The Akron Beacon Journal from Akron, Ohio • Page 72

Open Sua. Tbun. ilia-lin. Fa-Sit 923-6638 mm aWiviftwiit if: "iratiTr THE PLACE IN THE VALLEY THA ROCKS! HERE BY POPULAR DEMAND Friday. Morning Exchange' moving August 26th 7 itio 9:30 p.m.

Saturday, August 27th Accent a'" Channel 5 program to start an hour later BY R.D. IIELDENFELS Bmcm Juumal Ubvtxum unler After more than 22 years in the same time slot, Channel 5's Morning Exchange is moving. But given all the bounces in local television, nothing would be a surprise including Connie Dieken's rumored addition to Morning Exchange. "NEW LIGHT SUMMER FARE MENU AVAILABLE Featuring a variety of salads, 3 staffed croianU, fresh fruit JOIN US FOR DINNER SATURDAY NIGHT PRIME RIB $99S BEEF BIRD 1295 n. FSkt ft uMal dUdu hwl plate more! RE1 rv a ADDA i Attend Ohio's largest and finest original French Indian era fete.

18th Century Marketplace (100 Exhibitors) Kettle Cooked Foods Olde Time Music Show Fiddlers Scottish PiDers I 1 II II HI 1 Clog Dancing Square Dancing Historical Lectures and Demonstrations Arts Crafts 1 1 Effective Sept. 12, Morning Exchange will start an hour later, at 9 a.m., and WEWS (Channel 5) will begin carrying the second hour of Good Morning America from 8 to 9 a.m. In addition, Regis Kathie Lee will switch to 11 a.m. and Rokmda whose star, Rolonda Watts, planned a promotional visit to Channel 5 next week goes into the overnight schedule. The current upheaval in local television the looming affiliation switches at Channel 8 and Channel 19, Channel 19's takeover of Channel 43's operations, and so on was a factor in the timing of Channel 5's change.

"As people are looking around, there may be an opportunity for us to catch viewers," said Gary Robinson, WEWS general manager. But both Robinson and Morning Exchange executive producer Terry Moir said the move to a later hour had been considered long before the market changed. And a major reason for the shift was viewer interest in GMA. Cleveland may be the last ABC affiliate it is definitely the last major-market affiliate not to carry all of GMA, which was based in part on the older Morning Exchange. Robinson said the station receives letters every week asking for the second hour.

But at what point are there so many changes that viewers are simply overwhelmed with confusion? "That assumes viewers are dolts, and they are not," Robinson said. "I think the viewer, after a relatively short period of time, will find the shows they want to As for Morning Exchange, Moir said the show will modify its format somewhat for its new time period less news in the first hour, more high-profile guests to compete with syndicated talk shows. It also has hired two new associate producers to help in the effort. But Moir was mum about the biggest rumored change: Connie Dieken becoming the new co-host for the show. "We're still looking and we hope to fill the spot soon," Moir said.

Dieken acknowledged talks with Channel and with other stations but said, "I have not signed a contract for Morning FESTIVAL French Indian War Battle Re-enactment (Sundays only Noon) Mountain Men Encampment CONTESTS: Saturday, August 27 Best Dressed Mountain Man and Woman Contest 3:00 P.M. Sunday, August 28 Olde Time Fiddle Contest 2:00 P.M. Saturday, September 3 Appalachian Dulcimer Contest 2:00 P.M. Sunday, September 4 Appalachian Clog Dance Contest 2:00 P.M. Monday, September 5 State of Ohio Tomahawk Throwing Championship 2:00 P.M.

Connie Dieken may join WEWS' revamped Morning Exchange. The former evening anchor for WKYC (Channel 3) left that station in mid-March to spend more time with her 5'2-year-old son and lH-year-old daughter. "My children needed their mother home for bath time and bedtime, in the evening," she said yesterday. "I offered to stay and work days but the job I was offered belonged to a friend of mine, so I thought it was best for me just to leave." Since then she's had inquiries from other stations and "I've been floored and flattered that people have called." At the same tone, she has seen the market change dramatically since she made her exit. "At that time none of this explosion had happened." While she maintained there is not a deal at this time.

Morning Exchange, especially at a later hour, sounds like a good fit for Dieken. And she said, "I like Channel 5 very much. I have a great deal of respect for them, and they're very family-oriented" And where does all this leave Rolonda Channel 5 still has a contract for the show with distributor King World but WEWS program manager Gary Stark said, "We've told them if they can find another home for it, we won't stop them." Channel 5 could hold onto the show as a backup but Stark said he had not seen anything in its ratings over the past eight months that made that a reasonable option. Under the circumstances, he said Watts' visit to Channel 5 next week would be "awkward." But given King World's aggressiveness in syndication, she could well be hooked up with another station by theaD ACRES OF FREE PARKING Bus Tours Welcome Group Rates Available No Pets Permitted At Great Trail Farm State Route 43 MALVERN, OHIO Two Weekends August 27-28 and September 3, 4 5 General Adm. Per Day HOURS: Adults $4.00 10:00 AM.

to 6:00 P.M. Senior CiUzens $3.50 Flag raising 1 1 :00 AM. Youth (6-12) $2.50 Children (Under 6) Free DON'T MISS IT! Festival Location Is 1 14 miles South of Malvern on Rt.43 CHECK OUT OUR SO YEAR SPECIALS NEW ITEMS WEEKLY I CIRCLE FURNITURE August 26, 1994 D26 ENJOY! The Beacon Journal.