board this year.  He is a veteran of Buffalo television who has served as sports director of WKBW, Channel 7 and vice president/general manager of the old Empire Sports Network.  Bob is currently public relations director at Niagara County Community College. 

Heidi Raphael, also a first-time board member, is vice president of corporate communication at Greater Media, which runs 23 radio stations in several key markets in the US.  Heidi began her career in Buffalo at several radio stations and currently lives in Williamsville.

Steve Reszka, owner of Reszka and Associates, a Buffalo-based marketing communications company, was re-elected to another term.  Steve also owns WSIR-AM in Winter Haven, Florida. 

Don Yearke, a retired Buffalo television reporter, producer and photographer, was also re-elected.  Don still helps out as a freelancer for Channel 4 and is a member of the Buffalo Broadcasters Association Hall of Fame. 

The board also re-elected its current slate of officers -- Dave Gillen as president, Suzanne Chamberlain as vice president and Herb Flemming as secretary/treasurer.

Memories of WNIA

by J.R. Reid

I don't know what number Tommy Thomas I may have been -- 4th, 5th, 6^th, who knows -- and frankly who cares.  That was the whole idea -- pay budding DJs minimum wages when they're just getting their feet wet in the radio biz.  Then, then when they get a better paying job or a better opportunity, they will move on and there will be another neophyte in the wings to take over using the same DJ name and to the public the change will be almost transparent. 

 That was Gordon P. Brown's philosophy at WNIA (Buffalo 25, NY) (Cheektowaga) and at WSAY in Rochester as well.  Tommy Thomas was the morning jock, then Jerry Jack afternoons and Mike Melody at night.  And then you had Mac McGuire weekends and Bob Bell usually filled in the vacation spots, too.  There you have the line-up of talent.  And oh, the talents who passed through those "wuh-ni-uh" ranch house doors over the years.  Bill Desing, Bob Nash, Jim Davis and several others who will remain nameless (they were either there for such a short non-memorable time or they just screwed up so badly that they decided working in the Lackawanna steel mills was more their vocation) were among my colleagues during the short time I was at the 2900 Genesee Street studios from 1962 to 1964. 

Other voices to grace the 1230 airwaves included Jim Fagan, Don Yearke, Roger (Christian) Ocincella, Jack Horohoe and so many others that I must apologize in advance if I don't include everyone due to column inch restraints.  Needless to say, many advanced their broadcasting prowess under the tutelage of Program Director/General Manager Mary Lounsbury.  I remember my first meeting with "Miss Mary," who was quite a great looking woman.  And I'm sure I may have even had dreams about her at one time or another at my ripe age of 17.  I was handed some sort of confusing copy to read cold, and I apparently did it all right because the next thing I knew I was hired for $1.15 per hour.  I remember training for a very short period of time (mainly because the part timers were filling in the empty spot) so the sooner I learned the ropes the better.

 I was always proud of the fact that I could "hit the post" (that is, talk over the intro of the record and whip up the pot just before the vocal came in).  I soon learned that the RCA transmitter didn't have a stay level or limiter of any sort, and if you over modulated (as in hitting the post TOO HARD), you would throw the carrier off the air -- so the best and tightest intro could prove to be all for naught!  I would complain to the engineer Al Nagy but to no avail.  ("Jeesh -- dem kids" Al would often be heard saying!)  My biggest problem with Al was when our turntable styli would start to go bad and would start digging trenches in our records.  It would take a week or more to get it replaced and the cue burns on the vinyl sounded like Lake Erie surf during a wind storm.

Then there were the reel-to-reel tape decks.  The old Bell and Howell upright deck was used to play back commercials and promos.  I was used to that one -- it was just like the decks we had used in high school.  Then we were relegated to a series of Lafayette Radio and Radio Shack decks -- not bad little home use decks but not designed to be left on for extended periods.  We would get about a month out of each one before the capstan and motor bearing would start to squeal.  Do you know how annoying that can be?  One day I had had it with the damn thing and somehow the deck went through the rear window of the studio and into the back yard.  After I calmed down a bit, I went out and retrieved the deck.  I don't think they ever knew for sure how the dents happened or where that clump of grass may have come from.    

And on frigid Western New York winter mornings, I swear the studios were colder than it was outdoors because it would usually take quite a while for the microphone to "come to temperature."  Its diaphragm would freeze and we would have to breathe on it and slap it around in order to get it working properly.  If you didn't, you sounded like you were talking from the next room!  

We had play lists produced by the "music director" (Bonnie).  Even though we had a pretty extensive play list, it was still too small for our liking, and we would occasionally "mistakenly" flip a record over and the "B" side would be played -- again, by "mistake" of course.  And Mary must have listened 18-1/2 hours a day because the "hot line" would light up and she would call to scold us.  We would always explain it was just a "mistake."  So to keep the "mistakes" from happening any more, Mary would take a letter opener and proceed to X out -- that is, obliterate -- the "B" side so no more "mistakes" could ever happen again!  Eventually the record companies even caught on by issuing double-sided "A" side discs!

WNIA was famous for no news.  Well, actually Gordon P. apparently convinced someone at the FCC that community features and weather news was all that was necessary to satisfy the news niche.  And along with the periodic Catholic prayers, someone up there was obviously on his side!   Occasionally, Mr. Brown would come to town with his trusty secretary Belle by his side, and we were all told to be on our best behavior during his visit.  My fondest memory of Gordon P.  proved the fact of his frugality -- instead of wearing bifocals he would place one pair of glasses over his other pair for close up work!  Amazing!

Traffic was handled by a lovely young lady -- Arlene was her name as I recall.  She didn't have too much to do as we weren't heavily spotted to say the least.  Sales Manager Bob Rogers did his level best and brought in several local sponsors as did I during a brief stint at sales.  Plus, we had some national ads from our national sales rep occasionally.  I remember Preparation H, a few beer sponsors, Pepsi and maybe a cigarette company or two.   Of course, producing local spots -- or our ever present promos -- entailed doing it after sign-off at 12:30 am because we had only one control room -- no production room.  So every few weeks, we would have an all-nighter producing what was necessary for the next few weeks.  There were times when the all-nighter would turn into a beer and Bocce pizza party or a Mike's Submarine party.  And I had to sign on in the morning! 

Summer brought out that magnificent next door neighbor with his gas lawn mower.  No matter who was on the air, he hated us all.  He would start the mower up and let it run -- right under the window behind the control room and one of two sources of air conditioning provided by Mr. Brown!   The other source was the other window to the outside to our left.  We would end up having to close both windows and sweat to death until he either moved the machine or it ran out of gas.  Of course, payback time was a pleasure.  Sometime early in the morning after those all night production sessions, we would open all the windows and turn up the monitor all the way, turn out the lights and play our sound effects discs full volume -- lions roaring, trains, planes, monkeys screeching -- it all continued until the lights went on at the obnoxious neighbor's house.  Then all went silent!  In retrospect, I guess we deserved that lawn mower harassment.

After a year and a half, our Mike Melody at the time went on one too many alcohol binges and showed up tipsy once again.  That was the last straw and Mary fired him.  I was just finishing the morning Tommy Thomas gig at 12 noon and Mary said she wanted to see me in her office.  I was asked to take over the Melody Corner night show and become Mr. Mike Melody from 6:30 pm to 12:30 am signoff.  I agreed and asked "When do I start?"  Mary replied "TONIGHT!"  That was one long day even for an 18 year old!  

We never really cared about actual ratings.  We knew how popular we were.  The Melody Corner request show alone had thousands of requests every night.  And there were those faithful listeners who would tune in nightly for "Midnight Mood" by Richard Maltby to be played at the stroke of 12.  We were very pleased that a little 250 watter in Cheektowaga could pull a number two rating against the powerful 50,000 watt KB with Joey Reynolds and the 10,000 watt WGR at the other end of the dial with Tom Shannon.  (Tom's biggest problem was his show was always being preempted by Bison Baseball so the consistency wasn't always there.  But we still beat him!)    

And it wasn't uncommon for all three of us -- Joey, Tom and myself -- to get together after we were off the air at a local Deco, Your Host or the Swiss Chalet on Main Street downtown and just unwind together.  We three remain close to this day.

A tribute to Liz and Dawn, plus it's been busy!

by Mark Scott, Newsletter Editor

Buffalo broadcasting lost two women of significance within days of each other in January.  One was a pioneer while the other still had so much more to contribute.  They were Liz Dribben and Dawn Hamilton. 

I got to know Liz by phone in her final years.  Her career came full circle as she did some commentaries for me at WBFO, where she had started some 50 years earlier in the station's early days.  When the phone rang, and it was Liz, you knew you were in for a lengthy conversation.  Her acceptance speech when she was inducted into the Buffalo Broadcasting Hall of Fame will also be remembered when she asked for a chair.  That, too, was going to take some time as she reflected on a legendary career.

Liz became a star in Buffalo as co-host of "Dialing for Dollars" from 1964 to 1968.  When there was a day off from school, I'd be in front of the TV set to watch Liz and her co-host Nolan Johannes as they announced the "count" and the "amount" in their cash giveaway.  The phone never rang in my home.  But I was ready if that call did come.  Liz became the first woman in Buffalo to anchor a newscast.  She hosted a one-on-one interview program, "In Conversation," where she talked with a range of celebrity guests from Phyllis Diller to Allen Ginsberg. 

In 1969, Liz headed to New York City and eventually joined CBS Radio, where she worked as a producer for such legends as Mike Wallace, Dan Rather and Charles Osgood.  She also helped out on the TV side as a contributing producer for the CBS Evening News and CBS News Sunday Morning. 

When I got to know her, Liz was teaching a new generation of journalists at the Columbia School of Journalism.  She was a friend to many in Buffalo broadcasting.  If you'd like to share your own memories of Liz, please send them along to bflobroadcasters@aol.com for inclusion in our next newsletter.  Liz's last piece last piece for me aired on Father's Day 2009, a tribute to her father.  Toodle-loo, Liz!

I wasn't a close friend of Dawn Hamilton.  But I always admired her work at the old WEBR Newsradio 970.  Dawn was an editor, quite a demanding job at an all-news station to be sure.  Occasionally, she and I would be out on the street covering a story.  After the all-news format was dropped in favor of a traditional public radio presentation on AM970, Dawn began a second career as a grant writer for WNED.  She obviously did this well.  Dawn was senior vice president of foundation and community development for WNED at the time of her passing.  In 2003, I worked with Dawn and other WNED staffers on a joint project between WBFO and WNED-AM that resulted in the awarding of $35,000 grant for the two stations to collaborate on a series of reports and a live forum on health challenges on Buffalo's East Side. 

Dawn died at the too early age of 51 from breast cancer.  My colleagues at WNED tell me she never let her disease get her down.  Dawn became an active fundraiser for the Roswell Park Cancer Institute.  In fact, Dawn designed her own baseball cap representing the spirit of her cancer journey as part of a partnership between Roswell Park and New Era Cap Company.  Dawn's husband is Paul Hamilton, beat reporter for the Buffalo Bills and Sabres at WGR.  We offer Paul our sincerest condolences on his loss.

The year is just two months old, but local TV and radio newsrooms have had to deal with one huge story after another.  The trial of Mussammil Hassan in the February 2009 murder of his wife Aasiya dominated the airwaves for three weeks in late January and early February.  This was a particularly difficult story for TV to cover because cameras were not allowed in the courtroom for the testimony.  Without video, it was up to the individual reporters to craft compelling reports each day from the steps of the courthouse.  I watched all three TV stations over the course of the trial, and all did extremely well in accomplishing this challenging task.  Most reporters "tweeted" updates on Twitter and presented "status updates" on Facebook.  This can be a good and bad thing.  I did hear from one friend of mine who used to be in broadcasting.  He told me he stopped following the stations on Twitter because of the overwhelming volume of messages from the trial.

Within days of the Hassan trial ending came the stunning news that Congressman Chris Lee had resigned.  A gossip website had published a shirtless photo of Lee that he had sent to a woman he met on Craigslist.  News that Lee had resigned came just minutes before the 6:00 newscasts were set to begin.  I was watching Channel 2 on this particular night, and they responded quite capably by scrapping the news stories they had prepared in favor of nearly non-stop coverage that included a phone interview with local Republican operative Carl Calabrese and frequent updates from Marissa Bailey in the newsroom.  I should have done some channel surfing to see what Channels 4 and 7 were doing, but I was more in a mode of being a news consumer rather than a column writer at that point.  This had to be a producer's worst nightmare, a story of major importance breaking right before your newscast is scheduled to begin. 

Other major stories included Terry Pegula's introduction as Buffalo Sabres owner and, of course, the snow.  I'm always amused at how critical the public can be when a major snowstorm fails to materialize like the one forecast for February 9th.  As good as the forecasting models are, the fact is that humans can't control Mother Nature.  And I do remember meteorologists on all three stations were saying that if the freezing rain tracked a bit farther north than expected that day, accumulations wouldn't be as great.  And that's exactly what happened.  I'm sure we'd all agree that it's better to be prepared like we were on February 9th than we were a few short years ago when no one predicted the heavy snow that fell in the October Surprise.

Finally, one correction from my December column.  I referred to Suzanne Chamberlain, my valued colleague on the Buffalo Broadcasters Association board, as our secretary.  Suz serves as board vice president.  And thanks to Herb Flemming for catching the error.  I sent this newsletter to Herb in advance this time, just in case!