Western Reserve Public Media TV Schedule Changes Include Broadcast Hiatus of NewsNight Akron

News Release

KENT, Ohio — Wednesday, April 21, 2010 — Beginning Friday, April 30, the Western Reserve Public Media weekly news program NewsNight Akron, which airs on Western Reserve PBS WNEO.1/WEAO.1 and Fusion WNEO.2/WEAO.2, will go on a broadcast hiatus.

“Western Reserve Public Media will be reshaping its regional production strategy over the summer,” explained Trina Cutter, president and CEO. “We have exciting programs planned for next fiscal year, and we will use the summer months to explore how all of our regional programs can be infused with new energy, new technologies and new media for our fall season.”

NewsNight Akron has enjoyed a loyal following over the last 12 years, reaching its peak audience in the 2008-09 season. “So much has changed in the media landscape since NewsNight Akron was launched in 1998,” Cutter continued. “This is an opportunity to reshape the program to ensure that it fits stylistically with the rest of our regional productions.”

Most recently, NewsNight Akron has been paired on Friday nights with Western Reserve Public Media’s new weekly series NEOtropolis, which explores regional business and economic issues. The two programs together are viewed in thousands of Northeast Ohio households.

On Fridays at 9 p.m. on Western Reserve PBS (WNEO.1/WEAO.1), Inside Washington will replace NewsNight Akron. The new show Need to Know will air at 9:30 p.m. and Consuelo Mack WealthTrack will air at 10:30 p.m. On Saturdays, MoneyTrack will air at 5 a.m.

NewsNight Akron also aired on our Fusion channel (WNEO.2/WEAO.2). It will be replaced on Saturdays at 9:30 p.m. by Religion and Ethics NewsWeekly. On Mondays, State of Ohio will air at 8:30 p.m. and NEOtropolis will air at 10 p.m.

About Western Reserve Public Media
Western Reserve Public Media (formerly PBS 45 & 49) is owned and operated by Northeastern Educational Television of Ohio, Inc., a private, nonprofit corporation and consortium of Kent State University, The University of Akron and Youngstown State University. A trusted community resource, Western Reserve Public Media uses the power of commercial-free television and related services to enrich the lives of people through high-quality programming and educational services that teach, illuminate and inspire.

Western Reserve PBS, a service of the organization, is the only broadcast television service that reaches all of northeast Ohio. It is available to 1.8 million households and 4.4 million people in the Cleveland and Youngstown designated market areas. In an average week, over 500,000 households tune in. The organization also operates three standard definition channels, Fusion (WNEO.2/WEAO.2), MHz Worldview (WNEO.3/WEAO.3) and V-me (WNEO.4/WEAO.4).

Through funding from eTech Ohio, Western Reserve Public Media provides K-12 educational technology training and instructional television programming to 21,500 educators and 256,700 students in eight Ohio counties. For more information about the organization, visit www.WesternReservePublicMedia.org or call 1-800-554-4549.