Media in Cincinnati

Cincinnati, Ohio is served by one daily newspaper, the Cincinnati Enquirer and six alternative, weekly, and monthly publications. It is home to ten television stations and many radio stations.

Print

Suburban newspapers include the Community Press chain in Ohio and the Community Recorder chain in Northern Kentucky, both owned by Gannett, which publishes the Enquirer. Daily newspapers in Hamilton and Middletown as well as weekly papers in Lebanon, Mason, Fairfield and Oxford are owned by Cox Publishing, which owns the Dayton Daily News.

Television

Radio

Recent station reorganization

Since late 2006, a number of trades and format changes caused some confusion in the Cincinnati radio market. ^[2]

2006

• On July 14, 2006, WIZF ("The Wiz") moved from 100.9 FM to 101.1 FM.
• On September 2, 2006, the intellectual property of WMOJ ("Mojo 94.9") was sold from Cumulus Media to Radio One, whose focus is on the African American market. Radio One moved the station format and call letters to 100.3 FM and shifted the format from Rhythmic Oldies to Urban AC. 100.3 had been moved into the Cincinnati market from its former home in Connersville, Indiana.
  • However, Cumulus Media retained the frequency of 94.9 FM, and changed the call letters to WPRV (now WREW), and temporarily used the frequency to simulcast their WYGY "96.5 The Star".
• Entercom Communications purchased the stations operated by CBS Radio (WGRR "Oldies 103.5", WAQZ "97.3 Everything Alternative", WUBE "B-105", and WKRQ "Q-102").
• Entercom traded WGRR to Cumulus Media, while Cumulus gave the frequency 94.9 FM and "The Star" format to Entercom.
  • This leaves Entercom with two country stations (WUBE and WYGY), and Cumulus with two adult-oriented stations (WGRR and WRRM).
• Cumulus moved the WPRV-FM call letters to 96.5 FM, and the format was changed to "SuperTalk", Cincinnati's only FM talk station. Call letters were soon changed to WFTK.
• On November 9, 2006, Entercom killed WAQZ 97.3 and launched an adult alternative format called "The Sound" on 94.9. Call letters were soon changed to WSWD.
• Entercom placed the WYGY call letters on 97.3 FM and relaunched a country format as "The Wolf". It is aimed at a younger demographic, as to not compete with Entercom's other country station, WUBE.

2007

• In early 2007, Entercom is planning on trading all 4 of its Cincinnati stations to Bonneville International, in exchange for Bonneville's 3 stations in San Francisco.^[3]
• On November 30, 2007, Entercom officially became the holder of the licenses for the former CBS Radio-owned stations.
• On December 14, 2007, Cumulus FM Talker WFTK launched its new format as Active Rock "96 Rock - Cincinnati’s Pure Rock", replacing "SuperTalk". The Two Angry Guys, Richard Skinner and Tom Gamble will remain in mornings.

2008

• On February 13, 2008, Clear Channel was ordered by the US Department of Justice to sell two of its Cincinnati radio stations before it could proceed with a planned acquisition by Bain Capital and Thomas H. Lee Partners.^[4] Clear Channel chose to trade WOFX and WNNF to Cumulus in exchange for stations in Green Bay, Wisconsin. As part of the swap, Cumulus retained the right to repurchase the Green Bay stations from Clear Channel within a five-year period.
• On March 14, 2008, Bonneville and Entercom closed on the multi-station trade which had been announced over a year before.
• On November 7, 2008, Bonneville swapped frequencies with two of their stations, moving WYGY "The Wolf" to 94.9 FM and WSWD "The Sound" to 97.3 FM.

2009

• On January 2009, Cumulus shifted WFTK from active rock to alternative rock.
• On May 21, 2009, Bonneville moved WYGY "The Wolf" back to 97.3 FM, and launched a new station "Rewind 94.9" at 94.9 FM. "The Sound" was moved to a digital sideband at 94.9 HD2 and also continues to broadcast online.
• Radio 94.1 was rebranded Frequency 94.1 in June 2009.

What has happened since then?

2010

• At 5:00 p.m. on December 6, 2010, WMOJ returned to their jammin' oldies roots, with an upbeat lineup including Michael Jackson, Prince, Aretha Franklin and KC and the Sunshine Band, launching with "Rock with You".

2011

• In January 2011, WRRM softened their playlist, playing more 70s songs.
• On May 20, 2011, WNNF shifted from AAA "Frequency" to a 80s/90's heavy Hot AC format as "Journey 94-1", after stunting with an imaginary "wheel of formats", including an urban AC "Storm" that would have been competition for rhythmic oldie WMOJ.
• On August 2, 2011, WRRM added songs by artists such as Adele, Bruno Mars, Katy Perry, OneRepublic, Pink, and The Script to their playlist, despite sister station Journey also playing these artists.
• In August 2011, WMKV began simulcasting on 89.9 FM in Butler County.
• On September 6, WREW began re-introducing 2000s product, all while still playing 70s.

Online media

• The following are online media outlets, including new aggregators, in the Cincinnati area:

• • The513.com [1]
  • Bearcast Radio, the University of Cincinnati's student station [2]
  • Cincinnati.Com [3]
  • CityBeat.Com [4]
  • CincinnatiBeacon.com [5]
  • CincyFriends.Com [6]
  • CincyMOMs.com [7]
  • Cincymusic.com [8]
  • Cincyweather.net [9]
  • CiNWeekly.com [10]
  • CommunityPress.com [11]
  • Enquirer.com [12]
  • KYPost.com [13]
  • NKY.com [14]
  • Pulse of the City [15]
  • Queen City Forum [16]
  • WCPO.com [17]
  • WOXY (internet radio) [18]
  • 513 Green PAC [19]
  • AroundCinci.com [20]
  • Blue Chip Review [21]
  • The Cincinnati Nation [22]
  • The Dean of Cincinnati -- now at The Cincinnati Beacon [23]

References

1. ^ ^{a b c d e} http://www.gccc.com/pdf/bus_lists/media.pdf
2. ^ Kiesewetter, John. "Radio station switches to rock". Cincinnati Enquirer. November 9, 2006.
3. ^ Entercom trades radio stations. Seattle Post-Intelligencer. Friday, January 19, 2007.
4. ^ Clear Channel ordered to sell stations in Cincinnati. Cincinnati Business Courier. February 14, 2008.