Buffalo Broadcasters Association September Newsletter

Volume II, Issue III

September 2009 

In This Issue

Industry News

Comings and Goings

Hall of Fame

Radio and TV Awards

INDUSTRY NEWS

For the first time in more than a year, a Buffalo radio station has changed formats.  WHTT Radio at 104.1FM, which was known as Mix 104.1, dropped its adult contemporary format for classic hits.  The station is now featuring popular music from the late 1960s, 1970s and early 1980s.  On-air hosts are Bill Lacy in AM and PD Joe Siragusa in afternoon drive.  Syndicated host John Tesh continues during the evening hours.  Buffalo radio veteran Brian J. Walker is heard weekends.  This is the second go round for Classic Hits on WHTT.  The station carried that tag from 1986 through 1989 before becoming Oldies 104.

 
Here are the spring ratings of Buffalo radio stations as compiled by the Arbitron company for the 12+ audience.  WYRK is back at number one with a 10.3 share.  WBEN, which was ranked at the top in the winter book, followed with a 9.6.  The rest of the top ten:  WKSE, 7.3; WBLK, 6.6; WGRF, 6.1; WJYE, 5.6; WBUF, 4.7; WTSS, 4.5; WEDG and WHTT, 4.2.  Here's how the remaining stations ranked:  WGR, 3.3, WLKK, 2.7; CKEY, 2.5; WBFO, 2.2; WNED-FM and CFZM (AM 740), 1.6; WWWS and WXRL, 1.5; WNED-AM and CHTZ, 1.4; WWKB, 1.3; WDCX, 0.9; WECK and CILQ, 0.6; WHLD, 0.5; WLVL, WUFO, CFNY and CHUM-FM, 0.4. 

WIVB, Channel 4 finished number one in all newscasts during the July sweeps, according to a news release issued by the station.  The station finished first for newscasts at 5am, 6am, 12noon, 5pm, 5:30pm, 6pm and 11pm.  The station's 10pm newscast which airs on WNLO, Channel 23 also finished first.  "It is extremely gratifying and humbling at the same time, to share in the success and hard work of our multi-platform newsroom and all other station personnel because this truly is a total team effort," said News 4 President and GM Chris Musial.

WGRZ, Channel 2 moved its 12noon newscast to 11am in June. 

Also in June, all Buffalo TV stations completed their transition from analog to digital broadcasting.  Their analog signals were then turned off.  Management officials at the local stations say viewers were well prepared for the change, and that there were relatively few phone calls of complaints. 

WNED's "Reading Rainbow" ended its 26-year run on public television August 28th.  The show has won more than two-dozen Emmys, and is the third longest-running children's show in PBS history - outlasted only by "Sesame Street" and "Mister Rogers."  The show, which started in 1983, was hosted by actor LeVar Burton (pictured below).  According to a news story on NPR's Morning Edition, the show's run is ending, because no one - not the station, not PBS, not the Corporation for Public Broadcasting - will put up the several hundred thousand dollars needed to renew the show's broadcast rights.  WNED Programming Chief John Grant says the funding crunch is partially to blame.  But he said the decision to end "Reading Rainbow" can also be traced to a shift in the philosophy of educational television programming.  NPR reports the change started with the Department of Education under the Bush administration, which wanted to see a much heavier focus on the basic tools of reading - like phonics and spelling.  Grant says that PBS, CPB and the Department of Education put significant funding toward programming that would teach kids how to read - but that's not what Reading Rainbow was trying to do.  "'Reading Rainbow' taught kids why to read," Grant says. "You know, the love of reading - [the show] encouraged kids to pick up a book and to read."

WIVB, Channel 4 announced in June that its viewers can now download a free application that allows them to view WIVB.com, the television station's website on their iPhone and iPod Touch.  According to a news release, the iPhone app allows viewers to get local news, sports, weather, traffic and more.

Time Warner Cable has announced the enabling of five more popular channels for Start Over, increasing the available channel options to 85.  The new additions include Disney XD on channel 119, Food HD on channel 716, TNT HD on channel 724, Cartoon Network HD on channel 747 and FX HD on channel 757.  Start Over allows customers to jump to the beginning of a program in progress without any preplanning or in-home recording devices and is available to digital cable subscribers at no additional charge. 

Time Warner Cable along with the United Ways of Western New York, announces that online voting for the 2nd Annual TWC WNY Heroes Awards begins today, September 1.  The public will select winners in each of five categories by visiting www.timewarnercable.com/wny.  The finalists represent categories including Active Artists, Community Fixer, Education Leader, Minor Miracle Worker, and Senior Star.  Each person can only cast one vote per day through October 31st.  Winners for the 2009 TWC WNY Heroes Awards will be sealed until the live televised luncheon event from the Statler Towers ballroom in downtown Buffalo on Tuesday, November 17.  It will be televised by Your News Now Buffalo from noon to 2 P.M.

WBFO hosted NPR investigative reporter Daniel Zwerdling in June.  Since joining the network in 1980, Zwerdling's stories have attracted national attention and generated government action.  Most recently, he revealed that returning soldiers from Iraq and Afghanistan were being punished by their officers for seeking treatment of their post traumatic stress and other serious mental illnesses.  Zwerdling addressed a group of WBFO members at a luncheon and participated in a one-hour call-in show.

A loyal benefactor has left $1.4 million to classical music radio station, WNED-FM. 

Charles N. Hubbell, whose passion was classical music, was a bachelor with no heirs when he died in 2007 at age 72.  The station held a ceremony on July 22 where the broadcast booth was named the Charles N. Hubbell Studio.  "We don't know much about this quiet patron," WNED President Donald Boswell said, "but we are extremely grateful for his enormous generosity."

Barbara Kellerman, Ph.D., an expert on leadership and author of "Followership: How Followers Are Creating Change and Changing Leaders," will speak at the Buffalo City Forum and buffet luncheon on Wednesday, September 16 at 12:15 pm.The forum takes place inthe WNED studios, 140 Lower Terrace, Buffalo.  This community speaker series, open to the public, is produced by WNED-AM 970 and Leadership Buffalo and hosted by WNED-AM News Director Jim Ranney. The hour-long forum, which includes a question and answer session with the speaker, will be broadcast live (on WNED-AM and wned.org/news) beginning at 1 pm.

On July 11, 2009, Forgotten Buffalo paid respects to legendary broadcaster and rock & roll pioneer, George "Hound Dog" Lorenz. The grave site tribute was part of Forgotten Buffalo's tour of Clinton Street & Kaisertown. The Hound lived on Baitz Ave near Clinton and is buried at St. Matthew's cemetery on Clinton Street in West Seneca.  With the sounds of Lorenz's theme song the "Big Heavy" in the background, Marty Biniasz and Eddy Dobosiewicz left a 45 copy of Elvis Presley's "Hound Dog" at the Hound's grave.  Let Buffalo never forget the Hound!  Photo credit goes to Forgotten Buffalo.
 
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 mscott@wbfo.org.  I'm now on Channels 2 and 4's and Time-Warner's mailing list.  But I'd love to hear more from the three major radio ownership groups in Buffalo, so I can include your news.  Thanks!

 Comings and Goings

Veteran TV news anchor John Beard is returning to Buffalo.  WGRZ, Channel 2 has announced that Beard will host the station's "Daybreak" program from 5 to 7am and the station's 11am newscast.  He'll start his new assignment on September 14th.  For more than 25 years, Beard was a news anchor in Los Angeles.  Before that, he was a popular anchor at WIVB, Channel 4.  "I am thrilled to be coming back to Western New York," Beard said in a news release issued by WGRZ.  "I have remained close friends with a lot of people from this area and I visit every chance I get. In some ways I guess I've been Buffalo's unofficial ambassador to the West Coast, telling people on and off the air what a great town this is."
 
Pete Gallivan, the current co-host of "Daybreak" will begin a new role, as the most senior multi-media journalist on the WGRZ staff.  "His contacts made over the years will now be able to be more fully utilized" said WGRZ President Jim Toellner. 
 
Also at Channel 2, veteran Buffalo broadcaster Maria Genero told the "Buffalo News" that she has signed a two-year contract to serve as a part-time weather person for the station.
 
WIVB, Channel 4 has released two staffers.  Weekend weather person Mary Beth Wrobel and reporter Rob Macko lost their jobs in late June.  In an email to "Buffalo News" TV Critic Alan Pergament, Wrobel thanked viewers and "the wonderful group of people I've worked with for nearly nine years."   
 
Also at WIVB, weekend news anchor Mylous Hairston was sidelined this summer after suffering a heart attack.  After undergoing surgery, he spent several weeks recovering and hopes to be back on the air soon.  
 

 

Brent Axe of radio station WNSS-AM in Syracuse is now part of the announcing staff for radio broadcasts of Buffalo Bills games.  He'll be heard on the pre-game, halftime and post-game shows.
 
Katie Morse and Jason Torreano have been promoted to co-anchors of Buffalo's 24-hour Your News Now on Time Warner Cable.  They are also continuing their reporting duties. 
 
Jack Mindy retired from broadcasting in early July.  The veteran radio host last worked at a Rochester community station, WGMC, where he hosted an afternoon jazz program.  Jack had worked at WBEN, WWKB, WGR and WYSL in Buffalo.

WNED President and CEO Donald Boswell announced that, effective immediately, the public broadcaster is making some changes to its senior management team.  As a part of these changes, former Senior Vice President of Broadcasting Dick Daly will become a Senior Consultant reporting to Boswell.  Additionally, Michael Sutton was promoted to Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer.  Former Controller, Nancy Hammond, will succeed Sutton as Vice President, Finance and Chief Financial Officer.  Director of Education and Outreach John Craig will head that department due to the departure of Vice President of Education and Outreach Pamela Johnson, who has accepted a position with the Corporation for Public Broadcasting in Washington, DC as Executive Director for "Ready to Learn."  Chief Program Officer John Grant is becoming Chief Program and Production Officer.  Under the reorganization, the Television Production Department will continue to report to him and in addition, WNED AM/FM and the Television Programming Department will also be under his direction.  Other notable changes include Sylvia Bennett's promotion to Senior Vice President of Development and News Director James Ranney's advancement to Station Manager of WNED-AM.  Ranney will also become WNED's Director of Public Affairs.

In Memoriam:
 
Gary Papa, WGRZ sports anchor /reporter in late 1970s and early '80s
Earl Rowell, WIVB engineer
Ed Reimers, WBEN, voice of All State Insurance
Walter Cronkite

The 2009 Class of the Buffalo Broadcasting Hall of Fame

 by Steve Cichon 

The Buffalo Broadcasting Hall of Fame adds five new members this month, and in this, our lucky 13th year, we have finally begun to catch up.  When the Buffalo Broadcasters began this process in 1997, we had 75 years worth of Western New York commercial broadcasting talent to consider.   Now, after dozens and dozens of inductees from the earliest days of radio and television, peppered with many of the more modern superstars along the way, the pendulum has swung. We are at a point now where we can honor broadcasters who've made their impact in the last quarter century, while still honoring those greats who have passed on to the announce booth in the sky.  Each of the broadcasters tapped for induction this year have been active during the last 18 years, and all but one within the last few.

 
One of the missions of the Buffalo Broadcasters is to celebrate great broadcasting past and present. We are proud that The Hall of Fame Class of 2009 celebrates some of both.  They include Randy Michaels, a former WGR disc jockey who arguably became the most powerful man in radio; Marie Rice, who spent 25 years covering the biggest news stories at WIVB-TV; Don Polec, the former WKBW-TV reporter who may have defined the zany closing story for newscasts; Pat Feldballe, you won't recognize his face, but you will know his voice that's been on hundreds of local and national commercials; and Fred Klestine, one of the smoothest and most versatile disc jockeys in Buffalo's history.

The Buffalo Broadcasters Association Hall of Fame Dinner is Tuesday, September 22nd with cocktails at 5:30 p.m. and the program starting at 7:00 p.m. in the studios of WNED-TV.  Tickets for members are $40 and non-members are $50 and can be purchased in advance by calling 716-873-2233.  Jodi Johnston and Pete Gallivan of WGRZ-TV will be the MCs for the evening.
 
The following are brief biographies of this year's inductees:
 
Marie Rice -- A respected, straight street reporter at Channel 4 for an entire generation, Marie came on at WBEN-TV in 1977 as the woman in the vaunted station's on-air news stable.  It was soon after her sign-on in Buffalo that the story perhaps best suited to her brand of straight-laced compassionate journalism began to unfold; it was one she'd continue to report on until she left WIVB in 2004.  Marie Rice was one of the earliest journalists on the scene at Love Canal; at a time when home owners there just wanted to know what the ooze in their basements was.  She hopes, she says, that through her reporting she was able to make a difference.  It's all a part of public service; giving a voice to the voiceless.  The Ohio Native says everyone is blessed with a gift, and she counts her husky, commanding voice as hers. The tonal quality of that familiar voice struck the proper mood in reporting from murder trials and city hall scandals.  Before working in television news in Buffalo and Albany, Marie was known as "Misty," as one of the country's first female disc jockeys at an all-jazz station in Pittsburgh.
 
Pat Feldballe -- The name would leave most wondering, but the smooth, consistent voice is one you're unable to escape in Buffalo.  From Channel 2's promo pieces, to Valu Home Centers to Paddock Chevrolet, on on-hold messages, to the national Time/Life commercials, for a quarter century, Pat has been Western New York's go-to independent voice-over king.  In 1970s you'd have heard him at WBUF, WGR, WGRQ and WUWU playing rock 'n roll, and hosting a magazine program (and working with Terry Gross) at WBFO.  Pat eventually got the point when he'd show up for his jock shift and find a handful of production orders taped to the console for him to do.  Figuring it was his destiny, he did a stint as a radio production director, but quickly decided, in 1982, that he could do production on his own.  He hasn't looked back.  In an industry where many production guys will try to sell clients on the latest and greatest gadget, Feldballe's used the same microphone since 1986.  It's a part of all his success.  "I'm the most consistent guy I know, I always sound the same, and I take pride in making sure reads time out," says Pat.  Just showing up and doing the work, doing it well, and making it easy for whoever's using his work. "I just hung out the shingle 27 years ago, and here I am."
 
Fred Klestine -- Like most Lackawanna boys in the 1940s, Fred worked at the steel mill once he got out of school. But his bellowing voice and friendly, mellow personality helped him land a job as the morning man on WWOL Radio in the 1950s.  Whether at WWOL, WBNY, or during his decade at KB Radio during its 1960s Top 40 prime, Klestine always did what he could to share his love of jazz with his audience.  He knew the music, and knew many of the performers personally.  Klestine was a natural for the jazz-centric WADV-FM in the 70s, and worked at WBUF through the 80s.  To those who listened, he was a calm, straight-laced elder statesman type with a deep melodic voice.  Off the air, he was a coffee-swilling funnyman.  Longtime co-workers like Dan Neaverth and Sandy Beach count him not only as one of the funniest people each one has ever known, but as a great friend.  Klestine was 68 when he died in 1992.
 
Randy Michaels -- Randy Michaels became Randy Michaels in Buffalo.  Literally.  He made the most of federal deregulation in broadcasting in the mid 90s, and became arguably the most powerful man in radio.  He oversaw and led in the acquisition of over 1,000 radio stations as the  President of Jaycor Broadcasting, and later Clear Channel Communications.  Michaels started his career as an engineer and on air talent at the SUNY Fredonia campus station in the early 70s.  After an on-the-spot tryout at the Erie County Fair, he quickly moved to commercial radio at Taft-owned WGR and WGR-FM, where he took the pseudonym by which he's still known today.  Working in programming and as the nighttime disc jockey on WGR, Michaels soon left Buffalo for national programming assignments, moving his way up the food chain, eventually running the 1,200 Clear Channel Communications stations.  Michaels is now in Chicago at the top of the Tribune Company, which is the nation's third largest newspaper publisher, and whose 23 television stations reach 80% of US households.
 
Don Polec -- From 1977-1982, when Irv Weinstein smiled wryly and growled... "And finally..." at the end of Eyewitness News, it was Don Polec's time to shine; bringing the offbeat and, well, the goofy, to the airwaves.  A native of Buffalo's Riverside section, Polec tried radio at WKBW, but found it wasn't quite for him.  After two years of managing a handful of different Burger King restaurants around Western New York, Polec looked for work as a videographer.  He sent Irv a resume that listed experience as an "urban sheep herder" and "professional vagrant."  He was on the air, with that same sort of silliness, almost immediately thereafter.  Polec left Buffalo in 1982 for Philadelphia, where Action News featured antics his Western New York fans would recognize in "Don Polec's World" reports until earlier this year.  Polec's Buffalo brand of zany-yet-artful reports were also featured on the national stage when he was a Good Morning America correspondent in the late 80s and early 90s.
 
In another award, the Tim Russert Medal of Merit will be given to Cassandra Eldred, who just graduated from Canisius College. In 2008 Eldred served internships with WGRZ-TV News and CNN News in Atlanta. She was recently awarded the 2009 Gold Excalibur Award from the Public Relations Society of America, Buffalo/Niagara Chapter. The Tim Russert Medal of Merit and $1,000 scholarship is given to a broadcast journalism student enrolled in a Western New York college, who exhibits a dedication to the broadcasting profession.

The Buffalo Broadcasters are also celebrating several Golden anniversaries this year. WNED-TV, WBFO-FM, and WGRF-FM are each celebrating 50 years of broadcasting over the airwaves of Western New York.

And the Award Goes To...  

The late spring and early summer months are the times local Buffalo television and radio stations are honored for excellence in news broadcasting. 

 
Channel 2 News has won a national Edward R. Murrow award from the Radio-Television News Directors Association (RTNDA). The Murrows are considered the most prestigious awards in broadcast journalism. This is the first time that a Buffalo television station has won a national Murrow award.  WGRZ's winning entry was in the Hard News Feature category. It was entitled Kevin Everett: Minute-By-Minute. The story was reported by Scott Brown and shot and edited by videographer Scott May.  The story had earlier won a Murrow Regional Award and then competed with other winning entries from across the country.  The award will be presented in October in New York City.
 
The New York State Associated Press Broadcasters Association presented its annual radio and television awards at a banquet June 6th in Saratoga Springs. 

For the second time in three years, WBFO Radio received the AP's grand prize in radio, the Stephen Flanders Award, for coverage that exemplifies "the best traditions of journalistic initiative and dedication in providing a complete news service to the listening public."  WBFO received six first place awards, ten overall.  Assistant News Director Eileen Buckley received the Art Athens Award for excellence in individual reporting.  News and Cultural Affairs Editor/Reporter Joyce Kryszak received three first place awards for best interview for an interview with artist Steven Kurtz, best enterprise reporting for a report on predatory lending and best sports reporting for a feature on the NHL's Winter Classic in Buffalo.  Music producer Alison Zero was awarded first place for best use of the medium for a feature on the group Too Many Sisters.  And WBFO's news page and its creator Kara Sweet was honored with a first place award for best web site. 

WBEN Radio was honored with four first place awards from the Associated Press, 11 overall.  John Zach, Susan Rose and the news team received first place for best regularly scheduled local newscast.  Steve Cichon received two first place awards -- best news series for the "12 Days of Christmas" and best feature for "Clarkisms."  And Barbara Burns, Cichon, Tom Puckett and Neil McManus landed top honors for best continuing news coverage of the Lynn DeJac case.

WNED-AM Radio received two AP awards, including a first place honor for best series for Uncrowned Queens, the voices of African-American people by Lorna Hill, Geoff Allen and Stratton Rawson.

On the TV side, the Associated Press honored WIVB, Channel 4 with four awards, one of them first place.  Luke Moretti received top honors for best continuing news coverage of a landslide at the Route 219 construction project. 

WGRZ, Channel 2 received two first place awards.  Matt Pearl was cited for best feature for the moving Vietnam wall while the news team was honored for the best television website. 

WKBW, Channel 7 was the recipient of four special mentions from the AP.

WBFO Radio received a second place award in the only national competition that recognizes public radio journalism.  Commentator Lisa Forrest was honored by Public Radio News Directors Inc. for best commentary for a piece aired last December titled, "So This Is Christmas."

The WNED documentary "The Adirondacks" received a Spring 2009 CINE Golden Eagle Award, a national mark of excellence for filmmakers.  The film was one of only two honored in the "People & Places" documentary category.  The two-hour program premiered nationally on PBS on May 14, 2008.  It was produced, directed and written by Tom Simon of Working Dog Productions.  WNED's John Grant served as executive producer.

Two Buffalo radio stations are finalists for the annual Marconi Awards.  WJYE Radio is in the running for adult contemporary station of the year while WGR Radio is a finalist for sports station of the year.  The awards will be presented this fall.

Van Miller, the retired voice of the Buffalo Bills, and Buffalo's own Joey Reynolds were finalists for the 2009 class of the National Radio Hall of Fame.  Voting took place earlier this year.  Unfortunately, they didn't make it in this year.  But their time will come!  Both Miller and Reynolds are members of the Buffalo Broadcasting Hall of Fame.

One more award of note.  Buffalo Broadcasters Association President Dave Gillen was honored as WIVB's "Employee of the Month" in August.  Of course, we all know what a hard worker Dave is for what he does for our organization.  Congratulations, Dave!