Omaha's KCTY (106.9 FM) Becomes'Power 106.9: Today's Hottest Jamz'

KCTY (106.9 FM) is now "Power 106.9, Omaha's Hottest Jamz."

The change was made Friday at 3 p.m., when NRG Media pulled the plug on its "BOB FM" format on 106.9 FM and rebranded the Hip-Hop/R&B format of KLBR (97.3 FM) and its translator station, 107.7 FM. As of Friday afternoon, 97.7 and 107.7 FM were simultcasting KCTY's signal.

Of the former "Hot 107.7/97.3" on-air lineup of personalities, only three are listed on Power 106.9's new website: "Hot Boy" (9-10 a.m.), "Bizzy B" (10 a.m.-1 p.m.) and "Mista Soull" (6 p.m.-10 p.m.) No mention is made of "Russ Parr," "P Minor," "Big Alo," "Big Tigger," "Houston," "Pappa Gattor," "Walt Baby Love" or "Marcey Projex."

The station's "411" section reads:

"It was almost four years ago to the day that Hot 107.7 and 97.3 was born. One thing that held us back was power. We didn't have the power for everyone in the metro to hear what we were doing. It is a new day in Omaha - and as of now - we've got the power. Today, Hot 107.7 and 97.3 moves to 106.9 in honor of this new found power, we're introducing you to the new Power 106.9."

The station's on-line playlist includes music from artists such as E-40, Yung Joc, Lloyd Banks, Chop Suey, Lionel Richie, Shareefa, Manish Man and Johnta Austin.

NRG Media Vice President of Programming Mark Todd could not be reached for comment Friday afternoon. On Thursday, Todd said the BOB format was not resonating well with listeners and that Connisseur Media had taken out a permit to "construct" a new radio station on 107.7 FM.

ConAgra Foods New Year's Fireworks DisplayWill Be Shown at Midnight on Cox Channel 2

Cox Communications will ring in the New Year with a tape-delay broadcast of the ConAgra Foods fireworks display, beginning at midnight on Cox Channel 2.

This is the eighth year for the show that is billed as the largest New Year's Eve fireworks display in the region.

The 15-minute show is the final event of the 2006 Holiday Lights Festival, of which Cox Communications is a presenting sponsor.

Kevin Kugler Will Call Liberty BowlThis Afternoon On Westwood One

KOZN (1620 AM) "Unsportsmanlike Conduct" co-host Kevin Kugler will call the action at the AutoZone Liberty Bowl for the Westwood One Radio Network.

Today's game in Memphis, Tenn., matches Houston (10-3) against South Carolina (7-5). Kickoff is at 3:30 p.m. CDT. In Omaha, the game can be heard on KOZN. In Lincoln,
KLMS (1480 AM) will carry Westwood One's coverage. The game will be televised by ESPN (Cox Channel 31).

Kugler, who will be paired with analyst Terry Bowden, is a three-time Nebraska Sportscaster of the Year. He will also work the 2007 Cornerstone Bancard Hula Bowl for Westwood One. The game on Sunday, Jan. 14 at 7:30 p.m. CDT annually matches the best collegiate seniors from around the nation.

'Bob' Format On 106.9 FM Signs Off Friday

Listeners tuning into KCTY (106.9 FM) Friday at 3 p.m. will no longer hear the "BOB FM" format that has been in place since May of last year.

NRG Media Vice President of Programming Mark Todd mentioned two factors which precipitated a change.

First, the format - a mix of classic songs from the 60s through the 90s, along with some current adult contemporary hits - was not resonating well with listeners. In the most recent Arbitron ratings, KCTY ranked in the bottom half of Omaha metropolitan area stations among listeners ages 12 and older.

The more immediate reason for the change, though, is Connisseur Media's permit to "construct" a new radio station on 107.7 FM, which NRG Media operated as its translator station for KBLR (97.3 FM) - more commonly known as "HOT 107.7/97.3 FM."

A translator station operates as a signal "relay," extending the range of the original radio station's signal into areas that cannot receive them otherwise. In the case of 107.7, the translator provided listeners in downtown Omaha with a chance to hear 97.3 FM, which operates off a tower northwest of Omaha near Blair.

Whether the music of "Hot 107.7" will be moved to 106.9 FM remains a question that Todd declined to answer Thursday. He also would not say whether the station's call letters - which remain from its time as "The City" dating back to 1999 - will stay the same.

The 106.9 FM frequency has seen its share of changes in the past two years. In March of 2004, KCTY switched to "Retro 106.9" with an 80s playlist. A little more than a year later (May 26, 2005), the BOB format made its debut.

"We did the research and it told us what Omahans want to hear," Todd said, when asked whether it was tough to decide between ditching "BOB" or the "HOT" format.

In the interim before the switch, "BOB" listeners are being encouraged to tune to another NRG Media station, KLTQ (101.9 FM), a move that some radio insiders say is an attempt to steer fans of the format to a similar one in the same ownership group.

The three on-air personalities on KCTY - Chuck Denver, "Emjay" and Ethan Stone - will continue to be employed by NRG Media, Todd said. They were informed in early November of the changes.

"They were just voice trackers on the BOB," Todd said. "Emjay and Chuck will continue to do work for Waitt Radio Networks and Ethan is now doing part-time work on KGOR (99.9 FM)."

WOWT News Director Works From HomeAs Battle With Cancer Intensifies

The newsman in WOWT (Cox Channel 8) News Director John Clark perked up when a reporter reached him earlier this week to check on his health.

Rick Gevers of Rick Gevers & Associates, a talent representation firm based in Indianapolis, Ind., had reported on his website that Clark was losing his ongoing battle with cancer. The story encouraged readers to e-mail Clark with their well wishes.

"I've been battling non-Hodgkin Lymphoma for 11 years so the only thing 'new' is the fact that we're running short on options," Clark wrote in an e-mail to The Reader's Media Notes.

According to the National Cancer Institute, adult non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma is a disease in which cancer cells form in the lymph system. Clark said he has undergone a variety of treatments for the disease, including chemotherapy drugs, radiation, surgery and even an autologus stem-cell transplant in 1997.

The next step, he said, is to explore the possibility of a bone marrow transplant.

"I've been fortunate enough to be able to work continuously, with the exception of a short period during that (stem-cell) transplant, until recently," Clark wrote.

Clark told WOWT staffers last week about the change in his condition, which necessitated cutting back on regular office hours. People who e-mail him at the station receive an automated reply which reads, "I will be out of the office until further notice."

Getting through this difficult time in his life, Clark said, would not have been possible without the support from a wonderful family, great friends and tremendous colleagues at the station who have kept things going in his absence.

"My wife of 37 years (Joyce) has been my 'rock.' There is not a better caretaker in the world," Clark wrote. "WOWT - in particular my boss Frank Jonas - couldn't have been better to me during all this. I can't tell you how much I appreciate their support."

Clark is approaching his 16th year as WOWT's news director. On Dec. 31, 1990, he succeeded Steve Murphy, who had worked as the station's news director for 20 years and at WOWT since 1949. From 1972 to 1978, Clark worked as a reporter for KMTV (Cox Channel 5) and WOWT.

Time Warner Cable Deal With NFL NetworkDoes Not Apply To Lincoln TWC Subscribers

Though the National Football League offered up a free week of NFL Network programming to the New York division of Time Warner Cable, subscribers in Lincoln are not able to take advantage of the deal that would allow them to see a pair of bowl games involving teams from the Big 12 Conference.

Earlier this month, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell announced that the league would offer the NFL Network free to Time Warner Cable and another provider, Cablevision, from Dec. 24 to Dec. 30. That would allow customers to see Kansas State play Rutgers in the Texas Bowl tonight and Minnesota against Texas Tech in the Insight Bowl Friday night.

The state's two largest newspapers, the Omaha World-Herald and the Lincoln Journal Star, both published a story out of New York stating that Time Warner had reached an agreement with the NFL to carry the network on its digital service for the week.

But that agreement only applied to Time Warner Cable subscribers in the New York area, said TWC Public Affairs Manager Ann Shrewsbury.

NFL Network spokesman Seth Palansky said the network offered the free preview to New York-area subscribers "to appease the New York residents who don't have a choice."

"There's a lot of high-rises and apartment buildings in New York that don't have the ability to get service," Palansky said.

Further complicating the issue for people in Lincoln was a news story that aired this morning on radio station KTGL (92.9 FM) saying tonight and tomorrow's bowl games on the NFL Network would be available to Time Warner Cable subscribers.

Shrewsbury said Time Warner Cable would like to carry the NFL Network, but the price ($137 million) is too high. The cost would have to be passed down to individual subscribers, raising rates to carry a channel that is not one of the top 25 cable networks, according to independent cable ratings systems.

"We don't feel like every customer should have to pay for this extremely high-priced programming," Shrewsbury said. "The eight games the NFL is carrying are the same ones that people got to see for free last year. Now they're making people pay for them and that cost is passed down to the individual subscriber."

That cost, Shrewsbury said, would be greater than some of the most popular cable networks currently available to TWC subscribers.

Time Warner Cable has received so many inquiries about the NFL Network issue that it has established its own informational website, www.nflgetreal.com.

"We encourage people to go on there and voice their opinion to the NFL," Shrewsbury said.

Matt Perrault Enters the Blogosphere

KXSP (590 AM) sport talk host Matt Perrault recently launched a blog to supplement his commentary on "The Big Show," which airs weekdays from 2 to 6 p.m.

Perrault's site, mattperrault.blogspot.com, joins several other Omaha and Lincoln TV, radio and print media members with blogs, including:

> KFAB (1110 AM) talk show host Tom Becka
> KFAB talk show host Scott Voorhees
> The KFAB morning show team
> "Mookie" from "The Morning Brew" on KQBW (96.1 FM)
> Steve Lundy, morning show co-host on KXKT (103.7 FM)
> KETV (Cox Channel 9) weekend meteorologist John Campbell
> KETV weekend sports anchor Matt Schick
> KETV anchor Julie Cornell (better known as "Julie's Diary")
> KMTV (Cox Channel 5) weekend meteorologist Dean Wysocki
> Lincoln Journal Star sportswriters who cover the Huskers
> KKCD (105.9 FM) morning host Steve King
> KGOR (99.9 FM) midday host Liz Adams
> KGOR afternoon host Drew Bentley
> KGOR morning host TJ

Gerald Ford Birthsite Full Of Activity

President Gerald Ford's birthsite was a popular place for local and national media Wednesday.

Fox News Channel hired a Kansas-based satellite truck to provide "static" live shots from the site at the corner of 32nd & Woolworth Avenue from 6 a.m. through the early afternoon. WOWT (Cox Channel 8) was also on the scene early Wednesday afternoon, as a handful of people wandered the grounds, some of them laying flowers in front of the monuments honoring the nation's 38th president.

The three-story, 14-room home where Ford was born was razed in 1971 following a fire. In 1976, Ford visited the site as construction of the birthplace was underway. In 1977, the birthsite was dedicated. The following year, a rose garden was added in honor of former First Lady Betty Ford.

In 2005, KETV (Cox Channel 9) reported that several of the stone monuments at the birthplace were not updated, listing President Clinton as president, Mayor Hal Daub as Omaha's mayor, etc. The monuments have since been updated.

Omaha World-Herald Subcribers Wonder:Who Gets The Tip?

More than one Omaha World-Herald subscriber has e-mailed The Reader's Media Notes this week to ask how tips to World-Herald newspaper carriers are distributed.

Since the Omaha World-Herald eliminated carrier collections years ago, individuals who renew their subscription via mail have the opportunity to designate a "Tip for Carrier" amount on their renewal notice.

However, if a subscriber has a seven-day subscription that includes the weekday morning edition, they likely have two different carriers - one of whom is delivering the newspaper five days a week and the other two days (Saturday and Sunday). This led to the question of how the "tip for carrier" amount is split between the two carriers.

One reader said she phoned the World-Herald and spoke with a woman in the newspaper's circulation department who didn't know the answer, but "thought maybe it was split in half."

The official word on how the carrier tip is divided comes from Joel Long, World-Herald public relations director.

He says the newspaper's circulation computer system automatically splits the tip equally between the two carriers.

"If a reader wants to tip one more than the other they will need to tip the carrier directly," Long said in an e-mail.

AT&T Cotton Bowl Classic Broadcast Coverage

A fan's guide to Monday's 71st AT&T Cotton Bowl Classic:

On TV: Television coverage by FOX (Cox Channel 10). Kickoff at 10:40 a.m. CDT. This is the ninth consecutive Cotton Bowl to be broadcast by FOX.

About the Broadcast Team: Pat Summerall will handle play-by-play, Brian Baldinger will do analysis and Krista Voda is on sideline duty. Summerall first called the Cotton Bowl in 1964 for CBS with the legendary Chris Schenkel. He was also analyst for the 1967 game between Georgia and SMU - the only time the bowl game was played on New Year's Eve.

On the Radio: The national radio broadcast (KOZN, 1620 AM and Sirius, Channel 144) will originate on the Westwood One Radio Network, with Brad Sham handling play-by-play and Terry Bowden on color. The 51-station Husker Sports Network will broadcast the game with Jim Rose on play-by-play, Adrian Fiala doing color, Randy Lee contributing from the booth and Matt Davison on the sidelines.

Coverage Guidelines: TV stations are limited to one sideline camera. Highlights must be credited "Courtesy of CBAA/FOX Sports." Highlight packages cannot be more than five minutes in length and no video, audio or photographs in any media are permitted to be published or broadcast while the game is in progress.

Nebraska's Cotton Bowl History: This is the Huskers' fourth appearance (1965, 1974 and 1980 were the previous ones). The 1965 contest featured former Nebraska Coach Frank Solich (No. 45, shown at right).

Here is a capsule look at Omaha TV stations' Cotton Bowl coverage plans:

KMTV (Cox Channel 5) - "Big Red Now"
Sports Director Travis Justice says a crew of four will arrive in Dallas Friday morning and begin providing live reports at 5, 6 and 10 p.m. that day. A special edition of "Sports Soundoff presented by Horseshoe Casino" will originate live from Dallas Sunday night at 10:30 p.m.

Live Coverage Friday: 5, 6 and 10 p.m. Saturday: 10 p.m. Sunday: 5:30 (dependent upon a newscast being broadcast), 10 and 10:30 p.m. (Sports Soundoff) Monday: 5 and 6 p.m. (taped report at 10 p.m.)

WOWT (Cox Channel 8) - "Big Red Extra"
Sports Director Dave Webber and "Sunday Sports Extra" host Ross Jernstrom arrive in Dallas Thursday and begin providing live reports that night at 6 p.m. Jernstrom says Big Red Insider Sean Callahan of HuskersIllustrated.com will assist with coverage and feature stories that will also be broadcast in WOWT's morning and midday newscasts. Because NBC does not broadcast any bowl games, WOWT will be first on the air with live post-game coverage in its 4 p.m. newscast.

Live Coverage Thursday: 6 and 10 p.m. Friday: 5, 6 and 10 p.m. Saturday: 5 and 10 p.m. Sunday: 5 and 10 p.m. Monday: 4, 5, and 6 p.m. (taped report at 10 p.m.).

KPTM (Cox Channel 10) - "The N Zone"
Sports Director JJ Davis will handle live coverage from Dallas, beginning Thursday night and continuing through to Monday. Davis and weekend sports anchor Jeff Radcliffe will produce a live, 90-minute pre-game special that begins at 9 a.m. Monday. Radcliffe says the program will include a one-on-one interview with Bill Callahan, as well as live interviews with Husker Sports Network play-by-play announcer Jim Rose and Cotton Bowl President Rick Baker. Because of FOX's coverage of the Fiesta Bowl, Monday's "KPTM News at Nine" will air at 6 p.m.

Live Coverage: Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday at 9 p.m. Monday at 6 p.m.

Longest Running Local News Guest?Rips Has Been Appearing On KMTV Since '94

For as many personnel changes as KMTV (Cox Channel 5) has made in the past dozen years, one thing has remained current: Nancy Rips. The Bookworm Bookstore's literary expert began making regular guest appearances on KMTV news programs in December of 1994.

Rips can currently be seen once a month on "Action 3 News at Midday" with Mary Williams. She is a past Volunteer of the Year award recipient from the Jewish Federation of Omaha, participated in a panel at this year's BookExpo America (the publishing industry's largest trade show) and annually organizes a book-themed New York City tour for Nebraskans.

Flood of Positive E-Mails GreetsPeterson On His Final Day at KMTV

"S%*! happens."

That's how Greg Peterson summed up his dismissal as co-anchor of the 5, 6 and 10 p.m. newcasts on KMTV (Cox Channel 5).

Peterson and veteran co-anchor Deborah Ward were on hand at an all-station meeting Thursday afternoon when it was announced the pair would not have their contracts renewed and a new anchor team would be introduced in January.

"It was a pretty emotional meeting," Peterson said. "A few tears were shed."

Unlike Ward, Peterson chose to spend one more day on the anchor desk. He says he wouldn't have it any other way.

"I love the work," he said. "I whistle when I come to work. I love what I do. It's a wonderful job. I understand that it's a business. And business decisions need to be made."

Peterson spent the hours leading up to his final newscasts answering a flood of e-mails that poured into his inbox.

"There are a lot of wonderful people who have sent great messages," Peterson said. "It really makes you feel good and realize there are people who you've impacted and watched every day. Sometimes the ratings don't reflect that."

Looking Back
In his 25 years of anchoring local TV news, Petersen said the past five have been his most rewarding and enjoyable. He also says he knew it would be an uphill battle to turn ratings around at a station that has been a perennial third-place finisher in the local news race for more than 10 years.

"I was well aware of the challenge ahead when I took over the anchor chair in 2001, and I am very proud of what we have accomplished over that span of time," he said.

Working with Ward was another highlight, Peterson said.

"Her knowledge and professionalism are unequaled," he said. "It is rare that a person in our profession works their entire career at the same television station. Her 26 years at KMTV are a reflection of her ability and character."

Peterson annually anchored the Muscular Dystrophy Association's Labor Day telethon. The work was rewarding was one of dozens of local and national charities he helped with fundraising and volunteer activities.

"My work with MDA, the Madonna School, The Make-A-Wish Foundation, Dare Program and countless other charities has been every bit as rewarding as reporting the news every night," he said. "I hope in a small way, I have made a positive impact on this proud community."

The Final Goodbye
Peterson said KMTV News and Marketing Director Ken Dudzik gave him the green light to deliver some parting words during the 10 p.m. newscast. It is an opportunity few in TV are granted, particularly when they do not leave on their own terms.

At the conclusion of Friday night's newscast, Peterson said:

"Well, this is it. My last broadcast here at KMTV. As I said at six o'clock, they have been the most rewarding five years of my personal life, as well as my professional life.

"I will miss so many people, so many great friends we have made along the way - and you know who you are.

"Now Deb Ward is also leaving this anchor desk. It is rare that a person works their entire career at the same television station. Her 26 years at KMTV are a real reflection of her ability and character. I will miss her most.

"Now to all of you, thank you so much for the wonderful e-mails and phone calls. They have affirmed my longstanding belief that television really is truly magic.

"There are some who wanted me to sign off tonight by saying, 'Stay Classy Omaha.' But I'm not going to. Good night. Thank you. And we will see you down the road."

KETV's Brandi Petersen Named KXSP's'Hottest Local News Chick of 2006'

KETV (Cox Channel 9) weekend morning anchor Brandi Petersen is the "Hottest Local News Chick of 2006," according to KXSP (590 AM) listeners who cast their vote during the "Biggie Awards" on Matt Perrault's "The Big Show on Big Sports 590."

Petersen narrowly beat out co-worker Andrea Bredow, who is KETV's morning meteorologist.

WOWT (Cox Channel 8) morning anchor Malorie Maddox finished third.

Preliminary voting on the station's website, bigsports590.com, whittled a list of 25 candidates down to five finalists: Bredow, Petersen, Maddox and Kerri Stowell and Molli Graham, both of KMTV (Cox Channel 5). Perrault said nearly 1,000 votes were cast.

Before the voting began, Perrault defended the contest, which Maddox won last year.

"This is intended to be complimentary," he said. "It's not intended to be rude or mean. Don't tell me guys don't think some of these women on the news are hot."

After allowing listeners to cast their votes, Perrault said he had told his producer that Petersen would win this year's contest.

Petersen garnered 24 votes to Bredow's 22. She will receive a dozen roses and a $120 gift certificate to a beauty salon.

KMTV Replacing Main Anchor Team;Station GM: No More Changes Expected

KMTV (Cox Channel 5) is not renewing the contracts of primary news anchors Deborah Ward and Greg Peterson.

The decision was announced publicly to staffers at an all-station meeting Thursday afternoon.

Ward is expected to be seen one more time on KMTV in a taped story that will air next week. No mention of her absence was made on Thursday's 10 p.m. newscast, which Peterson co-anchored with Kerri Stowell. Peterson will anchor his final newscast at the station tonight.

Journal Broadcast Senior Vice President for Television and Radio Operations Steve Wexler said the decision to make changes was not a sudden one.

"We've been working on this transition for some time, over several months," Wexler said Friday. "It was not a surprise to Deb or Greg, who deserve credit for taking the station a long way in their time here. They are consummate professionals and dedicated news people."

No other changes to the station's front-line talent (sports, weather) are planned, Wexler said.

KMTV has seen small increases in its Nielsen Media Research ratings since switching to an "Action 3 News" format in February of 2006. Wexler said he doesn't base long-term decisions, especially ones dealing with personnel, on any one single factor. He also said he has not yet received the November 2006 ratings report.

Team Was In Place For Five Years
Ward and Petersen were very familiar to Omaha viewers. Including time spent interning at the station, Ward has been at KMTV for 26 years. Peterson was hired five years ago to replace Scott Coppenbarger. He previously worked at Omaha's KETV (Cox Channel 9) from 1992 to 1995.

On Dec. 18, 2001 - nearly five years ago to the day he was let go - Peterson appeared on "Todd and Tyler" on KEZO (92.3 FM) to announce he had been hired away from KTVI in St. Louis where he had been sports director for six-and-a-half years. He made his debut Dec. 30 in Pasadena, providing coverage of the Nebraska football team's trip to the Rose Bowl.

Ward, who is popular with viewers for her consumer reports, took the anchor chair following the dismissal of veteran anchor/reporter Loretta Carroll, who was let go Sept. 27, 2001, following 16 years at the station (13 as primary news anchor). She is married to KMTV investigative reporter Joe Jordan, who has also worked at the station for more than 20 years.

So was any thought given to keeping her on a reporting role?

"We did consider that, and discussed it with Deb, but ultimately decided it was best for all to move on with this plan," Wexler said.

Replacements Already Announced
Replacing Ward and Peterson are two journalists who are currently not primary anchors at their respective stations.

Carol Wang comes to Omaha from KXAS (NBC) in Dallas/Fort Worth and Carlo Cecchetto is currently working as a general assignment reporter at KFMB (CBS) in San Diego, Calif.

Dallas is the No. 6 market in the country, according to Nielsen Media Research, while San Diego is No. 27. Omaha is listed as the 75th largest market in the country.

According to her station bio, Wang contributes weekly health reports to the popular NBC 5 News segment "Commit to be Fit" and has worked as a print reporter and radio news correspondent. She has been at KXAS since October of 2001. Her first day at KMTV is expected to be Jan. 15.

Cecchetto is expected to start Jan. 8. The Honolulu, Hawaii, native has worked at KFMB since 2003. His station bio says he is a USC graduate who is "a sports addict."

Wexler said there is no timetable for the new anchor team to make an impression on the ratings.

"Ratings are very much an imperfect science and take a long time to catch up with actual behavior," Wexler said. "Long term, our goal remains the same: to keep building a news product that is compelling and informative. We've been working hard on that goal since Journal Broadcast Group began operating the station just over one year ago."

World-Herald Photographers Went West

In anticipation of Wednesday's ice and snow storm in Western Nebraska, the Omaha World-Herald sent photographers Matt Miller and Phil Johnson to the central and northern parts of the state.

Miller staked out Valentine, transmitting photos for Wednesday and Thursday editions, while Johnson did the same from Kearney. Their work is showcased in a slide show on Omaha.com.

Pictured at right: Ice covers a semitrailer truck in Valentine. (Photo by Matt Miller.)

World-Herald Reviewer RefersTo ESPN As 'Some Sports Channel'

In a style that has become typical of the Omaha World-Herald when referring to other media outlets, reviewer Bob Fischbach uses the words "some sports channel" to refer to ESPN, the self-proclaimed "Worldwide Leader in Sports," rather than the specific network call letters.

In his review of the movie "Rocky Balboa," published in Wednesday's editions, Fischbach writes:

"Then some sports channel runs a computer simulation of what would happen if the Rocky of yesteryear fought today's heavyweight champ. Ego-inflated, undefeated Mason Dixon (Antonio Tarver) has 30 knockouts, but the crowd has turned on him - and so does the computer."

Nevermind that Fischbach provides greater details on such mundane other things as: the year the "Rocky" film franchise first made Sylvester Stallone a star (1976), Stallone's age (60), the year on the tombstone of his departed wife, Adrian (2002) and the description of the establishment Rocky owns (a "South Philly Italian family restaurant").

According to a Google search, more than 721 news articles on "Rocky Balboa" make reference to ESPN. Past World-Herald stories have made reference to "a local radio station" or "a local TV station" rather than specifying call letters.

'Biggie Awards' Asks Listeners To VoteFor 'Hottest Local News Chick' of 2006

KXSP (590 AM) listeners are being invited to vote for the "Hottest Local News Chick" as part of Big Sports 590's annual "Biggie Awards."

Afternoon sports talk personality Matt Perrault originated the award last year, which WOWT (Cox Channel 8) morning news anchor Malorie Maddox somewhat hesitantly accepted after narrowly beating out KETV (Cox Channel 9) anchor/reporter Brandi Petersen.

Petersen (No. 306) and Maddox (No. 328) are both listed on Wanderlist's sexiest female news anchors worldwide.

Huskers Announce Broadcast PlansFor First Game In Hawaii

There will be TV coverage of the Nebraska men's basketball team's opening game of the 43rd Annual Outrigger Rainbow Classic in Honolulu.

Several cable providers across the state will broadcast tonight's game against Wyoming, which tips off at 9 p.m. CDT. In Omaha, WOWT-DT (Cox Channel 248) will carry the game. Viewers in Lincoln and Grand Island can see it on KOLN/KGIN-DT (Time Warner Channel 110, Charter Communications Channel 17, DirecTV Channel 25).

If the Huskers win tonight's game, both of their remaining games in the tournament will also be televised. A loss means Nebraska's subsequent games will not be shown.

Veronica Todd Leaves KETV On Good Terms

KETV (Cox Channel 9) "First News" on-air personality Veronica Todd worked her last day at the station Friday.

Since July, Todd had delivered "Hot Clicks" reports on "First News" and substituted for traffic reporter Jana Murrell. But the early-morning hours began to take their toll, Todd said Tuesday.

"I was burned out on those hours, getting up at 3:30 or 4 in the morning," she said. "It was only two hours a day, but that's a hard shift."

Todd, who has three children, said she has "other things" in the works, but declined to elaborate. Her work experience includes TV commercials and corporate speeches.

"I didn't leave on bad terms," Todd said, "so if I'm in town, I might fill in again sometime for Jana."

Layoffs Trim Six From Waitt Radio Networks Staff

Before getting into radio, Kurt Luchs spent 10 years as a comedy writer for The Onion newspaper and "The Late Late Show with Craig Kilborn."

But there was nothing funny about what he had to do earlier this week.

The general manager of Waitt Radio Networks' operation in Omaha handed out pink slips Monday, trimming a staff of 22 down to 16.

"I hate to fire people or lay people off," Luchs said. "I've never had to do this with a company before and I've never had to do it like this before."

Waitt is not in any kind of financial trouble, he said, but a business cannot be run inefficiently, either.

"I've had a foot in both the business and creative side," Luchs said. "If something makes business sense, you have to do it. That includes doing the work with the optimum number of people. Strategically, going forward, we needed more flexibility."

Luchs declined to name the six people who lost their jobs, saying only that they were all on-air personalities.

Business Model Was Inefficient
Waitt provides eight music formats (country, oldies, classic rock, adult contemporary, etc.) to radio stations across the country from its studios near 90th & West Dodge Road. Each format utilized as many as five on-air personalities to deliver around-the-clock programming. It was a business model that was inefficient, Luchs said.

"There was a wide disparity in the amount of work each individual person was doing, through no fault of their own," he said. "Some people were doing between 10 and 20 lines (voiceovers between songs and commercials) per hour all the way up to the high end of 40 or 50 per hour."

Following Monday's reorganization, Luchs said each on-air personality will have the same workload.

"Some will do more work than they were doing, others will do less and some will be doing the same," he said.

Stations who subscribe to Waitt's programming will likely notice little difference. If anything, they will benefit from greater flexibility, he said.

"The hallmark of the new work model is the ability to work in multiple formats," Luchs said. "The old model made it very daunting to try a new format. We needed four or five new jocks just to experiment.

"Now (stations) will be able to choose among different announcers in each daypart since each announcer is handling two or three formats."

Employees Given Severance, Eligible For Re-Hire
Luchs said the employees who were let go each received a severance package based on their years of service, plus money equal to one month of COBRA health coverage (that they can spend as they choose). Because they are eligible for re-hire, they are being made aware of job openings in other parts of the NRG Media Inc. organization, he said, and received outplacement service counseling and the opportunity to use Waitt's studios to record airchecks and demo tapes.

Luchs said he would rather not be known as "Ebenezer Scrooge" for those who wonder if there could have been better timing to the layoffs.

"The time to do it is always in question," he said. "If we would have waited until after Christmas, these people would be spending money they wouldn't even know they would not have down the road."

KKAR Radiothon Raises $76,000

Omaha radio station KKAR (1290 AM) collected $76,506 in pledges during its one-day "Radiothon" Friday to benefit the Child Saving Institute.

The 10th annual on-air fundraising event was conducted from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. and hosted by "Omaha Morning News" anchors Brian Barks and Terry Leahy. On-air staffers from NRG Media's other Omaha stations hosted hour-long segments, including the KLTQ (101.9 FM) morning team of Jack Swanda and Kay Kriss, along with mid-day personality Shari Stone and Pat and J.T from KQKQ (98.5 FM).

Celebrity guests during the radiothon included Omaha Mayor Mike Fahey, U.S. Senator Chuck Hagel, University of Nebraska at Omaha hockey Coach Mike Kemp, and several community and business leaders.

The Child Saving Institute is a 104-year-old Omaha organization dedicated to the welfare of children in need in the Omaha metropolitan area. It is accredited by the Council on Accreditation for Child and Family Services.

Creighton Game Thursday Will Be Shown By Cox

The Creighton men's basketball team's game Thursday against Valparaiso in Honolulu will be televised live on Cox Channel 2. Tipoff is scheduled for 11:30 p.m. Central Daylight Time.

Honolulu TV station KFVE (My Network)/KHNL (NBC) and LeSEA Broadcasting Group in Honolulu are partnering with Cox to provide coverage that is dependent upon the Bluejays winning.

If Creighton is victorious over Valparaiso Thursday night, its second round game Friday night and third-round game Saturday night will also be shown on Cox Channel 2. If the Bluejays lose to Valparaiso, there will be no television coverage of Creighton's games Friday or Saturday.

KFVE's Jim Leahey (play-by-play) and Artie Wilson (analysis) will call the action.

Fans outside the Omaha metropolitan area or non-Cox Communication subscribers can watch Thursday's game on the web, courtesy of the University of Hawaii. The cost is $9.95. Click here to sign up to watch the game. The Nebraska men's basketball game against Wyoming on Thursday is also available via the webcast.

Rainbow Classic Schedule (Times listed are Central)
Wednesday, Dec. 20
Game #1 - Wyoming vs. Nebraska (9 p.m.)
Game #2 - San Francisco vs. Hawaii (11:30 p.m.)

Thursday, Dec. 21
Game #3 - Charlotte vs. Houston (9 p.m.)
Game #4 - Creighton vs. Valparaiso (11:30 p.m.)

Friday, Dec. 22 (Consolation Bracket)
Game #5 - Wyoming/Nebraska loser vs. San Francisco/Hawaii loser (3 p.m.)
Game #6 - Charlotte/Houston loser vs. Creighton/Valparaiso loser (5:30 p.m.)

Friday, Dec. 22 (Championship Bracket)
Game #7 - Charlotte/Houston winner vs. Creighton/Valparaiso winner (9 p.m.)
Game #8 - Wyoming/Nebraska winner vs. San Francisco/Hawaii winner (11:30 p.m.)

Saturday, Dec. 23 (Consolation Bracket)
Game #9 - 7th Place Game (3 p.m.)
Game #10 - 5th Place Game (5:30 p.m.)

Saturday, Dec. 23 (Championship Bracket)
Game #11 - 3rd Place Game (9 p.m.)
Game #12 - Championship Game (11:30 p.m.)

Witty Named VP, GM of Husker Sports Network

David Witty is the new Vice President and General Manager of Host Communications' Husker Sports Network.

Witty comes to HOST after 21 years with the Kansas City Royals. He replaces Kevin Moore, who resigned to pursue other opportunities.

"David's extensive background in sports marketing makes him a tremendous addition to Host Communications and The Husker Sports Network," said Host Communications CEO and President Tom Stultz in a press release. "David has a passion for Nebraska athletics and has strong ties to the state. He is a well-respected industry leader and we are delighted he has decided to join our Nebraska property."

After joining the Kansas City Royals as a public relations intern in 1986, Witty advanced through the organization to the position of Vice President of Communications and Marketing. He also served as the Vice President of Operations and Public Relations of the Royals Sports Television Network (RSTN), LLC, which was developed in 2003.

Witty is a 1985 Kansas State University graduate and has a masters degree in Sports Administration from St. Thomas University in Miami.

Contest Winner Will Have CommercialShown On Super Bowl Sunday

KEZO (92.3 FM) is inviting listeners to create a 30-second TV commercial. The winning commercial for the "It's My Z" contest will be shown on KMTV (Cox Channel 5) on Super Bowl Sunday, Feb 4, 2007.

According to the contest rules (downloadable here), essential pieces of audio and the station logo must be included in the final submission.

Entries can be e-mailed to contests@z92.com or submitted on CD/DVD to 5030 North 72nd St., Omaha, NE 68134. Deadline to enter is Jan. 12, 2007.

Contest entries will be uploaded to the "It's My Z" web page on www.z92.com from Jan 15 through Jan. 26, 2007 to allow listeners to cast their vote for their favorite commercial. Finalists will be based on judging by KEZO staffers and announced online on Monday, Jan. 15, 2007.

TV Coverage Notes: NCAA Volleyball Championships

Observations from Thursday night's late-evening, first segment newscast coverage of the NCAA women's volleyball championships:

KMTV (Cox Channel 5): Sports reporter Matt Seigel referred to Nebraska players several times as "girls" rather than the conventional (and Associated Press' style) term, "women."

WOWT (Cox Channel 8): The only station not to lead off with tournament coverage, a chyron mistake ("vehicle vandals" under a story about the new "Coventry" development) preceeded Rebecca Kleeman's story and coverage by sports anchor Merlyn Klaus five minutes into the newscast.

KETV (Cox Channel 9): Video went to black during Sports Director Jon Schuetz's live report and reporter Owen Lei mistakenly made reference to Nebraska fans sticking around to watch the next "game" (instead of "match").

KPTM (Cox Channel 10): Thursday's attendance was referenced several times as being 17,012, one shy of the official total of 17,013.

Most overused phrases of the night: "Husker faithful" and "Sea of red."

Did you know?: The NCAA is providing media members with a login and password to access free WiFi inside the Qwest Center. For many sporting events at the Qwest, media must pay a $75 connection fee in order to use the Qwest's wireless or hardwired Internet service.

Who is Tim? And Why Should We See Him?

Two major errors appear in some editions of Thursday's Omaha World-Herald on a day when thousands of visitors are in Omaha for the NCAA women's volleyball championships.

The mistakes appear on page 4C of the sports section in preview coverage of tonight's semifinal matches.

The most noticeable is a two-column, 48-point headline that reads:

Two line hed goes
here and here

The corrected copy (which is available in the World-Herald's "E Edition" online) reads: "Crowd for practice pleases NU's Cook."

The second snafu - on the same page - is the cutline which accompanies the photo (at right) by Rebecca Gratz:

Two line cutline goes here. See Tim. Two line cutline goes here. See Tim. Two line cutline goes here. See Tim. Two line cutline goes here. See Tim.

In later editions, the cutline reads: "Stanford outside hitter Cynthia Barboza goes up for a shot during practice on Wednesday. Stanford is one of three teams from the Pac-10 to reach the final four."

The mistakes are the most glaring in the sports section of the World-Herald since the Sunday, Feb. 27, 2000 edition, featuring coverage of the state high school swim meet. That day, readers opened the newspaper to find two front-of-the-sports page pictures missing cutlines and a story about the swim meet repeated on both the front and inside pages of the section.

Update Dec. 19:
The Reader's repeated requests for information from the Omaha World-Herald for an explanation of these problems were ignored. However, a World-Herald sports staffer offers an explanation via a posting on a message board.

ESPN Classic Contest Anoints 1995 HuskersAll-Time Greatest College Football Team

ESPN Classic (Cox Channel 226) viewers voted the 1995 Nebraska football the "all-time greatest college football team" in a contest that culminated Wednesday night.

An ESPN panel of experts selected the best 32 college football teams of all-time, then asked ESPN Classic viewers to help crown the greatest team ever. The Huskers had three of the eight quarterfinalists (the 1971, 1983 and 1995 teams) and advanced the 1971 and 1995 teams to the final.

In the end, the 1995 Nebraska squad prevailed over its 1971 counterparts. The 1995 Huskers received the most votes in every round, dominating opponents much like they dominated Florida in the Fiesta Bowl, where they won 62-24.

According to ESPN, Nebraska fans rallied the 1971 team in the closing seconds to "just barely inch by" the 2004 USC and 2005 Texas teams. In the final, Coach Tom Osborne's 1995 squad proved too much for Bob Devaney's team, winning by 65 percent of the vote.

Newest KFAB Reporter Is From Westwood One

Rich Denison, the newest reporter at KFAB (1110 AM), is an Illinois native who came to KFAB from Phoenix, where he was a national writer and producer for the Westwood One radio network.

Denison previously worked as a state capital reporter in Illinois for five years and at radio stations in Illinois, Iowa and Minnesota.

WOWT Food Drive Wraps Up Friday

The final day to donate to the sixth annual WOWT (Cox Channel 8) Holiday Food Drive is Friday.

Non-perishable food items can be dropped off at Baker's Supermarkets in the Omaha metropolitan area. The donations will be used to stock the shelves of the Omaha Food Bank.

As of Tuesday, more than 12,450 pounds of food had been collected.

Monetary contributions are also being accepted. Collection jars are located at Baker's cash registers. Donors also have the opportunity to win a $100 Baker's Gift Card.

WOWT will not offer drive-through collection on the final day of the drive, as it has done in previous years.

Merlyn Klaus Leaving WOWT

Veteran sports anchor and reporter Merlyn Klaus is leaving WOWT (Cox Channel 8) to take a position at The Steier Group, an Omaha-based development consulting company that specializes in serving non-profit organizations.

"I've been in the TV news business for nearly 30 years and it's time for a change," Klaus said.

His last day at WOWT is Jan. 5.

An award-winning sports journalist at WOWT since 1984, Klaus began his broadcast career at WLS (ABC) in Chicago in 1977. His first job in Nebraska was at KDUH (ABC) in Scottsbluff, where he handled news, weather and sports reporting. He later worked as sports director at KHGI (ABC) in Kearney, before coming to Omaha.

Klaus is the latest of several former Omaha TV personalities who have gone to work for The Steier Group. The list includes John Glenn (KMTV), Rich Roberts (KMTV), Sean McMahon (KETV) and Tom Elser (KETV).

Tribute Surprises Sadlemyer

Colleagues, celebrities and family members paid tribute to KFAB (1110 AM) morning radio host Gary Sadlemyer this morning as he marked 30 years at the station.

Sadlemyer, who also serves as the station's program director, has the distinction of hosting the first live talk show on KFAB. He gained recognition for his work on Nebraska football broadcasts from 1981 to 1995.

This morning, Sadlemyer was surprised by guest callers that included his wife, Rose Ann, and sister, along with a special musical tribute (click here to listen). Morning show producer Roger Olson and a host of others at the station helped line up the interviews and celebrity tributes.

Sadlemyer is a past winner of the Nebraska FBLA Honorary Life Membership award and a 2001 inductee into the Nebraska Radio Personalities Hall of Fame.

Waitt Radio Will Broadcast 20 Bowl Games

Waitt Radio Networks will broadcast 20 bowl games on their affiliate stations in Omaha, including 17 on KOZN (1620 AM).

Waitt's lineup of games includes the Jan. 1 Cotton Bowl, which matches Nebraska against Auburn, and the Jan. 8 national championship game, featuring Ohio State against Florida. Westwood One will provide coverage of the Cotton Bowl beginning at 10 a.m. on KOZN.

Here is a look at the entire slate of bowl games which will be carried by Waitt:

Fri, Dec. 22: New Orleans Bowl (ESPN), 6:35 p.m. KOZN (1620 AM)
Sat., Dec. 23: Birmingham Bowl (ESPN), 11:30 a.m. KOZN (1620 AM)
Sat., Dec. 23: New Mexico Bowl (ESPN), 3:00 p.m. KOZN (1620 AM)
Sat., Dec. 23: Armed Forces Bowl (ESPN), 6:30 p.m. KKAR (1290 AM)
Sun., Dec. 24: Hawaii Bowl (ESPN), 6:30 p.m. KOZN (1620 AM)
Wed., Dec. 27: Emerald Bowl (ESPN), 6:30 p.m. KOZN (1620 AM)
Thurs., Dec. 28: Independence Bowl (Sports USA), 3:30 p.m. KOZN (1620 AM)
Thurs., Dec. 28: Holiday Bowl (ESPN), 6:30 p.m. KOZN (1620 AM)
Fri., Dec. 29: Liberty Bowl (WW1), 3:00 p.m. KOZN (1620 AM)
Fri., Dec. 29: Champs Sports Bowl (ESPN), 6:30 p.m. KOZN (1620 AM)
Sat., Dec. 30: Alamo Bowl (ESPN), 3:00 p.m. KOZN (1620 AM)
Sat., Dec. 30: Chick-Fil-A Bowl (ESPN), 6:30 p.m. KYDZ (1180 AM)
Mon., Jan. 1: Outback Bowl (ESPN), 9:30 a.m. KKAR (1290 AM)
Mon., Jan. 1: Cotton Bowl (WW1), 10 a.m. KOZN (1620 AM)
Mon., Jan. 1: Rose Bowl (ESPN), 3:35 p.m. KOZN (1620 AM)
Mon., Jan. 1: Fiesta Bowl (ESPN), 7:30 p.m. KOZN (1620 AM)
Tues., Jan. 2: Orange Bowl (ESPN), 6:35 p.m. KOZN (1620 AM)
Wed., Jan. 3: Sugar Bowl (ESPN), 6:35 p.m. KOZN (1620 AM)
Mon., Jan. 8: National Championship Game (ESPN), 6:35 p.m. KOZN (1620 AM)
Sun., Jan. 14: Hula Bowl (WW1), 7 p.m. KOZN (1620 AM)

Three Eagles Buys Four StationsFrom Clear Channel Lincoln

Employees of Clear Channel Communications in Lincoln knew their radio station group was up for sale. Now they know who is purchasing them and what changes they can expect.

Three Eagles Communications announced Monday that it will purchase four Clear Channel radio stations in Lincoln: KLMY (106.3 FM), KTGL (92.9 FM), KIBZ (104.1 FM) and KZKX (96.9 FM).

The stations went up for sale Nov. 16 when Clear Channel announced its plans to sell more than 400 of its 1,150 radio stations after being acquired by an investor group led by private-equity firms Thomas H. Lee Partners and Bain Capital Partners.

Three Eagles Communications, which is based in Lincoln, will be required to sell off at least two of its Lincoln radio stations. Federal Communications Commission regulations prohibit a company from owning more than six stations in a market the size of Lincoln.

With Monday's purchase, Three Eagles owns two AM stations and six FM stations in Lincoln. The other stations are: KFRX (102.7 FM), KRKR (95.1 FM), KFOR (1240 AM) and KLMS (1480 AM).

Clear Channel Lincoln Vice President Julie Gade told the Lincoln Journal Star that the news her stations are being purchased by a local owner is a relief.

"(Three Eagles) will add four incredibly good radio stations to the mix," she said. "What they have already is phenomenal. They now will have the ability to capitalize in the market."

The article quotes Three Eagles Owner Rolland Johnson as saying no format or personnel changes are expected at the four stations new to his group. Eventually, they will move those stations' broadcast headquarters to the Three Eagles’ building at 3800 Cornhusker Highway in Lincoln.

World-Herald News Department Moves Tuesday

The Omaha World-Herald newspaper moves its editorial department into its new building at 1314 Douglas on Tuesday.

The news department will occupy the entire seventh floor of the 16-story building that it purchased from Qwest Communications for $25.6 million in April. Qwest leases eight floors, with the first two floors of the 26-year-old building serving as common areas.

The World-Herald's two-story building at "World-Herald Square" has been the newspaper's home since 1948. A decision on its future has not yet been announced.

(Not) The Home of the Huskers

KFAB (1110 AM) may tout itself as the "Home of the Huskers." But Saturday, when the Nebraska volleyball team's hopes of making the Final Four were on the ropes, KFAB listeners heard the syndicated program, "The Lionel Show," instead of the Huskers' thrilling comeback against Minnesota.

KFAB did carry the Nebraska men's basketball game at Oregon Saturday afternoon. But when that broadcast ended, KFAB chose to return to its standard programming rather than air the Husker Sports Network' broadcast of the Huskers' regional final. Saavy listeners in Omaha tuned in to Lincoln's KBBK (107.3) to hear the Huskers' comeback, which advances them to the Final Four in Omaha.

Becka Grand Marshal of Bell Ringing Marathon

KFAB talk show host Tom Becka is the grand marshal of the first ever "Ringing in the O!" Salvation Army Bell Ringing Marathon.

The 36-hour marathon kicks off Friday, Dec. 15 at 11 a.m. at three locations: Nebraska Furniture Mart and Wal-Mart stores at 12850 L Street and 6304 N. 99 Street.

The media, local business leaders, and volunteers will begin the marathon at Nebraska Furniture Mart's Appliance and Electronics Store. Omaha's O! Campaign with Army representatives will highlight the great need in the community and how the partnership hopes to help meet that need. The marathon runs through the night at two local 24-hour Wal-Marts and concludes on Saturday, Dec. 16 at 11 p.m.

The Salvation Army's Tree of Lights Campaign kicked off Nov. 17 with the annual lighting of the new Tree of Lights on the corner of 90th and Dodge Streets. The campaign runs through Dec. 23. Ringing in the O! volunteers are still needed. To sign up, call Greg Kadrlik at 898-5936 or visit www.ringbells.org.

Breaking News About Wednesday AccidentDelivered Via Cell Phone Text Messaging

KPTM (Cox Channel 10) is one of a number of local TV stations to offer breaking news alerts via cell phone text messaging.

Wednesday night, viewers signed up for KPTM's "Fox 42 First Alert" received a text message alerting them to an accident which closed some lanes of I-29 and I-680 shortly after 5 p.m.

KETV.com and WOWT.com also offer viewers the opportunity to receive breaking news via cell phone.

Heisman Ballots: How Three Voted

KMTV (Cox Channel 5) Sports Director and KXSP (590 AM) sports talk show host Travis Justice, KOZN "Unsportsmanlike Conduct" Co-Host Kevin Kugler and Omaha World-Herald Sports Columnist Tom Shatel are among several Nebraska media members who cast their Heisman Trophy ballots this week.

The winner will be announced in a ceremony Saturday night at the Downtown Athletic Club in New York (televised by ESPN at 7 p.m. CDT).

Here is how they voted:

Travis Justice's Ballot:
1. Troy Smith (QB), Ohio State
2. Darren McFadden (RB), Arkansas
3. Adrian Peterson (RB), Oklahoma

Kevin Kugler's Ballot
1. Troy Smith (QB), Ohio State
2. Darren McFadden (RB), Arkansas
3. Brady Quinn (QB), Notre Dame

Tom Shatel's Ballot:
1. Troy Smith (QB), Ohio State
2. Brady Quinn (QB), Notre Dame
3. Darren McFadden (RB), Arkansas

Though the Downtown Athletic Club does not make public the names of Heisman voters, at least one Internet site has built what it claims is a "confirmed" list. The following Nebraska media members are listed:

Brian Rosenthal, Curt McKeever, John Mabry, Steve Sipple, Lincoln Journal-Star; Kevin Kugler KOZN; Lee Barfknecht, Tom Shatel, Omaha World-Herald; Terry Douglass, Grand Island Independent; Travis Justice, KMTV; Jon Schuetz, KETV.

KETV's 'Traffic To Go' ReportsHit The Information Superhighway

KETV (Cox Channel 9) unveiled a new "Traffic to Go" feature on its website, KETV.com, this week.

A link from the home page provides site visitors with a capsule look at traffic troubles in several categories, including "accidents," "construction," "disabled vehicles," "congestion" and "police/fire activity."

"We know a lot of people are checking both their TV and their computers in the morning, so we're now in a position to offer up-to-the-minute reports online in the morning like we always have on TV," said KETV.com Webmaster Shiloh Woolman.

The Traffic to Go link is only available on KETV.com for the morning drive, Woolman said.

Journal Star Unveils New Look For Website

Not everyone is pleased with the makeover given to the Lincoln Journal Star newspaper's website.

The new look is rich with graphics, photos and more advertising. It also offers the opportunity to comment on stories. Several users have commented the color scheme resembles that of Boise State University (blue and orange).

Already, more than 60 visitors have commented on the new look. Many are not pleased with the layout for individual stories - which include an advertisement lodged within the text block - and the abundance of advertising and pop-up ads overall.

The Brummer File

Morningside College's alumni publication, The Morningsider, profiles WOWT anchor/reporter Sheila Brummer in the "class notes" section of its November/December issue.

The half-page article (page 7 of the PDF) recalls Brummer's busy senior year. (She graduated with a major in mass communications in 1992.)

In the story, Brummer said she doesn't know how she kept up with everything - working several jobs, including positions at the college radio station and newspaper.

"My senior year I was working 30 hours a week, and I was doing an internship. I didn't have straight As, but I had good grades."

She also shares details of her first interview for the college TV station:

"I interviewed Tom Gerking, who was a music major, about a concert that was coming up. I was really nervous about the interview, so I can't really remember that much more about it. And back then I used to have really bad big 80s type hair, so I had to worry about it not flying all over the place while I was on camera."

New KPTM News Director Announced

Joseph Radske, news director at Sinclair Broadcasting's WVTV in Milwaukee, was hired Friday to take on the same position at KPTM/KXVO.

According to a press release, Radske has 22 years of experience in the TV news industry, including 10 years as executive producer for KMSP in Minneapolis. Other stations where he has worked include WTMJ in Milwaukee, WTHR in Indianapolis, WBAY in Green Bay and WITI in Milwaukee.

"(He) is uniquely prepared for the challenges of the news director's role, said KPTM/KXVO Vice President and General Manager Randy Oswald. "He has the knowledge developed as an executive producer and the right mix of skills and experience in news and management to take on the challenges of this significant position in our company. We are confident that Mr. Radske will succeed in building our news audiences and serving our viewers."

In the press release Radske said he "plans to build a successful team that will continually seek to better itself and take the news operations here to the next level."

KPTM produces one, hour-long newscast a day at 9 p.m. Its sister station on the WB network produces a half-hour newscast at 10 p.m.

Radske is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.

KCTV Releases Former Omaha TV Anchor

Former KETV and KMTV news anchor Michael Scott is out at KCTV in Kansas City, according to a person who answered the phone at the station after Friday's 10 p.m. newscast.

Scott had been co-anchoring the 5, 6 and 10 p.m. newscasts with Karen Fuller. However, Friday - one day after the November ratings period ended - Scott was a no-show and his bio had been removed from the station's website.

Scott started at KCTV (CBS) in August of 2004. He arrived in Kansas City from WBTV in Charlotte, N.C., and previously spent four years at KXAS in Dallas, anchoring and reporting for that city's highest-rated morning newscast.

He is perhaps best known for his close encounter with a gecko (pictured at right) on a live broadcast on KXAS in 2002.

Another former Omaha TV personality, Brad Stevens, anchors KCTV's 4 p.m. news and is a general assignment reporter. Stevens could not be reached for comment Friday night.

New KMTV Weather Blog Provides Additional Info.

Meteorologists at KMTV (Cox Channel 5) are sharing more background about their forecasts in a new weather blog section on the station's website, action3news.com

Through the first two weeks of the blog, meteorologist Dean Wysocki has posted entries which often feature forecast models, as well as folllow-ups on forecasts and advice for travelers.

"We all basically came up with the idea (for the blog)," Wysocki said. "I'm not sure if the rest of the meteorologists will be posting (but) I'm sure they will if I'm on vacation or if they have some good tidbits to add."

Wysocki said the blog will strive to deliver a more in-depth look at local weather - more than what is typically offered in a three-minute forecast during a newscast.

"It's not going to be fluff stuff on how my day went or where I traveled to…unless I get some great weather pics to post with it," he said.

Among Omaha and Lincoln TV stations, only KMTV and KETV (Cox Channel 9) offer blogs by their meteorologists.

Star 104.5 Radioathon Helps Families in Need

Fewer than 400 of more than 1,300 families were remaining to adopt Friday morning during the seventh annual Adopt-A-Family Radioathon on KSRZ (104.5 FM).

The two-day campaign in conjunction with the Salvation Army recruits listeners to adopt and provide gifts for less fortunate Omaha families during the holidays.

Star 104.5 personalities, including morning duo Glennboy and Glo, host the radioathon that runs 12 hours each day (6 a.m. to 6 p.m.)

Last year, more than 1,700 families were adopted and the program has raised more than $800,000 in its six years. In 2003 and 2004, it earned a Silver Award for Service to Children from the Nebraska Broadcasters Association.

Celebrity Dance Contest Benefits Food Bank

In what is being billed as "Omaha's first celebrity dance contest," media personalities will show off their best moves to raise money for the Omaha Food Bank.

The "Swingin' a Star" benefit is Wednesday, Dec. 6 at Nico, 112th & Davenport. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. and the dance contest starts at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $15 in advance (buy at Homer's music stores and etix.com) or $18 at the door.

The night will also feature music by Omaha's nationally-known swing band, Prairie Cats, and the fine footwork of the Omaha Jitterbugs.

Among the media personalities scheduled to participate are Calvert Collins (KPTM), Cory Rangel (KMTV), Jana Murrell and Brandi Petersen (KETV), Kay Kriss and Jack Swanda (KLTQ) and Sheila Brummer (WOWT).