Media Watch

‘EXPLORER’ OWNER CLOSE TO BUYING ‘EAST VALLEY TRIBUNE’

Barring unforeseen hang-ups, it appears that Thirteenth Street
Media, the Colorado based-publishing firm that owns the
Explorer, will buy a big presence in the Phoenix metro
area in the form of Mesa’s East Valley Tribune.

Thirteenth Street purchased the Explorer, a
50,000-circulation free-distribution weekly two years ago. The
Explorer, which focuses on news related to the Oro Valley and
Marana areas, has undergone its share of transition since the
takeover—including drastic newsroom cuts.

Thirteenth Street publisher Randy Miller told the East
Valley Tribune—which won a Pulitzer Prize earlier this
year—that he hopes to retain “a substantial number” of
employees.

Current Tribune owner Freedom Communications previously announced plans to close the newspaper by the end of the
year when it didn’t appear a respectable offer for the Tribune would come in.

The deal is contingent on approval from federal bankruptcy court, as
Freedom is in the midst of Chapter 11 restructuring.

KUAT, TUCSON 12 CLEAN AT UP AT ROCKY MOUNTAIN EMMYS

PBS affiliate KUAT Channel 6, a subsidiary of Arizona
Public Media, returned from the Rocky Mountain Emmy presentation
with a number of statues.

Sooyeon Lee Johnston received a pair of arts and
entertainment honors and a cultural-documentary plaque, while Luis
Carrion garnered an award for religion-related news coverage.
Dan Duncan and Pam White earned a regional Emmy in the
Informational/Instructional category.

The city of Tucson’s Tucson 12 was well represented, too.
Mitch Riley was on the receiving end of an award for historic
and cultural programming (his “Daniel” feature was also honored for
editing and photography, one of two of Riley’s photography related
wins) in addition to sports reporting. He also teamed with Gene
Einfrank for a politics/government honor. Jennifer McKinney and Dan Sheffer were rewarded for their magazine/programming
efforts, while Lety Bazurto-Matthews and Dulce
Mascareño won for public/current/community affairs.

KOLD Channel 13 garnered some recognition as well. Daniel
Adelman, Mike Ford and Raul Hernandez earned
Promotional News Promo accolades. Ford, Jill Beissel, Wade Stai and Matthew Van Hoesen were recognized for Advanced
Media/Interactivity.

Will Holst of UAnews.org was honored in the Advanced
Media Public/Current Affairs category and Advanced Media video editing,
while James Gregg of the Arizona Daily Star took
home honors in Advanced Media/Sports and Advanced
Media/Photographer.

MEDIA ORGS RAMP UP HOLIDAY FUNDRAISERS

Numerous radio and television media outlets are again rallying the
masses in a variety of donation-drive efforts.

On the television front, KVOA Channel 4 has been engaging in
its Season of Hope campaign for a couple of months.

“Season of Hope is our big charity drive,” said news director
Kathleen Choal via e-mail. “It started in October and goes
through Dec. 19. We have joined with area professional firefighters to
collect nonperishable food for the Tucson Community Food Bank and new,
unwrapped toys for the Marine’s Toys for Tots program.”

Food-collection efforts have been underway since the onset of the
drive, and KVOA is focusing more heavily on the Toys for Tots portion
during the Thanksgiving-to-Christmas window.

KOLD Channel 13 got a pre-Thanksgiving jump on fundraiser
events as well. The hot-air balloon glow on the UA mall the Friday
prior to Arizona’s football game with Oregon garnered 2,000 pounds of
food for the Food Bank. KOLD partners with Toys for Tots as well during
the Reid Park Zoo Lights event. It will also coordinate with Wells
Fargo for a Food Bank donation drive Dec. 10 at two Wells Fargo
locations.

KGUN Channel 9 and KWBA Channel 58 are joining forces
for a Stuff the Bus endeavor Dec. 11 at Sam Levitz Furniture on Pantano
Road and Broadway Boulevard, and another at Walgreens at Ina and
Thornydale roads on Dec. 18. The goal is to fill a Sun Tran bus with
toys for the Salvation Army.

KGUN’s parent company, Journal Broadcast Group, also has
radio charity drives on the docket. KMXZ FM 94.9 conducts its
Diaper Drive Holiday Play Kick Off at the Gaslight Theatre this
Saturday. Tickets are already sold out.

KQTH FM 104.1 is participating in Operation Holiday Helpers,
a gift-card collection drive for Bravely Waiting, which helps families
with deployed family members. Gift cards can be mailed or dropped off
at the station, located near Speedway Boulevard and Kolb Road.

Clear Channel, which operates numerous radio stations in the
market, is busy for the holidays. The Johnjay and Rich
Show and KRQQ FM 93.7 have kicked off the Christmas Wish
campaign. It continues through Dec. 18. The Pablo Show,
broadcast on KOHT FM 98.3, is gearing for a four-day Toys for
Tots drive in conjunction with area McDonald’s from Dec. 14-17, and
KWMT FM 93.9 FM will release its Studio C CD Vol. 4 next
week. It will be available at Bookmans and Sunflower Farmers Market,
with proceeds benefiting various Tucson charities.

Down the road at Citadel, KIIM FM 99.5 is prepping for
the annual Penny Pinch at Foothills Mall, its successful spare-change
fundraiser. The three-day event, on tap from Dec. 16-18, hopes to
collect a million pennies, or $10,000. Earlier concerts by Rodney
Atkins and Darryl Worley have already raised some funds for Arizona’s
Children Association.

This article appears in Dec 3-9, 2009.