Temporary Reprieve For oWOW.radio
• Last week Cleveland radio icon John Gorman and staff announced that, due to the devastating economic effect of the COVID-19 pandemic, his 5 1/2-year-old “Timeless Rock” outlet oWOW.radio, Cleveland’s first and most prominent commercial online radio station, would cease streaming on Friday, October 2.
On Tuesday, Gorman sent this update: “After oWOW’s announcement of its intent to cease broadcast operations on Friday, October 2, due to economic hardship related to the COVID-19 epidemic, the station was besieged with comments and social media posts. oWOW’s principals chose Friday, October 2 as its final full broadcast day and that has not changed. Ravenna Miceli and Steve Pappas will do their final on-air shows that day. The final weekend shows, the Naked Brunch hosted by Monica Robins and BluesTime, hosted by Alan Greene, were broadcast this past Sunday, September 27. Nevertheless, due to listener response, the oWOW staff made provisions to keep oWOW’s “Timeless Rock” format streaming during the month of October, or as long as the station can financially and contractually endure.”
Gorman, oWOW’s Chief Content Officer, commented, “We know that continuing the music is only one of the many programming and marketing elements of oWOW, and does not incorporate the personalities, news, pubic service, regional information, opinion, and being live and local, which have become known for. But, for now, we will continue to provide the Cleveland Timeless Rock soundtrack element of oWOW in this interceding period.” Beginning Saturday, October 3, oWOW will stream “continuous Timeless Rock” TFN on oWOW.radio and the oWOW app. Gorman can be reached at gman@owow.radio.
