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Showing posts from July, 2010

Fox 7 News anchor Randy Moore wins Regional Emmy Award

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MOORE The Tri-State has a Regional Emmy Award winner to celebrate tonight:  WTVW-Fox 7 News anchor Randy Moore . Moore, the only Tri-State anchor or reporter nominated for a regional Emmy this year, was presented with the award earlier this evening at the Ohio Valley Regional awards ceremony in Columbus, Ohio. He was nominated in the Business/Consumer News category for his May 2009 story, "From Pellet to Pallet:  The Plastic Cup," an inside look at the "deep draw" plastic cups made in Evansville by Berry Plastics. You'll be able to watch the report that won Moore the award tonight on Fox 7 News at 9:00. Congratulations, Randy!

SATURDAY SPECIAL: "Great Affiliation Switch" captivated Tri-State viewers in '95

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Tales from from the   Tri-State's rich  TV and radio history ... and other things Looking back today, it seems strange, but 1995 was a long year for Tri-State TV watchers. January was ushered in with rumors that WTVW , which was then our ABC affiliate, was being courted by Petracom, a Florida-based company.  The station was, at the time, owned by Bank of America's Banam Broadcasting division, which had picked up WTVW when its previous owner, Woods Communications, found itself in financial trouble. Several previous sale attempts had been scuttled at the last minute, so nobody really gave much thought to the possibility of Petracom actually following through on the deal. Indeed, we didn't hear much more about it until mid-May, when it was actually finalized. The Petracom purchase ended up not only changing WTVW's ownership, but it kicked off months of deal-making, program swaps and confusion the likes of no one has seen either before or since. I should note

JUST FOR THE WEST: KFVS to begin producing KBSI's newscasts on Oct. 1

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If you live in the westernmost reaches of the Tri-State and prefer to watch the Paducah/Harrisburg/Cape Girardeau TV stations, get ready:  You're about to see a major change in news. Raycom-owned CBS affiliate KFVS (ch. 12, Cape Girardeau, Mo.), a corporate sister station of Evansville's NBC station WFIE, is gearing up to begin producing the 9:00 PM newscasts that air on Fox affiliate KBSI (ch. 23, Cape Girardeau) seven nights a week. Currently, KBSI's newscasts are produced by Paducah NBC affiliate WPSD (ch. 6).  The agreement between Paxton Media, which owns WPSD, and Sinclair Broadcast Group, KBSI's owner, ends Sept. 30. The KFVS-produced newscasts will begin Oct. 1.  They will also be an hour long, whereas the WPSD newscasts were only 30 minutes. KFVS has the full story on its website. In the Tri-State area, KBSI is carried on the following cable systems: Harrisburg & Eldorado (Mediacom), ch. 10 & 710 (HD) McLeansboro (NewWave), ch. 4 & 202 (HD

NEWS25 Sports Channel now has a website

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On Sunday, the NEWS25 Sports Channel will debut on channel 25.2, but if you just can't wait to get your fix, tonight there is a new website where you can explore what it's all about for yourself. As an added convenience, you'll be able to find out which cable systems are carrying the Sports Channel, and which channel it's going to be on. Be sure to add NEWS25SportsChannel.us to your list of favorites!

The Weekender

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It's been another interesting week here at JDTVB HQ, and we've managed to cover quite a few stories over the past few days. I'm hoping to hear later today (Friday) whether or not there will be a resolution to the WFIE/Mediacom negotiations.  No matter when I find out, one way or another, I'll be sure to let you know. Now, without further delay, let's get on with our look back -- after the jump!

Gaudin leaving Evansville to become radio voice of the Butler Bulldogs

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GAUDIN You've seen him as a freelance sports contributor on NEWS25 , heard him as the voice of the Purple Aces and known him as the GM of the University of Evansville's WUEV (91.5 FM), but now Brandon Gaudin is taking on a new challenge. He's heading north to Indianapolis, where he will become the play-by-play radio voice of the Butler Bulldogs men's basketball team beginning this fall. Gaudin replaces Joe Gentry, who is stepping down to devote more time to his role as the university's director of corporate sponsorships. I wish Brandon the very best in his new job! Butler's full press release is after the jump.

No word yet today on WFIE/Mediacom negotiations

There is no word yet today on the negotiations between WFIE and Mediacom with regard to WFIE's carriage on the cable system in four Western Kentucky counties. As I told you Wednesday , the two parties extended their agreement until today so talks could continue without interrupting service to customers. If no agreement is reached, Mediacom customers in the following areas will have to find another way to receive NBC and WFIE programming.  As I mentioned previously, all of these customers live in the following areas of Western Kentucky: Eastern Daviess Co. (including Whitesville) Northern Ohio Co. (including Fordsville) Southern Henderson Co. (including Robards) Portions of Hopkins Co. (including Nebo) I hope, however, that there will be no need for that.  I'll keep you posted.

NBC making some adjustments to fall season kickoffs

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NBC is performing a few tweaks when it comes to kicking off the new fall season, and I've been fortunate this afternoon to get word on a few of them. When "Parenthood" returns Sept. 14, it'll have the first part of the "America's Got Talent" finale as a lead-in.  Same goes for the sneak preview of NBC's new series, "Outlaw," which will follow the second part of the "AGT" finale on Sept. 15. The season premiere of "The Apprentice" has been bumped up a week to Sept. 16, and will open with a 2-hour special. The premieres of "Outlaw," "Parenthood" and "The Apprentice" will also be repeated the week of Sept. 29 so NBC can be sure to get as many eyes on these shows as possible. Also coming up as a 2-hour special will be the season premiere of "Law & Order: SVU" on Sept. 22, with the highly-touted "Law & Order: Los Angeles" making its debut Sept. 29. I'm ho

YOU TELL ME: Do you want to see RTV on another channel?

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UPDATE, 1:55 PM:   It didn't take as long as I had planned to get the poll I wanted, so instead of waiting until Monday, I have now posted the poll question. Over the past few days, I've had several readers write in to ask if any of the other local TV stations wanted to pick up RTV now that NEWS25 is replacing it (on Sunday) with the new NEWS25 Sports Channel. I'm not privy to any of the stations' plans, but here's what we'll do:  Beginning Monday today , there will be an online poll here at JDTVB asking the following question: Do you want to see RTV move to another channel? Yes No The poll will run through August 31 , and we'll see if there is sufficient interest to warrant asking Fox 7, 14WFIE, WTSN or WEVV to pick up RTV.

No, it's not online - UPDATE: Oh, wait ... now it is

UPDATE, FRIDAY 1:08 AM:   This week's column was finally posted on the Courier & Press' website , a day late.  For those of you who had looked forward to reading it online yesterday, I apologize. For those of you who may be wondering, "Why didn't Jake post a link to his column today?" there's a simple answer. It's not online ... at least not yet. If that changes (and I hope it does), I'll be sure to post a link.

FCC investigating Mt. Carmel low-power TV station ... is it on or is it off?

You may be familiar with the melee surrounding the surrender of the license of WVMC (1360 AM, Mt. Carmel).  There are still many unanswered questions about that, and the story's final chapter hasn't yet been written. But the saga may be getting more interesting.  Last night, a reader shared with me a letter from the FCC's Media Bureau to Wabash Communications regarding the company's low-power TV station in Mt. Carmel, WCJT-LP (ch. 12). The letter states that the FCC received a complaint that WCJT is not broadcasting, and that the station's listed telephone number is not in service. Since WCJT is a low-power station, I can't receive it here in Owensboro, so ... if you're in the Mt. Carmel area and reading this ... what's the story?  Is WCJT on or is it off? If it's off -- and if it has been for some time -- this could be a problem, as FCC rules require a station that's going to be dark for any length of time to get permission to do so.  And n

WFIE negotiating new cable carriage agreement with Mediacom; deadline extended until Friday

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UPDATE, 9:35 PM:  If WFIE programming is removed from Mediacom, it would affect Mediacom customers ONLY in Daviess, Henderson, Hopkins and Ohio counties in Kentucky. Mediacom customers in Nortonville and Caldwell and Crittenden counties in Kentucky, as well as Harrisburg and Eldorado, Illinois, receive NBC programming from Paducah (WPSD), Nashville (WSMV) or both, but not from WFIE. EARLIER:   WFIE is in the midst of negotiations with Mediacom , a cable company that serves several Tri-State communities, in order to stay on the cable system's lineup. The current agreement between Mediacom and the station, which expired recently, has been extended until Friday while talks continue. If no agreement can be reached before the deadline, WFIE -- and, by extension, NBC programming -- will be cut off to those viewers. I'll keep you posted as I learn more.

LOOKING AHEAD: Tomorrow's C&P column to focus on CBS fall season previews

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If you're a regular reader here, you've already seen my preview of CBS' new fall shows , but in tomorrow's Courier & Press , the entire Tri-State will get my take on what's coming, as well as other programming changes coming to WEVV-CBS44 and My44 . The column goes into more depth than I did here, so be sure to pick up a copy or read it online tomorrow!

Fox 7 News to be at Vanderburgh Co. Fair tonight; Randy Moore to interview country star Chris Young

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UPDATE, 3:56 PM:   Fox 7 will broadcast the 6:00 and 6:30 newscasts in their entirety from the fair tonight, not just live reports.  I apologize for the error. WTVW-Fox 7 will have live reports broadcast live tonight from the Vanderburgh County Fair during the 6:00 and 6:30 newscasts, and word this afternoon is that anchor Randy Moore will interview country music star Chris Young . Young will be performing in concert tonight at the fair, and the show is free with your $5 fair admission.

FCC releases total number of U.S. TV and radio stations ... interesting reading

The FCC released today the total number of radio and TV stations across the country, and I've decided, just for kicks, to share them with you. For comparison, I've included the list from March 31, so you can see the difference in just three months' time: Station Type Total as of 3/31/10 Total as of 6/30/10 AM Radio Stations 4,790 4,786 Commercial FM Stations 6,483 6,494 Educational FM Stations 3,180 3,223 TOTAL AM & FM 14,453 14,503 Commercial UHF TV Stations 1,020 1,021 Commercial VHF TV Stations 373 372 Educational UHF TV Stations 283 284 Educational VHF TV Stations 107 107 TOTAL TV 1,783 1,784 Class A UHF TV Stations 449 441 Class A VHF TV Stations 85 82 TOTAL CLASS A TV 534 523 FM Translators or Boosters 6,169 6,168 UHF Translators 3,048 3,068 VHF Translators 1,403 1,494 TOTAL TRANSLATORS 10,620 10,730 UHF Low Power TV 1,889 1,908 VHF Low Power TV 522 543 TOTAL LOW P

WPSR 90.7 off air for new antenna installation

EVSC's radio station WPSR (90.7 FM) is off the air starting today. Engineers Frank and Dave Hertel tell me that the go-ahead has been given for the station to receive its new antenna, which is expected to improve the signal, particularly in your car. Why the improvement in your car?  The explanation is simple, even if the reason isn't. When WPSR first went on the air in 1957, FM radio stations could only broadcast a horizontally polarized signal, and that's what the station's existing antenna delivered.  "Horizontally polarized signals transmitted very well to the home (Horizontal) outside antenna," Frank Hertel explained.  "Cars, however, were left to receive onlu about 1/100th of that signal because cars used a vertically polarized whip antenna." Since the late 1960s, however, the FCC has allowed stations to broadcast both horizontally and vertically, but only now is WPSR able to take full advantage of this.  The new antenna will deliver t

NEWS25 names new "Daybreak" associate producer/reporter

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Good morning, folks!  I've got news for you about NEWS25's new associate producer and reporter on the station's "Daybreak" newscast. Today marks Nikki Stroud's final day in the job before she heads to Indianapolis' WXIN-Fox 59, and tomorrow Matt Barbour will take over. If Matt's last name sounds familiar, it's because his wife, Kimberly , recently joined NEWS25 as well, working as a reporter and photographer. Both Matt and Kimberly formerly worked at WYMT-TV in Hazard, Ky., and we welcome them both to the Tri-State!

"Transforming Education in Kentucky" is topic of "Education Matters" season premiere on KET

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(COURTESY KET) Transforming Education in Kentucky , or TEK, is Governor Steve Beshear’s statewide education task force, which brings together community members throughout the Commonwealth to create a vision for meeting the educational needs of Kentuckians in the 21st century. TEK is also the topic for the first "Education Matters " of the new season, airing live Tuesday, Aug. 17 at 7:00 PM CT (8:00 PM ET) on KET. Host Bill Goodman will be joined by Governor and Mrs. Beshear, Commissioner of Education Terry Holliday and Robert King, president of the Council on Postsecondary Education, for a live discussion of the major issues that TEK will address. On the evening of the program, town hall forums will be held at 10 sites around Kentucky to allow community members to explore the process of transforming education from local and regional perspectives. Forum participants will also submit questions and comments for Governor Beshear and the other panelists to discuss d

Susan Olsen to appear on "Y&R?" Justin Bieber on "CSI?" What is the world coming to?

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SUSAN OLSEN It's been more than a decade since Susan Olsen 's last TV appearance that had a script, but the actress best known as Cindy Brady (yes, the youngest one in curls) is going to grace the screen again -- just for a day, though. Olsen will guest star on CBS's "The Young and the Restless" on September 1 in the role of a preschool owner. While her acting roles have been sporadic since leaving "The Brady Bunch" in 1974, Olsen has kept busy as a graphic designer, author and animal-rights advocate. It'll be good to see her back on TV. JUSTIN BIEBER Meanwhile, an upcoming episode of "CSI" will evidently feature a troubled teen, and what better actor to use than Justin Bieber , right? I mean, he's troubled ... right????  By all those screaming fans???? I've gotta admit that even I'm not sure where they're going with this.

CONFIRMED: NEWS25 going with 4:00 newscast beginning Sept. 13

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As many of you know, the syndicated game show "Deal or No Deal" is leaving the airwaves in September, and there have been rumors that WEHT-NEWS25 has been planning to fill that half-hour with news. I can now confirm that the rumors are true .  Beginning September 13 , NEWS25 will start its newscasts each weekday afternoon at 4:00 . Early news is no new thing to NEWS25; many of you are familiar with the station's 4:30 newscast, which has been around since September 2007.  Shelley Kirk anchors that half-hour solo; I don't yet know if that will be the case for the full hour, but I'll get more details as we get closer to the premiere date. Stay tuned!

NBC confirms coming season of "The Office" will be Carell's last

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STEVE CARELL NBC confirms he's leaving "The Office" at the end of the upcoming season NBC confirmed last night that Steve Carell will indeed be leaving "The Office" at the end of the 2010-11 season, according to an Associated Press story . Carell, who has several movies under his belt now -- the newest being "Dinner for Schmucks" -- will wrap up his role as boss Michael Scott after a seven-year run. NBC primetime president Angela Bromstad says the show is strong enough to weather Carell's departure.  We'll see.

"Marcus Welby, M.D." returns to RTV25 lineup for final week of channel's existence

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Retro TV ending nearly 2-year run on local television It's a pleasant surprise to see "Marcus Welby, M.D." on RTV25 (ch. 25.2) tonight.  I'd wondered what would fill the timeslot, since WEHT-NEWS25 aired its final 9:00 PM newscast this past Friday night. The 1969-76 ABC series has been out of the lineup on RTV25 (it used to air at 1:00 PM on weekday afternoons) for several months now. Of course, the show's return locally will be short-lived, as RTV25 will cease to exist after Saturday, replaced by the new NEWS25 Sports Channel.

WIKY Riley Radiothon coming Aug. 4-6

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WIKY (104.1 FM) is preparing to air the 2010 Riley Radiothon , which will benefit Riley Children's Hospital, on August 4, 5 and 6. This year's Radiothon will air from the Old National Bank headquarters in downtown Evansville, and WIKY is seeking phone bank volunteers and your stories about Riley.  To volunteer or send in your story, e-mail riley@wiky.com .

Trying again: Kingdom of God, Inc. files for reconsideration after FCC dismisses LPTV app

Back in late June, I told you that Indianapolis-based Kingdom of God, Inc. (referred to hereafter as KOG) , the Catholic broadcaster which had applied to build two digital LPTV stations (on channels 25 and 50) in Evansville, had its applications dismissed by the FCC . This morning, however, I've learned that their app for the proposed channel 25 station has been reinstated . It turns out that the reason for the original dismissal was because KOG didn't pay the application filing fee.  In KOG's letter to the FCC seeking reinstatement, it was explained that when they filed online, the online system indicated that no fee was required, which of course was not the case. Now they've paid up and they're back in the game.  I'll keep an eye on it and let you know if this app becomes a construction permit. And by the way:  If the station is approved, while it will broadcast on physical channel 25, the number you'll see on your TV will be different, for obvious rea

SITE NOTES: "Topics" section gone, SuperSearch upgraded

In an effort to accomplish two things -- helping you find what you're looking for more easily as well as speed up the loading of the website -- I've made another couple of site changes. The former "Topics" section in the sidebar, which listed each entry's tag(s) alphabetically, has been removed.  To make it easier to find what you're looking for, I've upgraded the "SuperSearch" feature.  All you have to do is type in the subject you're looking for and a list of available entries featuring that topic will appear, just like it does if you use Google. Please try it out, and be sure to let me know what you think.

RANDOM NOTES for your Saturday evening enjoyment

Just a few little things this evening: WAZE-LP (analog ch. 17) is back on the air -- barely.  It's all but unwatchable, though. Friday night's "NEWS25 at 9:00" on RTV25 (ch. 25.2) was evidently the last, although we're still a little more than a week out from the debut of the NEWS25 Sports Channel .  No word yet on what's going to air at 9 during the last week of RTV programming. Araceli Thiele made her debut this evening as co-anchor of "14News Weekend."  Once again, I'd like to welcome her to the Tri-State. Finally, those of you who were up all night (or part of it) may have noticed that, as promised, WEHT-NEWS25 is now on the air 24/7.  Nice to see them join the insomniac party on the weekends. That's all for this weekend.  I'll be back Monday with much more!

SATURDAY SPECIAL: Get to know the guy behind HoosierWx.com

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When it comes to the weather, you've got a lot of choices as far as where you get your information. You can watch it on TV. You can hear about it on the radio. Get a forecast delivered via e-mail. And if you've got a smartphone, there are more apps than you can shake a stick at. But when it comes to getting down-to-earth, concise but thoroughly-explained coverage of weather for ALL of Indiana and the surrounding states, I can think of just one source – HoosierWX.com . If you are a Twitter follower, you know that meteorologist Chris Johnson is on top of every storm situation that arises, no matter where it is in the Hoosier State and beyond. They do a fantastic job. You might be wondering, though – just how did he get into this anyway? CHRIS JOHNSON Johnson grew up in Frankfort, the seat of Clinton County in north-central Indiana. While he's long been interested in weather, it wasn't originally what he saw himself doing as a job. “My affection for storms

The Weekender

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As we wrap up another news-filled and HOT week, it's time once again to take a look back at everything that happened, so crank up the A/C, crack open a cold one and get informed with the Weekender ! You'll find all the details of this week's local broadcasting news after the jump.

Fox shuffles summer programming

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Looks like the Fox network is making some programming adjustments as they head into the latter part of the summer season, so there will be some changes to the primetime lineup on WTVW-Fox 7. "The Good Guys," which was originally set to wind up on Monday, Aug. 23, will now instead end its summer run on Aug. 2.  The series will return Friday, Sept. 24 in a new timeslot -- 8:00 PM CT (9:00 Eastern). Then, on Aug. 16, "Lie to Me" moves to Mondays at 8:00 PM CT, with reruns of "House" leading in at 7:00. Upcoming special programs include: "Night at the Museum" -- Aug. 13 NFL Preseason -- Aug. 20 "Bruce Almighty" -- Aug. 27

Two giants of TV journalism are gone

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UPDATE, 3:25 PM:  WNIN-FM 88.3 will carry a live Daniel Schorr memorial program from NPR tonight.  It will air at 6:00 PM CT (7:00 ET). There are two deaths in the world of TV journalism to share with you this week.  Both of these men worked for CBS and other media outlets, and their brand of news coverage will be held up as the gold standard for years to come. DANIEL SCHORR (1916-2010) Fmr. CBS and CNN news reporter, NPR commentator Daniel Schorr died earlier today in Washington at 93 following a brief illness. For over 70 years, he aggressively reported the news wherever he found it, from here in the U.S. to the Berlin Wall and everywhere in between.  Schorr's work so angered President Nixon that Schorr found himself on the infamous "enemies list."  The surprise was that Schorr discovered this fact while he was reading the names of those on the list live on the air. Schorr reported for CBS for 23 years ending in 1976.  He then worked at CNN from 1979 to 198

CONGRATULATIONS: WSTO's Atom Smasher and wife welcome son

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There's a new little Smasher in town! Hot 96 (WSTO, 96.1 FM) morning man Atom Smasher and his wife, Katie , welcomed a baby boy into the world yesterday afternoon.  They've named the little guy Cooper . Congratulations to you and your whole family, Atom and Katie!

Louisville CW affiliate selling its low-power translators

I no longer cover Louisville television on a regular basis, but this will have an impact on the Louisville-area channel listings I maintain here at JDTVB, so here you go. Trip Ericson of RabbitEars.info let me know last night that Louisville's tripartite CW affiliate -- WBKI -- will soon have just one station. WBKI's owner, Louisville TV Group, has filed an application with the FCC to sell the station's two low-power translators, WBKI-CA (channel 28) and WBKI-LP (digital channel 34), to Word of God Fellowship , which is the parent group of Daystar , a Christian television television network. The remaining WBKI station, which broadcasts on digital channel 19, is licensed to Campbellsville.

Is WAZE-LP off the air?

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A few days ago, I laid out the reasons why I thought our friendly local CW affiliate, WAZE (which broadcasts digitally -- barely -- on channel 19.1 and in analog on 5 and 17), shouldn't be on the air. Well, now it gets interesting. For two consecutive days, I've found that I'm unable to pull in WAZE-LP 17 at all.  If you've been with me on this, you know that 17 is the only station that I'm aware of in the group that's actually licensed, and I can normally get it fairly well here in Owensboro. I've no idea why it's not coming in. But strangely enough, WAZE's digital channel -- which, as I've told you, appears to be operating without a license, at least according to FCC records -- is still on the air. It's a real head-scratcher.

Syndicated programming changes coming in Sept. to WEVV-CBS44 and My44

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I'm learning today that there will be some programming shuffles coming to WEVV-CBS44 (channel 44.1) and My44 (channel 44.2) in September. First up, "The Bonnie Hunt Show" is going away, and in its place at 9:00 AM on CBS44 will be another daily episode of "The Doctors."  WEVV general manager Tim Black tells me the 9:00 episodes will not be the same as what you'll see at 4:00 PM.  First-run episodes will still run in the afternoon. "The Doctors" will air in HD.  "That means that virtually all programming (early am to late night) will air in HD on WEVV," Black said. If you're an "Everybody Loves Raymond" fan, take note:  It's moving to My44 at 5:00 PM.  "Entertainment Tonight" is moving to the slot vacated by "Raymond," and will of course be followed by the "CBS Evening News." Then at 6:00, "How I Met Your Mother" joins "Two and a Half Men" (at 6:30) to bring yo

NATIONAL SCENE: Bashir out, Weir in at Nightline; is Couric on her way out at CBS?

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MARTIN BASHIR Goodbye, "Nightline." Hello, "Dateline." When Ted Koppel retired from ABC News' "Nightline," it took three people -- Martin Bashir , Cynthia McFadden and Terry Moran -- to replace him. Now Bashir is leaving. Prior to "Nightline," Bashir was perhaps best known for his interview with the late Michael Jackson some years ago, and now he's heading for NBC, where he'll host an afternoon show on MSNBC and contribute to "Dateline NBC" beginning in September. Moving into the now-vacant anchor spot at "Nightline" is Bill Weir , co-anchor of the network's weekend edition of "Good Morning America." --- KATIE COURIC   Does CBS want her gone? Meanwhile at CBS, rumors continue to circulate that Katie Couric is on her way out as anchor of the "CBS Evening News." The most recent numbers I can find show Couric's newscast in a distant third place nationally, and of cours

Do you know how to get all of the local subchannels?

UPDATE, 3:35 PM:   We've had some excellent and informative comments so far on this topic.  Please keep 'em coming! Since NEWS25 announced the creation of the new Sports Channel earlier this week (it's coming to channel 25.2 on Aug. 1), it has occurred to me that I've done a less-than-stellar job of explaining how you can get this new channel.  Sometimes I take it for granted that just because I can get it, everyone can. That's not always the case. And the same goes for all of the local subchannels:  WNIN Local (channel 9.2), 14Xtra (14.2) and This TV (14.3), KET2 (31.2/35.2) and the Kentucky Channel (31.3/35.3), and My44 (44.2).  Very few of these channels are carried by all of the local cable companies, although some are.  If they are, they'll be listed in your provider's channel guide, and I have links to those on the Cable TV Information page . If you own one of the newer digital-tuner-equipped TV sets and have cable, in most cases you do NOT hav

LOOKING AHEAD: Preview tomorrow's column tonight!

UPDATE, THURSDAY 12:10 AM:   My column is now available online. Where has this week gone?  Does anyone know?  I can't believe it's already Wednesday evening.  Looking ahead to tomorrow, here's a preview of what's coming up in my column in the Courier & Press : The major story of the week, of course, is NEWS25's new Sports Channel .  You'll get all the details on that. A close second is anchor Julie Dolan's trip to the Gulf Coast for Fox 7 News. I explain a little more about why I reported what I did about WSON not being sold, when just a few days later its sale was announced. And I'll give you a preview of my column for next week, too! Be sure to stop by courierpress.com or pick up a paper tomorrow -- you'll be glad you did!

And it's a talk show: CBS to replace "ATWT" with "The Main Event"

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Last month, I told you CBS was examining its options as far as a replacement for the long-running soap "As the World Turns," which goes off the air in September.  On the list were a couple of different talk show formats as well as two game show revivals. I was sort of holding out for a game show, myself, considering the success of Wayne Brady's "Let's Make a Deal," but CBS announced today that it's gonna be a talk show after all. And if the format of "The Main Event" seems familiar when it debuts in September, there's a good reason:  Based on what I've read, it's almost a straight knockoff of ABC's "The View." To be hosted by Julie Chen (who already holds down jobs on "The Early Show" and "Big Brother"), "The Main Event" will have an all-star panel of ladies discussing the hot topics of the day.  Those stars are: Sharon Osbourne ("America's Got Talent") Leah Remini (

WFMW releases Madisonville North Hopkins High School football & basketball radio schedules

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Madisonville radio station WFMW (730 AM) has released this year's schedule of Madisonville North Hopkins High School boys football and basketball games , which the station will carry live. The action starts Friday, August 20 when the Maroons take on Murray at home.  Coverage will begin at 7:00 PM that night, with the kickoff at 7:30. You can find the full schedules on WFMW's website .

"Saturday Sports Cube" returning to WYNG-FM Aug. 7

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Mt. Carmel's WYNG (94.9 FM) is bringing back the "Saturday Sports Cube." I'm told today that SSC will return on the first Saturday in August -- August 7, to be precise -- and will be hosted by Josh Baxter and Kevin List . Be sure to tune in!

FCC dismisses application for Spanish-language TV station in Elberfeld

The FCC released word today that it has dismissed the application of the Hispanic Community Education Consortium , which had sought a construction permit to build a new digital low-power TV station in Elberfeld on channel 12. The station, which would have been the second in the Tri-State to broadcast Spanish-language programming had it been approved, was most likely not approved because it would have created interference with full-power CBS affiliate KFVS in Cape Girardeau, Mo. W23BV-D , the Evansville 3ABN station, offers the Tri-State's only current Spanish-language over-the-air TV service, 3ABN Latino.  It broadcasts on channel 23.3.

WNIN to host free screening of "Food, Inc." tomorrow night

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WNIN is hosting a free screening of the documentary film "Food, Inc." tomorrow night at the station's studios at 405 Carpenter St. in downtown Evansville from 7:00 to 9:00 PM (8 to 10 Eastern time). There will be free food from the Farmer's Daughter, eco-friendly prizes given away, and of course the film itself, which will change the way you look at America's food industry.

WMSK adds local news, obituaries to Facebook page

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If you missed the news and obituaries from Union County on WMSK-FM (101.3) this morning, there's a new option to help you catch up. The station's Facebook page now offers these features in a new feed.  All you have to do is click on the RSS/blog tab, and you'll find all the information you seek right there in one spot. Of course, you can still also go to the station's website (which is set up in a handy blog format), but this is a great way to keep your finger on the pulse of Union County, so be sure to check it out!

Owensboro Southern Little League to play on TV again today

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If you tuned in to what will soon be the NEWS25 Sports Channel yesterday, you got to see Owensboro Southern Little League put the hurt on Paintsville, winning 10-0 in four innings. Today at 5:00 PM (6:00 Eastern), you'll get to see 'em again, this time in the state championship game, which once again will be aired live on channel 25.2. Go Southern!!!

Ex-IU player, broadcaster Leary pleads guilty, gets prison time

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TODD LEARY , ex-IU broadcaster, could spend 1 1/2 to 3 years in prison after guilty plea I honestly don't know how I missed this one, but I did. Former IU player and radio broadcaster Todd Leary pleaded guilty in a Ft. Wayne courtroom last week to charges of misappropriating real estate escrow funds.  The plea means that Leary will avoid trial on 17 felony charges. You might recall that he was arrested prior to last season's IU-Purdue game, creating a rather embarrassing situation. If Leary pays some $295,000 in restitution before his sentencing in October, he can cut his agreed-upon 3 year prison term in half. No word yet on if Leary will ever return to the broadcast booth ... for the Hoosiers or anyone else.

KET to cover Fancy Farm picnic live

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(COURTESY KET) The annual Fancy Farm picnic, hosted by a small Roman Catholic church in Graves County, has been the site of food, fun and political oratory for more than 120 years. The menu usually includes several varieties of Western Kentucky barbecue, with traditional fixings and speeches by candidates for statewide or national office.  Bill Goodman and Renee Shaw will host both live coverage and highlights; live coverage airs at 1:30 PM CT (2:30 PM Eastern) on Saturday, Aug. 7 on KET (channels 31.1 and 35.1). Highlights from the picnic will air on Monday, Aug. 9 at 7:00 PM CT (8:00 PM Eastern), also on KET.

Goodbye, RTV: NEWS25 Sports Channel to debut August 1

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UPDATE, 10:40 PM:  Viewers tuning in to channel 25.2 Tuesday afternoon at 5:00 PM (6:00 Eastern time) will get a sneak preview of Wazoo Sports Network's programming on the NEWS25 Sports Channel.   Owensboro's Southern Little League team is in Hazard this week, playing in the state championship tournament.  Their game will be aired live. WEHT-NEWS25 made a big announcement this evening, and it will be one that I feel will be most welcome among Tri-State sports fans. On August 1, the station will replace RTV25 (channel 25.2) with the new NEWS25 Sports Channel .  If you've ever dreamed of 24/7 sports coverage from a local station, your dream has come true! You'll get to see your favorite high school sports teams compete week after week -- on the gridiron this fall and on the court this winter -- and when championship time rolls around, the NEWS25 Sports Channel will be home of the IHSAA Championship Network .  All IHSAA-sanctioned championship games will be aired l