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DCRTV Mailbag - January 29 to February 1, 2007
Latest messages listed first.....
\/ February 1 Messages \/
Dear Carl Hobbs, Carroll County used to get WTTG Ch. 5... But when the contract with WBFF Fox-45 in Baltimore/Sinclair Broadcasting came up for renewal about ten years ago, Sinclair demanded they be the ONLY Fox station on Adelphia Cable. They demanded that Adlephia remove WTTG. Adelphia gave in, and WTTG was gone. Now that Comcast owns the cable system, they can say "Screw You!" Sinclair. Comcast owns all the systems in the area (of any importance). Where is FOX 45 going to go? What if FOX 45 loses the Baltimore area on Comcast? Who watches UHF over the airwaves? Ha! Fact. Comcast will just replace Ch. 45 with WTTG in Washington and the dispute is over, WBFF Ch. 45 dies. It's just a bunch of bravado. Sinclair will kneel to cable giant. I hope the folks at Sinclair are dumbasses because WTTG is a much better station. (2/1/07)
Keith, Sincere best wishes, if there 's anything I can do, don't hesitate. The entertainment industry is not for the faint of heart, Lord knows. Joyce and Tom are among my favorite people. If a lending hand is needed, you've chosen wislely...PLB (2/1/07)
Cox put STARZ Family on instead of WTTG when that dispute occurred back in 2000. Also, not only is there no plan at present for DISH to add MASN, but given how long Court TV has been off DISH, I wonder how long it'll be before the "who cares" factor is reached and Court TV is replaced by something else? It's sort of like the old saying, "If a radio station that nobody listens to programs open carrier for hours on end, will anybody know the difference? (2/1/07)
Tonight, WGAL-TV in Lancaster, Pa. did an 8 On Your Side investigation into Sirius Satellite Radio. It seems a lot of customers have been unable to receive it in their homes or offices for the last three months although it usually comes in when they are in their cars. It seems that Sirius turned off eleven of their repeaters about three months ago. At first they denied the fact that they turned them off but later admitted that they did. All the customers who contacted them have been given a credit going back to when they turned them off. I'm sure that after this report, many more customers will be contacting them. The FCC has stated that they had nothing to do with the repeaters being turned off. If you would like more information, you can go to www.wgal.com and read it for yourself. This problem does not affect me because I will not pay to listen to the radio. JohnnyuinHanover,Pa. (2/1/07)
Nice Job HFS, you ruined both my morning drive and my evening commute with one has-been show. I stopped listening to K&M when they lost their compass Lopez. I used to have the Junkies in the AM and Mickey and Amelia in the evening, and all was right with the world. Now I got nothing in the AM and nothing in the PM. M&A are floundering in the morning drive, they are fish out of water in this time spot, and K&M are a waste of airtime. Thanks God for Sirius. Frank from B-more (2/1/07)
Yeah Geronimo's sucking up to Kirk & Mark today, who stole Baltimore from the Junks, really showed 106.7 to be a truly spiteful family. Ah, but never fear, Geronimo will be forgotten five minutes after he retires from the biz - if his career lasts that long. DB (2/1/07)
Dear DCRTV, My wife and I live in Mount Airy, MD (Carroll County) and have Comcast cable television. Can you explain the logic behind the local "over the air" channel offerings of cable companies, and why they differ based on county location. For example, Howard county, Frederick County, Harford County and Montgomery all have WTTG (Washington Fox 5) but we don't. We receive channels ABC 2, NBC 11, CBS 13, and Fox 45 from Baltimore and NBC 4, ABC 7 and CBS 9 from Washington, but no Fox 5. Why? See, it may not seem like a big deal because the majority of network programming is simply duplicated, but the motivating factor here is football - Fox carries the majority of Redskins games, and the cable customers of Carroll County are shut out from watching the games. This is ridiculous - I can put up an antenna and get channels 2,4,5,7,9,11,13 and 45. Why shouldn't I be able to get them on my cable system? - and why do Harford and Frederick Counties get them when they are even farther from Washington DC than I am? It is time to redraw these contracts and correct this situation. Don't the cable operators understand that we work and live in an area significantly larger than simply where our house is located? Please feel free to follow up with me on this! I'm very interested to know why this is the case, and I've contacted Comcast about this and all they seem to do is agree with me! It's frustrating to no end! Regards, Carl Hobbs, Mount Airy (2/1/07)
(DirecTV is at it again. MLB is planning to sell its Extra Innings out-of market package exclusively to DirecTV . The deal is worth $700 million dollars. Sorry Comcast! You lost again.) Yep..and guess that goes for 'Dish Network too (although that didn't really bother me...hey..any word as to whether Dish Network is picking up MASN? Tom in Denton, MD (2/1/07)
To PLB, no apologies are necessary. My biggest problem is that I spent so much time and energy into my radio career that I failed to have a valid backup plan for when the axe finally came down. As for my voice, I have what I think is an "old school" broadcasting style (one of the reasons given for getting let go was that I sounded "too much like a DJ") and I know that most ad agencies are actually looking for more conversational sounding voices, so I really don't see using my voice is an option...although oddly enough it helps with the karaoke hosting work I do. I also have a rather high pitched voice which lends itself better to singing than to announcing. I love to write and I think I'm good at it, but I have no writing samples or anything on my resume to present to prospective employers. I do have a job interview at a newspaper tomorrow, so we'll see how that goes. I've also completed some career testing and evaluation with a temp agency. After 7 months or so out of radio, I'm still at a loose end on what's next in my career but I'm at the point in my life where I don't necessarily want my career to define who I am as a person. I aim to have my home life (with my wife) along with my outside musical activities (band and karaoke work) to be far more meaningful to me than whatever I'll do to earn a paycheck. Thanks to PLB for the kind wishes and to the Conroys for getting in touch with me and allowing me to vent. Keith Thompson (2/1/07)
Since he's been unsuccessful in getting a feud going with his "favorite website," he's fueling the embers of threadbare radio with the Junks and Elliot on today's show. Tired, Don, desperate and tired. You and your kiss ass "pal" will never come close to being the next Harden and Weaver. In your dreams. - Arnie in Ashburn (2/1/07)
There are a number of people moaning and groaning because Big 100.3 will not be broadcasting on Super Bowl night for several hours. I would like to know how many of them were planning to listen during those hours? JohnnyuinHanover,Pa. (21/07)
Dave's response: What would have been a better publicity stunt would be to play something really silly during the Super Bowl - like polkas or Wayne Newton. But to simply go silent for three hours seems kind of stupid. But I guess Clear Channel pays its PDs well, so they must know what they're doing.....
WBIG can log that they are using the time for testing and maintenance, getting around the issue of transmitting a dead carrier for 4 hours. Pretty damn stupid, just the same. Showbiz rule has always been to counterprogram with something bigger, better or different. Example: Animal Planet is bringing back the "Puppy Bowl" for the third year (nothing more than puppies cavorting around in a miniature football field). Reason? Lots of people watched it. If this is WBIG's idea of clever programming, the engineer that turns the station off for four hours should just pocket the fuse and keep walking. (2/1/07)
There is nothing that drives me crazy more than DJ's who don't know the music of their artists. This morning on mix 107.3 they played Come Undone by Duran Duran. They said that was one of two his Duran Duran had during there comeback. They said they could not think of the other song. They went back and forth saying it wasn't Rio or older songs from their earlier days. Then Erica says it wasn't Eye Of The Tiger. It was clearly Ordinary World which was bad it enough it took them 2 minutes to figure out but to say Eye Of The Tiger...C'mon! (2/1/07)
Amber Theoharis Joins K&M At HFS - A TRULY nice person. A former intern of ours when I worked at Ch.7. Happy to see her success. (2/1/07)
DirecTV is at it again. MLB is planning to sell its Extra Innings out-of market package exclusively to DirecTV . The deal is worth $700 million dollars. Sorry Comcast! You lost again. (2/1/07)
RE: NBC4 Video Vault. It's about time. Finally, a huge broadcaster isn't afraid of their past. Would be neat if some of the others followed suit. Looking forward to more posts and Vance's afro. - Jim C. (2/1/07)
In answer to the question about Kris and Mark on The Hot....the answer about ratings is that The Hot tanked when Kris and Mark were let go. Kane's ratings are down at least 40%. Very dumb move for 99.5. (2/1/07)
looks like NBC4 has a new video area full of old show clips: www.nbc4.com... jim vance in a leisure suit. (2/1/07)
(Dave's response: Agreed. Those ads are gonno.....) Now if you could perform your editorial duty and edit out the gratuitous filthy gutter language...... (2/1/07)
Dave's response: Oh shit. We gotta have a little fuckin' fun here!
Weighing in on the inaugural K&M show: it was a novelty up until (but 0.00001 seconds before) the first time Ondayko's fake laugh came out of his stale closet. Elkridge Steve - comparing them to the Barbaro experience hit the spot. Kirk/Chris is alright...played out, but alright. But Mark/Mike Ondayko??? He must possess the only key to some hidden vault containing secrets about all Baltimore radio GM's. How does he continue to thrive in this town? If anyone else heard the story about the boxed wine & Kirk's remark that it was his first visit to Mark's place in the 10+ years they've worked together - were you surprised that Kirk had never hungout with Mark outside of work? That's a fate far worse than Barbaro's torture. Oye veh. (2/1/07)
You really need to ask Amazon to screen the adult product advertisements from the front page of www.dcrtv.com. They are context-sensitive and caught by corporate web filters because they have text in them. The revenue you get from purchases of the promoted sex products is not going to make up for the lost impressions from employees at government and responsible corporate citizens who will get in trouble for viewing www.dcrtv.com. -Chainsman (2/1/07)
Dave's response: Agreed. Those ads are gonno.....
To the ***h**Le that made light of "ART FORM". Back when broadcasting was for real. It was an ART FORM. It was theatre of the mind, all of the top personalities played on that every day they were on the air. The thrived on the creativity of the industry. It went from radio soap opera...to rock and roll. Now, there is no room for creative individuality. But, it was an ART FORM at one time.ANG (2/1/07)
I just read this a few minutes ago and I thought you folks out there would like me to share this with you. COMCAST has just announced that their fourth quarter profits have tripled from their original estimate.JohnnyuinHanover,Pa. (2/1/07)
Hey Dave, I just wanted to let you know what HFS closed with musically. After Johnny Riggs played his last couple tunes around midnight, they played Soundgarden's "Fell on black days" and Foo Fighters "Time's like these". The last two songs played before the Imperial March song and KMS were REM's "it's the end of the world as we know it" and Jeff Buckley "last goodbye". Really the music they played through the night was a real treat. I heard a Frente cover of a New Order song, Mission of Burma, all kinds of stuff. If HFS played this format all the time, people wouldn't stop listening... KeninEaston (2/1/07)
Great idea from BIG to go Blank during the Super Bowl. They might actually increase their ratingz. The Radio GURU. (2/1/07)
Here are a couple of questions begged by WBIG-100.3 planning to turn itself off during the Super Bowl. Will they just transmit a carrier signal with no sound at all? Does that violate an FCC rule? Will they have the Stereo light on, so we can at least get a little hiss while they are not broadcasting anything? Or will they turn off the transmitter for 4 hours? If they do that, DXing stations Pennsylvania, and southern Virginia might produce some good results. Now if only Castro would do the same with his AM transmitters, then WTNT-570 and WOR-710 would come in clearer in Olney at night (I'm sick of Radio Reloj or Radio Rebelde always in the background).-- Carl in Olney (2/1/07)
Huh? You think radio is an ART FORM? Really? That's the best laugher I've heard so far in 07. Hey Dave, I think I've just figured out why so many people in this Mailbag act like they have a pole up their ass whenever you criticize them - they think they're ARTISTS!! Ah-hahahahahahaha!!! Get over yourselves, boys and girls. Being on the radio is no more of an art form than mowing the lawn (which is probably why the pay is about the same) whoever posted this, Sounds like a post from a "failed artist" to me. (2/1/07)
Excuse me, WBIG is going to intentionally have multiple hours of dead air during the Super Bowl? Not even the equivalent of a fireplace? How is the public interest, convenience, and necessity ... served through the operation" (47 CFR 73.24(j)) when a licensee intentionally goes dead? (2/1/07)
If you listen to to their show, or read their MySpace pages, it seems like a lot of people are listening online to Mark Kaye and Kris Gamble's new radio show down in Jacksonville. Do you think that perception is reality? Anyone else tuning out Hot 99.5 to listen to them instead? Are there any type of ratings to indicate how The Kane Show is doing in their old slot? I wonder what the management at Hot 99.5 thinks about it all in hindsight. (2/1/07)
I listened to KMS on WHFS this morning. Now I have to figure out which is the greater tragedy, Barbaro being put down or having these Valium generics to attempt to wake up to. Wait I think I know how they are connected. They used tapes of these two to put Barbaro down. That’s how they did it. Someone should notify the ASPCA. That was not humane. Next, they are going to use these two to put WHFS down. Thanks gang, now I can go back to a loud buzzing noise to wake me up. Elkridge Steve (2/1/07)
Hi Dave, What happened to the link to the techie pages with the transmitter maps and specs? I can’t seem to find the link anywhere. --Vince (2/1/07)
Dave's response: They'll be back later this month as part of a new and improved DCRTV section that'll feature an improved Photo Gallery and so much more. Stay tuned.....
Big Girl's Blouse: en.wikipedia.org (2/1/07)
Classic rock hits WBIG plans to air "nothing" during the Super Bowl this Sunday - "no music, no news, no advertisements... no programming of any kind." At last, corporate radio is finally being put to constructive use! Enjoy the silence! DM (2/1/07)
It is a shame that Don Geronimo and his 2006 temper tantrum has cost the PD his job. I wonder if Don is going to help Max out with his lost income? His actions in 2006 were disgusting and he should be held accountable. Matt (2/1/07)
I am so thrilled that Kirk and Mark (and the new "S" Shamrock) are back on the air !! It made my day hearing them first thing this morning. Felt like putting on that old, warm & fuzzy robe after not knowing where it was for three months. I hope they kick 98 Rock's ratings ass. BEST OF LUCK GUYS! (2/1/07)
Hello, I would again like to ask: Does anyone know what happened to Whitney on DC101? I looked at her page on the DC101 Web site and it mentioned her return on March 1, but it didn’t say why she is out. Thank you, JD (2/1/07)
To Fred, re: Eliot saying D&M are boring. I believe he also mentioned the sun will rise in the east, the sky is blue, and Michelle Sigona is the hottest traffic copter babe on planet earth. In other words, he was overstating the obvious. (2/1/07)
If Comcast nixes channels 45 & 54, will they still be available via DirectTV? If so, I'm making the call to DirectTV on 2/6. I've already lived through enough channels being eliminated via Comcast (see, all DC channels in Baltimore and channel 20 in Howard County) I'm not going to let them screw me anymore! On Demand never works anyway...wait and see. Greg in Reisterstown (2/1/07)
Dave's response: Yes, the two stations will still be available via other carriers. Usually, a cable company will come to terms with the demands of a TV station at the last minute. However, in the dispute between Cox Cable in Fairfax and Channel 7/WJLA a few years back, the TV station was off the system for a week or two. If my memory serves me.....
How are Kirk and Mark still on the air, let alone replacing The Junkies?? I used to listen to KML 10 years ago when I was in high school (along with Will Pendarvis and the two guys that were on HFS at the time, can't remember their names) and I can honestly say I've only flipped to them a handful of times since then but every time I have it was the same thing. Tired song parodies, boring filler conversation and...well, that's pretty much it. For some reason when I was 15 or 16 I guess I thought it was entertaining. Perhaps at the time I thought it was their creative genius that came up with the twisted tunes but since then I've figured out that any radio station in the country can get them if they want to pay. I also thought Larry the Cable Guy was a local thing, but I've since learned otherwise. Looking back, I suppose I tuned in mostly to listen to Lopez and his whacky leftist views, but now that he's no longer with us (RIP) it's simply unbearable. I tried to give them a listen today and it was as woeful as ever. Kirk had a few brilliant quips--they were talking about "getting the band back together, man" and someone mentioned a horn section and the trombone was brought up and, get this, Kirk said the "trombone's connected to the hip-bone!!" Give me a freaking break. Then he was talking about microphones and he said his needed more balls. Then he said it two more times because everyone knows repeating the joke only makes it funnier. I understand that's nitpicky, but in the few minutes today that's all I heard. Granted the commercials are only a minute or two, but it seemed like they had one every 10 minutes. This really was some of the most wretched and abhorrent radio I've heard in a long time (including Peter Rosenberg, but at least he was new to the industry) and I hope the morons at CBS and 105.7 and the jackasses in Baltimore as a whole do not let these schmucks continue their radio careers here. I understand the Junkies are certainly no pioneers in the radio biz, but their mix of irreverent humor and the camaraderie that can only occur amongst lifelong friends really makes the show something special. Until the radio gods (and i dont mean don and mike) find a way for them to be put back on a B-More station, I'll just have to put up with Elliots laugh and his listeners saying "is this me" 100 times a show.. This truly is a sad, sad day in Marylands history. John, Annapolis (2/1/07)
OK, tried to listen to Kris & Mike this morning on my radio & of course I couldn't get it because I live in Southern York County & 105.7 can't get thru because there is 105.7 the X coming out of York. On my way to work into Harford County, I couldn't really pick up the station without interference until I was thru Forest Hill & Bel Air. What a waste, no signal thru Northern Baltimore County, Northern Harford County & Carroll County & I also see from Dave that there is nothing in the DC area. So now their audience area has dropped, no wonder they are telling everyone to listen on line. Well guess what guys, we all don't have laptops to play in our cars. Also, I heard all the cracks & calls being anti M&A/98 Rock. I have to say, I never really heard anything funny on KMS when I listened, & why Kirk/Kris would stay with Mark/Mike I don't know. The guy has no talent & is a Steeler fan to boot. I heard on my computer this morning them say they would explain everything that happened, but had to go & couldn't hear it on my radio in my truck. O well, I have to say, Mickey & Amelia is funnier/better. Should have stayed at 98 Rock guys. (2/1/07)
Dave's response: Yes, Baltimore's 105.7 also has signal problems to the north, with a co-channel station in Pennsylvania. Of course, WHFS is really the old WXYV, which used to be on 102.7, with WQSR on 105.7. WQSR got shifted to the better 102.7 signal a few years back to provide better coverage for the Ravens. (Anyone remember the short-lived rap format on 105.7?) But, now, with the Ravens gone to Hearst's WBAL-AM and 98 Rock, maybe CBS ought to move WXYV, er, WHFS back to 102.7 to provide better coverage for the Orioles. Although, I'd hate to lose the cool oldies of Jack down here in the DC area.....
RE: (my British friends say "you're nothing but a big girls blouse" to mean the same thing.) I really have to try working that into my repertoire. Thank you. (2/1/07)
Sounds to me like WAMU has enough programming for two stations. Maybe they could run everything that got bumped on a digital subchannel--and strike a deal with a company like Sangean or Kenwood to get some "HD" radios into the homes and cars of listeners. At $199, the Sangean home tuner is almost tempting--if people knew about it and knew that their favorite shows are on, maybe this recent radio shake-up would get digital radio off the ground. (2/1/07)
Dave's response: Maybe American University could buy WCSP and put it all on 90.1. To do it, maybe they could get a loan from Bonneville, DC area public radio's "best friend".....
Tried to listen to KMS this morning at 7... 3 "we missed you" calls and then commercials so back M&A for the news.... back to KMS at 7:14 traffic followed by more commercials until 7:20 when I walked into work... can't get the signal inside my building in Jessup.... oh well (2/1/07)
Dave's response: I know K&M had a significant audience in the DC area. And it's going to be much more difficult, if not impossible, to hear them on 105.7 than it was on 97.9's killer signal. The 105.7 signal gets whiped out in the DC area by its close spacing to WJZW 105.9, which blows it away on many receivers. Here at the DCRTV World HQ, I can get 98 Rock clear as a bell, but on HFS's frequency I get distorted smooth jazz from JZW.....
I owe you an apology Keith Thompson. You've seen the wars. I am so sorry it's created the inner feelings you have. Self confidence be damn'd...you're bright, articulate to a fault. What are your strengths? Can you write? What kind of Voice do you have? Are you an actor or an announcer (big difference) I'd love to help you set sail if you have the tools. I too left the industry in disgust because of the "dummying down". The difference is I found a way to stay in the industry, create ideas, write, narrate and have fun. You want to do any of that. Maybe Dave (Hughes) can provide you with my information...If he can that's cool! PLB (2/1/07)
If Mikal Hughes no longer the string puller for the cbs radio in d.c. at least the numbnuts in nyc will let him keep the whine show on saturday nights on 'jfk, won't they?......... say any thought of dropping the warw moniker renaming it whfs and bringing back josh and damien and chip monck and howard hesseman......so i've given this mark levin a listen for awhile, herd nightly on your right wingers area headquarters, wmal( that still brings a sad sigh to this listener)...i don't get it, he rambles on for a minute or two, commercial break, then he returns not sure where he was before the commercial break takes a phone call in which the caller expresses themselves in a sentence , unless it's a liberal who calls ole mark on the liberal line and then it's katy bar the door from levin, did i mention the commercial breaks again...this is the guy who's pushing savage in the ratings? and he uses the expression"my friend" a lot, why it's amazing! where levin and hannity caught in the closet at the faux news xmas party giving themselves the sloppy cronkite?......speaking of xmas time did faux news come out with it's newsbabe calendar this year? laurie dhue, will she be returning to faux news news reader desk now that gerry's show got cancelled? .......Did the doocymeister have something to do with getting "underbite woman", e.d. hill, kicked off the faux and friends morning program? and dcrtv dave i know you think that brain kilmeade is a cutie patootie but the dude really is an idiot......btws i'm also permitting the formation of an exploratory committee to see if america is ready for me to run for el presidente, might i add i'm somewhat clean but not really very good looking....john tuttle......i've always thought senator biden was a gasbag meself and this is going back 20 year's......then again i know very little of senator obama but i guess in america everyone loves a bandwagon and senator obama jumped on it too......all my dreams came true last night, all my hopes and fears, it's true, it's true....goodnite and goodday all you fellow babies....and one last thing didn't kornholio thank george michael's for bearing the fruit from his loins with regards to the creation of PTI at that speech at St. mary's college and why in gawd's creation is ben bradlee hanging around with the likes of kornholio when he knows guys like woodward and redford....when smokey sings i hear sax and violins........ and stay away from the brown acid...although later reports said it was really the green stuff (2/1/07)
The HFS webpage has also been updated with a new logo at top left. The FreeFM logo has been replaced with "Baltimore's FM Talk 105.7HFS." There are still other FreeFM references on the site, but I would expect those to disappear soon. (2/1/07)
fyi, the whfs.com site was just updated. they now have kirk and mark from 5am-11am, ed norris 11am-3pm, don and mike 3pm-7pm. no more penn, YAY! but no mention of hfs music. i guess it was inevitable, cbs would kill my childhood memories yet again, goodbye hfs music. (2/1/07)
To the naysayer signed " Joel Hollander" ( who is a real life naysayer, If Norm Winer programs WARW whether as a consultant, or PD, this is the most exciting news for DC rock radio, Ever... He is very creative, and WXRT sounded AMAZING under is programming (2/1/07)
I'm gonna record from 10PM tonight till after KMS on HFS is finished WHFS's last night of music on regular ol' FM. Whatever happens from here on, at least I'll have this to come back and listen to whenever I want. And on a widely accepted, easily shared format!!! KeninEaston (2/1/07)
WAMU-FM added Mary Cliff's "Traditions" by bumping Nick Spitzer's "American Routes" off the schedule. Spitzer was artistic director and host of Radio Smithsonian's Folk Masters in the 1990s, recording live concerts at Wolf Trap and interviewing the artists. "American Routes, produced in New Orleans and syndicated by Public Radio International, has been carried by WAMU-FM since it's inception nine years ago. The station was instrumental in Routes launch. Spitzer also hosts the NEA's National Heritage Awards; WAMU-FM is local media sponsor. (2/1/07)
"Anyone know more about what Elliot said? - Fred in Arlington " Elliot said George 104 was the most boring thing on the radio with Don and Mike second. That is paraphrasing but close enough. Bryslock (2/1/07)
"The Killers of Comedy, comedians best known for their work on The Howard Stern Show, today announced they will perform two shows at Rams Head Live! in Baltimore on Friday, Feb. 16 at 7:30 p.m. and 11:30 p.m. as they continue their first national tour since the radio show’s move to Sirius Satellite Radio a year ago." I believe O&A did this with the Travelling Virus Tour this summer. The difference was that O&A had known comedians such as Bob Saget and Tracy Morgan. Let the fanboys run wild. Paul (2/1/07)
"But the 104.1 signal covers the most "black" suburbs of DC quite nicely, though full time gospel on 103.9 makes as much sense as putting a 10 watt country music station on the air in Anacostia." True... but who says 103.9 would have to go to Radio One? I can see, say, Nassau picking it up and returning it to its glory days as a CHR crafted for Frederick County (they've done quite well for years with another suburban top-40, WPST Trenton NJ). Face it, after observing for years how well Bonneville has been able to do trying to program 104.1/103.9 as a DC-market station, who would WANT to buy both those signals and try the same thing? Randy (2/1/07)
Dave's response: We really need that WRNR relay out of Frederick.....
[(Dave's response: I haven't deleted any Mailbag posts of late - except a few mentioning a certain area traffic reporter's breasts.....) You mean Jerry Edwards? Dave's response: No. Bob Marbourg.....] -------- Now that's funny! On both counts!!! -Ken (2/1/07)
if nobody sees your exclusive video, is it still exclusive? if nobody watches your newscast, is it still a newscast? nobody cares if WUSA had exclusive video of the bus fire, nobody was watching to see it. (2/1/07)
Dayum. Perfect logic. Fire all the good jocks, get rid of the good morning show. Save money, take the station to the new heights. Plummet in ratings instead. Same 15 songs every 70 minutes + complete lack of on-air talent just can`t compete with an Ipod. Take the money saved, use it to run a gazillion TV-ads for the first time in several years. Bring in American Idol losers, plaster logos all over them in weak hopes to bring the ratings back. Will it work? Ehhh, probably not. Brings a whole new meaning to the saying: DO NOT TRY TO FIX SOMETHING THAT IS NOT BROKEN. Win-win situation? Not at all. Those canned jocks probably had it tough for a few months, the station is having it too, oh and the listeners of course. So why do it all? Probably because it just didn`t quite feel like home with all those people who were left from the times when that guy that went to work for Redskins used to run things. Now it does though. Even the morning guy feels comfortable enough to wear an FLZ hat on the webcam. At Hot 99.5. The new heights definitely blow big time. (2/1/07)
"It's good for the business end of radio but bad for radio as an art form." Huh? You think radio is an ART FORM? Really? That's the best laugher I've heard so far in 07. Hey Dave, I think I've just figured out why so many people in this Mailbag act like they have a pole up their ass whenever you criticize them - they think they're ARTISTS!! Ah-hahahahahahaha!!! Get over yourselves, boys and girls. Being on the radio is no more of an art form than mowing the lawn (which is probably why the pay is about the same). Sheesh. -DB (2/1/07)
/\ February 1 Messages /\
\/ January 31 Messages \/
Hey Biff, Ch 4 as well as Ch 7 sent reporters to cover a metrobus downtown because rival Ch 9 had the exclusive footage of the bus on fire. Television is a visual medium and the others didn't want to feel left out. Secondly, it happened at 17th and K in the heart of downtown. That intersection had to be shut down for a while. Granted, it was 6 am at the time but imagine if it were two hours later. In a congested city, that would be a problem. Now, you know the rest of the story. (1/31/07)
WBEY Bay Country 97.9 is asking listeners to email comments and stories on Crisfield's own Scorchy Tawes. Visit www.easternshoreradio.com to add your own. (1/31/07)
Comcast & Fox: Feb 5th will lose channels 45 & 54 hi Def if agreement not reached with Sinclair. March 5th will lose regular feed of Channels 45 & 54 if know agreement... Mark in Pasadena (1/31/07)
I am just wondering if babs and Joe are really that stupid or is it the prompter? They are like deer in headlights. I don't understand why they are still on the air? they are aweful!!!!!!!! Jeff (1/31/07)
Big, Big things tomorrow at HFS. New morning show and ------- and--------- and----------? Things you never saw coming! Gonna be a great gossip day on the ole mailbag on the morrow. Like Christmas. Get ready all you crankboxes!! Rob Parkville (1/31/07)
Saw this on another website: "This morning Elliot cited the Don and Mike Show as among the most boring shows on the radio. Now I can understand some barbs from a competitor (if you can consider a morning show and an afternoon show as competing shows), but to call Don and Mike boring is just plain dumb." Anyone know more about what Elliot said? - Fred in Arlington (1/31/07)
So great to hear John Chester on WETA. Terrific pipes and a really nice communicator as he has always been. Now, if we could just pull Renee Cheney out of retirement… Tom Gauger (1/31/07)
Dave L. said; "1) no radio station will ever play just what you want to hear 2) there will be many others who will despise what you want to hear 3) the audience is constantly tuning in/out. Stations are under constant pressure to always have something on that will, at a minimum, not cause a targeted listener to tune out. Research aids in figuring out what that is." Bingo! That is exactly how commercial radio is programmed and perfectly reflects the mindset of radio owners and programmers. It's good for the business end of radio but bad for radio as an art form. Yeah radio today is "dumbed-down" from the way it used to be much as the film and music industries along with newspapers and television have been "dumbed-down" as well (you may well say the same thing about politics too!) It is a symptom of how these forms of media and entertainment have valued commerce over art as corporate interests have taken over the ownership. While I was still in radio, the corporate dynamic was something I understood even if I didn't like it. The fact I understood it probably kept me in the business longer than many of the others who entered radio at the same time I did. My exit from radio wasn't necessarily voluntary, but the longer I'm away from it the happier I am to be out of it. Other than my music interests, I haven't segued into a new career or steady employment yet and my self confidence is shot all to hell, but I'm happy with myself as a person to be done with radio. Keith Thompson (1/31/07)
"There is a Rolling Stones song called "Emotional Rescue," sort of their tribute to the Atlantic sound of the late fifties that Ahmet Ertegun must have loved....." Actually, Emotional Rescue was a leftover fragment from the "Black and Blue" sessions - the song most akin to your above reference would be "Harlem Shuffle" originally by Bob & Earl in 1963 and re-released in ' 69 hitting the Top Ten. Stones covered it on '86 "Dirty Work" - went Top 5. Opening brass riff of original was ripped to sample on House Of Pain's "Jump Around." Now....back to the countdown.....Bruce Kelly (1/31/07)
DC-Area Broadcasters/Journalists to be "Shadowed" by Local Teens for Job Shadow Day 2007..... More than 500 Area Students to Job Shadow Local Employers..... Washington, DC (January 31, 2007) - For the fourth year in a row, Junior Achievement of the National Capital Area (JANCA) is kicking off its year-around Job Shadowing activities by participating in National Job Shadow Day, starting February 1st . During these Job Shadowing activities, area students will be able to shadow "career mentors" in their places of work. Several area broadcasters and journalists will be Job Shadowed on February 2nd this year, including: Channel 4-Bob Ryan, Weather; Veronica Johnson, Weather, Tom Kierein, Weather..... Channel 7- Leon Harris, Anchor; Doug Hill, Weather..... Channel 9 - Mike Walter, Weekend Anchor/Reporter..... WTOP Radio - Bruce Allen, Anchor..... Washington Post - Eugene Robinson, Columnist..... PBS Foundation - Cheri Carter, Executive Director..... In all, more than 500 students are expected to participate in Job Shadow Day with more than 60 area employers, including National Apartment Association, AOL, Northrop Grumman and WMATA. "Our goal is to help young people understand the connection between what they learn in the classroom and success in the workplace," said Ed Grenier, President of Junior Achievement of the National Capital Area. "We believe job shadowing is one of the most effective ways of doing that. We look forward to working with area employers and local schools to make this happen." National Job Shadow Day is a coordinated effort of America's Promise - The Alliance for Youth, Junior Achievement, the U.S. Department of Education and the U.S. Department of Labor. National partners include the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) and the Association for Career and Technical Education (ACTE) and is made possible through the support of national title sponsor ING. For additional information, including a How-to Guide and a brochure on how to coordinate job shadowing, visit www.JobShadow.org. For more information contact info@jobshadow.org or your local Junior Achievement office. (1/31/07)
Hi Dave - I figured this might be an interesting item that shows how Stern show guys are helping the show stay relevant in former FM radio markets through these large comedy shows. ------------- HOWARD STERN SHOW’S KILLERS OF COMEDY SET TO SLAY BALTIMORE’S RAMS HEAD LIVE! ON FEB. 16..... BALTIMORE (Jan. 28, 2007) – The Killers of Comedy, comedians best known for their work on The Howard Stern Show, today announced they will perform two shows at Rams Head Live! in Baltimore on Friday, Feb. 16 at 7:30 p.m. and 11:30 p.m. as they continue their first national tour since the radio show’s move to Sirius Satellite Radio a year ago..... (1/31/07)
To Joe Kassel and the rest of the mailbaggers: "As for the discussion about Ken Beatrice, ... What I do remember is that in the years since, from time to time one writer at the Post (either George Solomon or Leonard Shapiro) would write about Ken and nitpick about his commercials for Bernie Streeter's Arbys, " Thanks, I am glad that I am not the only one that remembers this. It was the sportswaves column by Leonard Shapiro and not George Solomon as I wrote yesterday. This was long before TK's column. Les in Adelphi. (1/31/07)
(Dave's response: I haven't deleted any Mailbag posts of late - except a few mentioning a certain area traffic reporter's breasts.....) You mean Jerry Edwards? (1/31/07)
Dave's response: No. Bob Marbourg.....
For a perfect example of poor reading comprehension check out the idiots who “think” the poster was saying Queen recorded Emotional Rescue when he/she “crystal clearly” didn’t. Too freakin’ funny, must be deadskin fans! (1/31/07)
What Mr Tony said @ St Mary's College of Maryland this past Friday evening (includes comments on his MNF performance). somdnews.com... Larry-in-Leonardtown (1/31/07)
It's worth noting that WARW is currently running some sort of AAA stream on their HD2 channel. It might give some clue as to what they might flip to on FM...if only someone with an HD radio could check it out and fill us in. Anyone? (1/31/07)
The management at WETA certainly has the right to hire and fire anyone they choose anytime they choose. The initial press releases however, indidicated they they were satisfied with the current "presenters" as they call them, and that Bonneville superstars would only be used when needed. The question still remains. Who was let go and who is about to be let go while they negotiate with the other superstars? (1/31/07)
What I meant by "it's Queen's "Emotional Rescue" is that "Another One Bites The Dust" was to Queen what "Emotional Rescue" is to the Stones, or "I was made for loving you" to KISS, etc. It was their attempt at disco and is not rock, which makes it not classic rock. The same reason that classic rock stations aren't playing any post 1979 Elton John, because it's not rock. In the future I'll spell it out clearer for the mentally challenged "Another on bites the dust" fans. (1/31/07)
Re: "It's Queen's "Emotional Rescue". What the poster was most likely implying is that "Another One Bites the Dust" is to Queen as "Emotional Rescue" is to the Stones. Disco-era songs by classic rock artists. (1/31/07)
(..."If that mean replacing the dried up boring NPR announcers with some personalities...so be it...) This person might be right. The big question now is, who did he replace? I have seen no info anywhere about who used to do this shift. Surely somebody must know. Is WETA involved in extreme renditions? (1/31/07)
Before any of you armchair PDs get your weenies at full attention thinking any format shift at WARW to adult alternative will signal the return of the WHFS of the '70s, just hold your strokin'. If that is to be the new direction of the station, it will be controlled by Norm Winer, PD of WXRT, the CBS AA station is Chicago. Norm's got a long track record of success with the format at such legendary stations as KSAN/SF, WBCN/Boston, not to mention his 25-year tenure at 'XRT. Cerphe and Weasel will merely be puppets at the end of long strings being pulled from the Windy City. AA for WARW was considered as recently as 2-3 years ago before Michael Hughes convinced CBS to let them stay the course as classic rock. Just as the new WBIG is a product of Clear Channel corporate and George 104 is a Bonneville corporate project, Jack, Free FM (God help us) and whatever's next at WARW will be dictated by the CBS suits in NY. Michael Hughes had his shot. Now the big boys will call the plays.-Joel Hollander (1/31/07)
"A song that was never rock, and is certainly not classic rock, but is played constantly. It's Queen's 'Emotional Rescue'." Huh? I've never heard of a Queen song with that title. There is a Rolling Stones song called "Emotional Rescue," sort of their tribute to the Atlantic sound of the late fifties that Ahmet Ertegun must have loved (it has a Coasters-style sense of humor) that was a medium-sized hit in 1980, but it rarely gets any airplay these days, in contrast to the way-overplayed "Start Me Up." -- Vincent in Triangle (1/31/07)
Back in the day, when WINX 1600 was a station in Rockville (rather than an FM on the Eastern Shore), there was a serious proposal afoot for Montgomery County to purchase the station and turn it into a 1000-watt travelers information station (TIS-zilla!!!). Obviously, that never happened, but if the county is still interested, I understand that 94.7 might soon be available. Cerphe and Weasel voicing the endless loop tapes that typically run on these stations...far out! Mike in Frederick, and the entire Dashboard DX Society. "Fat, drunk, and stupid is no way to live, son!" (1/31/07)
(Maryland Governor Martin O'Malley. O'Malley has denied having anything to do with the show's being "preempted...") And I'm just supposed to believe him? Especially after the person who was goading the spreading of rumors about Marty Boy under the handle MD4Bush turned out to be one of his own employees? Why would I believe what the O'Malley family tells me? (1/31/07)
I see no reason for WARW's format "tweak" to drop Little Steven or Weasel's Box Set. Weasel couuld just start doing box sets for Elvis Costello, the Pixies, and XTC, right? Here's hoping for more music from those sorts of artists; after all, what station are 30-40 year olds supposed to listen to? The current classic rock playlist hasn't changed in 20 years. (1/31/07)
Dave's response: Hey, I'm in my 40s and I love XTC, the Jam, the Cure, Depeche Mode, New Order, Siouxsie, Psych Furs, Elvis Costello. Play 'em.....
Personally, I don't "hate" Classic Rock but rather prefer an "oldies format (to include Motown, etc.). Just wish I could get a "suit" somewhere to pick up my "Magical History Tour" as I currently think the time is now!. I would play stuff you no longer hear on the radio(no one else does) ! Just NEVER Rap (CRAP) or Hip-Hop! Rusty Gibson (1/31/07)
To the classic rock know it all: Queen did not record the song "Emotional Rescue" That was done by the Rolling Stones. (1/31/07)
Considering how Radio One has been selling other radio stations in other parts of the country, I doubt they are looking to pick up another station in the DC market. Radio One is up to their eyeballs in debt as is. But the 104.1 signal covers the most "black" suburbs of DC quite nicely, though full time gospel on 103.9 makes as much sense as putting a 10 watt country music station on the air in Anacostia. Also, the DC area really does not need any more black oriented radio stations, we have plenty as is. I'd rather see the frequency go to some sort of Spanish language format. To me, another Spanish station is not a waste, but serving the community, which is what FM radio was supposed to be about. Also with the upcoming 105.7 HFS switch back to all talk, can we say... 94.7 WHFS? (1/31/07)
(“A new 106.7 drinking game: A shot of vodka everytime Doni mentions "my girlfriend." Youll be blind drink by 3:20.”) No kidding? If you’d played the same game, say, three years ago, but substituted “Frida” for “my girlfriend”, you’d probably have been drunk at about the same time. Gee, Dave, the quality of the D&M cheap shot e-mails in the mailbag is really slipping. It’s almost like you’re taking it easy on them by throwing away the really vitriolic bullshit and leaving the plain stupid nonsense like this one. (1/31/07)
Dave's response: I haven't deleted any Mailbag posts of late - except a few mentioning a certain area traffic reporter's breasts.....
What happened to PD Chris Johnson at WTEM? He is no longer listed on their website. Thanks (1/31/06)
Dave's response: DCRTV reported a week or so ago that WASH PD Bill Hess has taken the PD reins at CC's DC AMers, including WTEM. No word on what happened to Chris.....
Be careful what you wish for...your dreams for the glory of yesteryear will not be realized by Weasel, Cerphe or any of your other past HFS idols. At best, you'll get a "wow-record" station that will burn itself out within a year. Think Jammin' Oldies...but for 35-44 year old white guys. The mailbag will be complaining within 3 months. You think you're hearing the same songs over and over now...ha,,,just wait. You'll blame CBS, auditorium tests, etc. Can't wait to read the excuses. As for 104.1, everyone currently working in the industry knows George is a smokescreen. Inexpensive to run, waiting to be sold. Thought Snyder would overpay...oops. (1/31/07)
"As a listener of classic rock I can say that I hate classic rock radio." Uggghhh....you should hate classic rock...because its apparent that you don't know shit about it...Emotional Rescue was done the The Rolling Stones...douche. WB, Centreville, VA (1/31/07)
Tuesday's "Baltimore Sun" ran an ad from Crimecast that they may pull CH45 (Fox) from their channel offerings on Mon Feb 5 if they do not come to an agreement w/
As a listener of classic rock I can say that I hate classic rock radio. Some focus group picked the hits because while sitting in a room, they heard that hit once, and hit the green light. Now classic rock radio plays those same songs over and over. What they should do is sit these people down and make them listen to each song 20 times in a row, then see if they can stand a 21st time. I'de bet that we would never hear "Another one bites the dust" ever again - A song that was never rock, and is certainly not classic rock, but is played constantly. It's Queen's "Emotional Rescue". Hopefully the new WARW will be something totally different and will never play crap like that ever again. Adult Alternative would be a great move because it plays some classic stuff, and new stuff that isn't played anywhere else. No "Freebird" which is always a good thing. (1/31/06)
104 to Radio One - I don't know about a rat, but I definitely smell bullsh@%! (1/31/06)
Dave's response: I'm sure Radio One would love to put gospel on FM. And it would do well in the DC market. Then, CBS could move WJFK-FM's talkers over to now gospel WPGC-AM, put El Zol on 106.7, which would better cover the Hispanic neighborhoods of Northern Virginia, move newly reborn "real" progressive rocker WHFS back to 99.1, and make 94.7 a "Fresh" female ACer.....
There has been a great back and forth about music research. To me, the bottom line is this: 1) no radio station will ever play just what you want to hear 2) there will be many others who will despise what you want to hear 3) the audience is constantly tuning in/out. Stations are under constant pressure to always have something on that will, at a minimum, not cause a targeted listener to tune out. Research aids in figuring out what that is. Knowledge of how listening is measured and how listeners behave helps in constructing the flow of the programming. Other factors, like how well songs flow into each other, is a second-order (less important) factor, despite how much we would like it to be otherwise. Regards, Dave L. (1/31/07)
I <3 Biff (1/31/07)
I've felt since the format flip at 104.1 that it was just a station waiting to be sold. I can't believe a commercial station actually chooses to go 104 days without commercials! In other words - no sales department nor will there ever be one. Within the 104 days of "commercial free programming", the station (stations if you include 103.9) will either be sold or go to another format. I'm enjoying it while it lasts - but IMHO, it won't last long. Dave in Fredericksburg (1/31/07)
WETA deserves the opportunity to become a market leader. If that mean replacing the dried up boring NPR announcers with some personalities...so be it. John Chester sounded great yesterday and it was refreshing to hear someone who was not only passionate about classical music but also knowledgeable. Bonneville, NPR, CC, Infinity...there is no safe haven in radio...it's just the business. (1/31/07)
Dave's response: I don't know how John Chester could not sound great. What a voice!
Re: that mysterious line in Love Shack---“Tin roof, rusted” means red-head! (1/31/07)
Television of the Early 1950’s..... Now through March the Radio and Television Museum of Bowie Maryland will revisit the earliest days of network television with a retrospective of programming of the 1950s. Many of these shows are long forgotten and since most were broadcast live, they have not been seen since they originally aired almost 60 years ago. All the shows have the original openings and closings, and many have the original commercials. The museum is open free of charge Fridays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturdays and Sundays from 1 to 5 p.m., or by appointment for groups of 10 or more, and is accessible for people with disabilities. Location: 2608 Mitchellville Road Phone: (301) 390-1020 or visit our new web site at www.radiohistory.org..... Program Schedule: 2/2-4/07 - Martin Kane, Private Eye (NBC, 3/1/51) (“The District Attorney Killer”), Life With Linkletter (ABC, 1951)..... 2/9-11/07 - Acrobat Ranch (ABC, 1951), The Doodles Weaver Show (NBC, 1951)..... 2/16-18/07 - The Faye Emerson Show (ABC, 1951), The Adventures of Patches (NBC/Syndicated, 1951), Mystery Theater (ABC, 1951)..... 2/23-25/07 - Colgate Comedy Hour (NBC, 1951) (w/Dean Martin, Jerry Lewis, and Eddie Cantor)..... 3/2-4/07 - Kraft Television Theater (NBC, 1954) (“Alice in Wonderland”) (w/Edgar Bergen) (1/31/07)
Memo to Citadel's cost-cutters: Grandy and Nehman sound just fine, even better. Do you really need Andy on the morning show? (1/31/07)
Some heeeaaavy stuff on NBC4 news this morning! How do I know it was heavy? They sent a reporter out in the dark and freezing cold to cover it! A burning tire on a MetroBus!! My G_d NBC4 thank you for covering this disaster. To you 500,000 or more commuters-I would just call in late or sick-the day is shot! You all know the havoc out there due to the burning MetroBus tire. Do us a favor and stay off the streets this morning so the fire dept and police can do their jobs! Make sure you let us know tomorrow, NBC4, who went on administrative leave due to the fire. Aside to Mr Nons Sequiter(mailbag yest) a link discussing Tony K's beard. I don't know how that vain fool could call the used toilet brush on his face a "beard" www.washingtonian.com... Regards Biff (1/31/07)
It's going to snow (an inch or so) tomorrow. Expect plenty of media hysteria before then. Fox 5 news tonight will sell the story like nuclear weapons are headed for DC. As WTOP says, "Snow news is good news." (1/31/07)
The rumor I heard is that 94.7 is going to an all Captain and Tenille format. Just a rumor. (1/31/07)
Dave's response: If I hear "Muscrat Love" again, I'm blowing my head off.....
A new 106.7 drinking game: A shot of vodka everytime Doni mentions "my girlfriend." Youll be blind drink by 3:20. (1/31/07)
(snip) Wow, soon 84.7 will become soft rock (end snip) New slogan: "WARW, Bethesda ... Almost Channel 6!" (1/31/06)
Let's try this again. Harp on my typos why don't ya Dave! Anyway, the modernization of WARW sounds pretty exciting for DC. How long did it take for the the suits of CBS/Infinity to figure out that Weasel and Cerphe are capable of running the station? (1/31/07)
Dave's response: Gee, Weasel and Cerphe have only been doing rock radio in the DC market for 30 years. Do you really think they know shit? I think CBS would be far better putting 94.7's fate in the hands of a young Joel Hollander "yes-man" just out of an NYC area business school. Someone with greasy hair and a Bronx accent - and a fancy suit. Or be like Clear Channel and pick some hillbilly "veteran" who has managed automated rockers in places like Birmingham, Little Rock, and Omaha, and, maybe, also written jokes for Michael Savage. Sheesh.....
Dave: I just found out that Major League Baseball will be offering their Extra Innings Package exclusively to Direct TV. The Extra Innings baseball package will no longer be available on any cable systems. Direct TV now has exclusive rights to the Major League Baseball Package as well as The NFL football package. Money sure talks doesn't it? (1/31/07)
(regarding a previous post) "Can you say Movin 94.7? Just wait and see!" Here's more about Movin www.burnsradio.com (1/31/07)
Memo to Tom Gauger: Bear in mind that: (a) Kornheiser’s article re: Kenny B. was accurate; and (b) some of your chums at WMAL were TK’s main sources for the article. So let’s not act like Kenny B. was a slandered saint. If he became a REFORMED BSer after the article, he was still a BSer before it. Sincerely, TMU. (1/31/07)
Dear Dave: Keith Thompson makes some interesting points in response to my posting and I respect what he says. Let me add the following: throw out the research. Throw out the number crunching. Throw out the sampling (7 second song samples to decide what gets played?!?!? Oh please! Does this mean the target audience has ADD?) Try something radical, like what my Dad used to do when he started out his radio career, which is let the DJ put together the playlist. Let his imagination run wild. Let him manage the ebb and flow at that moment. One thing that Don Geronimo does (and, unfortunately, rarely) on WJFK is to bring in a stack of records from home and just play them one after the other. In listening to him do so it's clear to me that he's not following a scientific formula but, rather, is following his instincts as a DJ in putting together an impromptu playlist that flows easily from one song to another and which provides something for everybody...and with some songs that you don't hear too often. That's what's missing today in radio. It's too cold and impersonal and repetitive and afraid of taking risks. You can talk about methodology all you want but it seems to me that all the methodology is doing is, as you said, causing listeners to "move on to other formats or move away from radio altogether." That's what I did when I subscribed to XM. I've heard from people who work there that radio people run it, not bean counters and market specialists. To my ears it shows. As for the discussion about Ken Beatrice, I do remember an article being published around 1980, but I don't remember who wrote it or the content all that well so I can't really comment on it. (It was my college days...enough said) What I do remember is that in the years since, from time to time one writer at the Post (either George Solomon or Leonard Shapiro) would write about Ken and nitpick about his commercials for Bernie Streeter's Arbys, of all things (which led me to comment on this board that if the commercials we so bad and were not working for Bernie Streeter and his business then he would likely have had them changed). I also remember listening to Ken's replacement, Steve Czaban, praise Ken on his first show after Ken left, only to find Czaban and Andy Pollin gleefully mocking Ken about a year later. Real classy. It's a shame Ken isn't on the air because I would have loved to hear him discuss the goings on involving the Washington Nationals. And it would be a real discussion, not the mere lip service that all Washington teams that don't have "Redskins" as their name seem destined to. Done with the rant. It's late. I have a 5:00 wake up call. Great site Dave! Sincerely, Joe Kasell (1/31/07)
Hi Dave, Wow, soon 84.7 will become soft rock! THe question remains, Is DC ready??!! Air Supply, Dan Fogelberg... Cerphe will feel like he is programming a DC AOR station all over again! (1/31/07)
Dave's response: Hey, I like that frequency change outside the FM broadcast band! Another brilliant radio move from CBS.....
Our us fans of the Classic Rock so old now that we don't fall in the money demographics for the numbnuts who run radio stations? Hopefully, if a format flip does occur at 'ARW then 'AMU will pick up Little Steven's Garage, King Biscuit Flower Hour and Weasal's Box Set! Tonite's box set was Warren Zevon, I still think of his music from time to time. The drag is as one grows older I find meself missing a hell of a lot more than the sh8t going on these days. ....And then get home turn on the tv and it's Woodstock on vh1...No Rain! No Rain! No Rain!...... ah remember them helicopter days? Did Country Joe grow up in the D.C. area? Hey el presidente shrub what's that spell? Are the words"amazing" and "awesome" over used words today like"far out" was back then (1/31/07)
"I can't believe I heard Love Shack ... and then SOME WOMEN YELLED SOMETHING..." She yelled "Tin Roof...Rusted" . No, I don't know what it means either. Rick in B.Q. (1/31/07)
I want to thank, again those who have responded to my search for WTTG pioneers. It proves that this space is really vital. I wonder how many remember Bob Cochran and his wonderful wife Juanita. Bob retired from WMARTV to Sarasota and was a member of our Florida Pioneers. By the way, we had a meeting last month and Dickie Smothers joined our group. Nice guy. Network TV really pays off. His boat is about two times the size of my house. Anybody know anything about WTTG's Peter Jamison? You'd have to go back to the early '50's. Is there anybody who can tell me about the brilliant and friendly engineer named Ben Wolf. What a great guy. He shouldn't be forgotten. Dave I know a year has passed althought I can't fathom it and I 'll send you aanother chec k. I forgot how much? fsp2a@aol.com will get the answer to me. Remember broadcasters, I'm writing a book with emphasis on WTTG to commemorate those who "cleared the brush" so those who followed could see the path. We had a lot of fun doing it. I'm coming up on the Solstice,if I last that long. I have just completed narration for a documentary on lighthouses and am available for interviews, impromptu or not, at 386-677-2007. I was, along with Bob Wolff, the first to face a camera south of the Mason-Dixon Line. I'll be glad to hear from you..but no reversing the charges. Happy days to you all, Gordon Williamson (1/31/07)
/\ January 31 Messages /\
\/ January 30 Messages \/
Can you say Movin 94.7? Just wait and see! (1/30/07)
Focus groups? 15-20 song playlists? I have an iPod with 5,000 songs on it, satellite TV with 500 stations on it including a few dozen music stations, the option of satellite radio with a growing number of stations playing anything and everything….and there are still PD’s who think I’ll tune in to hear “Only The Good Die Young” and “Gimme Two Steps” twice an hour? Maybe terrestrial deserves to die after all. Morons. (1/30/07)
Hello, fellow Church of D'Hughesentologists... Was poking around Amazon and got to thinking, can anyone recommend any *good books* on the sad state of America's local TV news (not just DC/Bal'mer)? -- About how news stories are steered onto the set based on neighborhood demo's/race/etc.? Sham weather crises we all love? Fake 'breaking news'? Any title that covers the manipulation and b.s. that goes on behind the camera. -- (BTW, I'm not in the radio/TV business; just seeking a primer so I can follow the sweet scent of money and poo.) Thanks, from Mr.MontCo (1/30/07)
(..There's got to be a golden ski lodge in the Utah mountains ..) Very funny Dave. You're finally catching on. On a more serious note, it must be difficult for any employee to find out that the company you work for has no integrity. You would think that a company owned by the Mormon Church and a nonprofit company would have a minimum of ethical standards. It is now clear that neither Bonneville or WETA have any feeling towards their employees. They are probably sneaking behind people's backs right now thinking of who to replace. Golden parachutes, and secret deals seem to be part of the public radio culture now which they inherited from Bonneville. I hope all of the pledge checks bounce, just like the ones that Enron sent to Texas Public Radio. (1/30/07)
I have appreciated all the expert testimony on the value, methodology, and theory behind the testing of music in focus groups. It has been interesting hear the views of insiders. As a lay person, my only knowledge of radio is that of a long time local listener. I was raised listening to WEEL, the tail end of GTB, HFS when it was still a great station at 102.3, DC101,WPGC...among others. With this experience, and a Cerph-like record collection I took interest when I received a phone call a little over a year ago, asking me to partake in a radio survey. Already having taken the plunge with XM and Sirius, I decided to participate for the sake of personal interest. The pollster said it would take about 30 minutes, and in that time, he played as many 7 second snippets of rock music as he could. My job was to identify which station I thought would likely play each of the various snippets. The answers were generally WWDC, WBIG, WARW, and MIX. The amount of snippets he played seemed endless, and it was a mind numbing experience. By the end one thing was certain, all the snippets consisted of all the usual well known overplayed stuff. I told the pollster this, and told him the kind of samples he had offered was the exact reason I had moved to Satellite radio. My personal conclusions are that there is simply a mass of people who are satisfied to turn on the radio and get by with the same old recognizable background dreck offered by free radio. Music isn't that important to these types, with the most important thing being familiarity and recognition. Not everyone is a music snob. Back in the day I used to make tapes from LP's, then from Discs, then burn music on to discs, and now it's all about Ipods....but, I don't have time nor the energy to do this any longer. I want to turn on the radio and hear all of the great music beyond of the same 100-200 songs which satisfy most Soccer Moms, or some guy who only listens to radio on his way to work and back. Thank god there are finally choices, for FM radio is truly in the crapper. For example: Deep Cuts on XM or the Vault on Sirius, two great locales where one can hear great music from when long haired humanoids roamed the earth, and not the overplayed crap that wants to make you put a fist through your radio. So, while the bean counters and radio Karnaks want to reconfigure the same 100-200 songs for their free audiences, I have never been so happy to shell out a few bucks for variety, diversity, and quality...concepts that apparently don't figure into the equation for free radio. (1/30/07)
"Fred Grandy called the UN a "pantywaste" organization. Just moments after voicing an ad for eggs on WMAL. Enough said. " Uh, no , not enough said. The phrase is "pantywaist." I'm not a fan of Fred Grandy, but even I doubt the Harvard Grad would call anyone, or anything, "pantywaste." The usual use of pantywaist is to describe ‘an effeminate or weak man or boy; a sissy.' (don't be such a pantywaste, just use the high powered assault weapon to blow away the groundhog!) It comes from an article of clothing for children. This pantywaist was an undergarment consisting of short pants and a shirt that buttoned together at the waist. As a figure of speech, the word was applied disparagingly to an older male who would never normally wear one. (my british friends say "you're nothing but a big girls blouse" to mean the same thing.) A little bit of looking shows the use of ‘pantywaist’ as an item of clothing dates from the 1920s. The ’sissy’ sense is first recorded in the mid-1930s and quickly became common. Though I guess less common these days, hmmm? (1/30/07)
Re: Delaware AM's: Hey, I'm really enjoying WAMS/1600 Dover overlaying AirAmerica's WWRL/1600 as I write this. Oh, for Vincent in Triangle: Charlie Brown's in Scotch Plains burned to the ground last week. Frank-in-Fanwood (1/30/07)
Whether it was Kornheiser or Solomon who wrote that idiotic column about Ken Beatrice, and whatever anyone and everyone thinks about Kornheiser, George Solomon was and remains a fatuous ass. Skipper (1/30/07)
I truly feel sorry for the staff of WETA - FM. They must be shaking in their boots wondering who will be let go next to make room for the Bonneville parade of stars. It almost seems like one big set up. So far 2 people were replaced. Are there 10 more vacancies to be announced and filled in one day? Was this part of the deal? Is there a hit list hidden in the mountains somewhere in upatate New York. Clearly they are trying to boost ratings. I think they might be in for a surprise during fund raising time. Ratings don't always translate into donations and pledges. (1/30/07)
Dave's response: There's got to be a golden ski lodge in the Utah mountains for use by WETA's execs. There's gotta be.....
Max Dugan, acting as Don Geroninmo's surrogate, fired Peter Rosenberg. Now Max Dugan is history. Can we assume that there's a Peter Rosenberg Curse out there about to ravage CBS and its DC area radio properties? Is Michael Hughes next? - Darrin (1/30/07)
I grew up in Salisbury. Scorchy Tawes was far more than a photog. He was a local legend. He parlayed his authentic waterman's attitude and good storytelling skills into a long television career that didn't began in the 1970's, when Scorchy was well into his 50's. As for the person wondering if he was related to former Gov. Millard Tawes, the Tawes surname is EXTREMELY common in Crisfield and neighboring parts of Somerset County. (1/30/07)
Was watching the 5th repeat of the Daily Show this afternoon and Jon Stewart says that Steve Doocey was caught in the closet with Hannity at the last Faux Knews Xmas party giving each other the Sloppy Cronkite. Is this true?........hey too the old fart that thinks that Hot Jazz Saturday night on WAMU should be cut back to make Mary Cliff's Tradition's show earlier to accommodate his/her sleeping habits. What, world should revolve to your schedule? I like both shows, it nice that WAMU picked up the show. Don't push it. Why I remember when Lee Michael Dempsey had that wonderful, imo, midday show playing a mixture of bluegrass, folk and new acoustic on WAMU oh so many year's ago. Now all we get is this inane blathering on....... Me, I think Prairie Home Companion kind of jumped shark a number of year's ago, like Mr. Letterman's Top Ten bit, they just don't know how to get out of that thing, but hey some folks think PHC is oh so special and that's fine............and I find it just a bit sad that Derek McGinty is a practitioner of the happy talk these days, I still miss his talk show on WAMU .......hey how about teaming up that Anita Marks with Kornholio on WaPo radio and call the show "Putz to Putz" Does Kornholio get his beard trimmed professionally?....... .....have you ever heard Sarah Vaughn sing "Send in the Clowns" or other wise known as Theme for Geronimo, leave the poor thing alone..........was listening to WAGE Sunday afternoon and I heard John Prine followed by Steve Goodman's "Lovin' of the Game" and then "Ballad of Penny Evans" man I never thought I'd hear the late great Steve Goodman on the radio again much less an AMer.....remember never take a ferret to a funeral....Mr. Nons Sequiter (1/30/07)
I read the post by Keith Thompson. For the most part he's pretty accurate. But my question is when was the last time you were present for one of the Focus Group testings? Times change, some of the most popular music in the world has tested very well and is rarely played, for example "Journey to the Center of Your Mind-Amboy Dukes and "Pictures of Matchstick Men-Status Quo. Both of these songs test very well consistently but rarely do you hear them on the air. This is a time to treat the "so called" burn out factor...I'm certain that there are literally thousands of tunes that are tolerable and would rekindle listenership if given a chance. When was the last time you hear "Get Ready" by Rare Earth...Crimson and Clover-TJ and Shondells...both are legandary classics in fact, a smart classic rocker if they had the balls could segue Get Ready by the Temptations with Rare Earth...Just thoughts....dats all. ANG (1/30/07)
TK Paying Off A Debt? St. Mary’s College Board of Trustee Benjamin Bradlee, vice-president of The Washington Post ... brought fellow Washington Post reporter and ESPN Monday Night Football sports analyst Tony Kornheiser to an overflowing St. Mary’s Hall Friday night for The Center for the Study of Democracy’s 5th Annual Bradlee Lecture. www.thebaynet.com (1/30/07)
(Regarding WOL goes girly:) Dave, Wow, bad and good news travels fast in this city. Sunny James of the popular Angry Black Woman Show on the internet did fill in for Joe Madison this morning. There’s a repeat performance tomorrow morning. I don’t know which way the station is leaning in terms of their afternoon line up. (1/30/07)
Dave I couldn't have done that rant about the AM band any better if I had said it myself. We can start by removing the state of Delaware from the AM band allocations list (with just a couple exceptions). You'd be hard pressed to find more than just a couple Delaware AM stations that are not currently operating under STA (Special Temporary Authority), meaning they have no permanent transmitter site that is capable of even serving their city of license, let alone areas further away. And most of these STA stations have been NOT serving their city of license for years, in some cases nearly a DECADE!!! Yet the FCC looks the other way, these stations get sold back and forth amongst the same people and the cycle of not serving the public interest goes on and on and on while these bastards are allowed to warehouse what could be valuable AM frequency space and provide absolutely no good to the public they are licensed to serve! Ok Dave, yeah, I did have a little more to add after all, but good job on the rant and thanks! :-) (1/30/07)
I seem to remember the article about Ken Beatrice was written by George Solomon not Tony Kornheiser. Also was Scorchy Tawes related to the former governor Millard J. Tawes? Les in Adelphi (1/30/07)
RE: The Polar Bear Plunge...... Last year, both Domenica Davis AND Sarah Caldwell took the plunge if I'm not mistaken and it was on WBAL 11. Youtube maybe, somebody....? Not mentioned in any local media about the WBAL/WIYY 98ROCK Polar Bear Plunge this year was the fact that X-GOV Bob Ehrlich took the plunge while NEW-GOV Martin O'Malley stayed at home, well, I mean his new home in Annapolis. According to The Sun, his wife (a Baltimore city circuit court judge), must live in Baltimore city by law while, by state law, he must reside in Annapolis. Somewhere former Gov. Paris Glendenning is smiling. :-) (1/30/07)
To add my $.02 to the conversation about music testing conversation in the mailbag. Joe Kasell writes that research participants only hear the same songs over and over because the research firms or the broadcasters only offer the same songs over and over in the research sessions. He is right...but only to a point. As a former radio music director who has poured over music research results, I can tell you the reason why most of the "other" songs don't get tested is because they have been tested in the past and haven't tested well. If they had tested well in the past, they would be among the evergreen songs that constantly get played all the time. It is a waste of time to include songs that you know from experience aren't going to test well. We always threw a few of those kinds of titles in our testing and their low scores always validated our methodology. The purpose of music testing isn't to tell you what songs to play, it is to tell you what songs NOT to play (such as which songs are starting to get burn). While it may be true that listener burnout due to the endless repetition of the hits probably factors into the eroding ratings of oldies and classic rock formats, replacing the hits with less familiar and less popular songs isn't going to revive those formats...it would help kill them quicker. Those listeners will likely move on to other formats or move away from radio altogether. Keep in mind, the same sort of "play the hits" mentality comes into play with the cover band (Jack The Penguin) that I'm playing in now. As much as we would like to play our favorite groups or songs (or to do original material), we know that playing those well tested chestnuts like "Pour Some Sugar On Me", "Sweet Home Alabama", "Keep Your Hands To Yourself", etc. gets the girls on the dance floor and gets the guys buying them drinks which in turn helps us get future bookings at the bars. Keith Thompson (1/30/07)
A few thoughts: First..concerning Scorchy Tawes..I was fortunate enough to have been interviewed by him; our first meeting was when he did a story for WBOC on a fiddle contest that I was in Felton, Delaware; he later came to our hose..and did an interview on my music. He was a great guy; I recall my mother and I..going to a craft show at the Wicomico Youth And Civic Center in the early #90s; we were just walking along..looking at different things, when I heard someone call my name...it was scorchy! He remembered who I was after it had been several years after our paths had crossed! I heard of his passing on Froggy 99..9 (WWFG)...I remember his tag line was something like "Wandering our Delmarvilous Land"..well..hopefully, Scorchy is now "wandering another marvelous land!" Speaking of Froggy 99.9, for anybody who may be interested..they're now streaming their audio! I'd like to be able to say that I've heard it! But I cannot, because..the site isn't all that accessible for us blind and visually impaired people! I sure wish that web designers would keep us in mind when designing WebPages; they are too enamored with how things look..and it makes it awful difficult for those of us who must rely on screenreaders! I commend you, Dave, for making your site fairly easy to access for folks like myself! Now..on to the subject of Tom Davis and Phil Woods..I agree whole-heartedly with what Johnny Dark had to say! I don't consider myself all that knowledgeable on sports. Yet..I feel I can listen to them (and yes..even call them with a question)..and they wouldn't try to be condescending..and they do know what they're talking about! In fact, I did call them a few weeks ago, concerning who was doing "play-by play" for the "Baltimore" Colts; I had thought that Vince Vagley did "play-by-play" in the early part of the 1960s..it turns out..I was told that very thing! Okay..enough out of me; good day to all! Tom Kaufman, Denton, MD. (1/30/07)
The Maryland Special Olympics Polar Bear Plunge wasn't a 98 Rock/WBAL 1090 event, it's the Maryland State Police Maryland Special Olympics Polar Bear Plunge. I didn't hear about anyone getting hurt in Maryland, but I did hear someone talking about an accident in NY @ a Polar Bear Plunge on the 1st day of winter where someone dive into shallow water & broke their neck & became paralyzed or died. (1/30/07)
What did D & M say about the Junkies yesterday? M (1/30/07)
Wanna watch a live radio contest broadcast come to a screeching halt in under a second? If you're picked to participate in such a contest (hold your tinkle, dive off a rock, slide thru mud and razorblades), at the last minute, refuse to sign the waiver or quickly amend it prior to signing. Normally, the wacky morning team will have been promoting the appearance since the day before, and now they have to beg and plead and bribe you to come on the air and do it. If you still refuse, they will get cranky and bad-mouth you for a half-hour, leaving open a lovely opportunity for a slander, defamation etc suit. The settlement will be greater than the value of the prize, and the guys crosstown on the competing station will love it. Hee Hee-ee! (1/30/07)
FYI...A guy was hurt and may never walk again after diving into the cold shallow water at 98 Rocks polar bear plunge. Well looks like another station needs to be sued and fire everyone and have the FCC take away the license. OH WELL WHAT A SHAME!! LOL (1/30/07)
Dave's response: Let's hope he signed a legal release relieving the station of all liability in case of injury. A la what Ms. Strange signed at Sacramento's KDND.....
You know I've seen a lot of "dirty" slams since my introduction into broadcasting, but this low, ground feeder Kornheiser is without a doubt one of the most malicious, self devoted egotists I've ever had the dis-pleasure of witnessing. His comments re: Ken Beatrice, were without a doubt the bottom of the barrel. If you can't prove it, don't print it. Beatrice had some nightmares to deal with back in the 80's. Kornheiser is a nightmare period. To Tom Gauger...Yo! PLB (1/30/07)
Tuesday morning, at about 8:30am, a caller to the Junkies show asked them about their reaction to recent taunting from the Don and Mike show. The Junks took the high road and said there was "no relationship" between the on-air staffs of the two shows (what a shock!!) and they hadn't even seen the "Radion Gods" in two years. The Junks residing in Maryland wistfully conjectured what working @ the "Radio Gods" studios would be like - specifically from a commuting perspective. I guess Mr. Sorce is indeed living his dream. Only in the psychotic world of "radio" that is WJFK can on-air "talent" belittle co-workers with no repercussions. That kind of workplace behavior doesn't work well in the real world, in fact, it probably leads to a termination for the perpertrator. Having been D&M free since last year, I don't know what the "Gods" actually said about the Junks, but I'll have to assume it was yet another lame attempt to provoke a "radio war". I actually had some sympathy for Michael Hughes and the burden he bears trying to keep the "SS JFK" afloat, but that feeling lasted for a total of .000005 seconds. Good riddance JFK - after before 6am and after 10am. daPJdjINva (1/30/07)
take a look at your Susan Kidd item -- you refer to her as "he" in the first sentence. Drink more coffee (1/30/07)
Dave's response: No, I'm chugging cheapo Safeway "Go 2" cola this morning. Man, the above arrived at DCRTV's e-mail "in box" about 15 seconds after the Susan Kidd newsblurb got posted. Fast.....
So which hard working, loyal announcers are being let go to make room for the parade of 104.1 retreads? I find this offensive. WETA is supposed to be a public radio station. Most public stations have a certain sound which matches the NPR sound. I like the announcers that are on there now. I will certainly never donate to WETA again. They are becoming a soap opera. Or perhaps I should say a Greek tragedy. (1/30/07)
If approved, the move of WCTG from Chicoteague to Eden (note: on the tower Delmarva Broadcasting owns and has Max 92.5 on), may be a problem WXSU-LP at Salisbury University. WXSU-LP is on 96.3, and the 60 dbu signal of WCTG will cover WXSU's tower site. They could co exist, however the owner of WCTG has caused problems for translators on his adjacent before, and the FCC rules do not protect LP's from full station move-ins. A word to the wise, that LP licenses doesn't really mean they run to end of the license period. LP FM, quite a gamble! (1/30/07)
Of course Kornheiser lacks even a shred of humility. He also lacks warmth, compassion, pretty much any positive personality attribute. It's who he is. But his piece on Beatrice in 1980 was anything but unprofessional. Unless you want to paint Ken as a performer engaging in a "Theatre of the Mind" like Doug Tracht's Greaseman, there was nothing in it that was fabricated. Ken had misrepresented himself for years on the air, and for no good reason. He was knowledgeable, for certain, but he could not bring himself to tell a listener "I don't know" about anything he was asked. He was reminiscent of Professor Irwin Corey, in that he could come up with an answer to any question instantly. It may have been totally pulled out of thin air, but he could sell it. Perhaps he deserves some credit for that. The old Washington Star had published puff piece after puff piece on Ken, and he might have thought he was bulletproof. Even some WMAL staffers - excluding Tom Gauger, I guess - had very little to say that was complimentary about Ken behind his back. He's a significant part of DC radio history, but let's keep things in perspective. (1/30/07)
I'm no fan of Tony Kornheiser, but his Post story claiming that Ken Beatrice was making all kinds of things up and presenting it over the radio as factual was well documented and never really refuted to my recollection. If someone has evidence to refute Kornheiser's claims, by all means provide it. And if Kornheiser's claims WERE true, Beatrice is the Janet Cook of DC radio and should have been run out of town at the time. (1/30/07)
Dave, Saw your headline about rats invading XM. This is old news; Opie and Anthony have been on XM for years. Oh, the other kind of rats. Nevermind. (1/30/07)
I, too, will not miss Dominica Davis at all. She was a lip-glossed prima donna who acted like her shit didn't stink. Good riddance... (1/30/07)
The best sports talk radio the DC area has ever seen is still Sportscall by Ken Beatrice. Every now and then, someone on WTEM will mimic his voice or make a derisive reference, but the joke's on them. The sports talk hosts in this market are amazingly lazy and incurious. They know very little and the knowledge they do have is paper thin. Every now and then, I'll tune in just to see if things have changed. Nah. I then just change the dial or turn off the radio. (1/30/07)
I won't be sorry to see WBAL's Dominica Davis hit the road for Philly or wherever. Wonder if she will be doing the weather at WCAU, when and if that station hires her. She does not do the weather here. Seems more like a features person, like WTTG was doing with Holly in their morning "stupid segment," as those in the newsroom called it. (1/30/07)
Mailbaggers, please scroll down to read Tom Gauger's latest post. I concur with every word, except the inner workings at WMAL, since I was across Wisconsin Avenue at WASH-FM and out of the WMAL "inside loop." Thanks for stepping up, Tom! Ken is, indeed, a good person who did/does not deserve that kind of hatchet job. - Ed. Rodriguez (1/30/07)
Fred Grandy called the UN a "pantywaste" organization. Just moments after voicing an ad for eggs on WMAL. Enough said. (1/30/07)
Today at 4 on D&M, an exclusive interview with Mickey Rooney. Tomorrow Wilfred Brimley. Thursday Bea Arthur. Friday will feature a repeat of Monday's chat with Ed McMahon. (1/30/07)
RE: Jason Kidd and his track record. I am neutral and have no ax to grind regarding him. To answer the poster who questioned how he can obtain gig after gig-it is simple. Friends in high places will do it every time. Most of the radio people that I have known learned early on to keep their heads low, lest they be chopped off. Kneeling also puts one in perfect position to do some requisite ass kissing, perhaps they even turn about on you, requiring more subservience. One could have a decade of experience with great skills and still the pay is low, the hours abysmal. Models, actors, musicians, I could see it in their field. Warren Buffett was so right-invest your money as if fools will be running the company, because in a few years, they will. (1/30/07)
Scorchy Tawes was more than just a reporter or "photojournalist". Geez, He'd have probably thrown fish blood on ya for calling him a damned lazy ass photojournalist! HAha! Way back, the fishing report got as much time on the WBOC 16 News as the weather or sports! He was one of those one of a kind persons and the memories are ingrained in my mind whenever I think of watching WBOC as a kid. Maybe I'm wrong, but didn't he even do the weather for a time on WBOC ? Or am I just remembering him standing in front of the fishing chart maps? I can't recall. Wow, that was a long time ago. God, I just realized I'm getting old and sound like Grandpa from The Simpsons. Back in the day...... :-) (1/30/07)
It's great to hear that Mary Cliff is coming back on Saturday nights. However, it sucks that it's A) Not at the usual time, and B) it's for only TWO hours! Well, it's an hour more that other great show, the Thistle and Shamrock, has. But really, they' couldn't tack off a couple hours from the mega bluegrass marathon? Now I gotta switch back and forth from Traditions to Musical Starstreams. Whatever, at least the show is saved.--Alex (1/30/07)
The best Caps coverage along with Alex Ovechkin talk is on Elliott. He is a die hard. No one even comes close. He also talks United and NASCAR. And while he does not cover the Redskins every move, he does a great job of covering the NFL with Boomer Esiason on Fridays and Chris Cooley on Mondays during the season. It's sad that the best local sports coverage (minus basketball) is not on WTEM or Red Zebra. -- Brett (1/30/07)
Domenica Davis - (With apologies to the late Esther Rolle / Florida Evans) DAMN !... DAMN !... DAMN ! (1/30/07)
I can't believe I heard "Love Shack" on 101.9 Lite early this afternoon. "BANG BANG ON THE DOOR BABY, BANG BANG ON THE DOOR BABY, BANG BANG...YOU'RE WHAT?...and then some woman YELLED something! Nice "Lite" sound in my office and waiting room...To whom it may concern...Smooth Jazz, Classical, or satellite-radio will be replacing you... (1/30/07)
More FCC good news for the proposed WAGE AM1190 50,000 watt app today..... 2 proposed new Class B AMs in PA, both on 1190 (& one of them 10,000 watts) were dismissed by the FCC today. That leaves no AM stations on AM 1190 from New York to Bluefield VA and west to Tennessee. And nearly every AM 1190 on the east coast (except WLIB NYC) are Class D/daytimers. (Of course I'm omitting WBIS Annapolis since that's part of the WAGE proposal). (1/30/07)
Morgan State University's radio station WEAA 88.9 knows where its bread is buttered and money flows from the top down, i.e., from the Governor & state legislature. Ehrlich could have never gotten away with that kind of pressure from the top down on a public institution like MSU (and don't even think for a minute that it isn't). Geez, Ehrlich took enough heat for fighting with Michael Olesker & The Sun. Could you even imagine if Ehrlich had put pressure on WEAA FM and an historically black college to get positive press? Look out WBAL and Chip Franklin, you're next on the O'Malley hit list! Maybe O'Malley will have the transmitter site seized by eminent domain. hehe. People will soon learn that the character on The Wire is a lot nicer than Maryland's new governor. Prediction: This story will disappear quickly due to The Baltimore Sun's hypocrisy and inherent bias. Good luck Maryland, you're going to need it. (1/30/07)
Domenica Davis will be sorely missed!! A VERY classy lady, excellent broadcaster and expert meteorologist! How will they ever replace her??!! 'BAL tried to keep her with low pay, no way! Best of luck to you-Viva Domenica!!-Tom Soul (1/30/07)
/\ January 30 Messages /\
\/ January 29 Messages \/
We "folkies" love "Traditions" and are ever so grateful to WAMU for bringing it back, and for actually serving the public interest. (We're happy about WETA's move back to Classical, but their decision to axe "Traditions" because of what their "research" shows is what got them into trouble in the first place.) But the show will air at 11 p.m. I'm usually asleep by then. "Hot Jazz Saturday Night" is cool and all, but would it kill WAMU to trim it back an hour, or 90 minutes? Maybe "Traditions" could swap time slots, with "Hot Jazz" pushed back until later? No offense to the jazz show, which is valuable, but I simply prefer the folk music of "Traditions" and would like to hear it at an earlier hour. Christian (1/29/07)
With Mary Cliff moving to WAMU, 11 p.m. Saturday to 1 a.m. Sunday, does this mean "American Routes," a solid program covering a vast array of the pop music spectrum. will no longer be aired? If so, that's unfortunate -- and it's too bad the bluegrass lobby wields such a heavy influence over the weekend schedule at WAMU. Also, regarding... "While driving home on Saturday from the WorldSpace Satellite Radio Network in Silver Spring, I was listening to Tom Davis and Phil Wood on WJFK (1300 AM). It's been quite a while since I enjoyed an hour on radio that much. Two guys who really know their sports with great chemistry. I enjoyed what I heard so much that I was forced to do something that I never do, I called in to express my feelings. It was terrific radio! The sad part is that it's only on one day a week. It deserves more, a lot more. But, that's radio today". ....Johnny Dark (1/29/07) ... I agree with Johnny -- Tom Davis and Phil Wood do a terrific job, although here in Prince William I can only see part of the show through MASN. Thoughtful shows like theirs deserve more, but alas, today's sports radio program directors don't want thoughtfulness, just "attitude." The listeners are the losers. -- Vincent in Triangle (1/29/07)
Dave - Given what ypu've learned about UNZIPPED getting the 7p to 10p slot on WJFK, any idea when PENN JILLETTE show will air (instead of he current 7p to 8p)? R.L. Blake (1/29/07)
Dave's response: I dunno.....
Tony Kornheiser’s “Stinging Hatchet Job” on WMAL’s Ken Beatrice in 1980 was the most malicious and unprofessional attack on a broadcast professional I ever witnessed. Kornheiser is nothing more than a show boat with a distinct lack of professional ethics or style. While I can’t speak for his sports knowledge, I do know him as a man without humility, without broadcast talent and arrogant beyond belief. Ken Beatrice was fighting his own demons 26 years ago, but to be slimed by such a jerk as Kornheiser brought on an internal crisis at WMAL that thrust all of us into a battle to bring Ken back from a rather terminal cliff. This is a story that has never been told and I will leave it to others to detail. As far as Tony Kornheiser goes, compare him with Johnny Holiday, Glenn Brenner, Warner Wolfe, Greg Tolland and George Michael. I’m proud to sign this. Tom Gauger (1/29/07)
I gave the Oldies on 950 AM a second chance this afternoon - perhaps I just caught a badly programmed automated show on Sunday. Nope. In fact now, it's beginning to sound like a tape. "La Bamba" still derailed right in the middle and cut to another song, and the same emphasis on the same crummy tunes cut through the 60 Hz hum. If I can say one thing nice about them, they are playing some cool R&B oldies that Steve Allen's oft-mentioned auditorium survey group would have shot down. But sweet mutha! The laughable technical execution on 950 makes 700 WDMV sound like WBZ Boston! (1/29/07)
Good Golly Miss Molly: Is John Chester really coming to WETA-FM ?? Me hears it so. (1/29/07)
(RE: "Have noticed the absence of Tony Perkins on FOX5 lately..") I don't think there's anything fishy. I think too many people at Channel 5 have been coming in when they are still contagious. Guvir was sick last week and other anchors and reporters have suffered from colds lately and are probably just passing it back and forth. If they sound sick, management needs to send them back home. I think the encourage their audience to go to work when they are sick because we keep seeing the anchors do it. They do enough stories about washing your hands. With the ratings sweeps imminent, we're probably only days away from the "Your telephone mouthpiece has more germs than your toilet seat"-type of stories on the 10 o' clock scare fest that we always see during the sweeps. Maybe they need to send a memo to remind people to practice what they preach. (1/29/07)
"Just a thought here but when was the last time you heard or saw ANY coverage of a conservative based protest?" I saw it last week, the March for Life was all over Fox, CNN, all the networks in fact. (1/29/07)
Re: Mix 106-5, let's not forget that former PD Steve Monz got pretty darn good numbers 12+ and 25-54 placing in the Top 5 pretty consistently even before Josh Medlock. Labrozzi came in and brought in his own guy (exit Monz), an unfortuante part of the business, that guy being Jason Kidd. From what I know Labrozzi wanted to make it CHR (probably figuring 101.9 could handle picking up the Mix crowd without getting to Hot) and I believe was given the go ahead but only ended up getting one book to do so. It was Labrozzi/Kidd versus Phillips and the consultant. That first book will almost always be a down one as people adjust to the changes. One was not enough. Kidd was just doing what he was brought in for. What Labrozzi didn't know is that Baltimore is unique in that after B104 died off, Top 40 radio died in Charm City, from 1992 on Top 40 radio in Baltimore became niched as the rest of the nation went but would never get back supporting Top 40/M (even when other cities did) enough that a Mainstream CHR would never garner good numbers and that continues to be the case today. It is too bad with Jack-FM that Mix can't do anymore I love the 80s Weekends or Free For All Friday's. -Michael P. (1/29/07)
"Again, nobody is SAYING YOU HAVE TO LOVE HIM, but wishing him failure?" I meant give it up concerning posting for himself, blowing his own horn, so to speak. Bryslock (1/29/07)
Have noticed the absence of Tony Perkins on FOX5 lately..I first noticed it last Thursday when instead of their usual "Let Tony Try It", they actually had a "Let Gary Try It"...And if I heard correctly, the morning anchors were saying to Gwen Tolbert that SHE needed to give them a good forecast on Friday..HMMM..What's going on?..Tony seems to be out "sick" quite a bit..Well, maybe it's not that often..Maybe it's just that since we expect to see him every day, when he's not there, things look a little suspect. (1/29/07)
RE: Rant: "But I wonder, would the talk station have used the same somewhat downplaying verbiage when describing, say, one of the many regularly scheduled anti-abortion demonstrations on The Mall? "The usual anti-abortion crowd." Probably not." Just a thought here but when was the last time you heard or saw ANY coverage of a conservative based protest? Oh wait, there's five hippies down town trying to stop traffic AGAIN, alert the media!!! We lead at 11 with that story!!! Don't get bent out of shape about the verbiage, Dave. At least they're covering that story and isn't that what's important? Kevin in HdG (1/29/07)
An open letter to Johnny Holliday: Many thanks for your excellent presentation today at Blessed Sacrament School in DC. My twins thought you were amazing! Mollie and Tommy have two parents that spent 30+ years each in radio. I was a radio personality at just about every friggin' station in D.C. and my husband left Clear Channel and now works for Red Zebra/Redskins. Are we cool? Hell, no! But you are! You and I spent many great days together when I was on the board of AFTRA. Thanks for all you have done for the radio/TV family here in D.C. After your presentation at BSS my daughter informed me that she was thinking of getting into radio! OMG...I'd rather see her join a convent!! It's a "shame" you are such a good influence on my children! Best wishes, Johnny. Linda Kelly (1/29/07)
Kevin M, you are right on. The AP guide says exactly that, and whenever someone says that liberal media bias is a figment of a right-wingers imagination, it pays to keep a copy of that thing to shove in their faces. And that doesn't even count for how many individual networks that push their own news organizations to present news using calculated and deliberately slanted verbiage that either compliments their own ideologies, or paints an evil picture of newsmakers that don't exactly march to the left of Stalin. Call it 'spin,' but I call it bias. And poor journalism, to boot. JA (1/29/07)
Dave's response: I think there's plenty of bias - on BOTH sides of the political aisle.....
I preface this with the disclaimer that the following statement is TOTALLY FREE of any political leanings or support of ANY party. Did anyone catch Andy Rooney last night ??? A critique of the SOTU - and more specifically - Bush's age old problem with pronouncing "nuclear"as "newkuler". While watching this - I couldn't help but think of Jack, Bobby and Teddy Kennedy's glaring problem with pronouncing "Cuba" as "Cuber". Just an observation. Bruce Kelly - living with "vigah" in Gettysburg (1/29/07)
Kevin, your concern over the alleged bias in the AP Style Guide is not something I can attest to. The question is really one of semantics, and that is in different areas. First of all, both sides of the figurative roadway do the exact same things: for example, I have heard reporters call protestors for both sides of the abortion debate "pro-life" or "anti-choice." On the other side, they've been called "pro-abortion." In addition, the inflection and/or the writing style of the news presenter shows which side they are on. We know what WMAL is all about, so of course they're going to present it the way they do. I did not read the "Post" with regard to the marchers last week on that day, but I do know that anti-war rallies are regularly buried on the inside pages as well. Dave has a good point, and I'll say this as someone who left the journalism biz a few years ago (on my own terms, by the way): journalists need to be re-taught that their job is to report facts, whichever direction they point. Your political/social views are irrelevant. Unfortunately, editors are often influenced by their publishers, and we see the damage there, on both sides of the coin. Vicki (1/29/07)
Hey Bryslock - That's cool if you don't like Rosenberg's style. But why tell someone who is trying, to give up? He is young and TRYING. Lose the defeatist attitude. You make it seem you PERSONALLY want him to fail. Is this a case of misery loves company? What is the REAL reason why you want another human being who has done nothing to hurt someone to fail? Again, nobody is SAYING YOU HAVE TO LOVE HIM, but wishing him failure? (1/29/07)
A Match Game bit? An interview with Ed McMahon? D&M - on the cultural cusp. (1/29/07)
Dave, why are you so obsessively concerned with someone's politics? To wit: "The Rupert Murdoch-owned New York Post's Deborah Orin-Eilbeck has died after suffering from stomach cancer. Orin, 59, a political reporter and right-leaning columnist, joined the NY Post's DC bureau in 1988." Was it necessary to say who owns the Post? (As if most of us don't know) And was it necessary to point out her "right-leaning" ideology? More importantly, would have written a similar style story had a liberal columnist from the Washington Post died? (1/29/07)
Let us not forget what today is, the 32nd anniversary of a plane going down at Hyde Field in Clinton, Maryland. On board that plane January 29th 1975, was WWDC Morning Man , Johnny Holliday, along with his 11 year old Daughter Tracie and the Pilot John Steinberger. The Three were returning from delivering Food and Clothing to a 90 year old Woman who had lived in Lovingston, Virginia. The plane crashed on it's final approach to Hyde Field. Johnny spent 29 days at Sibley Hospital , Tracie was not seriously injured, John Steinberger suffered cuts and broken bones. I was on duty at Sibley the night Johnny was brought to the Hospital, and spent many hours visiting with him during his recovery period. Mr Holliday, my best to you and your Daughter, I still enjoy listening to you and watching you every chance I get. Shawn, Bethesda (1/29/07)
Is something wrong with Doni's throat? He sound too froggie. Maybe he should get a virtual physical like what Mike is whoring. (1/29/07)
To Kevin in McMurray, PA: "Look at the #'s for MIX in Baltimore... it hasn't been back in the 4's 12+ since he was there." 12+ means little to a station like Mix, especially in a market where the top 3 stations are so niche (country, rap, and talk). It's a female oriented station who targets Women 25-54. Mix's ratings in that demographic were higher than ever in the past few books, under Josh Medlock. Mix is a Hot AC station, that leans a little toward the "hot" end of the format. Kidd wants it to be a CHR and turns off the soccer mom end of the demographic, which is key to a station like Mix. I'm not saying Jason Kidd isn't capable of being a good programmer, but he needs to stick with a good CHR station for more than a year, rather than going into OTHER formats and trying to change them. (1/29/07)
RE: "For all the shit talking people do of rosenberg..." I couldn't agree with you anymore. Howard Stern started playing records, and he was bad at it at the beginning. If Peter would have given up just because the competition, aka Don and Mike, wanted him out, he would be the real loser. Peter wants to definately be in radio. If he loves it, he should stay with it. Nothing better than doing what you like, right? Nothing good is easy in life either. Besides, not to dimish them, but if Opie and Anthony are on radio, why not Peter? Maybe a few twicks here and there to make himself different from the rest, because nobody wants a copycat. Why listen to Peter if I can listen to the few that are already doing that, right? By the way, I am keeping my promise, I haven't listened to the Don and Mike show since they came back, 28 days and counting. (1/29/07)
"If those clowns (Pollin, Czaban, et al) wouldn't be so Redskins and NBA-centric, would give more than mere lip-service to the Nationals and Capitals, and stop being so condescending and insulting to fans of those teams, then perhaps more people would know about and appreciate what an Alexander Ovechkin or Ryan Zimmerman can do." They think they can get away with ignoring or ridiculing sports perceived to have marginal fan bases in the DC area (the Mystics, United and area college hoops teams not located in College Park, MD fall in that category as well). I should add that on Triple X, John Riggins appears to have reneged on an earlier promise to give the Caps some run on his show. Continued media apathy toward one of the emerging superstars of the NHL (Ovechkin) can only increase the likelihood of him eventually wearing an opposing uniform. WTEM also devotes more time to discussing golf than either baseball or hockey. Every time Tiger Woods wins another rinky dink tournament, the station seems to feel an urgent necessity to schedule a round of interviews with talking heads from the Golf Channel and writers from Golf World magazine. By contrast, Roger Federer's dominating tennis every bit as much as Woods is golf - yet they refuse to book experts on that sport to discuss it. The recent departure of Mark Sterne (apparently to join WTWP for the Kornheiser show and a role on Nats broadcasts) promises to make baseball talk even harder to find on the station. In the unlikely event they're considering hiring a replacement for Sterne, the guy who sweeps the floors at New York's WFAN might be a good choice as he probably knows more about baseball than any of 980's current hosts. Mike, Fairfax (1/29/07)
"and the fact that Rosenberg keeps TRYING has found him some success. live with it haters." Huh? Is he that kid in the Cisco Systems commercial? My uncle was on Cops. Does that give him some success? Give it up Petey. Bryslock (1/29/07)
I'm glad that Hartmann is replacing Franken. Now I can listen to AAR in the afternoons! Franken's style of humor does not translate well to radio; you have to see him to get it. Actually, I thought his show was not at all well run. When he had guests and he was prepared he generally did good interviews, but too many of his jokes fall flat. His recurring characters were boring (Senior Moments for one) and he had no understanding of pacing; he was often meandering from point to point and the producers didn't move him back in line very well. He has been talking for some time about running for the Senate in his home state, and I would gather he'll make an announcement to that effect soon. The RCL (1/29/07)
Let me see if I have this straight: It's a problem for John Matthews to say that the "Iraq demonstration . . . attracted 'the usual anti-war crowd,'"; however, it's not a problem (as nearly as I can tell from reading your web site) for the Washington Post, either on the air or in print, to paint pro-life demonstrators as "anti-abortionists" and bury the story on the hundreds of thousands who protested the anniversary of the Roe decision deep in the bowels of the paper. Neither is it a problem, when you get right down to it, that the Associated Press Style Guide -- to which almost every newsroom, print or otherwise, slavish adheres -- instructs editors to refer to pro-life supporters as "anti-abortion" and anti-lifers (abortionists, euthanasia fans, the usual anti-life crowd [a phrase I use with intent]) as "pro-choice." Am I reading you correctly? Or don't you see the inherent bias here, in the much larger media usage, at the same time as you accuse Mr. Matthews and WMAL of creatin g "the impression of bias in a 'news' report"? Kevin M., Darlington, MD (1/29/07)
I was hoping that Air America Radio would put Thom Hartmann on in the Noon - 3pm (ET) slot when Al Franken left. Looks like I got my wish! For those who haven't heard Hartmann, you're missing out. He's a radio pro and a progressive. Initially, when Franken was on with co-host Katherine Lanpher, it was a listenable show, but since he went solo, I thought Franken was rather tiresome. I think that Al Franken will make a fine U.S. Senator from Minnesota, should he decide to run in '08. By the way, Thom Hartmann is currently being syndicated by Air America, so you can give him a listen prior to his debut on the full network on February 15. He's on live, weekdays Noon - 3p (ET) and you can also hear past shows 24/7 here... www.thomhartmann.com (1/29/07)
Nice to see a young Hilton Kaderli doing weather with Max Robinson on the old WTOP news set as your latest FLASHBACK. A quick google of his name implies that Kaderli has retired from his on-air gigs in Connecticut, but may still be a 'Gutter Helmet' pitchman. (1/29/07)
Domenica Davis - ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh. What a loss to the Baltimore market. Easily the best looking woman on Balto's TV - or radio - airwaves, and a very capable broadcaster as well. As for "Hollywood A-Go-Go," Rusty, it was hosted by LA DJ Sam Riddle, and syndicated nationally. Channel 5 aired it. They had a house band called The Sinners, featuring Tony, Vic and Manuel. Later, Manuel got the boot and it was Tony,Vic & Ed. They had national acts on who lipsynched their hits, and go-go dancers a la Hullabaloo. (1/29/07)
for all the shit talking people do of rosenberg, he has a video thats bigger than ANYthing any other DC personality has put on line -- elliot, don and mike, junks, whoever. He doesn't even have a radio show (besides his internet show, of course) you have to give this kid respect for continuously TRYING - something Don and Mike surely don't do…and the fact that Rosenberg keeps TRYING has found him some success. live with it haters. (1/29/07)
Dave... The Sunday New York Times Book review (Sunday 1/28/07) also reviewed Marc Fisher’s new book, “Something in the Air” this past weekend. And so it goes... – Max in Mild West Arlington (1/29/07)
Nice to see a young Hilton Kaderli doing weather with Max Robinson on the old WTOP news set as your latest FLASHBACK. A quick google of his name implies that Kaderli has retired from his on-air gigs in Connecticut, but may still be a 'Gutter Helmet' pitchman. (1/29/07)
"...Lottery also made a stop at Channel 45.." Correct, it was a brief stop, I think intervening during the WJZ era, then WJZ wrestled the games back until now. I also recall another thing about the WBAL "game show" format : Original Lottery boss the late George Mahoney on hand for EVERY telecast, in the audience. (Can you do that, Buddy Roogow? lol) Think it ran from about '75-'79. So with the exception of newcomer My24, and 54, the drawings have run the dial... (1/29/07)
Hey Dave, Not sure if you're still following the Mark Kaye/Kris Gamble saga. They've landed in Jacksonville: bigheaddc.com... All best, Rob (1/29/07)
Dave's response: Yeah, we did a number of newsblurbs on Mark and Kris and their new gig in Jacksonville. Are they taking Teapot Tim with them?
What are the implications and new line up at WTWP, especially as it regards to David Burd. Washington Post columnist and "Monday Night Football" analyst Tony Kornheiser will return to D.C.-area radio with a morning drive-time show on Washington Post Radio, the station announced Tuesday. "The Tony Kornheiser Show" will air from 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. on weekdays beginning Feb. 20. (1/28/07)
Dave's response: David Burd will anchor with Jessica Doyle from 5:30 AM to 8:30 AM. Tony and an unannounced female co-anchor will do the 8:30 AM to 10:30 AM shift, and then be rerun from 10:30 AM to 12:30 PM.....
re: 1/29/07 rant, I suppose in this day and age of 'slanted news', if one's only source of news was the Washington Post and you did not read very far into it, you would not have known that tens of thousands of pro lifers marched in DC last week, not that newspapers owners give a damn as long as old WP generates ad revenue. (1/29/07)
Remember when Channel 9 brought Dick Reingold over from NBC? Now that was a huge success! When will the new News Director be named? She is already packing her bags up in Philadelphia and Randol Stanely was seen in his office late yesterday afternoon, a site never observed before! (1/29/07)
Some very fine comments have been made in the last several days regarding music, program directors, and research. Many prompted by Marc Fisher's very fine book. The truth is that in today's radio, most program directors are not program directors. Don't blame them for the repetitiveness of the music. In the case of Clear Channel, a good portion of what their stations play is dictated by the powers-that-be in San Antonio, Texas. Steve Allan, the PD for 10 of my 12 years at WBIG-FM was a PROGRAM DIRECTOR. That is, he was until we were purchased by Clear Channel. Shortly thereafter, his ability to program was taken away. Virtually everything had to be cleared through San Antonio. They didn't care that we had been a top five 25-54 station for years. They knew what they were doing. Those of us that were a part of that great radio family that we still call "Oldies 100" will never forget it. (Clear Channel wrote the book on micro-managing.) Terrific comments from Ed Rodriguez about "San Francisco" by Tony Bennett. The sad state of affairs is that no PD takes chances anymore. His or her job is on the line and straying from the company mandated list of tunes would undoubtedly bring about termination. I think it was Bob Mathers that brought up all the great songs that aren't tested. Another point well taken. Plus, in music tests, consider the fatigue factor that the participants face after a couple of hours of listening to snippets (Ed, you and I have been around long enough to know what a good program director can mean to a station. While driving home on Saturday from the WorldSpace Satellite Radio Network in Silver Spring, I was listening to Tom Davis and Phil Wood on WJFK (1300AM). It's been quite a while since I enjoyed an hour on radio that much. Two guys who really know their sports with great chemistry. I enjoyed what I heard so much that I was forced to do something that I never do, I called in to express my feelings. It was terrific radio! The sad part is that it's only on one day a week. It deserves more, a lot more. But, that's radio today. ....Johnny Dark (1/29/07)
I saw this big profile story on Ms. Kagan on the cover of the style section of the Washington Post on Saturday. www.washingtonpost.com (1/29/07)
If anyone is interested, there is a good review of Marc Fisher’s book, Something in the Air: Radio, Rock, and the Revolution that Shaped a Generation, in yesterday’s Washington Post Book World. Also, does anyone know what happened to Whitney on DC101? Thanks, JD (1/29/07)
Dave's response: At washingtonpost.com.....
The Maryland Lottery also made a stop at channel 45. I was an “official monitor” of the Pick 3 and Pick 4 back in 1993 and 1994. I met the delightful Mary Ann Perry (former WLIF) there, as she was the “announcer” of the games at that time. I also remember the WBAL ½ hour show. It was Wednesday Nights – and had several games – drawing from 1 to 6 numbers. Rhea co hosted the show with Royal Parker. I remember that from about 1978 or so… (1/29/07)
I notice that channel 4 has revamped their weekend lineup. Looks like Shannon Bream is now teamed with James Adams for the 6 and 11 o'clock news. Eun Yang is back from maternity leave and paired with Keith Garvin for the early morning shows. Shannon helps bring needed energy to James' low-key style, but I am shocked that they didn't pair her with Wendy at 5:00. Here's hoping Jim Handly is a temporary replacement for Susan Kidd. He's just too dry and boring compared to Wendy. (1/29/07)
Knowing full well that I'm showing my age here (don't I always?). Does anyone remember a mid 60's dance show )I believe it was on Channel 5) called "Hollywood A GoGo"?. For the life of me I can't recall the name of the host. I don't believe they ever had in-studio performers but did play cool tuneage. Rusty Gibson (1/29/07)
Jason Kidd actually caused B94 here in Pittsburgh to changed it's name after 30+ years with a station that was mostly voice tracked. He also beat the legendary 93Q in Syracuse before he came here. He was on his way in Austin until CBS needed to find a place for Stern. Look at the #'s for MIX in Baltimore... it hasn't been back in the 4's 12+ since he was there. My only problem with the guy is that he is a Ravens fan.. GO STEELERS. - Kevin in McMurray, PA (1/29/07)
The Maryland Lottery drawings on TV have come full circle--returning to WBAL, its original home after an absence of about 27 years... Does anyone recall how elaborate the drawings once were? I recall a weekly (or was it nightly?) half-hour gameshow format that Rhea Feiken once hosted, complete with studio audience at the BAL studios. They even had their own "Vanna White"-type model, a young blonde named Candy or Sandy who never uttered a word. (where is she now?) The drawings then moved for a few years over to Channel 2, and Stu Kerr had a turn at the helm. WJZ took over ,and of course has played host to them until yesterday. Dave, do you or anyone else have old-school Lottery photos/memorabilia?? (1/29/07)
(Regarding today's Rant:) Nothing more laughable than a smart-ass trying to get off on someone and butchering the English language in the process.... It's "verbiage." (1/29/07)
Dave's response: It's fixed. Or is it fixxed? Oh, nevermind.....
A great tribute to NYC's CBS-FM! donswaim.com (1/29/07)
Tony Kornheiser was on WTOP's sports talk show well before he was ever on WMAL. I can remember him being on literally within weeks of his arrival in town, I believe in the fall of 1979. Keep in mind one of the first big things he wrote in the Post Style section was a stinging expose about Ken Beatrice in 1980. WMAL clearly would not have had him on their aiwaves very quickly after that. He was on WMAL prior to starting at WTEM in 1992. (1/29/07)
i see the anitra marx face and think of that howard stern contest were they put the bag over the gal's head..... think prunes..... and think she should put them things away before she pokes someone's eye out....saline or silicone......does she think tom crews is a cutie patootie (1/29/07)
As a matter of fact Jason Kidd has been doing music at JACK (WQSR) for some time now. He has also been doing music for HFS--well, when they DO play music. He has been quietly working behind the scenes. Speaking of Morning shows, The Beach in OC now has some one jocking mornings, in a limited capacity. "More rock in the morning" is what they are selling. It sounds like the same guy that wraps around Bob and Tom on sister BIG CLASSIC ROCK. Me wonders what GS has planned for the now college station-sounding known as WZBH. (1/29/07)
Top hip hop news site, AllHipHop.Com, has featured "Throw Some Cheese On It" by Wich Boy (Peter Rosenberg) on their Rumors page. Thanks to everyone for making it one of last week's most popular and discussed comedy videos on Youtube.Com. If you missed it last week, you can watch it right here. Warning: this is humor at its most sophisticated. www.youtube.com (1/29/07)
Dave's response: Kornheiser and Rosenberg on WaPo Radio? Nah.....
Dear Dave: Bob Mathers recently wrote "You say the same people want the same songs OVER AND OVER AGAIN? That's because today's research sessions only GIVE THEM the same songs to rate, over and over again." I quote this because of the Marc Fisher article where in the process that eliminated Motown from the 100.3 playlist, one person said "You hear 'My Girl' 'til it's running out of your ear," and another said "Yeah, always the same Motown songs." As much as I adore the magical music that came from that recording company I can certainly understand why those people feel that way. I say this because in listening to oldies stations in recent years, you would think that program directors look at the entire Motown record catalog as consisting of "My Girl, "I Can't Help Myself", and "I Heard it Through the Grapevine." What came out of Detroit is much more than those three (each of which is a classic) but you wouldn't know it unless you researched the charts back then, bought some CD's, and gave a listen to some of the other tracks, which is too much to ask the PD's and these listening research companies to do. It's like a complaint I made a couple of years ago on this board about, if you base it on airplay, the only song in the Bob Seeger catalog is "Old Time Rock and Roll." This running a song (or musical genre) into the ground mentality is killing off whatever good oldies stations there are out there and dumbing down the musical intelligence of listeners. It's also another reason why I adore my XM receiver. Changing topics, Andy Pollin's name has been brought up in recent days with various observations. Let me add my own. I had the opportunity to listen to him this past Friday morning. He had Tom Loverro on and they were discussing Washington Wizard Gilbert Arenas making the NBA All-Star Team. Pollin and Loverro spoke about the MCI Center having two big names performing there, Arenas being one and Washington Capital Alexander Ovechkin being the other. Loverro pointed out that Arenas is big locally but is having some difficulty making a name outside Washington. As a contrast he said that Ovechkin was the opposite: that he is big outside of Washington but that he is having difficulty making a name for himself locally. My thought is this: if those clowns (Pollin, Czaban, et al) wouldn't be so Redskins and NBA-centric, would give more than mere lip-service to the Nationals and Capitals, and stop being so condescending and insulting to fans of those teams, then perhaps more people would know about and appreciate what an Alexander Ovechkin or Ryan Zimmerman can do. But I guess that the idea of expanding one's horizons is asking too much in radio these days, whether it be playlists (see above) or in the athletes that play here. Great site Dave! Sincerely, Joe Kasell (1/29/07)
(Regarding the Jason Kidd criticism:) Isn't calling someone a "hack" the same as calling them "stupid" or an "idiot". Just wanted to bring it to your attention. Thanks. (1/29/07)
Rusty Gibson - you asked about the 411 of WMAL-FM alums. I know that Tom Curtis lost his venue over at The Besthesda Yacht Club but I think he wanted to keep it going at another location. Not sure. Pete Larkin had always wanted to work in NYC so he made a straight line up there when ABC revamped the air staff in 1977. I've heard him on a few spots recorded up there but otherwise have heard nothing. Bill O'Connor has enjoyed a long successful career doing voiceovers here in DC (Jordan Kitt piano sales at universities, etc.) You hear often from Davy Jones on this site (Paul Bicknell). Lynn McIntosh spent many years over at Westwood. He may have retired by now. Wanna know any more? -Pilot of the Airwaves (1/29/07)
So you think Anita Marks is a hottie. Well Yeah you are right. Here are
so