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• Bayhawks open big: The Erie Bayhawks rocked the Tullio Arena in their franchise home opener in front of 3,706 fans Thursday night. GoErie.com reports that video appearances by NBA Commissioner David Stern and King Lebron James were featured on the center-court scoreboard during the opening ceremonies. The ‘Hawks stay home for a Saturday-Sunday matchup with Fort Wayne, then on Thursday, it will be their first locally televised contest on Image Sports Network (TWC city 20/suburbs 13) against Dakota.




• Ode to the paperboy: The Wall Street Journal Friday reported that Detroit’s two newspapers, will most likely announce the end of home delivery of the papers for four days a week. The papers, including America’s 20th largest, The Detroit Free Press, would only be available online, with an abbreviated print edition available on newsstands. Detroit would be the largest market in the U.S. to lose seven day delivery.
• Connie cuts Bobby and Sammy: In an article on the move by WJET to replace Rush Limbaugh with Dennis Miller on GoErie.com, Connoisseur Media-Erie Operations Manager Joe Lang confirmed that there had been two layoffs recently at the group based at the Boston Store. That matches with what P&T had heard earlier in the week that The Wolf Program Director Bob Domingo and Rocket 101’s Sammy Stone were released. That leaves only Aimee Clemson live doing mornings with Chuck Rambaldo on “howling” duties afternoons at 93.9.
• Prime-time Leno targets Tivo: The new nightly Jay Leno Show that will air at 10:00 ET on NBC beginning next fall will be considered to be very friendly to advertisers. It is perceived as more likely to attract live viewers, as opposed to crime and medical dramas that typically occupy that network time-slot and are more likely to be recorded on a DVR. The short skit and interview format provides more varied product placement opportunities for marketers to embed.
• The NFL on HDTV: Lot’s of bad news in the media: auto plants closing, your favorite radio show going away…heck, there’s always football! Here’s your Week 15 schedule with over the air and Time Warner Cable HD channels noted:
  • Sunday, 1 PM – Buffalo @ NY Jets  – WSEE: DT 35.1/City 405/Suburbs 709
  • Sunday, 1 PM – Tampa Bay @ Atlanta  – WFXP: DT 66.1/City 418/Suburbs 706
  • Sunday, 4 PM – Pittsburgh @ Baltimore  – WSEE: DT 35.1/City 405/Suburbs 709
  • Sunday, 8:15 PM – NY Giants @ Dallas – WICU: City 412/Suburbs 712
  • Monday, 8:30 PM – Cleveland @ Philadelphia – ESPN: City 430/ Suburbs 772