July TV Ratings Are In

July local news ratings from overnight Nielsen meters came in this morning. It’s usually considered the least important of the four sweeps books – with viewing patterns disrupted by vacations – but you can still see local viewing trends. And the trends looks similar to May sweeps: Channel 12 was first 5-7 a.m., noon and 11 p.m.; Channel on first 5-6:30 p.m., with Channel 12 second. Channel 5 was third in all newscasts except 5-7 a.m., when it was fourth behind third-place Channel 19. Channel 19’s 10 p.m. news was only local late newscast to increase ratings. In a month, Channel 19 gets competition at 10 p.m. from a Channel 64 newscast produced by Channel 12, with anchors Cammy Dierking and Dave Burchell (starting Aug. 21). I'll check back later today to read your comments about the news wars here...

Lance’s Cincinnati lover
Did anyone recognize the name of Lance Bass’s gay partner, Reichen Lehmkuhl? Reichen, who won "The Amazing Race 4" in August 2003 with his partner Chip, was born here. (They were identified as Reichen and Chip from Beverly Hills.) He attended St. Ann’s Elementary School in Groesbeck. At age 10, he moved with his mother to Boston, where he went to high school. He went to the U.S. Air Force Academy, then moved to California. Reichen has dabbled in acting, appearing on "Days Of Our Lives," "Frasier," "Drew Carey" and "The Young and the Restless." His father and stepmother live in Clermont County. If anyone out there has stayed in touch with him, please let me know. I'd love to interview him.

Made in Cincinnati
For months I’d heard rumors that MTV was filming a "Made" here, and finally I’ve got confirmation. At 4:30 p.m. Monday we’ll see a half-hour episode featuring Jordan Rolfes, 17, of North College Hill. MTV producers prepared him to go on his first date, attending the LaSalle High School prom in May at The Syndicate in Newport. Rolfes tells me he’ll be seen skydiving and taking dancing lessons. MTV found Rolfes through an open casting call at the downtown public libray in January. MTV also has shot a second "Made" here, with Milford High School student Katrina Knuckles. Her episode will air this fall, MTV says.

Tease for new station

Folks attending the Macy’s Music Festival this weekend will see a teaser ad in the program for the new sister FM station for the WIZ FM and the BUZZ AM. It simply says, "Coming Soon! Get Ready for 100.3 FM," with a backdrop listing every possible radio format. Here’s my guess – it will be a music station, and it will play the music of Friday headliner Patti LaBelle. Radio One, which owns WIZ and BUZZ, has bought country station WIFE-FM in Connersville, and are moving it here. All they’ve said is that it will be on the air about or before Labor Day.

Tom Sandman update
Tom Sandman, longtime creative director and former music host at WARM98, has taken his act to WMKV-FM (89.3), the big band/nostalgia/old-time radio/senior services station at Maple Knoll Village retirement community in Springdale. He hosts "Sandman Standards" 5-7 p.m. Saturdays (the first hour repeats Thursdays at 8 p.m.). Sandman, who also is an account executive at the station, will open his 6 p.m. hour Saturday with 30 minutes of Spike Jones music, the crazy music satirist popular in the 1950s. It’s a plug for the free outdoor Kentucky Symphony Orchestra performance of Spike Jones music with Jones impersonator Carl Mack at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 5, at the Devou Park Amphitheater. By the way, WMKV-FM has picked up Mike Martini , Mark Magistrelli and their old-time radio shows that aired last year on WVXU-FM, before Xavier University sold the station.