July 25, 200620 yr Browns opt to end deal with Ch. 19 Tuesday, July 18, 2006 Tony Grossi Plain Dealer Reporter Less than a month before their first preseason game, the Browns are looking for a new television partner after terminating their relationship with WOIO Channel 19. The Browns notified the station of their intention on Thursday, three days after Channel 19 aired the 911 tape of Nancy Fisher, sister of Browns owner Randy Lerner, finding her 6-year-old daughter drowned in a creek on family property in Mantua. Channel 19 was the only station to air the gruesome portion of Fisher's emergency call. Bill Bonsiewicz, Browns spokesman, confirmed the team is looking for a new station to air its four preseason games and other programming throughout the season. He declined to elaborate on the reason for the abrupt switch. The Browns were entering the second year of a three-year agreement with Channel 19. A source said Channel 19 paid $2 million a year for the Browns' TV rights in a deal negotiated by former club president John Collins. WKYC Channel 3 had been the team's local flagship station from the expansion year of 1999 through 2004. Bill Applegate, WOIO's general manager, could not be reached for comment. A message for news director Dan Salamone was not returned. The airing of the 911 call was the last straw in a relationship that was rocky from the start. Last year the Browns were at odds with the station over an on-air interview with Braylon Edwards that left the rookie receiver and his mother uncomfortable and complaining to team officials. Neither the team nor the station was satisfied with local ratings of programming supplied by the Browns on Saturday and Monday nights. The Browns might choose to air their midweek programming on cable outlets Fox Sports Net Ohio or SportsTime Ohio. But they are obligated to televise all preseason games on an over-the-air station. The first exhibition game is Aug. 10 in Philadelphia against the Eagles. To reach this Plain Dealer reporter: tgrossi@plaind.com, 216-999-4670 Not very classy at all, hopefully the Browns can do it....but to get totally off WOIO they need to move to the NFC.
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