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Showing posts from May, 2011

DVR ALERT: NEWS 25 to air preempted ABC Wednesday season finales in late-night on Saturday night

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NEWS 25 has announced this evening that the season finales of ABC's "The Middle," "Modern Family," "Cougar Town" and "Happy Endings," which were preempted last Wednesday night by severe weather coverage, will be rebroadcast this Saturday night in their entirety. The shows will air following the 10:00 PM NEWS 25 Weekend newscast, so if you won't be up to watch them live, you'll want to be sure to set your DVR to record them.

PROGRAM NOTE: No Cardinals on WSON tonight

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UPDATE, 6:00 PM:  If you'd like, you can also watch tonight's game online at ESPN3.com . UPDATE, 5:45 PM:  Knowing full well that the game time was changed for this evening, I put 7:15 anyway.  That's not right ... the first pitch is at 6:09 PM.  I apologize for the error. WSON Radio  (860 AM) will cover the Henderson County Colonels and Lady Colonels in regional tournament action tonight beginning at 5:45 PM, which means that  St. Louis Cardinals  fans will need to find a new radio home for this evening as the Redbirds face the San Francisco Giants. Folks in the Henderson area who want to follow the game will be able to tune in on WSON's Union County sister station,  WMSK-FM  (101.3), Mt. Vernon's  WYFX-FM  (106.7) or Madisonville's  WFMW-AM  (730).  First pitch is set for 7:15 PM 6:09 PM.

CABLE MAINTENANCE: NewWave to work in Beaver Dam area overnight

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NewWave Communications has announced that it will be performing maintenance in the Beaver Dam, Ky. area during the overnight hours. The company says that customers may experience interrupted service during the work, which is scheduled for 1:00 to 4:00 AM. NewWave's Beaver Dam service area also includes Hartford, Centertown, McHenry and Rockport, Ky.

Tribune Broadcasting gets new CEO

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Tribune Broadcasting , the arm of Chicago-based Tribune Co. which owns Indianapolis CW/This TV affiliate WTTV-4 (a station available to viewers in the northern part of the Tri-State), has a new CEO. Radio Online reports that Nils Larsen , the broadcasting division's chairman since October of last year, has added the CEO's title.  Larsen joined Tribune Co. in 2008. "Tribune's broadcasting group has gotten off to a strong start this year ― a result of having great assets in the biggest markets in the country, a rapidly growing cable network, and talented and innovative employees," said Tribune Co. CEO Eddy Hartenstein. "Nils is the right person to lead our broadcasting operations; he's thoughtful, creative, and has the vision necessary to maximize the effectiveness of the group."  In addition to WTTV, Tribune also owns and operates Indianapolis Fox affiliate WXIN-Fox 59 and WTTV's Kokomo-based north-central Indiana translator, WTTK-29.

Last chance to see 14WFIE's old news set is today; station begins using temporary set this evening

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UPDATE, 4:25 PM:  Assistant news director Scott Galloway sent me an updated picture of the set taken just before 4:00.  Improvements are still being made, as you can see below. UPDATE, 4:15 PM:  News director C.J. Hoyt says this afternoon that the preliminary launch date for the new HD set is June 27.  That is, of course, subject to change, and if it does, I'll let you know. UPDATE, 2:10 PM:  If you'd like a sneak peek at 14's temporary set in what is now a VERY crowded newsroom (!), click here .  They've posted a picture on their Facebook page. If you want one last look at 14WFIE's old news set before it is torn out for the construction of the all-new (and HD-ready) set, you'll get that opportunity at 11:00 this morning (noon Eastern time) during the midday newscast before "Midday with Mike." Photo courtesy of Scott Galloway, 14WFIE assistant news director The station is moving its newscasts (with the exception of the weather guys ― Jeff, By

Hamilton County Christian station "90.9 The Vine" has a new tower, more power

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If you've been rambling around Southern Illinois over the past few days and picked up an unfamiliar station on your car radio (or heard it more clearly if you're already familiar with it), that's no accident. WVYN , better known as "90.9 The Vine," is a locally-owned-and-operated station licensed to Bluford, Ill., but the station actually broadcasts from studios in Wayne City.  Its transmitter is located in rural Hamilton County between Dahlgren and Belle Prairie City, and it first went on the air on Father's Day 2009. The station's improved reach ― which I hinted at above ― comes courtesy of a recent construction project. The Carmi Times reported earlier this month that the station has, in the past few days, finished work on a new 250-foot-tall tower that will allow it to increase its signal from 4,500 watts to 11,000 watts.  Randy Olson of The Vine told the Times that the power increase "will double our coverage area in southern Illinois, whic

PRODUCT REVIEW: Looking for a good emergency or travel radio? RadioShack has yours waiting

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The RadioShack 12-586 (RadioShack photo) When the weather's at its worst ― or when you're outside and want to take a little music, sports or talk along with you ― a good battery-powered radio is still a fine companion to have. I know, I know ... there are a LOT of entertainment choices you can take with you these days, from smartphones to MP3 players, among other things, but sometimes a simple solution is just better. That's the case with the RadioShack 12-586 Pocket Radio I bought a little more than a month ago.  It doesn't get much simpler than this:  Thumbwheels for volume and tuning (yes, it has good, old-fashioned, slide-rule tuning), a switch for AM/FM band selection, a decent speaker, an earphone jack and a wrist strap ... and that's it! Now that I've got the description down, let's pick this thing apart, shall we? RECEPTION AM stations in my area come through nicely.  From my location on the southwest side of Owensboro, I have no trouble pic

Dish Network experiencing difficulties with local channels

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UPDATE, 6:40 PM:  It appears that the problem, whatever it was (and I have yet to determine exactly what happened), is either being resolved or has been resolved. I'm hearing this afternoon from several readers that Dish Network is experiencing problems with local channels in the Tri-State area.  Reception has been spotty at best for most of the afternoon. I don't yet know what's going on, but I'm looking into it - along with the Time Warner Cable outage in Newburgh - and will report back as soon as I have more information.

BREAKING: Time Warner Cable outage in Newburgh

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UPDATE, 7:15 PM:  Dan reports that cable has come back at his house.  If you're still experiencing problems where you are, please let me know or call Time Warner Cable at (866) 725-0915. 14WFIE's Dan Katz tweets this afternoon that there is a Time Warner Cable outage in Newburgh.  I'm not certain how widespread the outage is at this point, and Time Warner's blog that covers such things has no mention of it.

CABLE NEWS: NewWave Communications taking over Avenue Broadband

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UPDATE, 3:45 PM:  Information that I've been able to obtain from NewWave indicates that MOST current Avenue customers will see an increase in HD channel selection (including NFL Network and NFL RedZone), improved internet speeds and better long-distance telephone service.  No date for these changes or the official name change in Avenue areas to NewWave has been determined at this time, but I will get that information to you as soon as possible. Two of the Tri-State's cable systems are becoming one. SWINOW News Network reports this afternoon that NewWave Communications , which serves a number of communities in Southern Illinois and Western Kentucky (as well as Wadesville, Indiana) has reached an agreement to purchase Avenue Broadband , which serves other portions of Southern Illinois and Southwestern Indiana. The deal was actually completed in mid-April (according to this press release ); however, it has not become widely known until now. Both companies, it should be noted

THE WEEKENDER: Looking back at the TV and radio news of the week, May 22-27, 2011

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Yes, folks, it's that time again ... time to look back at all that made news in TV and radio this week. The big news this week is that WTVW's future won't be determined in the short term, as Nexstar Broadcasting works to help its Joplin employees recover from the devastating EF-5 tornado which hit there last Sunday.  But that's not all, of course, so you'll want to check below and see if you missed anything! Have a great weekend, and we'll get together again on TUESDAY ... in honor of Memorial Day, there will be no regular posts this weekend (including Monday), unless any major news breaks. Don't forget:  For the latest TV and radio news anytime, follow me on Twitter or Facebook !  FRIDAY, MAY 27 Jeff Conaway, star of "Taxi" and "Grease," dead at 60 IMS Turns 100: Where to find Sunday's Indianapolis 500 on TV and radio Henson Media seeks relocation for WSON's new FM translator Commonwealth Broadcasting president/CEO Newbe

Jeff Conaway, star of "Taxi" and "Grease," dead at 60

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JEFF CONAWAY, 1950-2011 Jeff Conaway , the actor best known for his roles as Kenickie in the 1978 film "Grease" and as struggling actor Bobby Wheeler on the sitcom "Taxi" from 1978 to 1981, has died. He was 60. The Associated Press reported that Conaway had been in a coma in a California hospital since May 11, and died from complications of pneumonia, complicated by sepsis (a systemic, or whole-body infection).  He had fought with drug and alcohol addiction for many years, as well as a back injury suffered during the filming of "Grease." Conaway is survived by his sisters, nieces and nephews.

IMS Turns 100: Where to find Sunday's Indianapolis 500 on TV and radio

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As many race fans know, this year marks the 100th anniversary of the famed Brickyard, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway , and this Sunday is the 95th running of the Indianapolis 500 , the Greatest Spectacle in Racing. For those of you who want to catch all the action, here's where you'll find it, on both TV and radio: TELEVISION ABC's coverage begins at 10:00 AM CT (11:00 AM ET) with "The Indianapolis 500: A Centennial Celebration," and the race follows that program. WEHT-NEWS 25 (ch. 25.1) / Evansville WHAS-11 (ch. 11.1)   / Louisville WSIL-3 (ch. 3.1) / Harrisburg WBKO-13 (ch. 13.1) / Bowling Green) RADIO Coverage begins at 10:00 AM CT (11:00 AM ET). WNOI 103.9 - Flora, Ill. WAKO-FM 103.1 - Lawrenceville, Ill. WITZ-FM 104.7 - Jasper, Ind. WYFX 106.7 - Mt. Vernon, Ind. WSJD 100.5 - Princeton, Ind./Mt. Carmel, Ill. WFML 96.7 - Vincennes, Ind. WAMW 1580, 95.9 & 107.9 - Washington, Ind. WBKR 92.5 - Owensboro, Ky. For radio affiliates acro

Henson Media seeks relocation for WSON's new FM translator

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Henson Media-owned WSON (860, Henderson) has filed with the FCC seeking approval for a modification of the station's construction permit, which was recently granted for its FM translator on 96.5 FM. Originally intended to be built (the application seems to indicate that the station has been built, but is not yet licensed) near Sebree , Henson seeks to move the translator to Henderson's Wolf Hills Road , where it would broadcast from the tower also used by CBS44/My44 WEVV . If approved, the 250-watt translator would cover not only all of Henderson, but also most, if not all, of Evansville and Newburgh. I'll let you know if it gets the imprimatur of the Commission.

Commonwealth Broadcasting president/CEO Newberry wins National Radio Award

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Steve Newberry (NAB photo) Steve Newberry , president and chief executive officer (CEO) of Commonwealth Broadcasting Corporation , will receive the National Radio Award during the Radio Show Luncheon held Friday, September 16. The luncheon will take place during the 2011 Radio Show, jointly produced by the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) and Radio Advertising Bureau (RAB), September 14 - 16 in Chicago. Commonwealth Broadcasting Corporation owns and operates three Tri-State area radio stations:  WWKY (Oldies 97.7, Providence), WYMV (Y106.9, Madisonville) and WTTL (ESPN 1310, Madisonville). "For over 25 years as an owner and operator, Steve Newberry's enthusiasm for radio and exemplary leadership abilities have been acknowledged and respected by radio executives nationwide," said NAB Executive Vice President of Radio John David. "We welcome Steve as the latest recipient of the National Radio Award, and look forward to honoring him for his

WNIN's second annual Hidden Treasures Rummage Sale and Appraising Fair coming June 18

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Looking for a great sale?  Well, join WNIN for the second annual Hidden Treasures Rummage Sale and Appraising Fair ! Come down to the WNIN Studios on June 18 from 8:00 AM to noon to find deals from your neighbors, local businesses and items from the Action Auction. Just finished up your Spring cleaning or just starting, bring your items down and share!! Stop by the Appraising Area and have your treasures appraised. To get an item appraised will cost $5. See what treasures you have at the WNIN Hidden Treasures Rummage Sale and Appraising Fair. If you or your business would like to set up a booth and share your treasures, please contact Ashley Murray at 812-423-2973 or at amurray@wnin.org .

Evansville mayoral candidates agree to meet for three debates, two of which will be broadcast on WNIN

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Thomas Langhorne of the Courier & Press reports this evening that Evansville mayoral candidates Lloyd Winnecke (R) and Rick Davis (D) have agreed to meet for three debates ahead of the November election. WNIN will host and air two of those debates, on September 7 and October 12.  One will be sponsored by the Courier & Press and moderated by the newspaper's editor, Mizell Stewart III .  The other, which does not yet have a sponsor, will be moderated by former WTVW and WEHT news anchor Hal Wolford . Local broadcast and print journalists will be asked to serve as panelists for the debates, which will be televised on WNIN 9.1 , with a simulcast on WNIN 88.3 FM and live stream at wnin.org . The candidates will also meet in a town hall-style forum on August 25, which will not be televised. MORE READING: Courier & Press:   "Mayoral candidates agree to three debates"

NEWS 25 may re-air preempted Wednesday night shows; station in talks with ABC

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If you're a fan of ABC 's Wednesday night comedy lineup, you're well aware that those shows didn't air on NEWS 25 last night because of the storms which rolled through our area. However, there is a glimmer of hope:  NEWS 25 reports on its website this evening that the station is in talks with ABC to rebroadcast those shows - "The Middle," "Modern Family, "Cougar Town" and "Happy Endings" - at a later time. There's no word yet on whether ABC has agreed to allow them to do that yet, or when it might happen, but I'll be sure to let you know what I hear, just as soon as I hear it!

"My Color is Beautiful" debuts June 5 on NEWS 25

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NEWS 25 is preparing to debut a new show on Sunday, June 5. Entitled "My Color is Beautiful," the show, hosted by Travasa Holloway , will focus on "fashion, beauty, social and health issues dedicated to women and men of color," according to the show's page at news25.us .  The show will air at 11:00 AM CT (noon ET). If you have questions you would like answered by Holloway or her guests on the show, you can submit them by visiting the website .

14WFIE's Ann Komis looks back on her 1990 interview with Oprah Winfrey

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In October 1990, "The Oprah Winfrey Show" was in its fourth season, and 14WFIE anchor Ann Komis sat down with the daytime diva to talk about her show. Now, 21 years later, Winfrey has wrapped up her long-running talk show, and last night, Komis took a look back at that long-ago interview on the station's newscasts. You can see the full interview here. By the way, reruns of "Oprah" from this season will continue to air each weekday at 4:00 PM on 14WFIE through September.

Fox 7 to rebroadcast "American Idol" finale Thursday night

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The following information comes from WTVW-Fox 7 regarding tonight's "American Idol" finale: Fox 7 WTVW will re-air the finale of American Idol Thursday at 10:00pm. The finale aired Wednesday night as scheduled, however severe weather warnings interfered with the full episode. For more information on who was crowned the winner: http://www.americanidol.com

If the power goes out: Where to find 14WFIE and NEWS 25 severe weather simulcasts on the radio

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If you lose power at some point this evening, it is important that you still have a way to keep up with what's happening regarding the severe weather, and a battery-powered radio will give you that option. Both 14WFIE and NEWS 25 have partnered with area radio stations to simulcast their continuous weather coverage.  Below is a list of their radio partners: First Alert Radio Network First Warning Radio Network WIKY-FM 104.1   Evansville WGBF-AM 1280 Evansville WFMW-AM 730 Madisonville WKDQ-FM 99.5 Evansville WKTG-FM 93.9 Madisonville WGBF-FM 103.1 Evansville WVJS-AM 1420 & FM 100.5 Owensboro WJLT-FM 105.3 Evansville WBIO-FM 94.7 FM Owensboro WDKS-FM 106.1 Evansville WXCM-FM 97.1 FM Owensboro WOMI-AM 1490 Owensboro WLME-FM 102.7 FM Owensboro WBKR-FM 92.5 Owensboro WTCJ-AM 1230 & FM 105.7 Tell City WBNL-AM 1540 Boonville WKCM-AM 1160 Hawesville WRAY-FM 98.1 Princeton

"Law & Order: SVU" and "Cold Case" to join MyNetworkTV lineup this fall

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UPDATE, 3:55 PM:  You can now read MyNetworkTV's full press release on the 2011-12 schedule after the jump. MyNetworkTV rolled out its 2011-12 season schedule today, and aside from Monday and Tuesday nights, there's no change.  Locally, there will be one big change, of course, but I'll get to that shortly. So what's new? On Mondays, dual episodes of "Law & Order: SVU" will replace "Law & Order: Criminal Intent" in the lineup.  On Tuesday nights, doubles of "Cold Case" replace "Are You Smarter Than A Fifth Grader?" and "Don't Forget the Lyrics." As for the rest of the schedule, there's no change:  "Burn Notice" stays put on Wednesdays, "Without a Trace" remains on Thursdays, and "Monk" holds its spot on Friday nights. Of course, with Fox programming moving to what's now WEVV-My44 starting July 1 , all MyNetworkTV programming will be shifted back two hours from w

Superhits 105.3 Memorial Day 500 Countdown starts Friday afternoon

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Superhits 105.3 will once again spend the Memorial Day Weekend counting down the 500 biggest hits of all time. For the past couple of weeks, Superhits listeners have been providing the station with feedback through their website , and that information is being used to help shape the outcome of the countdown. The countdown, hosted by Johnny Kincaid, will air Friday afternoon from 3:00 to 7:00 PM, Saturday from 6:00 AM to 7:00 PM, Sunday from 11:00 AM to 7:00 PM, and Monday from 6:00 AM to 7:00 PM. ► Information for this story was provided courtesy of Superhits 105.3.

Fox 7 and 14WFIE will rebroadcast "Oprah" and "Idol" finales if severe weather coverage becomes necessary

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UPDATE, 5:40 PM:  14WFIE made it through the finale of "Oprah" without interruption, and WTVW updates with this from their Facebook page:  "If severe weather interrupts large portions of the 'American Idol' Finale, FOX 7 will re-air it later tonight. Stay tuned to FOX 7 on-air and online for further updates." There are two major television events on deck this afternoon and tonight, but severe weather a possibility in the area beginning this afternoon, it's possible that the local TV stations may need to interrupt one or both of those shows to cover anything that threatens the Tri-State. WTVW-Fox 7 and 14WFIE have policies in place to ensure that you will see those programs - "The Oprah Winfrey Show" on Channel 14 and "American Idol" on Channel 7 - in their entirety. This afternoon's "Oprah Winfrey Show" finale will air this afternoon at 4:00 PM on 14WFIE, but, if the station needs to break away from the show at any

No big surprise here: CBS #1 in total viewers for the season, Fox wins among 18-49s

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As we reach the end of the TV season, it comes as no surprise that, once again, CBS and Fox sit atop the heap among the broadcast networks in terms of viewership. CBS, with an average of 11.7 million sets of eyeballs watching its shows every week, was first in total viewership.  Fox was second with 9.7 million, followed by ABC in third with 8.5 million, NBC in fourth with 7 million, Univision fifth with 3.5 million and the CW network in sixth and last place at 2 million. However, building on the continued strength of "American Idol," Fox takes the win among viewers ages 18 to 49.  CBS is second here, and third through sixth places remain unchanged. CBS has won in total viewers for seven of the past eight years, and has finished second to Fox in 18-49s for five years in a row. The upcoming fall season should bring more of the same.  CBS has a few new shows that it hopes will build on success, as well as a revived "Two and a Half Men" starring Ashton Kutcher.  Fo

Nancy Grace to depart "Swift Justice" as production moves from Atlanta to L.A.

This year's hottest new syndicated show, "Swift Justice with Nancy Grace" will be back with a new season this fall, but from a new location and ... a new host. Nancy Grace won't be back on the show, which airs locally on WTVW-Fox 7, because of a recent decision to move production from Atlanta to Los Angeles.  "I am so proud of the work we have done on Swift Justice ," Grace said. "Leaving such a successful show was a tough decision, but, with the increased requirements of the production's relocation to Los Angeles, it became challenging to balance my most important job — mother to John David and Lucy back home. I will miss the California sunshine for now, but I will be back soon." Taking Grace's place is Clark County, Nev. District Judge Jackie Glass , who will be remembered as the judge who sent O.J. Simpson to prison following his conviction for a 2008 armed robbery in Las Vegas. Glass will make her debut in September.

Decision on WTVW's future direction delayed by Nexstar's tornado relief efforts in Joplin

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The unimaginable devastation wreaked by an EF-5 tornado in Joplin, Mo. on Sunday evening has had an unexpected effect on one Tri-State TV station. Two weeks ago, after Fox announced that it was terminating WTVW 's affiliation and transferring it to WEVV's new My Fox 44 (channel 44.2) effective July 1, it was announced that Nexstar Broadcasting's plans for the station would be announced in the coming days. Now, however, I'm told that because of Nexstar's corporate efforts to render aid to the company's now-homeless (and, at least in one case, gravely injured) personnel in Joplin, there will be no announcement on what the future holds for Channel 7 at this time.  All of the company's resources are being poured into Joplin to make sure those folks have the help they need in getting their lives back to normal. Some may question that decision, but I feel it's exactly what they should be doing. Leaving things at 7 just as they are for the foreseeable futu

WDRB sports reporter charged with DUI while driving station vehicle, resigns

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There's a sad situation to report this evening from Louisville, as WDRB-Fox 41 sports reporter John Lewis has resigned from the station.  Lewis' resignation follows his arrest early yesterday morning on suspicion of driving under the influence. Lewis, who was driving a station-owned vehicle at the time of his arrest, was stopped by Louisville police just before 4:00 AM ET yesterday, according to a report in the Courier-Journal .  It is reported that Lewis' blood-alcohol level was 0.133, which is well above the legal limit. WDRB news director Barry Fulmer did not comment other than to confirm that Lewis had resigned yesterday.  Lewis' bio and other information has already been removed from the station's website. MORE READING: The Courier-Journal:   "Fox 41 TV sports reporter John Lewis charged with DUI" WLKY-TV:   "Sports Anchor Driving WDRB Vehicle Arrested On DUI Charges"

MAKE A DIFFERENCE: Townsquare stations, local businesses accepting donations to help Joplin relief effort

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You’ve seen the countless images and videos of the rampant destruction throughout Joplin, Missouri being shown on TV and online, and you’ve probably wondered if there is something that you could do to help. For a lot of people, heading out there right now and assisting people with the clean-up effort is not possible, but there is still something that you can do to help. Donations are now being accepted throughout the Tri-State at various locations.   A Facebook page has recently been set up, Evansville Makes a Difference , with locations posting status updates as to where you can drop off items to help out. If you can make it downtown, all radio stations at the Townsquare Media offices (WKDQ, WJLT, WGBF AM-FM and WDKS) are accepting donations.  The studios are located at 117 SE 5th Street, right down the street from the new arena. Anything non-perishable, whatever people can think of that they would need will be accepted during business hours at these businesses: Comfor

"Kentucky — An American Story" airs tonight on KET

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The thought-provoking documentary, "Kentucky—An American Story," narrated by Ashley Judd, examines how Kentucky's history mirrors the larger American experience. Directed by Academy Award-winning filmmaker Paul Wagner ("Thoroughbred"), this film takes a look at the migration of Daniel Boone and thousands of settlers through the Cumberland Gap, coal mining, tobacco farming, the TVA, and the horse farms of the Bluegrass. The film focuses on Kentucky's proud and valuable history, which is deeply intertwined with the American experience. You can watch "Kentucky—An American Story" tonight at 7:00 PM CT (8:00 ET) on KET and on Sunday, May 29 at 4:00 PM CT (5:00 ET) on KET2.

New "14 NEWS In Your Community" websites provide community-focused news and information

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Recently, 14WFIE redesigned its website, 14wfie.com , with a cleaner look and easier navigation, but now they've taken it a step further, giving you the ability to decide what news you want to see online. No other station in our area has tried it, but now, no matter where you live in the Tri-State, you can select your community and get only the information that matters to you.  Take a look at the list: Downtown (Evansville) East Side (Evansville) North Side (Evansville) West Side (Evansville) Dubois & Pike Counties Gibson County Henderson Hopkins & Muhlenberg Counties McLean, Ohio & Hancock Counties Owensboro & Daviess County Posey County Southern Illinois Spencer & Perry Counties Union & Webster Counties Warrick County Of course, these sites are in the early stages, but I think it's going to be a real asset to have them, especially in the more rural counties, which typically don't have the same coverage on the web as the metro areas.

12 Nexstar employees in Joplin lose homes, company and sister stations including WTVW coming to their aid

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UPDATE, 2:25 PM:  If you would like to donate to Nexstar's relief fund for its Joplin employees, you can contact Shirley Green, Nexstar's vice president and controller at sgreen@nexstar.tv , or by mail at the following address:  Nexstar Broadcasting Group Inc., 5215 N. O'Connor Blvd., Suite 1400, Irving, TX 75039. When Joplin, Mo. was devastated by a massive EF-4 tornado on Sunday evening, the television operations of Nexstar Broadcasting - which owns WTVW here and Southwest Missouri's ABC and NBC affiliates, KODE and KSNF in Joplin - were unscathed, but the stations' employees faced terrible losses. In all, twelve members of the stations' staff lost their homes, and their morning show producer, Matt Stevens, was seriously injured.  He was airlifted to a Kansas City hospital where he remains in intensive care. Nexstar has set up a fund for its employees to help their fellow workers get back on their feet.  CEO Perry Sook and CFO Tom Cater have contributed $10

South Central Communications selling Louisville TV station to Christian broadcaster

Evansville's South Central Communications Corp. has entered into an agreement to sell one of its two remaining television stations, Louisville's W50CI-D , an HSN (Home Shopping Network) affiliate. The buyer is Word Broadcasting Network , a Louisville-based Christian broadcaster which owns WBNA-21 , which carries Ion Networks, RTV and Christian programming. Word is ponying up $30,000 for the station and all its assets.  The sale is dependent upon FCC approval. After the sale, South Central will continue to own one TV station, Nashville HSN affiliate WJDE-LD, in addition to its numerous radio station properties.

PBS to try more promo break-ins during "NOVA" and "Antiques Roadshow," revamps fall schedule

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PBS, which throughout its nearly 41-year history has run its promos and underwriting spots only between shows, is making a big change in that concept this fall, according to Current.org . Viewers of "NOVA" and "Antiques Roadshow" will see a total of four break-ins for those spots - including two within each show - beginning next season.  Intended as a trial, these shows were selected because they're more amenable to being broken into segments. It's important to note here that the in-show spots won't take away from the actual program time; Current reports that the programs will remain at 50 minutes and 10 seconds. But will viewers accustomed to continuous, uninterrupted shows (at least during non-pledge-drive times) accept the new way?  Only time will tell. PBS has also realigned its schedule for the upcoming season, and the changes are dramatic.  Similar shows are being grouped together, which means you'll want to look at this: "Nature"

WBKR, WKDQ to present first-ever Taste of Country concert at Ellis Park on Sept. 10

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In the best tradition of the great country concerts in the Tri-State, a new tradition is about to begin. Townsquare Media's WBKR (92.5) and WKDQ (99.5) are teaming up with Henderson Chevrolet-Buick-GMC to bring the first-ever Taste of Country concert to the Tri-State on Saturday, Sept. 10 at Ellis Park , featuring Josh Turner , one of today's biggest country stars.  Turner will be joined by Josh Thompson , Steve Azar and newcomer Glen Templeton at the big event. General admission tickets for the concert are $30 for the grandstand or the track.  If you choose the track, you'll need to bring your own chairs.  And the 100 best seats in the house - bag chairs right in front of the stage - are available for $100 each.  The best part of those seats is that after the concert, the chairs are yours to keep! Tickets go on sale Saturday, June 4 at 10:00 AM CT (11:00 ET) at wbkr.com , wkdq.com , the studios of WKDQ in Evansville or WBKR in Owensboro.  General admission ticke

Today's the day: Insight increases its HD offerings to 100 channels in the Evansville metro area

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UPDATE, 9:10 AM:  You can now read Insight's complete press release on the new HD channels after the jump. The continuing process of Insight's Digital 6.10 Upgrade , launched earlier this year in the Evansville metro area, is paying additional dividends for the company's customers today in the form of more new HD channels being added today. "We're launching dozens of new HD channels in Evansville, Henderson and Bowling Green today, bringing our total in those areas to 100 HD channels," said Insight spokesman Jason Keller.  In total, Evansville-area subscribers will see 39 new channels, while folks in Bowling Green - who already had some of the new ones now joining the Evansville lineup - will get 34 new ones. In the days ahead, the few remaining analog-only channels will be transitioned to digital in both service territories, Keller told me.  "This will allow us offer even more HD channels and faster broadband speeds in the future." "We’r

NewWave internet and phone service out in Southern Illinois; cable TV service unaffected

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UPDATE, 8:30 AM TUESDAY:  From the looks of things on NewWave's Facebook page, it appears customers are still experiencing issues this morning.  NewWave Communications customers in Southern Illinois are experiencing an internet and telephone service outage tonight, reports our good friend Spencer Peach of Mt. Carmel.   Spencer told me that NewWave's cable TV service is not affected, at least in Mt. Carmel.  (If anyone knows differently, please let me know .) I've checked NewWave's Facebook page (which is a great resource for keeping up with what's happening, I might add), and no maintenance is scheduled anywhere within the company's system tonight.  These outages have been relatively frequent, happening about every couple of weeks, at least in Mt. Carmel. Spencer added that he's been in touch with NewWave, and they told him that the outage is indeed widespread.  They're working on it, and hopefully it will be back online soon.

Townsquare Media releases beta version of RadioPup app for Android

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Since its recent debut, I've been using - and enjoying - Townsquare Media's new, easy-to-use RadioPup app for the iPhone.  It allows you to listen to your favorite Townsquare stations, no matter where you are in the country. That's right ... even if you should find yourself in sunny Florida or anywhere else across the country, you can keep up with what's happening here at home and listen to the great music of WBKR, WKDQ, Superhits 105.3, 103GBF or Kiss-FM, or keep up with current events on NewsTalk 1280 WGBF or 1490 WOMI ... all on your iPhone or iPad. It's super simple to use, and it's feature-packed, too.  You can even share your favorite music with your friends. And now, as promised when the iPhone version debuted, those of you with Android devices can enjoy RadioPup, too. A beta version of the Android app is available in the Android Market or at RadioPup.com .