Director's Cut Blog with Frank Macek

Update: Both sides fold, again In an update to a story we brought you yesterday, Viacom and Time Warner came to a virtual last second deal. We were wrong this time - and that's a good thing. LOS ANGELES -- Just before midnight New Year's Eve, Time Warner Cable Inc. says it has reached a deal with Viacom Inc. on carriage fees, avoiding a blackout of 19 cable channels, including MTV and Comedy Central. The two sides, citing disagreement over fee hikes, had threatened a damaging blackout at midnight that would have cut off shows such as "SpongeBob SquarePants" and "The Colbert Report" to about 15.7 million subscribers. Shortly after agreeing to extend a midnight deadline by an hour, Time Warner Cable spokesman Alex Dudley said the sides agreed on a new contract. Details of the deal were not immediately available. ------ ORIGINAL ARTICLE: It's turning out to be a battle between media giant Viacom and Time Warner Cable over carriage consent which expires toni...

Here's our update of what's happening around the WKYC Digital Broadcast Center: We're Back! First of, we are back from a few weeks of vacation and ready to take on a new year which will be just as challenging as 2008. Hopefully, a better economy and a new direction for the nation will allow us to recover from what can only be described as a miserable local and national economy - especially with TV being so tied to the fate of the automotive industry and their large advertising budgets. Plus, we have to deal with the huge costs of the digital tv transition and a never ending need to upgrade equipment with the new technology - a challenge WKYC is ready to tackle head on in '09. Director's Cut Reaches Another Milestone As we approach our 2nd year on the web in January, the Director's Cut Blog has once again surpassed our expectations as your source for local news and information about WKYC. Over the holidays, we hit a quarter million page views. So, again thank you...

Become part of our local television community and either post your own comments about the stories we feature or feel free to email me directly with questions you have about the programming or news product you see on WKYC. While I can't always give secret information away - cause that would be unfair - I am thrilled to answer your general questions about the television station or listen to suggestions for new things you'd like to see featured on the blog. You can email your questions to me: fmacek@wkyc.com

CLEVELAND -- Here is a look at what's coming up just in time for Christmas on NBC and WKYC: ----------- WEDNESDAY, 12/24 through THURSDAY, 12/25 Regular programming until 8 p.m. "It's a Wonderful Life" - 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. "Channel 3 News at 11" - 11 p.m. to 11:35 p.m. "Christmas Eve at St. Peter's Basillica in Rome" - 11:35 p.m. to 1:05 a.m. "Little Shepherd" - 1:05 a.m. to 1:35 a.m. "Meet John Doe" - 1:35 a.m to 4:00 a.m. "Holiday Festival on Ice" - 4:00 a.m. to 4:30 a.m. "Christmas at Cadllac Jack's" - 5:00 a.m. to 6:00 a.m. "City That Forgot About Christmas" - 6:00 a.m. to 6:30 a.m. "Christmas Is" - 6:30 a.m. to 7 a.m. "Today Show" - 7 a.m. to 11 a.m. "Christmas at Maxwell's" - 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. "Days of Our Lives" - 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. "Rachel Ray" - 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. "Hot Ice, Cool Sounds" - 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. "Wild and Wack...

We'd like to take a moment and say "Thank You" and "Best Wishes" to Channel 3 Weekend Anchor/Reporter Lydia Esparra who leaves us this week. I've had the priviledge of working with Lydia since she joined us from Channel 8 and will miss her great enthusiasm, warm personality and popcorn. Yep, she always had a stash of "ready to pop" popcorn to make in the classic popcorn machine she was given after doing a story about it several years ago and kept in the Channel 3 backroom. We wish you nothing but the best Lydia - and thanks for all the great weekend memories when I was fortunate enough to direct your weekend shows in the past. You can reach out to Lydia on Facebook. Photo courtesy: Carrie Young

As Santa Claus gets set to make his way to the area for Christmas, I thought I'd put a few things on the Director's Cut wish list for Santa to consider. He knows we've been good this year heaven's sake.... so - The Top 5 List of Things We'd Like For Christmas at Channel 3 #5... A shiny, new broadcast tower #4... A smooth transition to digital on February 17th. #3... Better prime time shows from NBC #2... Success for Channel 3's new direction #1... A much better economy in 2009 Happy Holidays everyone!

As reported by Cleveland.com and our friends at Ohio Media Watch, Cleveland veteran broadcaster Bill "Smoochie" Gordon has died at the age of 83. Ohio Media Watch says, " The Cuyahoga County Coroner's Office says Gordon was found dead in his Euclid apartment Thursday, and that the death is believed to be of natural causes." According to the Plain Dealer's Michael Heaton article , " Gordon was known as 'Smoochie' for his signature sign-off, 'Stay smoochie, you rascal,' accompanied by a smooch of such gusto it could take the chrome off a bumper." Gordon had over 50 years of broadcasting experience in radio and television. Cleveland was first introduced to Gordon in 1950, when he became a deejay for WHK AM after leaving Memphis, Tennessee. Besides his work with WHK, Gordon co-hosted the "One O'Clock Club" with Dorothy Fuldheim on WEWS Channel 5 and had a conversational phone talk show on WERE AM/1300. A native of Memphi...

By Frank Macek In today's tough economic environment, local newsrooms have to be smarter, more efficient and budget conscious while still gathering the same amount of content that is needed to fill hours each day on their newscasts. But does it make sense still to have 4 local stations in the market cover the exact same general news of the day when a pool could do the same job? The answer is absolutely NOT. Welcome to the concept of LNP or Local News Pool (or Service) - a locally developed pool system to cover the basic local news of the day - the fires, the shootings, the KFC robberies. Why send 4 reporters and 4 cameras from 4 different stations to cover the same event. In the current structure, when the story airs now, the most you'll notice is different cameras angles or sounds bites.. but does anyone care at home? That is the big question. NBC and FOX owned and operated stations have been quietly working together to see just how fruitful sharing resources can be, without l...

Here's our update of what's happening around the WKYC Digital Broadcast Center: Watermain Break Leaves Station High and Dry WKYC once again is a little too close to the news on Wednesday as a large watermain break, just east of downtown Cleveland, leaves a large area without water for several hours this morning, including at WKYC. Bottled water was golden and coffee making was scarce. But in the end, everyone survived. Footage at 11. It's Just a Test Tonight Again, a reminder, WKYC will participate in a DTV preparation test this evening with most other Ohio TV stations that will alert over the air viewers if they are ready for the digital transition or not. The test will occur between 7:31 and 7:36 p.m. Please see our previous posting for more details. Call for Emmy Entries The "Emmy Call for Entries for 2008" is now available online at www.nataslgl.org . The entry deadline is Friday, February 20, 2009. Please note the "Call for Entries" is available o...

Several Northeast Ohio Cleveland television stations will help viewers understand if they are ready or not for the big digital changeover on February 17th. This is part of coordinated test being conducted in around 30 states. WKYC will participate in a reminder test that will occur on (tomorrow) Wednesday, December 17th from 7:31 p.m. to 7:36 p.m. At that time, the station will broadcast a graphic on our over the air signal, that if you are see it, will tell you that your television set is NOT digital and will not receive the new digital broadcasts. You will need a converter box. For those connected to satellite or cable - or already have the digital converter boxes for over the air broadcasts, you will continue to see regular programming. During the test, the Ohio Association of Broadcasters will give a help-center hot line number to call with questions. The hot line will be staffed by local station engineers from 7:30 p.m. until 9:30 p.m. Read more about the all digital conversion an...

Here's our update of what's happening around the WKYC Digital Broadcast Center: New 7 pm Broadcast Debuts Tonight Carole Sullivan and Eric Mansfield join Channel 3 News at 7 PM for the debut of our brand new show as anchors. You'll see more interviews, longer stories and more in-depth reporting, drawing on Channel 3's experienced beat reporters and videographers. Eric and Carole both worked at the old WAKC/TV 23 in Akron at one time, so this is a reunion of sorts for them. Weekend Anchor Changes As you may have heard, Kim Wheeler will be taking over as solo anchor of Channel 3 News at 9 am on the weekends, while her long time co-anchor Jeff Maynor moves to the evening newsdesk as solo anchor of Channel 3 News at 6 & 11 PM begininng at the end of the month. From the Editor's Desk... Your blogger is taking a few weeks off from TV land to regroup, so we may not have much news to post as normal during the holidays. However, if something major develops, we'll be ...

As part of the WKYC Information Center, several of our staff members are doing a little bloggin' of their own. Here are another few new blogs to check out when you get a little web surfing time. Wendel on the Web - WKYC web reporter Kim Wendel has an interesting look at the days news around the Cleveland area. It's the Mommy In Me - a blog from WKYC evening Meteorologist Betsy Kling about life as a mom, - from our newest website, " Cleveland Moms Like Me ." For more blogs from the WKYC Digital Broadcast Center: CLICK HERE Many of our staff members also have profiles on Facebook. You can sign up for a free account and join our groups to interact with many of us online about the station and the news stories we cover. Just search "WKYC". To join Facebook: CLICK HERE

Here's our update of what's happening around the WKYC Digital Broadcast Center: Tim's Final Day at WKYC is Friday Join Channel 3 News at 6, 7 & 11 PM for WKYC Anchor Tim White's final appearance on the big broadcasts. As previously reported, Tim and WKYC were not able to reach agreement on a new contract. Beginning Monday, Romona Robinson will solo anchor the 6 & 11 PM newscasts, while Carole Sullivan and Eric Mansfield take over the anchor desk at 7 PM. Meteorologist Betsy Kling and Sports Anchor Jim Donovan remain on all 3 broadcasts. Update: New Tower Rising Soon WKYC will likely start assembly of our new broadcast tower in Parma next week as we get set to make our digital switch to Digital Channel 17 on February 17, 2009. The brand new tower will support antennas for both WKYC and WVIZ right next to our current tower location. After the transition is complete, the old tower will be brought down which currently transmits WKYC-TV 3 on analog and Digital Channe...

Just in time for the new year, the Screen Actors Guild is getting ready to call for a strike vote. Will 2009 be a repeat of the Writer's Strike that brought network show productions to a screeching halt? If the actors are smart, they'll settle this before the put us all out of business. In these lean times, we all must compromise. ---------- LOS ANGELES (AP) -- The Screen Actors Guild says it will send strike authorization ballots to its 120,000 members on Jan. 2. The votes will be counted on Jan. 23, which will not be in time to potentially disrupt the Golden Globe Awards like the writers' strike did last year. Approval by 75 percent of members is required to pass the measure. If approved, the SAG national board can call a strike. Guild President Alan Rosenberg said in a statement Wednesday that the future of professional actors is at stake. The guild remains at odds with Hollywood studios over treatment of Internet productions and actor benefits in the event of unplanned ...

Update: 12/9/08 - It's Now Official! NEW YORK -- Jay Leno is staying at NBC, and he's moving to prime time. The network announced on the "Today" show Tuesday that Leno will host a show on weeknights at 10 p.m. Eastern, after he leaves the "Tonight" show. The network had announced earlier that Conan O'Brien would move to the "Tonight" show and succeed Leno. The deal not only prevents Leno from moving to another network and competing with O'Brien, it also has the potential to be a big cost savings for NBC. Dramas at 10 p.m. Eastern used to be a mainstay of network schedules, but they have been fading -- particularly on NBC. One reason is digital video recorders; more people are watching shows they taped earlier than the live 10 p.m. shows. The deal was first reported Tuesday in The New York Times. ------ Our Original Posting from 12/8/08 Things at NBC are moving fast and we have learned another piece of the puzzle which seems to be coming tog...

Earlier this year, we discussed on the Director's Cut Blog about the possibility of NBC changing its prime time strategy as the network finds itself with very disappointing numbers. At that time, we suggested the network may reduce the hours or the days it programs, more in line with the Fox TV model. Finally, NBC Universal chief Jeff Zucker said Monday afternoon that it's a very realistic possibility. All options are now on the table for the struggling network which has yet to regain significant footing. According to today's Hollywood Reporter, Jeff made the comments as part of Monday's keynote at the annual UBS Global Media and Communications Conference. "Can we continue to broadcast 22 hours in prime time? Three of our competitors don't," Zucker said. "Can we continue to broadcast seven days a week? One of our competitors doesn't." Again, we have nothing specific on this more than what we read...but scaling back prime time to 2 hours (from...

While the following story doesn't affect WKYC or parent company, Gannett, it is an indicator of how bad things are getting for the media industry in this recession. ----- NEW YORK (AP) -- Media conglomerate Tribune Co. has filed for bankruptcy protection. The owner of the Chicago Tribune, the Los Angeles Times, the Chicago Cubs and other properties has $13 billion in debt. Severe reductions in advertising this year because of the recession has put pressure on the company. Most of its debt comes from the complex transaction in which the company was taken private by real estate mogul Sam Zell last year. Although the next major principal payment isn't due until June, analysts say Tribune has been in danger of missing lender-imposed financial targets. Tribune made the filing Monday in bankruptcy court in Delaware.

Time to stuff those stockings with some great new holiday gifts this year. If you are technie, like me, you'll be interested in a High Definition, pocket sized camcorder this holiday season. It's the new Flip minoHD, the world's smallest high definition camcorder that takes video that can only be described as breathtaking, considering it's coming from a camera so small it fits in a shirt pocket. NBC reporter Mike Wendland has a demonstration:

Update: David Gregory was offically introduced as the new host of "Meet the Press" as we mentioned in our previous article last week. -------- The New York Post reported today that NBC has apparently settled on David Gregory as the new host of Sunday morning's "Meet the Press." The problem is someone leaked the information to the media before NBC wanted it out, which is to come this week when Tom Brokaw will pass the chair to David. As we reported earlier, Brokaw's last show as moderator is to be this Sunday, December 7th. This leak has led the network brass to be a little cranky and refusing to confirm or deny that Gregory is its choice. However, given the star power of Gregory, we are pretty certain he's got the job. The Post also reports that NBC Political Director Chuck Todd, himself a contender for the job, may have been the source of the early announcement. Stay tuned on this soap opera. We wonder aloud why everyone seems to think keeping secrets ...

By Frank Macek Go green this holiday season and beware of how much energy that new television is going to use. Unlike years past, most newer tvs are more efficient thanks to new standards being implemented this month by the government to lower energy waste. Consumers will save hundreds, if not thousands of dollars, in wasted energy during the life of a new tv set. Many people think that TVs don't use energy when they are turned off...but they do if left plugged in. In fact, most household appliances and computer equipment devour energy when not used. Today's new TVs are required to be 30% more efficient. And overall, LCD sets consume less power than plasma tvs. So as you shop for that new set this holiday season, think smart - think green - and save yourself money in the long term. Tracy Davidson has more on this:

WKYC announced Thursday that Carole Sullivan and Eric Mansfield will be moving to the 7 PM anchor desk soon as Channel 3 continues to "re-define" local television in a way that will have a positive effect on our community during tough times. Carole returned to Channel 3 in a part-time capacity after moving to Michigan with her husband. Prior to that, she was the morning news anchor with Jon Anderson at WKYC. Eric Mansfield has been Channel 3's Akron Canton Newsroom Chief and former anchor of the Channel 3 produced "Akron Canton News" which ended earlier this spring. Both will bring a fresh new approach to our 7 pm newscast while Channel 3 News Anchor Romona Robinson will handle the 6 & 11 pm broadcasts as newsrooms across the nation begin shifting away from traditional two anchor teams for their newscasts. While times are difficult, we look forward to the new challenges that our business has to offer and the opportunity this presents us in television to re-i...

WKYC and NBC are all set to ring in the holidays and new year with plenty of holiday themed programming. These shows will include special editions of "My Name Is Earl," "The Office" and "ER" and more traditional specials including airing of "Miracle on 34th Street" and "New Year's Eve with Carson Daly." For a list of what's airing through the end of the month of December: CLICK HERE

NBC heralds the arrival of the holidays with a dazzling display of musical talent and the lighting of the world's most famous Christmas tree during the 11th annual "Christmas in Rockefeller Center" telecast. Hosted by Al Roker ("Today"), the star-studded 76th annual tree lighting extravaganza will feature musical superstars such as Beyonce, Tony Bennett, Neil Boyd, the Jonas Brothers, Harry Connick Jr., David Cook, Rosie O'Donnell and the Broadway Kids, Faith Hill, Rascal Flatts, and Solange Knowles as they perform current hits and holiday classics from Rockefeller Center in New York City. Here's a preview:

Since online is becoming more and more a part of our daily lives in the newsroom business, it might be helpful to keep in mind some basic research to make your efforts most beneficial. In short, brevity is best! Advertisers who buy online post-roll ads may want to read this. Online video distribution/measurement service Tube Mogul studied the issue of follow thorough, measuring what percentage of videos clicked on are actually watched until the end. A sample of 188,055 videos on 6 top sites (YouTube was not one of them) found that 10.39% of viewers clicked away after just 10 seconds and that over half of the audience left after one minute. The longer the video, the quicker erosion; all but 16.62% of the audience left the building by the end of a 3-minute clip. Tube Mogul notes that the research indicates that overlay ads should also be placed as early as possible within the video stream. Audience Attention Span Video length    % of Audience who...

Once again, WKYC and WKYC.COM are looking for the best holiday lighting displays around northern Ohio to feature on Channel 3 News at 11 PM. Please visit the following link where you can upload your photos or find more useful information about the holidays including recipes, activities and the cutest costume contest from our "Moms Like Me" and the ulimate Metromix Cleveland guide to the Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa and the winter wonderland that is C-town: CLICK HERE You can also view photos that other users have sent us: CLICK HERE Happy Holidays from all of us at WKYC and WKYC.COM!

Our video gem tonight comes to us courtesy of Betsy Kling who found this on You Tube from Allthingsclevelandohio.blogspot.com It doesn't get much better than this folks!