The Akron Beacon Journal from Akron, Ohio • Page 121

Adam Shapiro and Lee Jordan, co-anchors of WEWS' afternoon newscast NewsChannel 5 at 5, chat during a break in the station's revamped studios on Cleveland's Euclid Avenue. says, trying to shoot the action. The ings. And commercial television sta- empire assembled by three generations boys persist. Why can't they be on TV? tions are prisoners of ratings.

That's of the Berk family of Akron. Mostly, "Are you on fire?" Bachtel demands, plainly annoyed. Everyone wants to be on TV. The circumstances scarcely matter. Suddenly, Mansfield's portable scanner crackles.

Another blaze, perhaps bigger, has been spotted in a building a couple of miles away. Mansfield listens intently, then yells to Bachtel: "Let's go! That's a better fire!" TV loves fires. Fires sell. Fires are visual. Fires are colorful.

Fires are action-packed. They make for good rat- one reason Akron doesn't have one. Akron used to have one, of course. Had one for a long time. From 1953 to 1996, Akron viewers could dial up Channel 23, known originally as WAKR-TV and, later, to distinguish it from the radio station with the same call letters, as WAKC.

But under any name, Channel 23 was a money-loser. What kept it alive so long was a huge stream of revenue pouring in from its sister radio stations. Channel 23 was part of a media they ran radio stations. Starting with one Akron AM and one Akron FM, they built their group to eight stations, extending all the way to Denver. But in 1986, the Berks got an offer they couldn't refuse: $59.9 million for WAKR (1590-AM), WONE (97.5-FM) and the other six.

Although the Berks would hang onto their TV station for another seven years, that radio deal marked the beginning of the end for Akron television. Continued on next page wwww.Ohio.com SUNDAY BEACON MAGAZINE June 13, 1999 PAGE 5.