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January 2015 to December 2015
December 31, 2015Lisa Baden Heads To Fresh
Morning traffic diva Lisa Baden (right) joins CBS Radio's WIAD, 94.7 Fresh FM. She had been heard on the company's all-newser, WNEW, 99.1, until it pink-slipped its air staff two weeks ago. Baden will now be heard on Tommy McFly's morning show at 0:10 and 0:40 during each hour. "Lisa's local knowledge, passion and quick wit are unparalleled in DC traffic reporting," says Steve Davis, program director for WIAD and vice president of programming for the CBS-DC cluster. "Her ability to relate to commuters with quick, concise and entertaining information makes her reports a perfect fit with the 'Tommy Show'." An employee of Total Traffic, Baden has been reporting DC area traffic for more than two decades. Over the years, she's been heard on WTOP, WMAL, and Channel 7/WJLA, among many other stations.December 30, 2015
Walter Pincus Retires From WaPo
Walter Pincus, who is leaving the Washington Post after more than 40 years of covering intelligence, defense, and foreign policy issues, reflected on his time there. "There are no words that could sum up how grateful I am to have had this opportunity to write about subjects I care deeply about, and for a readership that often responded in ways that showed they too cared, whether they agreed with what I wrote or not," Pincus writes. "It was Ben Bradlee who hired me originally in 1966, and three generations of the Graham family plus a group of editors that put up with me, even when what I wrote seemed critical of issues they believed in or individuals they admired."
December 30, 2015
Dark & Santos To Leave WTTR
Johnny Dark and Betsy Santos are leaving Westminster's oldies WTTR, 1470. Dark, who does afternoon drive, and Santos, who is program director and who does late mornings, will do their last shows on Monday, January 4. "This decision was not easy for either of us but necessary," writes Baltimore and DC radio veteran Dark. "Words can't express how much the both of us love Carroll County and the marvelous listeners who have supported us. I will still be doing all my outside appearances and look forward to seeing many of you face to face." Since the 1960s, Dark has been heard on many area "top 40" and oldies outlets including WBIG, WCAO, WQSR, and WEAM.
December 23, 2015
WaPo Photo Editor Dies
Dyan Elovich, 55, a photo editor at the Washington Post, died December 22 at a hospice in Rockville. She had complications from ovarian cancer. Elovich began working in 1997 for the Post's online operation. In 2010, she moved to the newspaper's main newsroom.
December 23, 2015
WPGC Vet Charlie Shoe Dies
Charlie Shoe died December 21 in Punta Gorda, Florida. He worked as program director and in ad sales at then-contemporary hits outlet WPGC in the late 1960s and 1970s. During his career, Shoe also worked at radio stations in New Hampshire, North Carolina, and, most recently, Florida.
December 22, 2015
WTOP & WLIF Top December Radio Ratings
The Washington market radio ratings for the month of December. Full-day, age 12+: 1) WTOP, 2) WAMU, 3) WASH, 4) WIHT, 5) WHUR, 6) WPGC, 7) WMMJ, 8) WETA-FM, 9) WMAL, 10) WBIG and WKYS, 12) WIAD, 13) WMZQ, 14) WGTS, 15) WWDC, 16) WRQX, 17) WJFK-FM, 18) WTEM and WLZL, 20) WPRS, 21) WAVA-FM, 22) WDCN and WNEW, 24) WERQ and WBQB, 26) WFLS and WWEG and WAFY and WIYY and WFRE and WYPR, 32) WINC-FM and WWMX, 34) WPOC and WILC and WQSR and WBJC, 38) WGRQ and WJYJ and WPFW. The December radio ratings run from early November to early December, before the four-week "Holiday" period. The Baltimore market radio ratings for the month of December. Full-day, age 6+: 1) WLIF, 2) WERQ, 3) WPOC, 4) WWIN-FM, 5) WRBS-FM, 6) WWMX, 7) WIYY, 8) WZFT, 9) WJZ-FM, 10) WCBM, 11) WQSR, 12) WBAL-AM, 13) WZBA, 14) WCAO, 15) WAMU and WBJC, 17) WASH and WNEW, 19) WYPR, 20) WKYS and WWDC and WTOP and WPGC, 24) WHUR, 25) WXCY and WLZL, 27) WMZQ and WLIFHD2 and WRQX and WTTR and WMAL and WIHT and WBIG, 34) WRNR-FM, 35) WGTS and WTEM and WEAA, 39) WSOX and WFRE. The December radio ratings run from early November to early December, before the four-week "Holiday" period.
December 21, 2015
Jerry Coleman Loses Radio Gigs
DC-Baltimore sports radio veteran Jerry Coleman has had a batch of bad employment luck lately. Last week, CBS's DC news talker WNEW canned its entire air staff, including Jerry, who was doing commentary and reporting duties. And, this week, Jerry heard from Baltimore's WJZ-FM, 105.7 The Fan, another CBS station, that it will no longer need his anchoring and reporting skills. His contract at the Charm City sports talker is not being renewed, he's announced.
December 18, 2015
CBS Yanks Local News From WNEW, Relays Bloomberg
CBS Radio has ended the almost four-year-old news format on WNEW, 99.1. As of 10 AM on December 18, the local news and mix of syndicated talkers, like Dave Ramsey, have been replaced with a fulltime relay of Bloomberg business news radio. On-air, Bloomberg is touting its "Bloomberg 99.1 Newsroom" in DC. We're told that Bloomberg is leasing the time from CBS, which, as of now, is not selling the station. Although a sale deal to Bloomberg is not out of the question, we're told. Under Bloomberg's control, WNEW will continue to air local news, traffic, weather, and sports updates and will remain the flagship station for Wizards basketball. "We're not looking for a mass audience," says Justin Smith, Bloomberg Media's chief executive. "We're looking for a niche audience" of business executives and entrepreneurs. The station will simulcast the audio portion of the Bloomberg-produced political discussion TV show "With All Due Respect" that is carried on the Bloomberg cable news channel. Also, CBS has cut a number of WNEW staffers this week, with all of the local news airstaff to be pink-slipped eventually, possibly as many as 20-30 positions. With more CBS Radio personnel cuts coming to its DC cluster before the end of the year. CBS started all-newser WNEW in January 2012 with hopes of cutting into the ratings and revenue of Hubbard's top-rated WTOP. However, WNEW's DC ratings never significantly surmounted 20th place, as the station was hampered by its signal, which is broadcast from the Crofton area in the Baltimore market and has coverage issues in Northern Virginia and the western DC suburbs. CBS tried re-orienting the all-newser to be more of a Maryland and Baltimore area station and added syndicated talkers to middays and evenings, but its ratings didn't significantly improve in the DC market. Jim Farley, the longtime vice president of programming at WTOP, says: "It is a very sad day. Some really talented radio news people lose their jobs a week before Christmas. Cruel timing. But I give props to Dan Mason and Scott Herman for giving this over three years, hiring good people and also smart people to run it. Competition is good, but I have to wonder: Will this be the last attempt to do all-news radio ever?!? I hope not but I can hear anybody pitching the idea getting shot down with 'CBS couldn't do it, what makes you think we could do it?'" Farley retired from WTOP in late 2013. From Florida, he now runs a news radio consulting business with WTOP as a client.December 18, 2015
Glenn Harris Retires From NC8
Sports reporter, anchor, and show host Glenn Harris (right) is retiring from NewsChannel 8. Harris worked at the local cable news channel since it was launched in 1991, hosting his evening sports talk show continuously since 1993, with his last appearance on tonight's show at 9 PM. Before NC8, Harris worked at Channel 4/WRC, Channel 5/WTTG, WHUR, and WOL.December 17, 2015
Parr To Replace Joyner On MMJ
Several weeks ago, the British Daily Mail reported a rumor that Radio One is planning to yank Chicago-based morning man Tom Joyner (right) 
off WMMJ, 102.3, and replace him with Russ Parr (left) from mornings at WKYS, 93.9. That report was denied by the suits at the Silver Spring-based urban radio giant. Now, Urban Radio Magazine reports that, come January 19, Radio One will move Joyner from WMMJ to mornings at WOL, 1450, transfer Parr from WKYS to WMMJ mornings, and put "The FAM With Lil Mo And DJ QuickSilva," who do a show on Radio One's WERQ, 92.3, in Baltimore, in mornings on WKYS. DCRTV's take: Radio One is dealing with a serious revenue slump in the DC market and probably does need to shake things up. However, moving Joyner from a top-rated FM signal to a low-rated AMer is a major demotion. More: Parr's weekend show, "On The Air," will continue on WKYS on Saturday mornings. Joyner's morning show will also air on the HD Radio digital subchannels of WKYS, WMMJ, and WPRS. Joyner's weekend show, "Right Back Atcha," will continue to air on WMMJ on Saturday mornings. And, WOL's Carl Nelson moves to afternoon drive.December 16, 2015
Bohannan Leaves "America In The Morning"
DC radio veteran Jim Bohannon (right) will host his last "America In The Morning" syndicated program on December 18. Bohannon, who has hosted the early morning news program since its debut in 1984, will continue to host his nightly Westwood One-syndicated "Jim Bohannon Show," which is heard locally on WFED, 1500 AM. John Trout will take over as "America In The Morning" host on January 18. Trout's extensive radio and TV career had taken him to Salisbury's Channel 16/WBOC, where he hosted the "Proud To Serve" news segment utilizing the station's helicopter, Chopper 16. Says Bohannon: "It's time for me to cut back the daily schedule a bit and focus my attention on the research, interviews, and calls for my weeknight show."December 14, 2015
Balto Radio Vet Brian Macdonald Dies
Brian Macdonald, whose career in Baltimore area radio spanned more than 30 years, died December 12. He worked at WBAL-AM, where he was a music director and talk show host, as well as at WBJC and WCBM. Also, he taught at Towson University, the Community Colleges Of Baltimore, and Harford Day School.
December 11, 2015
Willard Scott To Retire From "Today"
DC TV and radio legend Willard Scott (right), 81, has announced his retirement from NBC's "Today" show, where he's appeared twice a week to mark the birthdays of viewers who have reached the age of 100 and beyond. During his 35 years with "Today," Scott also delivered the weather, after leaving the top weather post at NBC's Channel 4/WRC. Scott began his career as a page at age 16 at DC's WRC-TV. From the 1950s through the 1970s, he was paired with Ed Walker, who recently died, as radio's "The Joy Boys," who were heard on WWDC and other area stations. Scott also played kiddie show host "Bozo The Clown" for WRC-TV, as well as the first "Ronald McDonald."December 11, 2015
Carmean Out In Red Zebra Revamp
The Redskins organization is making some big changes in the structure and management of its Red Zebra radio broadcasting arm, which owns sports talkers WTEM, ESPN 980, and WSPZ, SportsTalk 570. We're told that Red Zebra CEO Rick Carmean was let go yesterday, to be replaced by executives from the Redskins, including Larry Michael, who calls the team's radio games, and ad sales manager Steve Johnson. "The team plans to exert more direct control over the [radio stations]," a source tells us. WTEM has been locked in a bruising battle with rival CBS sports talker WJFK, 106.7 The Fan, the past few years, with both stations frequently ranking in the 16th to 18th place range.
December 11, 2015
Barry Schweid Dies
Barry Schweid, the legendary Associated Press diplomatic correspondent who reported and analyzed events from around the world over a career spanning 56 years, died December 10 at age 83. Schweid died at home from complications of a degenerative neurological condition. Among his career highlights, he traveled with Henry Kissinger on the secretary of state's "shuttle diplomacy" flights and covered the difficult negotiations at Camp David that President Jimmy Carter brokered to reach a historic peace treaty in 1977 between Egypt's Anwar Sadat and Israel's Menachem Begin.
December 9, 2015
Ava-joye Burnett To 13
Ava-joye Burnett (right) joins Baltimore's Channel 13/WJZ as a reporter. She comes from Richmond's Channel 8/WRIC, where she's been reporting for the past four years. Before that, she was a production assistant at DC's Channel 9/WUSA and reported for Hagerstown's Channel 25/WHAG.December 9, 2015
Max Cacas Dies
DC radio news veteran Max Cacas (right) died December 8. He was 61. Via Facebook, Joseph Kasell, son of longtime DC newsman Carl Kasell, writes: "Still in shock after learning the news this morning. I'm writing this post to note the passing of a longtime family friend, Max Cacas, who suffered a heart attack yesterday. Max and I go back about 35 years. I first met him through my dad when they both were at National Public Radio. Max quickly became a frequent guest at our household, enjoying many of my mom's lasagna dinners. He, my dad, and I shared many times together, going in on a Washington Capitals partial plan during the Capital Center days of Langway and Gartner and Stevens, as well as taking in trips to Philly during the summer to catch some National League ball during DC's baseball exile. And our interest in baseball carried on to the present day in our conversations on several Washington Nationals Facebook pages. We also shared a lot of ups and downs personally, whether it be his wedding day or my wedding day, or the passing of my mom, who treated Max like a son and whom Max served as a pallbearer. He was in the radio business for a long time, working at places like NPR, WTOP, Federal News Radio, and WXTR (Xtra 104 for you longtime DC people). I'm still processing this and just can't believe this happened. Many prayers for Max and for his dear wife, Lisa S. Myers." More: Cacas also worked at WAMU, WASH, and at then all-newser WAVA.December 8, 2015
WAMU's Rehm To Retire In Late 2016
Longtime WAMU morning talk show host Diane Rehm (right) will retire next year. Rehm, 79, says she plans to end her show in late 2016, after the presidential election in November. "My thinking is that I'll stay on the air until the election because I really want to see how this will go," she tells the Washington Post. "My feeling is, I have a number of ideas and I'm perfectly happy doing something different... where I'm not forced to get up at 5 AM every morning to prepare for a show. I've been doing that for 37 years. Maybe I'll get to sleep until 7 or 7:30 AM, like other people do." Rehm's late morning two-hour show is carried by almost 200 public radio stations and heard by 2.5 million weekly. She started working at WAMU in 1973 as a volunteer. Rehm began hosting what was then called the "Kaleidoscope" program in 1979, which was renamed after her five years later. Her program became nationally syndicated in 1995.December 8, 2015
WAMU Trims Kojo To 1 Hour
American University public radio news talker WAMU, 88.5 FM, will be cutting back Kojo Nnamdi's midday show to one hour, from noon to 1 PM, eliminating the 1 PM to 2 PM hour, which will likely be turned over to an as-yet-to-be-named nationally syndicated show. On Fridays, "The Politics Hour," which is hosted by Nnamdi (right) and Channel 4/WRC local politics reporter and analyst Tom Sherwood, will continue to inhabit the noon to 1 PM slot. Nnamdi writes on his thekojonnamdishow.org site that the changes, which take place January 25, "will allow me and my production team to focus on what we do best - convening discussion on critical regional issues." Under JJ Yore, the station's new general manager, WAMU has been making numerous budget cuts during 2015.December 7, 2015
Doug Limerick To Retire
ABC News Radio veteran Doug Limerick (right) has annnounced his retirement after 33 years with the firm. In 1979, he worked at DC's then contemporary hit WRQX, then Q107, which was then owned by ABC. Before jumping to ABC News Radio in 1982. Limerick's career will be celebrated with a pair of luncheons - on January 7 in DC and in NYC on January 8. He got his start as a 16-year-old DJ on a small station in Shelby NC. After college at Wake Forest, Limerick joined the Air Force, which was followed by radio gigs in Raleigh, Birmingham AL, and Charlotte, before coming to DC.December 6, 2015
Ken Beatrice Dies
Longtime DC radio sports talk host Ken Beatrice (right), 72, died December 6 of complications from pneumonia. He was best known for his evening show which aired on WMAL from 1977 to 1995, and later on WTEM from 1995 to 2000, after which he retired from the radio biz to settle in Haymarket VA, where he was a lector at St. John The Evangelist Church in Warrenton VA. "Long before sports talk stations became popular, WMAL, already a regional powerhouse, brought Ken to town with his memorable Boston accent and his signature salutation, 'You're Next'," says Janice Ockershausen, wife of former WMAL General Manager Andy Ockershausen. "You could hear Ken Monday through Fridays on WMAL in primetime during the height of the Washington Redskins glory days," she adds. "Ken was a key player in the lineup of the super sports coverage that WMAL provided with the Skins, the University Of Maryland football and basketball, Naval Academy football, and the USFL." Beatrice was known for his high-pitched voice, pronounced Boston accent, encyclopedic knowledge of sports, opinionated nature, respectful treatment of kids who called into his show, and his long running promos for Arby's.December 2, 2015
Barr Becomes WaPo's Managing Editor
The Washington Post names Cameron Barr as managing editor, overseeing news and features. He replaces Kevin Merida, who left for ESPN in October. Previously, Barr was national editor at the Post, and, before that, was deputy national editor, national security editor, and Middle East editor. Prior to joining the Post in 2004, Barr was Middle East correspondent for the Christian Science Monitor.
November 30, 2015
Former WBIG Personality Tom Kelly Dies
Tom Pagnotti, whose radio name was Tom Kelly (right), died November 30 from complications due to cancer. He had relocated to Bath, Maine, and had built a voiceover business. Kelly did afternoons on WBIG, back when it was known as Oldies 100 in the 1990s and early 2000s. "Tom was one of the best - both professionally and personally - and we are all devastated by his untimely passing," a colleague tells us. Kelly also worked at radio stations in Buffalo, Denver, and Hartford. He was 57.November 25, 2015
DC TV News Veteran James Schultz Dies
James Schultz, 70, died of a brain hemorrhage on November 22 in Christiana, Delaware. He was CNN's first senior White House producer, starting in 1980. He also served as the news network's assistant bureau chief in Washington. Later, he worked for Fox News, creating the Fox News Service, serving as Washington bureau chief as well as the director of affiliate relations. The DC area native and University Of Maryland graduate began his news career as a sound man, freelancing for various networks and local news channels, then landing a permanent position at Channel 5/WTTG back when it was owned by Metromedia. He worked his way up through various positions at WTTG, as a writer, producer, and field producer thorough the 1970s.
November 24, 2015
WTOP, WLIF, WPOC Top November Radio Ratings
The Washington market radio ratings for November. Full-day, age 12+: 1) WTOP, 2) WAMU, 3) WASH, 4) WIHT, 5) WHUR, 6) WMMJ, 7) WPGC and WMAL, 9) WBIG, 10) WETA-FM and WKYS, 12) WMZQ, 13) WIAD, 14) WGTS, 15) WWDC, 16) WRQX, 17) WJFK-FM, 18) WTEM, 19) WLZL, 20) WPRS, 21) WAVA-FM, 22) WNEW, 23) WFLS, 24) WDCN, 25) WBQB, 26) WERQ and WFMD, 28) WIYY and WINC-FM and WWMX and WWEG, 32) WAFY, 33) WILC and WPFW and WQSR and WFRE, 37) WYPR and WBJC and WPOC, 40) WVBX and WRBS-FM and WGRQ and WBMD and WSPZ and WKDV and WBQH and WKIK. The Baltimore market radio ratings for November. Full-day, age 6+: 1) WPOC and WLIF, 3) WERQ, 4) WWIN-FM, 5) WWMX, 6) WIYY, 7) WRBS-FM, 8) WJZ-FM and WZFT, 10) WBAL-AM, 11) WQSR, 12) WZBA, 13) WCBM, 14) WCAO, 15) WAMU and WNEW, 17) WBJC, 18) WYPR, 19) WKYS and WPGC, 21) WWDC and WTOP, 23) WHUR, 24) WBIG and WASH, 26) WLZL and WIHT, 28) WLIFHD2 and WMAL, 30) WTTR and WRNR-FM and WTEM, 33) WMZQ and WRQX and WTMD and WEAA, 37) WFRE and WXCY and WGTS, 40) WSOX.
November 24, 2015
Jamee Whitten Back To WMAL
Jamee Whitten returns to Cumulus news talker WMAL to do morning traffic. She used to be heard on the station when it subscribed to Total Traffic, but left to handle family matters when Cumulus switched to a different traffic service.
November 23, 2015
Cumulus Ups Bill Hess To Ops Mgr
Bill Hess gets promoted to operations manager of Cumulus's DC radio cluster, which includes news talk WMAL, 105.9/630, and hot adult contemporary WRQX, 107.3. He will continue his current roles as program director of WMAL and corporate program director of Cumulus's news talk stations. Hess's 38-year radio career has included local stops at WTEM, WASH, and WBIG, in addition to Air America and radio stations in Providence.
November 21, 2015
Austin Kiplinger Dies
Austin Kiplinger, a Washington publisher who sustained the growth of his family's media business, died November 20 at a hospice in Rockville. He was 97. The cause was cancer. Kiplinger Washington Editors, founded in 1920 by his father, Willard Kiplinger, included business and economics forecasting publications. The company, which Austin led for more than three decades as president or chairman, was valued at more than $100 million when he passed control on to his sons, Todd and Knight, in 2000. Austin served as board chairman for several years.
November 16, 2015
Austin Hill Dies
Austin Hill (right), 51, who was a frequent guest host on news talker WMAL, 105.9/630, died suddenly November 13. No cause of death has been publicly announced, although postings on his Facebook page suggest that it may have been cardiac-related. Hill was based in Phoenix and had been heard on many talkers across the country doing fill-in work. "He was a part of our family, although we didn't get to see him often," says WMAL morning co-host Brian Wilson.November 13, 2015
WAMU Says Goodbye To Jerry Edwards, Ends Morning Traffic Reports
Jerry Edwards (right) will no longer be doing morning traffic reports for American University public radio news talker WAMU, 88.5. The DC traffic veteran has been located in Florida, where he does his local reports from. According to a staff memo from WAMU General Manager JJ Yore, "This completes changes we began late last year, in middays and afternoons. We notified Jerry's employer, Radiate Traffic, several months ago. We sent Jerry a nice wine-and-cheese basket as a gift from all of us and wish him well in the warm weather of Sarasota, Florida, where he moved a few years ago." Yore says Edwards won't be replaced. "Radio is not a good way to get routine traffic updates. Smart phone map services, GPS devices in cars, and traffic apps provide specific, useful information that broadcast traffic reports cannot replicate. We have a tech-savvy audience and we think they find better traffic information from these sources than from radio reports," he adds in his memo. WAMU ended its midday and afternoon traffic reports last year and, Yore says, has received little response from listeners. "We expect a bigger response this time since Jerry is the dean of Washington traffic reporters and has been part of WAMU for so many years." Breaking traffic news will be handled by the station's program hosts and newscasters, not via regular traffic reports that are heard on many stations in the DC area, including all-newser WTOP, which has an in-house traffic reporting department, and news talkers WMAL and WNEW, which receive them from outside providers. Edwards did traffic reports for WAMU from 1984 to 2006, when he also did them for Channel 4/WRC. He returned to WAMU's airwaves in 2011 when WAMU signed a deal with DC-based Radiate Media, which provides traffic reports to radio stations.November 13, 2015
Tony Washington Dies
Radio One veteran Tony Washington, 73, died November 10. He joined the firm in 1991, when founder Cathy Hughes had just two stations in DC, including WOL. Most recently, Washington was vice president of advertising sales for Radio One's Reach Media syndication division. "Tony was as loyal and trusted employee as you could ever want, who always fiercely advocated for and protected Radio One's share of the advertising pie. We will sorely miss him," according to a company statement.
November 11, 2015
Jack Diamond Returns To WRQX
Cumulus is dropping the contemporary hit format in place at WRQX for the past two years and, eventually, going back to hot adult contemporary tunes and what it used to be called - Mix 107.3. The official re-launch happens on 16, with Jack Diamond (right) in mornings. He will be paired with Jimmy Alexander. And they'll be joined by Erica Hilary. Ty Bentli, who was also on the WRQX morning show, will work for Westwood One. Former midday personality Melony Torres jumps to Cumulus's hot adult contemporary WPLJ in NYC. Says Diamond, who got the boot from WRQX in the spring of 2013: "Washington DC is my hometown. To have been able to build an amazing brand like Mix 107.3 and the 'Jack Diamond Morning Show' and ride that wave for 24 years was an absolute gift from you to all of us who contributed to that project. Yes, you can go home again and if you're lucky enough, you have a chance to make it even better the second time."November 11, 2015
Jim Lokay To 5
Jim Lokay (right), who'd been anchoring and reporting for Boston's WCVB-TV, is headed to Channel 5/WTTG to report news and sports on the Fox-owned station's 5 PM, 6 PM, 10 PM, and 11 PM newscasts. "I'm excited for many reasons, both personal and professional," the Pittsburgh native tells PBRTV.com. "They're doing some great things at Fox 5, and it’s one of the few local newsrooms that's truly willing and able to stretch the boundaries of creative storytelling. As a big sports fan, I'll have the chance to report on some major stories down there as well."November 9, 2015
WRQX Says Goodbye To Sarah, Ty, Mel, More
WRQX morning personalities Sarah, Ty, and Mel have been let go. Also disappearing from the Cumulus station are midday host Melony Torres and afternoon host Marco. Along with DC radio veteran Bryan "Flounder" Schlossberg, who worked on the morning show.
November 9, 2015
Louis Diaz Takes PD Post At WRQX
Louis Diaz has been named program director of WRQX, the Cumulus owned, ratings-struggling contemporary hit outlet. He comes from Cumulus's sister contemporary hit WLIF in Dallas. Before that, he worked in Portland, Oregon. A native of Queens, Diaz got his start at hot adult contemporary WPLJ in NYC, which is also now owned by Cumulus. Diaz replaces Jan Jeffries, who got the ax as WRQX's PD last month. Jeffries replaced Rick Gillette, who got the ax as WRQX's PD in July.
November 6, 2015
WTOP Makes Job Cuts, Blames Soft Ad Climate
Job cuts hit top-rated all-newser WTOP. Some of the names we're hearing are Ari Ashe and John Meyer. Over at sister WFED, we're hearing the name of Francis Rose mentioned. Apparently, management is also not replacing vacant and posted fulltime jobs as well as some "behind the scenes" people, we're told. By late afternoon, we got forwarded a staff memo from WTOP head honcho Joel Oxley who writes, "Our financial situation continues to be very challenging. National, local agency and sports revenue are all down. Many costs that we cannot control continue to rise. So we have had to make difficult expense decisions in all departments including these staff reductions as we head into 2016." Oxley's memo adds that Matt Wingfield of WFED has also been let go. In addition, several editorial positions that have recently been vacated won't be filled, including the WTOP reporter position left open by Andrew Mollenbeck's recent departure to Los Angeles news talker KFI and the digital position that Kerry Walter held. Also, three open sales positions won't be filled. A DCRTV source adds: "I'm told WTOP, while likely to be the top biller in the country again, has had a crunch between increasing expenses and soft revenue resulting in double digit losses in free cash flow, which is what they deliver to Hubbard in profits. They're still printing money hand over fist but their EBIDA and OIBIDA are way way off." Yet another source tells us: "TOP has had layoffs before, but each time after sales got stronger, position were re-filled and staff grew. Still the biggest local radio newsroom in the country by far."
November 4, 2015
WAMU To Outsource Underwriting
American University public radio news talker WAMU, 88.5, will outsource its underwriting department as of the start of 2016. According to a source, there was a staff meeting at which underwriting managers, who solicit donors to support the station's non-commercial programming, were informed that they will no longer be employees of WAMU and American University as of January. They will work for a company based in Phoenix called Market Enginuity. "That's if the underwriting managers agree to what the company offers them and if they agree to work for the company," we're told. "Management says they made the decision to save money." This is the most recent of decision in the continued down-sizing efforts by WAMU General Manager JJ Yore.
November 4, 2015
Judge Tosses Nats' MASN Arbitration
A New York State Supreme Court judge has tossed out a Major League Baseball arbitration decision that gave the Washington Nationals millions more in annual broadcast rights fees, a significant victory for the Baltimore Orioles-controlled network in the protracted dispute. In vacating the June 2014 MLB decision, the judge suggested that the Nationals and the Mid-Atlantic Sports Network settle the issue through an independent arbitrator or, if the concerns of impartiality are fixed, that they return to MLB's arbitration panel. According to the Washington Post, the immediate impact of the judge's ruling means the Nationals will receive $40 million in annual TV rights fees from MASN per year, $20 million less than the amount awarded by the MLB panel. MASN broadcasts both the Nationals and Orioles games but the Orioles have a controlling stake in the network as part of a 2005 agreement brokered by baseball and then-commissioner Bud Selig to allow the relocation of the Montreal Expos to Washington.
November 4, 2015
Pink Slips At Nat Geo
The DC-based National Geographic Society will lay off about 180 of its 2,000 employees in a cost-cutting move that follows the sale of its famous magazine and other assets to a company controlled by media baron Rupert Murdoch. The reduction, the largest in the organization's 127-year history, appears to affect almost every department of the nonprofit organization, including the magazine, which the society has published since just after its founding in 1888. The reduction also will affect people who work for the National Geographic Channel, the most profitable part of the organization.
November 3, 2015
Loudoun Times-Mirror Buys Leesburg Today
The weekly Loudoun Times-Mirror has acquired the assets of the weekly Leesburg Today and Ashburn Today newspapers along with the LeesburgToday.com website from Texas-based HPR-Hemlock, which operates locally as Northern Virginia Media Services. No price was announced. The Times-Mirror is owned by local resident Peter Arundel, who has served as president and CEO of the company since 1996. His late father, Arthur, owned the newspaper before him, along with one of the first all-news radio stations in the country, Arlington's WAVA, 105.1. NVMS will continue to operate its other media properties in the region, which include six Northern Virginia weekly newspapers, the monthly Middleburg Life and Washington Family magazines, and local news website InsideNoVa.com.
November 3, 2015
13's Christine Ileto To Philly
Christie Ileto (right), a reporter for the past three years at CBS-owned Channel 13/WJZ in Baltimore, heads to Philadelphia to do reporting for ABC-owned Channel 6/WPVI.November 2, 2015
7 & 54 Add Comet
Baltimore-based Sinclair debuts its new Comet sci-fi network on the digital subchannels of DC's Channel 7/WJLA, where it replaces the Live Well Network, and Baltimore's Channel 54/WNUV.
November 2, 2015
Pat Clawson Dies
Pat Clawson was known as "Cowboy" in his days as DC bureau chief with now defunct radio trade publication Radio And Records, because of the impossible-to-miss Western-style hat he habitually wore. He died October 29 at age 60. Clawson got his start in radio in his native Michigan and, during his lengthy broadcasting career, went on to reporting gigs at CNN and NBC News Radio, Radio America, and Independent Network News.
October 31, 2015
Michelle Marsh To 7 & NC8
Sinclair's Channel 7/WJLA has hired Michelle Marsh (right) to co-anchor its 4 PM newscast with Jonathan Elias and sister NewsChannel 8's 10 PM newscast, starting January 11. She comes from WRAL-TV in Raleigh and previously worked at TV news operations in Albany and Binghamton NY as well as Atlanta. Her sister Rene works at CNN's DC bureau.October 30, 2015
WQLL Buys FM Signal
Baltimore oldies outlet WQLL, 1370 AM, is buying a low-power FMer on 99.9 that it has been leasing for its signal. Nick Mangione-led M-10 Broadcasting is paying $150,000 cash for a 220-watt translator licensed to Aberdeen. It's W260BV and becomes part of the M-10 group along with WQLL and its sister Baltimore news talker WCBM, 680 AM.
October 28, 2015
WTEM Ends "Man Cave"
Just over half a year after launching the locally-based "Man Cave" morning show, Dan Snyder owned Red Zebra's WTEM, ESPN 980, will pull the plug immediately. Today's show was the last. The sports talker will restore ESPN Radio's "Mike And Mike" to morning drive. Nationally syndicated "Mike And Mike" has been airing on Red Zebra's other sports talker, WSPZ, 570, which has a weaker signal than WTEM. While the "Man Cave," which was launched in late March after a delayed original start date and hosted by Jason Reid and Chris Paul, trailed badly in the overall radio ratings behind the "Sports Junkies" on CBS's WJFK, 106.7 The Fan, it was increasing in its numbers among key male demos, we're told by some sources. Says WTEM Program Director Dan Zampillo, "Unfortunately we were not able to obtain the consistent level of ratings success needed in morning drive over the last seven months, and therefore felt the need to make this change."
October 27, 2015
WTOP & WPOC Top October Radio Ratings
The DC market radio ratings for the month of October. Full-day, age 12+: 1) WTOP, 2) WAMU, 3) WIHT, 4) WASH, 5) WMMJ and WHUR, 7) WPGC, 8) WMAL, 9) WBIG, 10) WKYS, 11) WIAD and WMZQ, 13) WETA-FM, 14) WGTS and WWDC, 16) WJFK-FM, 17) WTEM, 18) WRQX, 19) WLZL, 20) WPRS, 21) WNEW, 22) WAVA-FM, 23) WDCN, 24) WAFY and WERQ and WFLS, 27) WWMX and WWEG, 29) WIYY and WFRE, 31) WBQB and WQSR and WINC-FM, 34) WPFW and WILC, 36) WGRQ, 37) WACA and WKDV and WLIF and WBQH and WRBS-FM and WSMD and WSPZ and WVBX. The Baltimore market radio ratings for the month of October. Full-day, age 6+: 1) WERQ, 2) WLIF, 3) WPOC, 4) WWIN-FM, 5) WIYY, 6) WJZ-FM, 7) WWMX, 8) WZFT, 9) WRBS-FM, 10) WBAL-AM, 11) WZBA, 12) WQSR, 13) WCBM, 14) WCAO, 15) WAMU, 16) WKYS, 17) WPGC, 18) WWDC and WNEW, 20) WHUR and WYPR, 22) WBJC, 23) WTOP, 24) WBIG, 25) WIHT and WTTR and WRNR-FM and WASH, 29) WMAL and WLZL and WEAA and WXCY, 33) WRQX and WMZQ and WGTS and WLIFHD2, 37) WTEM, 38) WTMD and WFRE, 40) WJZ-AM and WSOX and WOLB.
October 27, 2015
WaPo Classic Music Critic Dies
Ronald Broun, who wrote hundreds of classical music reviews for the Washington Post while working as a litigator for the National Labor Relations Board, died October 20 at a hospital in Lawrence, Kansas. He was 75. The cause was respiratory failure.
October 26, 2015
Ed Walker Dies
Washington radio legend Ed Walker (right) died on October 26, just hours after his last "Big Broadcast" nostalgic radio show aired the previous evening on WAMU, 88.5. It was taped weeks earlier in Sibley Memorial Hospital, after Walker was diagnosed with cancer. He was 83. Walker listened to the final broadcast Sunday night on WAMU, surrounded by his family, a few hours before his death, according to WAMU. In mid-October, Walker announced that he was retiring from WAMU due to health issues. Walker has been host of WAMU's longest-running program since 1990. The first blind student admitted to American University, Walker was one of the founders of then-student-operated WAMU-AM in 1951. It is there that Walker met Willard Scott. A creative partnership sparked, and the two were a duo on Washington radio for 20 years, the mid-1950s through mid-1970s, calling themselves "The Joy Boys," which aired on the old WRC radio. Over the years, Walker has worked at a variety of area radio stations, including WMAL, WOL, WWDC, WPGC, and WWRC. He also worked at Channel 7/WJLA.October 26, 2015
Rusty Gibson Dies
Rusty Gibson died on October 21 at Inova Fairfax Hospital following a series of long illnesses. He spent the past decade working at Fairfax Public Access via its online cable radio station, WEBR. Gibson, 59, had suffered a serious stroke in 2000 and recovered enough to do a rock, pop, and soul oldies radio show every week.
October 22, 2015
Vanessa Herring Joins 11
Vanessa Herring joins Channel 11/WBAL a reporter. She's been freelance reporting in the Baltimore-DC area for about a year.
October 21, 2015
Brendan McNamara To 2
Brendan McNamara joins Channel 2/WMAR to be a reporter and multimedia journalist for the Scripps station's "Good Morning Maryland." He comes from Channel 8/WGAL in Lancaster, where he worked as a producer and photographer before becoming a reporter.
October 20, 2015
Jan Jeffries Out At RQX
Jan Jeffries is out as program director of Cumulus's hot adult contemporary WRQX, All The Hits 107.3. Barely three months after taking the job in July. Jeffries came from Chicago where he'd been program director for the firm's classic hits WLS-FM. We're told that Bill Hess, program director for WRQX's news talker sister, WMAL, 105.9/630, will fill his shoes across the hall for the time being. Since joining WRQX, Jeffries has been unable to boost the station's ratings, which are in a two-plus-year slump since the departure of longtime morning man Jack Diamond in the spring of 2013. Also, since Jeffries' arrival, Atlanta-based Cumulus has seen a complete top management change with the departure of CEO Lew Dickey. Jeffries has left Cumulus, where he also served as a senior vice president of programming, after 18 years with company, which is flirting with bankruptcy. During his career, Jeffries worked at a number of radio stations in the DC-Baltimore area, including the old contemporary hit B104, WBSB.
October 19, 2015
WaPo's Kevin Merida Heads To ESPN
Washington Post Managing Editor Kevin Merida heads to ESPN to be editor-in-chief of "The Undefeated," a digital site that will explore the intersection of sports, race, and culture. "He has been here 22 years," writes Executive Editor Martin Baron in a staff memo.
October 15, 2015
WashTimes Reports 1st Profitable Month
The Washington Times says it achieved in September the first profitable month in its 33-year history, following $1 billion in losses. It is "successfully transforming a traditional money-losing print publication into a leaner multimedia company with diverse revenue streams and a growing national audience," according to an announcement.
October 15, 2015
Joe Yasharoff Leaves CSN
Joe Yasharoff (right), Comcast SportsNet's news content manager, is leaving the Bethesda-based network after 14-plus years there. No word on his future plans. Several dozen friends, current and former colleagues including Steve Buckhantz, Sue Palka, and Chick Hernandez showed up at Brickside in Bethesda Wednesday evening to share stories and give hugs and handshakes, we're told. Yasharoff was one of CSN's original hires in 2001, coming from Channel 5/WTTG where he served as the station's executive sports producer. He has won 12 Emmys and was inducted into the Silver Circle in 2014 and the Jewish Community Center Of Greater Washington Sports Hall Of Fame in 2013.October 13, 2015
Jeff Loughridge Dies
Former CBS Radio DC market chief engineer Jeff Loughridge (right) died today after a three-year battle with cancer. Most recently, he had been at iHeart Media in Savannah, Georgia.October 9, 2015
WaPo's Kamen To Retire
Al Kamen, for the past 23 years author of the "In The Loop" federal government column in the Washington Post, writes his final column as he heads toward retirement.
October 6, 2015
Sam Rogers Returns To CBS Radio
Sam Rogers returns to CBS Radio in Washington, where he'll serve as vice predisdent of national sales and corporate partnerships. He'll report to Bob Philips, the manager of CBS Radio's Baltimore cluster, who doubles as the firm's director of ad sales. Since 2013, Rogers has been vice president of national and corporate sales at Silver Spring-based Radio One. Prior to that, he was vice president of political sales at Cumulus in DC, and also served as general manager of WMAL and WRQX. Before that, Rogers spent two decades with CBS Radio, where his last position was manager of its DC cluster.
October 5, 2015
XM Vet Steve Harris Dies
Steve Harris, who worked at DC-based XM Satellite Radio in its early days as vice president of external programming and vice president of music, has died after suffering a stroke. His radio programming career include gigs at ABC Radio Networks, Reach Media, ESPN Radio, and Radio One's Cincinnati cluster.
October 4, 2015
WaPo Circ Down To 395K
Ever since the Washington Post got bought two years ago by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, it no longer runs news reports on its print circulation numbers, which, like many other print newspapers around the country, had been falling at a steady rate over the past decade. However, in Sunday's Post, the newspaper did give us a hint of its current circulation numbers by running a required ad statement of the latest figures. It showed the current average daily, Monday through Sunday, paid print circulation during the past year to be 395,234. That's down about 37% since 2009, when the paper's average daily circulation was 633,100.
October 3, 2015
Ken Denlinger Dies
Ken Denlinger, a longtime Washington Post sports columnist who also wrote books on college athletics, died October 3 at his home in Frederick. He was 73. The cause was esophageal cancer. Denlinger worked for the Post from 1965 to 2003, initially as a sportswriter and later as a columnist.
October 2, 2015
Gannett Sells Tysons HQ
London-based real estate investor Tamares Group has closed on its $270 million acquisition of the Gannett headquarters building in Tysons Corner, about two-and-a-half months after the deal was first reported. The 787,000-square-foot complex, located at 7950 Jones Branch Drive, cost about $300 million to build in 2001. Media giant Gannett has signed a 12-year lease with Tamares to remain in the building. Tegna, which encompasses the former Gannett's TV stations, has signed an 18-month lease for 20% of the office space in the complex. Tegna has said it is searching for new office space, but is committed to remaining in the Washington region.
September 30, 2015
Karen Campbell Jumps From 11 To 45
Karen Campbell leaves Channel 11/WBAL, where she was freelance reporter and weekend anchor, to join Channel 45/WBFF, where she'll be a full-time reporter. Before WBAL, Campbell worked at Channel 16/WBOC in Salisbury.
September 29, 2015
WTOP & WLIF Top September Radio Ratings
The Washington market radio ratings for the month of September. Full-day, age 12+: 1) WTOP, 2) WAMU, 3) WASH, 4) WIHT, 5) WHUR, 6) WPGC, 7) WBIG and WMMJ, 9) WKYS, 10) WMAL, 11) WMZQ, 12) WETA-FM, 13) WIAD, 14) WGTS, 15) WWDC, 16) WJFK-FM, 17) WPRS, 18) WTEM, 19) WRQX, 20) WLZL, 21) WNEW, 22) WAVA-FM, 23) WDCN, 24) WERQ, 25) WFRE, 26) WINC-FM and WIYY and WFLS and WWMX, 30) WWEG and WBQB, 32) WPFW and WAFY and WPOC and WGRQ and WQSR, 37) WILC, 38) WKDV and WSMD and WRBS-FM and WLIF and WKIK and WTNT and WSPZ. Age 25-54: 1) WIHT and WTOP, 3) WASH, 4) WPGC, 5) WKYS, 6) WAMU, 7) WHUR, 8) WBIG, 9) WWDC, 10) WMZQ, 11) 11) WIAD and WGTS, 13) WMMJ, 14) WMAL, 15) WJFK-FM, 16) WLZL and WRQX, 18) WPRS, 19) WTEM, 20) WETA-FM and WNEW, 22) WDCN, 23) WERQ, 24) WAVA-FM, 25) WINC-FM and WIYY, 27) WFRE and WWEG and WAFY, 30) WQSR and WGRQ, 32) WFLS and WBQB and WKDV and WWMX and WTNT, 37) WILC and WRBS-FM and WPOC and WBMD. The Baltimore market radio ratings for the month of September. Full-day, age 6+: 1) WLIF, 2) WERQ and WPOC, 4) WWIN-FM, 5) WWMX, 6) WZFT, 7) WJZ-FM and WIYY, 9) WZBA and WQSR, 11) WRBS-FM, 12) WBAL-AM, 13) WCBM, 14) WCAO, 15) WKYS, 16) WAMU and WPGC, 18) WYPR and WNEW and WHUR, 21) WBJC, 22) WWDC, 23) WTOP, 24) WTTR and WMZQ and WLIFHD2 and WIHT, 28) WRQX and WLZL and WBIG and WXCY, 32) WTMD and WGTS and WASH and WFRE and WRNR-FM and WEAA and WMAL, 39) WTEM, 40) WSOX and WWIN-AM and WOLB.
September 22, 2015
WFBR Vet Bob Bolton Dies
Bob Bolton died September 15 after suffering an aneurysm. From 1980 to 1986, he did afternoon drive at what was once WFBR, 1300, in Baltimore, back when it had an adult contemporary format. His tenure ended when WFBR changed formats from music to talk. During his lengthy radio career, Bolton worked at numerous stations across the country, including in Raleigh, Atlanta, Cleveland, and Miami.
September 21, 2015
O'Brien To Oversee Political Ads For CBS
DC radio veteran Mark O'Brien has been named vice president for political sales at CBS Radio. In this newly-created DC-based position, O'Brien will be reporting to Bob Philips, senior vice president and director of sales. Philips is also market manager for CBS's Baltimore radio cluster. In his new gig, O'Brien will work with campaigns, advocacy groups, and political strategists on radio campaigns and targeted messaging. O'Brien had been market manager for Cumulus's DC radio cluster from early 2013 to early 2015, but left when his contract was not renewed. Over the years, he's also worked for Clear Channel and Red Zebra's DC radio operations.
September 17, 2015
Sun's Rodricks Leaves WYPR
Dan Rodricks leaves "Midday," the daily two-hour talk show on WYPR, 88.1, Baltimore's NPR affiliate. Rodricks will focus exclusively on his column in the Baltimore Sun as well as his newly launched blog and other projects, including a podcast.
September 16, 2015
New PM Drive Show On HUR
"Afternoons With Tony, Mo & George." With former WHUR morning man Tony Richards, Mo Ivory from Atlanta, and comedian George Wilborn. That's the new afternoon drive show, replacing Frank Ski, on Howard University's adult urban contemporary WHUR, 96.3 FM.
September 13, 2015
WOL Great Bobby Bennett Dies
Bobby Bennett (right), the WOL soul music great who was known as "the Mighty Burner" and fired up the airwaves in Washington and beyond for more than four decades with jive-talking patter and a deep playlist of soul sounds, died September 8 at his home in Punta Gorda, Florida. He was 72. The cause was respiratory failure. Starting in 1968 as the overnight DJ on DC's most popular black-oriented station, WOL, and continuing until 2008, when he retired from XM Satellite Radio, where he headed the Soul Street channel, Bennett was a rhyming, ad-libbing advocate for local and lesser-known artists and was a distinctive, clarion pitchman for local businesses such as Cavalier Men's Shop and the former Dimensions Unlimited concert promoters.September 10, 2015
Murdoch Buys More Nat Geo
Media titan Rupert Murdoch has long been partnered with the DC-based National Geographic's TV networks, the National Geographic Channel and Net Geo Wild, but now his 21st Century Fox company has paid $725 million for 73% control of a partnership with National Geographic's media arm, giving Murdoch and his media empire sway over the yellow-bordered magazine revered for its science coverage.
September 8, 2015
Johnson To Replace McGinty At 9
Channel 9/WUSA veteran Bruce Johnson (right) has been named new weekday evening anchor to replace Derek McGinty, whose contract for news anchoring was not renewed by the Tegna-owned station at the end of August. Johnson has been doing weekend news anchoring and weekday reporting for WUSA.September 3, 2015
Al Payne Leaves Radio One
Al Payne, operations manager of Radio One's Baltimore radio cluster, has said goodbye to the urban radio giant. Before overseeing Baltimore's urban contemporary WERQ, adult urban contemporary WWIN-FM, Magic 95.9, gospel WWIN-AM and Praise 106.1, and urban talker WOLB, Payne worked for Radio One in DC and Detroit.
September 2, 2015
Carlin Replaces Hernandez On CSN's "SportsTalk Live"
Rob Carlin has been named co-host of Comcast SportsNet's "SportsTalk Live" with Brian Mitchell. The weeknight sports talk and debate show airs live at 10 PM beginning September 8. Carlin replaces current co-host Chick Hernandez, who will return to covering the Washington Redskins full-time. Since joining CSN in October 2011, Carlin has been an anchor and reporter for "SportsNet Central" and hosted home game editions of "Capitals Pregame Live" and "Capitals Postgame Live." Last season, he also served as TV beat reporter for the Redskins. He has also hosted "The Baseball Show" for three years. Prior to joining CSN, Carlin covered the region as a sports anchor and reporter with Baltimore's Channel 2/WMAR-TV and Channel 47/WMDT in Salisbury. He's also served as a sports producer for Baltimore's Channel 45/WBFF and spent time as a radio host on Baltimore sports talker WJZ-FM/AM.
September 1, 2015
WTOP & WPOC Top Radio Ratings For August
The Washington market radio ratings for the month of August. Full-day, age 12+: 1) WTOP, 2) WAMU, 3) WHUR, 4) WASH, 5) WIHT, 6) WBIG, 7) WPGC, 8) WMAL, 9) WKYS, 10) WMZQ, 11) WIAD and WMMJ and WETA-FM, 14) WWDC, 15) WPRS, 16) WGTS, 17) WRQX, 18) WJFK-FM, 19) WLZL, 20) WNEW, 21) WINC-FM and WTEM, 23) WFRE, 24) WAVA-FM and WFLS, 26) WIYY and WFMD and WERQ and WDCN, 30) WBQB. The Baltimore market radio ratings for the month of August. Full-day, age 6+: 1) WPOC, 2) WERQ, 3) WLIF, 4) WWIN-FM, 5) WZBA and WWMX, 7) WZFT and WJZ-FM, 9) WIYY and WRBS-FM, 11) WQSR, 12) WBAL-AM, 13) WCBM, 14) WGUR, 15) WCAO, 16) WKYS and WYPR, 18) WPGC, 19) WNEW, 20) WWDC, 21) WBJC and WMZQ and WTOP and WRNR-FM, 25) WIHT, 26) WASH and WTTR and NC106 and WLZL and WFRE and WAMU and WXCY and WBIG.
August 28, 2015
Sun Cuts "B"
The Baltimore Sun has cancelled its "B" daily freebie tabloid aimed at millennials. Vending boxes around the city are being picked up, we're told. Not long ago, the Sun bought Baltimore weekly freebie tabloid City Paper.
August 28, 2015
WAMU Cuts Elliott Francis
American University public radio news talker WAMU, 88.5, has laid off afternoon news anchor Elliott Francis. He used to be a Channel 7/WJLA reporter and anchor.
August 27, 2015
9's Erica Grow NYC Bound
Channel 9/WUSA meterologist Erica Grow has signed with WNBC-TV in New York City to be weekend weather anchor. Before joining WUSA in 2012, the Penn State grad worked at WTNH-TV in Hartford/New Haven and WPVI-TV in Philadelphia. She's been doing weekend evening weather duties at WUSA.
August 27, 2015
Scott Smith Leaving Fox 5
Scott Smith, sports director at Fox-owned Channel 5/WTTG, is on the way out when his contract expires in three months. His position is being eliminated, DCRTV hears. FTVLive reports, "Word is that News Director Paul McGonagle said they're 'de-emphasizing traditional sports' and therefore (have) no need for a sports director."
August 27, 2015
McGinty Leaves Anchoring Gig At 9
Evening news anchor Derek McGinty (right) is leaving Tegna-owned Channel 9/WUSA. "Derek has been a mainstay on our airwaves for a dozen years and has been a great friend to everyone here on our staff," writes WUSA News Director Bill Lord in a staff memo announcing McGinty's departure. "He is an exceptional broadcast professional and a just plain nice guy." McGinty will continue to do freelance work as host of the station's "Capital Download" weekly program for the upcoming year, Lord adds.August 26, 2015
Chuck Sapienza Joins Navy Football
Chuck Sapienza, WTEM, ESPN 980's former program director, joins Annapolis-based Navy Football as executive producer. Sapienza either resigned or got fired (depends who you talk to) back in the spring regarding delays surrounding WTEM's new "Man Cave" morning show, which eventually got launched to less-than-stellar ratings.
August 25, 2015
Frank Ski To Leave WHUR
Afternoon man Frank Ski (right) will be leaving Howard University's adult urban contemporary WHUR, 96.3, in September, with his last on-air broadcast August 28th. There have been radio biz rumblings that Ski may return to Atlanta, where he's run a restaurant and worked in the radio biz before his latest DC radio gig. Before that, he worked in the DC-Baltimore area, including at Baltimore's now-defunct V103, WXYV. "Working with the people at WHUR radio has been one of the best experiences of my radio career. The DC listeners embraced me as soon as I hit the airwaves," Ski said in a statement that was released today. WHUR points out that his two years here have resulted in higher ratings in the key female age 25-54 demographic.August 25, 2015
Carol Maloney Gets Full-Time Gig At 4
Carol Maloney (right) has signed a multi-year deal with NBC-owned Channel 4/WRC to become a full-time sports anchor and reporter. She's been freelancing for WRC the past three years. Maloney replaces Dianna Russini, who, like many others in WRC's sports department, left for a gig at ESPN. According to the Washington Post, Maloney will join Jason Pugh as full-time sports anchor/reporters for DC's NBC 4, while WTOP's Dave Johnson will continue to contribute to the station's sports department. Maloney will typically work day shifts and anchor WRC’s evening news shows, while Pugh will work late shifts and anchor the later news shows, the Post adds.August 19, 2015
Jake West To Be WASH's PM Driver
Jake West has been named afternoon drive host at iHeartMedia's adult contemporary WASH, 97.1. Most recently, he's been hosting various dayparts on DC and Baltimore area iHeart stations, including WASH. West also spent time producing the Nashville-based syndicated "Bobby Bones Show," which is heard on iHeart country outlet WMZQ, 98.7. Prior to joining iHeart, he programmed radio stations in Michigan and Indiana.
August 19, 2015
Erin Hawksworth To 7
Erin Hawksworth (right) is the new sports anchor at Channel 7/WJLA. Replacing longtimer Tim Brant, who left DC's Sinclair-owned ABC affiliate back in May. Hawksworth is a Canadian anchor and reporter. She is currently working as a sports anchor for CNN in Atlanta.August 17, 2015
Louis Cedrone Dies
Louis Cedrone, who was the film and theater critic for the old Baltimore Evening Sun, died August 13. "Lou was a great guy. I first met him during a Baltimore daily newspaper strike in the 1970s," a friend and colleague tells us. "During the strike, Lou went to work for Stromberg Publications which owned a chain of suburban weeklies surrounding Baltimore, including the Howard County Times and Towson Times. Lou was given a desk in the sports department where I worked (part-time during college) with Sport Editor Roger Marino."
August 15, 2015
El Zol's DJ Nestor Stabbed In DC
DCRTV hears that El Zol, WLZL's DJ Nestor (right) was attacked in the early hours on August 13, in the Dupont Circle area of DC as he entered his car. The attacker demanded Nestor's wallet as he held a knife to his face. And just as Nestor reached out to hand over the wallet over, he was stabbed on the neck, face, chest, stomach, head, and other parts of his body seven times, we're told.August 14, 2015
James White Dies
WNEW overnight news anchor James White (right) died last night. He'd been suffering from cancer. White had been with the news talker three years. His DC-Baltimore radio news career included a 24-year-stint at public radio news talker WAMU as a news producer and host, in addition to four years at all-newser WTOP as a news anchor and reporter. Along with other gigs at WYPR, Maryland Public Television, and Total Traffic. "Soft spoken and unassuming as he was, he was a tough news guy, and his presence in our newsroom elevated all of us to be better at our craft," says Robert Sanchez, WNEW's program director.August 14, 2015
45's Karen Parks To Balto Schools
Karen Parks, an anchor and reporter at Baltimore's Sinclair-owned Fox affiliate, Channel 45/WBFF, has been tapped as communications director for the Baltimore City public school system.
August 12, 2015
Andi McDaniel To Head WAMU News
American University public radio news talker WAMU, 88.5, names Andi McDaniel as senior director of content and news. She starts September 8. According to a release, she will "oversee the station's news and talk show teams. Her duties will include defining the sound and style of WAMU's broadcast and digital products, spearheading new content, and building partnerships with local and national news organizations." She comes from Minneapolis, where she's been director of content strategy and innovation for Twin Cities Public Television.
August 11, 2015
Chas Henry Gone Fron WNEW
WNEW news anchor Chas Henry is among the recent wave of cuts at CBS Radio. We're told that he's already moved to his next gig - as an anchor and correspondent covering security issues at Westwood One News.
August 11, 2015
Hayward Released From Charter School Allegations
Former Channel 9/WUSA news anchor JC Hayward (right) has been dismissed from a charter school lawsuit, releasing her from allegations that she was involved in financial mismanagement at a DC school for troubled teens. According to the Washington Post, Hayward, who once chaired the board of Options Public Charter School, reached a settlement agreement with the city. The DC attorney general filed a lawsuit in October 2013 naming Hayward as one of five people involved in an effort to divert millions of federal tax dollars meant for Options to two for-profit companies that the school's managers founded and ran. The Post adds that Hayward will pay $8,500 to Options, a sum authorities had alleged she received to attend board meetings of one company. Hayward retired from WUSA in January after four decades on the air. She had been on hiatus since late 2013, when she was placed on leave pending an investigation into the Options allegations.August 11, 2015
Skip Tash Dies
Robert "Skip" Tash died August 6 after battling pancreatic cancer. He was the former vice president of advertisng sales with the DC-based National Association Of Broadcasters. Before joing the NAB, Tash worked in ad sales at Inner City Broadcasting, Broadcasting & Cable magazine, the Northern Virginia-based Radio World trade journal, Comcast Spotlight, and Norstar Media.
August 10, 2015
Rouse To Return To Baltimore Radio
Steve Rouse, a veteran Baltimore radio personality, will return to Charm City area radio this fall with a new morning show on Havre de Grace-based oldies outlet WHGM, 1330 AM and low-powered 104.7 FM, which has been branded as "The Point." Rouse's 17-year morning show run ended in 2005, when it was cancelled by Baltimore's oldies WQSR. Rouse, whose new WHGM show will debut October 12, will be joined by Annie Beccio. "One of the biggest things for me on this was, [WHGM] is not a big, corporate-run, major deal. It's one guy and one owner, and everyone is working as a team to make this thing work. And I love the music," Rouse said.
August 5, 2015
Riggo Joins JFK
Redskins legend John Riggins (right) returns to the DC airwaves as a contributor to CBS sports talker WJFK, 106.7 The Fan. He will provide commentary and analysis on the Redskins and NFL with appearances with afternoon drive host Chad Dukes at 5 PM on Mondays and Fridays during the Redskins season. His first appearance will be Friday, August 14. Also, Riggins will host "The John Riggins Show" with Grant Paulsen every Monday at 6 PM, leading into "Monday Night Football" broadcasts on WJFK. "After about four years now, it's time to get back in [the local broadcasting business], roll my sleeves up and let people know what I think," Riggins says. Adds WJFK Program Director Chris Kinard, "John Riggins is a dynamic personality who is unafraid to tell it exactly like it is. He's also perhaps the most popular Redskins player of all time."August 4, 2015
WTOP & WPOC Top July Radio Ratings
The Washington market radio ratings for the month of July. Full-day, age 12+: 1) WTOP, 2) WAMU, 3) WIHT, 4) WHUR, 5) WASH, 6) WBIG, 7) WIAD, 8) WPGC, 9) WKYS, 10) WMAL and WMZQ, 12) WETA-FM, 13) WMMJ, 14) WWDC, 15) WGTS and WPRS, 17) WJFK-FM, 18) WRQX, 19) WNEW, 20) WLZL, 21) WFRE, 22) WTEM, 23) WINC-FM and WDCN and WAFY, 26) WBQB and WAVA-FM and WFLS, 29) WWEG, 30) WGRQ and WQSR and WERQ, 33) WIYY and WPFW, 35) WSPZ and WKDV and WSMD and WPOC, 39) WILC and WBJC and WWMX and WACA and WZBA and WLIF and WKIK. The Baltimore market radio ratings for the month of July. Full-day, age 6+: 1) WPOC, 2) WERQ, 3) WZBA and WLIF, 5) WWIN-FM and WJZ-FM, 7) WWMX, 8) WZFT, 9) WRBS-FM and WIYY, 11) WQSR, 12) WBAL-AM, 13) WCBM, 14) WCAO, 15) WHUR and WPGC, 17) WYPR, 18) WKYS, 19) WNEW, 20) WBJC, 21) WWDC, 22) WMZQ and WIHT and WTOP, 25) WXCY and WBIG and WRNR-FM, 28) WASH and WAMU and WTTR, 31) WWIN-AM and PR106.1 and WRQX and WLZL, 35) WEAA and WTMD and WFRE, 38) WGTS, 39) WAVA-FM and WMAL.
August 3, 2015
Donnie Simpson To Do Afternoons On WMMJ
DC radio veteran Donnie Simpson (right), who has been missing from the local airwaves since he left his morning gig at CBS's urban contemporary WPGC, 95.5, five years ago, has signed a deal with Radio One to do afternoon drive on adult urban contemporary WMMJ, Majic 102.3, which has been struggling in the ratings of late. Simpson, 61, starts his 3 PM to 7 PM weekday gig at the Silver Spring-studioed station on August 17. He'll be joined regularly by longtime sidelick Huggy Lowdown. Simpson will also host a music show on Radio One's cable TV channel, TV One. From 1983 to 1996, Simpson hosted the "Video Soul" show on BET. Simpson moved from Detroit to DC more than three decades ago, and was first heard on urban contemporary WKYS, 93.9, back when it was owned by NBC and played a lot of disco - before Radio One purchased it. After leaving WPGC in 2010, following a round of management changes and budget cuts, Simpson publicly expressed little interest in returning to the local radio dial, although there were periodic rumors that he might resurface on Howard University's adult urban contemporary WHUR, 96.3, WMMJ's top rival. More: WMMJ has also tweaked its overall sound. It's now calling itself "The Real Sound Of The DMV" with soulful R&B, rhythmic classic hip-hop, and DC's homegrown Go-Go music. In addition to Simpson's arrival, WMMJ is also making some other lineup changes. Simpson sidelick, comedian Huggy Lowdown will be doing a commercial-free "house party" hour at 9 AM, after Tom Joyner's morning show. Michel Wright will hold court in middays, while John Monds does evenings.August 3, 2015
Curtis Anderson Dies
Curtis Anderson, 61, a veteran of Baltimore soul music outlets WWIN and WEBB, died July 21. According to British soul music site soulwalking.co.uk, he will, probably, be best remembered for his 1980 Brown Bag Records single "The Hardest Part." Anderson was diagnosed with stage four pancreatic cancer last year. During the late 1970s, he was heard on WWIN, 1400 AM, where he also served as program director. He also worked at WEBB, 1360 AM, which was owned by soul singer James Brown.
July 31, 2015
UMD To Shutter AJR
The American Journalism Review will no longer be published by the University Of Maryland's Philip Merrill College Of Journalism. "Over many decades, American Journalism Review has been an incredible value both to the college and to American journalists," said Merrill College Dean Lucy Dalglish. "Unfortunately, we are unable to provide the resources needed to keep AJR the vibrant, innovative online publication it deserves to be." Although no longer publishing original content, the ARJ website and its archives will remain available online.
July 31, 2015
Jack Diamond Leaves Chicago
DC radio veteran Jack Diamond (right) is out of yet another gig. This time, he's gone from his job as morning show host at Cumulus classic hits WLS-FM in Chicago, which he's held since late last year. This comes after short-lived radio gigs in San Diego and Miami. All following his canning in 2013 from WRQX, then Mix 107.3, where he did the morning show for two decades. While Diamond was in Chicago the past nine months or so, he never moved his family there. So, with his return to DC, is he eyeing a return to WRQX, now contemporary hits All The Hits 107.3, which is also owned by Cumulus and has been suffering from anemic ratings since he left? Oh yeah, Jan Jeffries, who hired Diamond for the Chicago gig, now manages WRQX. More: All Access quotes Jeffries as saying: "No plans for him at WRQX. We have a strong ensemble in morning drive at DC's 107-3, on target for the direction of the station. We wish Jack the best with his future endeavors."July 31, 2015
Chris Russell Returns To 106.7
Chris Kinard, who programs CBS sports talker 106.7 The Fan, WJFK, Tweets that Chris Russell will again be heard on his station after six years. Just recently, Russell got the non-contract-renewal boot from Red Zebra sports talker ESPN 980, WTEM, where he'd been covering the Redskins. Russell worked at WJFK before joining WTEM.
July 31, 2015
Larry Israel Dies
Larry Israel, a veteran media executive who served as president of the Washington Post Company from 1973 to 1977, and led an expansion of the company's radio and television holdings, died July 29 at a hospital in Bethesda. He was 95. Israel was hired as chairman and chief executive of Post-Newsweek Stations, a Post Company subsidiary that owned DC's WTOP radio and TV, including Channel 9, 1500 AM, and 96.3 FM.
July 28, 2015
Yasko Out Of TMD
Stephen Yasko is out of his gig as general manager and executive director of Towson University's adult alternative WTMD, 89.7 FM. He's held the post for more than a decade. WTMD Program Director Scott Mullins replaces Yasko in a temporary, acting capacity. Yasko joined WTMD in 2002, focusing the public, non-commercial station on local Baltimore music. DCRTV's take: Yasko was probably canned for failing to generate ratings in the bruising rock radio battle in the Baltimore market. In the latest Baltimore market monthly numbers, for June, WTMD placed 31st, tied with Annapolis electic rocker WRNR-FM, and way behind mainstream commercial rockers like WZBA at 7th, 98 Rock at 11th, and DC's DC101 at 23rd. And, among public radio outlets, WTMD was bested by WYPR at 15th, WBJC at 21st, and DC's WAMU at 28th.
July 28, 2015
MPT Moves Master Control To Boston
Maryland Public Television has contracted with Public Media Management to handle the station's master control, which controls the flow of programming over the statewide TV network. PMI, based in Boston, is a partnership between Boston public TV outlet WGBH and Sony Electronics. The move of MPT master control from local facilities in Owings Mills will result in the elmination of two positions and save the station more than $2 million during the next five years, according to MPT.
July 26, 2015
WaPo Foreign Policy Reporter Don Oberdorfer Dies
Don Oberdorfer, a former Washington Post diplomatic correspondent who chronicled international news from the Vietnam War to the fall of the Soviet Union, died July 23 in Washington. He was 84. He had Alzheimer's disease. Oberdorfer spent 25 years with the Post, beginning in 1968.
July 23, 2015
Erin Como To Do AM Traffic At 5
Erin Como (right) joins Channel 5/WTTG as a weekday morning traffic anchor for the Fox-owned station's morning news shows, starting August 17. She replaces Caitlin Roth who will move to weekend morning weather. Como will also serve as a general assignment reporter for Fox 5's various newscasts. Como comes from WZTV-TV in Nashville, where she was a traffic anchor, host, and reporter. Before that, she was a traffic reporter, assignment editor, and planning editor for WCAU-TV in Philadelphia.July 23, 2015
Hoffman To Be WTEM's Skins Beat Reporter
Craig Hoffman joins Redskins flagship WTEM, ESPN 980, as its Redskins beat reporter. He comes from Dallas sports talker KESN, where he was a host at sports news update anchor. Hoffman will cover the Redskins year-round and will contribute to WTEM's local shows. He will also be part of the game-day broadcasts on the Redskins Radio Network while producing content for ESPN 980's website and social media outlets. "This is an amazing opportunity," said Hoffman. "It's everything someone in my shoes could ask for, all in one of the nation's best sports towns." Adds WTEM Program Director Dan Zampillo, "Craig is an incredibly talented individual, and his ability to succeed on many different media platforms makes him the ideal person to cover the Redskins."
July 23, 2015
Evan Haning To Host "First Light"
DC news radio veteran Evan Haning, who's worked at WTOP, WRC, and WNEW, has been named host of Westwood One's nationally syndicated "First Light" radio news program. He'll be doing that in addition to the network's morning drive news. He replaces Dirk Van, who retires next week. Haning had been a fill-in host of "First Light."
July 22, 2015
Matt Davis Says Goodbye To 98 Rock
Matt Davis (right) is leaving Hearst rocker WIYY, 98 Rock, in Baltimore. He writes on Facebook: "After almost 20 years at 98 Rock, I walked into my boss's office, and announced my resignation from the radio station, effective Monday, August 3rd." As for Davis's weekly "Noise In The Basement" show, it will be taking a "brief hiatus," according to Cary Pahigian, the president and general manager of Hearst's Baltimore radio cluster. Until a new host is found. Davis said in his Facebook post that he is leaving for an "exciting new opportunity."July 22, 2015
Clinton Portis Joins WTEM
Clinton Portis joins Redskins flagship WTEM, ESPN 980, as an analyst for the upcoming football season. The running back played seven seasons for the Redskins and is the second-leading rusher in team history. Portis will call-in Monday afternoons during "The Drive" with Chris Cooley, Steve Czaban, and Al Galdi to recap every Redskins game. He will also co-host a monthly one-hour show on Fridays during the season.
July 22, 2015
Tegna Sells Tysons HQ
Tegna, as the former Gannett broadcasting division is known, has signed a contract to sell its McLean headquarters in the Tysons area to private investment group Tamares for $270 million. Tegna will continue to occupy a portion of the building for 18 months and plans to stay in the Washington area thereafter. Locally, Tegna owns Channel 9/WUSA.
July 16, 2015
ABC News Vet Glennwood Branche Dies
ABC News veteran Glennwood Branche, 62, died July 15 of complications from leukemia. In 1995, he began serving as vice president of operations at ABC's Washington bureau. For 20 years, up until his retirement just a few months ago, "he was involved in each and every story in Washington, always the first to arrive in times of crisis and breaking news," according to a staff memo from ABC News President James Goldston. Branche started his career at the assignment desk at Channel 7/WJLA, soon jumping over to ABC, where he held numerous producer roles. He moved on to be ABC's bureau chief in St. Louis and Philadelphia, as well as senior producer for the network's "World News Tonight." During his career, Branche won an Emmy Award and two Peabody Awards.
July 16, 2015
Nat'l Journal Cuts Print Edition
National Journal, the Washington-based political news outlet owned by Atlantic Media, announced that it will suspend its weekly magazine later this year, bringing an end to its 46-year run in print.
July 15, 2015
Jeffries Replaces Gillette As PD At WRQX
Jan Jeffries is the new program director for Cumulus contemporary hits outlet WRQX, All The Hits 107.3. He comes from Chicago where he's been program director for the firm's classic hits WLS-FM. He replaces Rick Gillette, who will move to New York City as program director for hot adult contemporary WPLJ. Jeffries will continue in his corporate role as senior vice president of programming for Cumulus, while Gillette will retain his responsibilities as corporate program director/contemporary for Cumulus. Jeffries has more than 40 years experience in broadcasting, including at several stations in the DC-Baltimore area, such as WRQX and the old WBSB.
July 15, 2015
Beth Parker Leaves 5
Reporter Beth Parker is leaving Channel 5/WTTG at the end of the July. She's heading to PricewaterhouseCoopers, where she'll be a public relations director. Parker joined DC's Fox station in August 1998 as a general assignment reporter. She started her career in Virginia's Shenandoah Valley at Channel 3/WHSV in Harrisonburg.
July 8, 2015
WTOP & Hot 99.5 Top DC Radio Ratings For June
The Washington market radio ratings for the month of June. Full-day, age 6+: 1) WTOP, 2) WAMU, 3) WIHT, 4) WHUR, 5) WASH, 6) WBIG, 7) WIAD, 8) WKYS, 9) WPGC, 10) WWDC, 11) WETA-FM, 12) WMAL, 13) WMZQ, 14) WMMJ, 15) WPRS, 16) WRQX, 17) WGTS, 18) WJFK-FM, 19) WLZL, 20) WNEW, 21) WFRE annd WTEM and WINC-FM, 24) WAFY and WDCN and WAVA-FM, 27) WFLS, 28) WBQB, 29) WERQ, 30) WWEG and WQSR. Age 25-54: 1) WIHT, 2) WTOP, 3) WASH, 4) WKYS, 5) WHUR, 6) WAMU, 7) WPGC and WIAD, 9) WBIG, 10) WWDC, 11) WMZQ, 12) WGTS, 13) WMAL and WRQX and WPRS, 16) WJFK-FM, 17) WMMJ, 18) WLZL, 19) WETA-FM, 20) WNEW, 21) WDCN, 22) WINC-FM, 23) WAFY and WTEM, 25) WERQ, 26) WFRE and WFLS, 28) WAVA-FM and WQSR and WBQB. The Baltimore market radio ratings for the month of June. Full-day, age 6+: 1) WPOC, 2) WERQ, 3) WLIF, 4) WJZ-FM, 5) WWIN-FM and WWMX, 7) WZBA, 8) WQSR, 9) WZFT, 10) WRBS-FM, 11) WIYY, 12) WBAL-AM, 13) WCAO and WCBM, 15) WYPR, 16) WHUR and WMZQ and WPGC, 19) WKYS, 20) WTOP, 21) WBJC and WNEW, 23) WWDC and WIHT, 25) WBIG, 26) WTTR and WLIF-HD2, 28) WASH and WAMU and WLZL. Age 25-54: 1) WPOC, 2) WERQ, 3) WWMX, 4) WQSR, 5) WLIF, 6) WJZ-FM and WZFT and WIYY, 9) WWIN-FM, 10) WZBA, 11) WRBS-FM, 12) WKYS, 13) WYPR and WPGC, 15) WMZQ, 16) WBAL-AM and WWDC, 18) WHUR and WIHT, 20) WCAO, 21) WCBM, 22) WTOP, 23) WNEW and WASH and WLIF-HD2, 26) WBIG, 27) WAMU and WRQX and WTMD, 30) WLZL and WRNR-FM and WFRE and WGTS and WWIN-AM.
July 7, 2015
Grant Paulsen Adds Sports Duties At 5
Grant Paulsen, who co-hosts middays on CBS sports talker WJFK, 106.7 The Fan, will also cover the Redskins for Fox-owned Channel 5/WTTG. He'll contribute to Redskins' "Game Time" show, which airs on DC's Fox 5, and to the station's sportscasts. Paulsen also hosts a weekend baseball show on SiriusXM's MLB Network.
July 6, 2015
Albert Calogero Dies
Albert Calogero, who was a professor at the University Of Maryland's Merrill College and a news editor at Channel 9/WUSA, died July 5. He collapsed during a run while on vacation with his family in Ohio. "Albert was always available to our faculty and students, and he was helping us evaluate our broadcast equipment needs over the summer," according to Merrill College's Facebook page.
July 2, 2015
ESPN 980 Cuts Chris Russell
Chris Russell posts on Twitter that Red Zebra sports talker WTEM, ESPN 980, has informed him that it's not renewing his contract. The former WJFK sports personality will continue his work with the Monumental Network's sports website.
June 30, 2015
Kidd O'Shea Joins JLA
Kidd O'Shea leaves Milwaukee hot adult contemporary outlet WMYX, Mix 99.1, to join Sinclair's Channel 7/WJLA as social media anchor for "Good Morning Washington." O'Shea, a Milwaukee native, is also a lifestyle reporter for Milwaukee's WISN-TV. He's been morning show host on WMYX since 2006. According to Milwaukee media site duanedudek.com, in 2012, after President Obama announced his support for same sex marriage, O'Shea announced on the air that he's gay and is the only openly gay member of Milwaukee's broadcast media.
June 30, 2015
Gelfman Sells WCTR
On Maryland's Eastern Shore, talker WCTR, 1530 AM, in Chestertown sells for $200,000 cash. Part of the attraction for first-time buyer Brian Moore is the two FM translators that WCTR seller Richard Gelfman's been leasing. They're both owned by Hope Christian Church of Marlton NJ. One's in Fairleemon at 102.3 and one's in Wye Mills at 96.1. WCTR is an AM daytimer, with 1,000-watts. Seller Gelfman is a former Channel 13/WJZ news anchor and investigative reporter. Buyer Moore of Hometown Multimedia has worked in broadcasting for more than 30 years, most recently at the Jersey Shore.
June 30, 2015
Maynard "Lee" Simms Dies
Maynard "Lee" Simms, 59, of Leesburg, died June 20 at Inova Loudoun Hospital Center. He once worked with Leesburg's WAGE radio as a DJ, in addition to his jobs with the Loudoun County Sheriff's Office, Leesburg Subaru, and, most recently, Jerry's Ford as a car salesman.
June 29, 2015
Ed Waters Leaves Frederick Paper After 50 Years
Reporter Ed Waters is retiring after 50 years at the the Frederick News-Post. Born and raised in Frederick, Waters, 67, began working at the News-Post on June 10, 1965, the night after his graduation from Frederick High School.
June 28, 2015
WUST Owner Jim Weitzman Dies
Jim Weitzman, who owned several DC area radio stations, died in his Rockville home on June 25 due to complications from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. He was 68. Under the banner of New World Radio Group, Weitzman owned WUST, 1120 AM, a longtime brokered ethnic station in DC. He later purchased Leesburg news talker WAGE, 1200 AM, moving it to the Dulles area and changing its frequency to 1190, as WCRW, carrying the English language Chinese Radio International service. In 1975, Weitzman was a partner in the firm of Shrinsky, Weitzman, and Eisen. The firm later merged with the Washington offices of Kaye Scholer. Jim retired from the firm after founding New World Radio Group, which also owned AMers in other markets, including Philadelphia. "The radio stations reflected Jim's love of international and multicultural programming, which has been the format of the broadcast group for 23 years," according to an obituary at legacy.com.
June 27, 2015
WUSA Technician David Rankine Dies
David Rankine, 53, a technician at Channel 9/WUSA for 33 years, died suddenly in mid-June. He was "considered one of the kindest, most graceful individuals we have collectively known," a colleague tells us. "David will be sorely missed at Broadcast House."
June 22, 2015
Meymo Lyons Leaves WAMU
Meymo Lyons (right) is leaving her managing editor/news post at American University public radio news talker WAMU, 88.5 FM. "Her passion and dedication to this station have set her apart from many," writes Carey Needham, WAMU's senior director of business operations, in a staff memo. "I, like you I suspect, have heard many of Meymo's illustrative remarks at community meetings and staff meetings. Never one to shy away from an opportunity to speak, Meymo consistently went out of her way to acknowledge the hard work of her staff - whom she cares for very deeply." Lyons joined the station in 2007 as assignment editor and was promoted to managing editor in 2012.June 22, 2015
WTOP Promotes McMearty To Top News Post
Longtime News Director Mike McMearty (right) will take over the helm of director of news and programming for Hubbard all-newser WTOP. In his 23 years at the top-rated station, McMearty has been an editor, producer, reporter, anchor, sports reporter, assistant news director, and, for the past 15 years, news director. He replaces Laurie Cantillo, whose contract with WTOP was not renewed in March. In making Monday's announcement, Joel Oxley, WTOP's senior vice president and general manager, says, "Mike has been an integral part of our success for more than two decades. He has led the newsroom to hundreds of industry awards for excellence in journalism, including 18 National Murrow Awards and more than two dozen honors already in 2015. I look forward to him taking the department to new heights." Adds McMearty, "I'm humbled and honored to be given this opportunity. I'm proud of what the WTOP brand has become globally and believe our best days are ahead of us." His news management team will consist of Jim Battagliese, who continues in his role as director of traffic, transit, and weather. Other moves announced by Oxley today include Mitchell Miller getting promoted to senior news director, where he'll be managing WTOP's newsroom on weekday mornings. Darci Marchese moves up to a fulltime news director post for weekday afternoons, and Jamie Forzato now will manage news operations on the weekends along with being weekend managing editor. Meera Pal moves to social and digital engagement director, while Julia Ziegler becomes the news director of WTOP.com.June 18, 2015
"Veep" Leaves MD
HBO has that it will move the production of "Veep," its DC-based political comedy starring Julia Louis-Dreyfus, out of the Baltimore area of Maryland to Southern California. The decision by the cable network was a coup for California, which has been trying to woo television productions back to Hollywood through tax incentives.
June 18, 2015
Pexton To Edit Frederick News-Post
Former Washington Post ombudsman Patrick Pexton has been named top editor at the Frederick News-Post. Pexton, 60, of Chevy Chase, said he hopes to "lead the newsroom to be an integral part of the Frederick County community and the Frederick conversation." During his career, Pexton worked as a staff writer for the Montgomery Journal and the Navy Times before moving into management positions. He served as a managing editor and later deputy editor of the DC-based National Journal. In 2011, Pexton became the Post's ombudsman, where he served as an intermediary between readers and the newspaper's staff.
June 18, 2015
Georgetown Sells Sports Rights To Fox Sports
In a 10-year deal, Georgetown is selling its multimedia rights to Fox Sports. Via a new entity, Georgetown Sports Properties, which will be a division of Fox Sports. In the deal, Georgetown will outsource its marketing and corporate sponsorships for its radio broadcasts, digital and print advertising, game-day signage, and hospitality. The deal will pay Georgetown upwards of $3 million per year, according to estimates.
June 17, 2015
Gazette's Founder Dies As Last Edition Is Published
In 1959, the first issue of the Gaithersburg Gazette was pieced together by Earle Hightower out of the basement of his Rockville home. On June 8, Hightower died in Pinehurst NC at 92 years old, four days before it was announced that the Washington Post-owned Gazette in Montgomery and Prince George's counties - publications that evolved from his original creation - would print their final editions this week.
June 12, 2015
WaPo To Shutter Gazette, Sell Other Papers
The Washington Post will shut down the Gazette newspapers it operates in suburban Maryland. Come mid-June, both the Montgomery and Prince George's editions of the weeklies will end publication. About 70 jobs will be cut. According to a staff memo from Post Community Media: "After a comprehensive but unsuccessful effort to find a buyer for the Maryland Gazettes, we are sorry to report that they will cease publishing effective June 18, 2015. The publications, through their employees, have made a positive contribution to the community over the years and this is truly a heartfelt loss for all of us." Also, Adams Publishing, which owns five regional newspaper companies in Ohio, Minnesota, and Wisconsin, will buy Post Community Media's Southern Maryland Newspapers and Comprint Military Publications, which print 13 papers at military installations across Maryland, Virginia, and DC. And, the company's Fairfax County Times in Northern Virginia will be sold to Whip It Media, whose chief executive, Richard Whippen, was the paper's former general manager.
June 12, 2015
Bill Hess Adds Nat'l News Talk Duties At Cumulus
Atlanta-based Cumulus has promoted Bill Hess to corporate program director/news-talk. He will continue in his role as program director for DC news talker WMAL, 105.9 FM/630 AM. Many of Cumulus's news talkers have seen sagging ratings, while WMAL has seen a significant increase in the past two years. In his new job, Hess will oversee Cumulus news and talk outlets across the country, including NYC's WABC-AM, San Francisco's KGO-AM and KSFO, Chicago's WLS-AM, and WBAP in Dallas. Hess's 38-year radio career includes stints as program director for DC's WTEM, WASH, and WBIG, along with Air America, and numerous stations in New England. More: The Cumulus national news talk post had previously been occupied by Randall Bloomquist, who used to be program director at WMAL.June 9, 2015
WTOP & WPOC Top June Radio Ratings
The Washington market radio ratings for the month of May. Full-day, age 12+: 1) WTOP, 2) WAMU, 3) WASH, 4) WIHT, 5) WHUR, 6) WBIG, 7) WPGC, 8) WWDC, 9) WKYS, 10) WMAL, 11) WIAD and WPRS, 13) WMZQ, 14) WETA-FM, 15) WMMJ and WGTS, 17) WJFK-FM, 18) WRQX, 19) WLZL, 20) WNEW, 21) WDCN, 22) WTEM, 23) WAVA-FM, 24) WFRE, 25) WAFY, 26) WQSR and WBQB and WINC-FM and WERQ and WFLS, 31) WKDV and WPFW and WIYY and WWEG, WHUR STREAM. The Baltimore market radio ratings for the month of May. Full-day, age 6+: 1) WPOC, 2) WERQ, 3) WLIF, 4) WJZ-FM, 5) WWIN-FM, 6) WWMX, 7) WZFT, 8) WRBS-FM, 9) WQSR, 10) WZBA, 11) WIYY, 12) WBAL-AM, 13) WCAO and WNEW, 15) WCBM, 16) WYPR, 17) WHUR, 18) WMZQ, 19) WKYS and WPGC, 21) WTOP, 22) WWDC and WIHT, 24) WMAL, 25) WAMU and WTTR and WBIG and WBJC, 29) WASH and WFRE and WTMD and WLZL and WEAA.
June 9, 2015
9 To Launch "Great Day Washington"
Come September, Channel 9/WUSA will launch a 9 AM "daily lifestyle program" called "Great Day Washington" that will feature "in-studio interviews, product demos, on-location feature stories, and a frequent live studio audience." On-air talent for the program will be announced in early July.
June 8, 2015
Kirk Re-Joins 98 Rock For Afternoons
Baltimore active rocker 98 Rock will put Kirk McEwen (right), who used to co-host the station's morning show, in the afternoon slot. He'll replace Amelia Ryerse, who moves to middays, replacing the just-retired Sarah Fleischer. The announcement was made on Monday's "Justin, Scott And Spiegel" morning show. DCRTV has told you that McEwen recently lost his morning show gig at a Tampa sports talker when it got a new owner and flipped to a new format. From 1995 to 2007, McEwen hosted the 98 Rock morning show with Mark (Mike) Ondayko and Lopez. After leaving that gig, McEwen landed numerous area radio jobs including a morning show gig with Ondayko at the old Baltimore version of WHFS on 105.7, followed by a pairing with Mike O'Meara at now-defunct 105.9 The Edge in DC. McEwen then headed to Tampa, where he's also been doing a podcast with the RELM network.June 5, 2015
Caitlin Roth To Do AM Traffic For 5
Caitlin Roth (right) joins Fox-owned Channel 5/WTTG as a morning traffic anchor for "Good Day DC," replacing Julie Wright who recently jumped to Sinclair's Channel 7/WJLA. Roth comes from Fox-owned Channel 29/WTXF in Philadelphia, where she's been covering weather and traffic for the past three years.June 5, 2015
Thomas Tobin To 7 & 8
Thomas Tobin joins Sinclair's Channel 7/WJLA and NewsChannel 8 as weekend executive news producer. He returns to DC from NYC where he's been assistant news director at WABC-TV and a consulting news producer at WPIX-TV. Before heading to NYC, Tobin was an executive news producer for Channel 4/WRC and a senior news producer for Channel 5/WTTG. After graduating from Virginia Tech, he worked in TV news in Richmond, Harrisonburg, and Roanoke.
June 3, 2015
Kathleen Matthews Announces Congressional Run
As has been widely rumored, former Channel 7/WJLA news anchor Kathleen Matthews formally announced her candidacy as a Democrat running for Maryland's 8th District congressional seat. She brings a name well known both from her 25 years as a reporter and anchor for WJLA and her marriage to MSNBC "Hardball" host Chris Matthews. Their deep network of friends and allies in Washington is likely to be a boon to fundraising.
June 1, 2015
Maxx Myrick Gone From HUR
Maxx Myrick is out of his program director gig at Howard University's adult urban contemporary WHUR, 96.3 FM. Before WHUR, Maxx handled jazz programming at DC-based XM Satellite Radio and worked for Clear Channel (now iHeart Media) in Chicago.
June 1, 2015
Brenda Carl Returns To BAL
Baltimore news radio veteran Brenda Carl has returned to Baltimore news talker WBAL, 1090 AM, doing fill-in news reporting and anchoring work. She recently left DC news talker WNEW, 99.1 FM, after its studio move from Lanham MD into DC, near Nationals Park. "I said no to the 80 mile commute - parking, tolls, Metro - and I'm very excited to find something at my old station," she tells us. After her first WBAL gig, she spent many years at Baltimore news talker WCBM, 680 AM. Carl also works at the Apple store in Towson and teaches communications courses at Howard Community College.
May 29, 2015
CCN's Charnice Milton Gunned Down
Capital Community News correspondent Charnice Milton (right), 27, was shot and killed near Good Hope and Naylor roads May 27. Her death was one of four shootings that evening in Southeast DC. Six people were killed in the District in six days. Police are investigating and a $25,000 reward for information has been offered. She was on her way home from work and was changing buses when shots were fired. The gunman, who was in a group of dirt bike riders, was trying to shoot someone in another group of riders, police said. "Unfortunately, wrong place, wrong time," said DC Police Chief Cathy Lanier. "Charnice was a talented reporter with an engaging manner that endeared her to her sources. She was a valued member of the CCN news team completing several assignments a month," according to a statement from CCN, which publishes the Hill Rag, East Of The River, and several other local news blogs.May 24, 2015
WHGM Flips To Classic Hits
Havre de Grace MD's WHGM, 1330 AM, has flipped to classic hits as "104.7 The Point." The CRS-owned station also has a low-power FM simulcast on 104.7, which is leased from the Hope Christian Church of Marlton NJ.
May 23, 2015
Keli Fulton Leaves CSN
After nearly a year and a half, sports news anchor Keli Fulton is leaving Comcast SportsNet Mid-Atlantic. She says she's heading to South Florida to work in a non-TV-related job.
May 18, 2015
4's Dianna Russini To ESPN
Another DC TV sports reporter-anchor is leaving for ESPN. Channel 4/WRC's Dianna Russini is heading to Britol CT to be an anchor for "SportsCenter" and do other reporting duties. She joined NBC-owned WRC two years ago, replacing Lindsay Czarniak, who also left WRC for ESPN. Before WRC, Russini worked at NBC-owned WVIT-TV in Hartford CT.
May 18, 2015
Former WUSAer Osman To Head MG's DC Bureau
Media General will open a DC news bureau and names Jim Osman as chief. The bureau will serve the Richmond-based company's local television stations in 48 markets. Osman, who has more than 15 years of experience covering state and national political campaigns, was most recently a reporter for Gannett-owned Channel 9/WUSA. Before that gig, he served as a DC-based national correspondent for Scripps Television.
May 14, 2015
Kristin Fisher To Fox News
Kristin Fisher, who used to report for Channel 9/WUSA, joins Fox News Channel as a politics reporter its DC bureau. She also worked for ABC NewsOne. Fisher replaces Molly Henneberg, who left Fox News last fall.
May 14, 2015
Joe Galuski Dies
Joe Galuski has died of complications from non-Hodgkins lymphoma. He was with WSYR in Syracuse NY since 1987 and hosted mornings there since 1998. Galuski came to Baltimore to host the afternoon shift from 1979 to 1981 on WCBM, 680 AM, during the Metromedia full service adult contemporary format.
May 14, 2015
Ed Fouhy Dies
Ed Fouhy, 80, a longtime Washington-based TV news executive, died May 13 in Chatham, Massachusetts. He was suffering from complications relating to cancer. A Boston native, Fouhy worked at all three major TV networks, starting as producer of "CBS Morning News" in 1966. He was Washington producer for the "CBS Evening News" with Walter Cronkite from 1969 to 1974, was a producer for NBC News from 1974 to 1977, and Washington bureau chief for ABC News from 1982 to 1985.
May 13, 2015
Don Omar Sues El Zol
Tom Taylor Now tells us that Puerto Rico-based entertainer Don Omar is suing CBS Radio for $9 million regarding last year's summer concert held by Spanish tropical El Zol, WLZL, 107.9 FM. Omar contends that then-WLZL program director, Pete Manriquez, who only recently left the station, was planning a summer concert at Rosecroft Raceway. The performer's suit claims that CBS and Manriques had a dispute over terms of the contract and Omar was dropped from the show. After which, Omar contends, WLZL reduced the on-air frequency of his music. Omar is also suing the event's insurers, ad agencies, and sponsors, Taylor adds.
May 12, 2015
WTOP & WPOC Top April Radio Ratings
The Washington market radio ratings for the month of April. Full-day, age 12+: 1) WTOP, 2) WAMU, 3) WHUR, 4) WIHT, 5) WASH, 6) WBIG, 7) WPRS and WETA-FM, 9) WMAL, 10) WWDC, 11) WMZQ, 12) WMMJ, 13) WKYS and WPGC, 15) WIAD and WGTS, 17) WJFK-FM, 18) WRQX, 19) WLZL, 20) WNEW, 21) WTEM, 22) WAVA-FM, 23) WDCN and WAFY, 25) WFRE and WBQB, 27) WERQ and WFLS and WPFW and WHUR STREAM. The Baltimore market radio ratings for the month of April. Full-day, age 6+: 1) WPOC, 2) WERQ, 3) WWIN-FM, 4) WJZ-FM and WLIF, 6) WWMX, 7) WZFT, 8) WQSR, 9) WRBS-FM, 10) WZBA, 11) WIYY, 12) WBAL-AM, 13) WNEW and WCAO, 15) WHUR, 16) WKYS and WMZQ and WCBM, 19) WTTR and WPGC, 21) WWDC and WTOP and WYPR, 24) WIHT, 25) WMAL and WAMU, 27) WASH, 28) WBJC and WBIG, 30) WTMD and WEAA.
May 8, 2015
Rod Daniels To Retire From 11
News anchor Rod Daniels (right), 63, is retiring from Channel 11/WBAL after three decades on the air in Baltimore. His final broadcast will be May 22. "I am grateful to WBAL-TV, and our parent company Hearst Television, for trusting me with carrying the banner of Channel 11 for more than three decades," Daniels says. "I will cherish the time I spent with some amazing co-workers. I would especially like to thank our viewers for their loyalty over the years. Their support is the reason for my success." Adds WBAL-TV President-General Manager Dan Joerres, "It's not often a news anchor can claim more than three decades of service to a single television station. Rod has made significant contributions to both our station and to the city of Baltimore. He'll always be a respected member of our WBAL-TV family."May 8, 2015
Ken Strayhorn Dies
Ken Strayhorn, 61, a former sports anchor at Richmond's Channel 8/WRIC, back when it was WXEX in the 1980s, has died. He also did fill-in sports work at Baltimore's Channel 45/WBFF in the 1990s.
May 7, 2015
Cavendish Named WCP Editor
The Washington City Paper names Steve Cavendish editor. He starts in June and will replace Mike Madden, who joined the Washington Post in March. Cavendish, who comes from the Nashville Scene alt weekly, was a news editor at the Post from 1999 to 2002. Nashville-based SouthComm owns both the Washington City Paper and the Nashville Scene.
May 6, 2015
WNEW's Sanchez Adds OM Duties At El Zol
Robert Sanchez, the program director and executive editor of CBS Radio news talker WNEW, 99.1 FM, adds operations manager duties across the hall at Spanish contemporary El Zol, WLZL, 107.9 FM. Sanchez replaces Pete Manriquez, who'd been El Zol's program director.
May 6, 2015
WTRI To Pick Up Asian Programming
WTRI, 1520 AM, in Brunswick MD, gets bought for $275,000 by Hasmukh Shah, who runs a company named 1520 Radio Asia. The Frederick County daytimer, which has been off the air for about a year, got turned over to receiver Roger Rafson last year on behalf of creditor HSBC. Shah owns an Asian-formatted AMer in Parsippany NJ.
May 5, 2015
WMAL Sells AM Transmitter Site
The north Bethesda AM tower site of news talker WMAL has been sold to two home builders, according to Maryland Newsletters, a local real estate publication. Cumulus, which owns the DC-based station, has sold the 75-acre site that sports the towers and transmitter for 630 AM at the I-270 "split" at the Capital Beltway just off Greentree Road to a partnership of Winchester Homes and Toll Brothers. The purchase price was not listed, although estimates have the land valued at $75 million. Up to 300 homes on quarter-acre lots under current zoning in Montgomery County could be constructed on the site. WMAL will have to move its AM transmission facilities to a new location. There's talk that the station could relocate to the Germantown site used by Red Zebra sports talker WSPZ, 570 AM. WMAL's 105.9 FM tower site in the Merrifield section of Fairfax, at the Capital Beltway and I-66, is unaffected by the Bethesda land sale.
May 5, 2015
Spirit 1400 To Get FM Relay
Radio One's gospel Spirit 1400, WWIN-AM in Baltimore, will land a low-power FM translator on 101.5. Hope Christian Church's 106.1 last week started airing Radio One's new gospel Praise 106.1. And Hope is applying to relocate a 90.9 translator from Church Hill, on the Eastern Shore, to 101.5 in Baltimore, where it will broadcast from the tower of Radio One's urban contemporary WERQ, 92.3 FM.
April 29, 2015
Balto TVers Mobilize For Riots
The Baltimore TV stations have been live for much of the time since violence broke out in the city over the weekend, following the memorial mass for Freddie Gray. Tuesday's coverage focused on the clean-up, the countless brooms in the hands of residents serving as symbols of the city’s efforts to get back to normal. It has also showed public figures, such as Jesse Jackson, walking the streets with residents. It's been a hectic few days for the stations, including WBAL, WJZ, WMAR, and WBFF. "We're all on standby," says Dan Joerres, WBAL president and general manager. "It's a tipping point for the city, and certainly for the country." The station chiefs say reporters were mostly allowed to do their jobs as angry residents clashed with police. Keith Daniels, reporter at WBFF, was hit with tear gas. "He was visibly shaken," says Bill Fanshawe, WBFF general manager. As always, the newsgatherers' first order is safety. "They know when to pull back when necessary," says Joerres, "and when they are safe to tell the story."
April 25, 2015
Zampillo Joins ESPN 980
Dan Zampillo is the new program director for Red Zebra's WTEM, ESPN 980. He replaces Chuck Sapienza, who either resigned or was fired (depends who you talk to) back in March after the sports talker's new morning "Man Cave" show had its launch delayed several weeks after a dispute with the management at the Dan Snyder-owned station. Zampillo comes from SiriusXM, where's been director of programming for NBA Radio and Bleacher Report Radio. Before that, he worked at Detroit sports talker WXYT.
April 24, 2015
QuickSilva & L'il Mo To Do PM Drive On 92Q
Changes at Radio One's urban contemporary WERQ, 92.3 FM, in Baltimore. Longtime 2 PM to 6 PM host Konan will be moving to the 10 AM to 2 PM slot. Complementing this move, 92Q welcomes two Baltimore natives back home to take over afternoon drive. DJ QuickSilva and TV One "R&B Divas" star L'il Mo will now be heard from 2 PM to 6 PM.
April 22, 2015
Fox Sports Vet Steve Byrnes Dies
Fox Sports personality Steve Byrnes, 56, died April 21 after battling head and neck cancer. Raised in New Carrollton and a graduate of James Madison University, Byrnes joined Fox Sports in 2001, hosting and reporting for NASCAR programs and serving as a pit road reporter for NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races until 2014. Most recently, he was the play-by-play announcer for Fox Sports 1 in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series and was co-host of NASCAR Race Hub. Before Fox, he worked at CBS, WTBS, and TNN. Byrnes started his career as a weekend sports producer at Channel 7/WJLA in the early 1980s.
April 22, 2015
Vance To Cut 11 PM Duties, Stay With 4 Thru '17
Jim Vance (right) will step down as the co-anchor of Channel 4/WRC's 11 PM news later in May, but will remain part of the station's news team for several more years. Vance, who has been bringing DC area TV viewers news for more than 40 years, will continue to anchor the 6 PM news with Doreen Gentzler through at least 2017. Vance started at the NBC-owned station in 1969 and became an anchor in 1972, one of the first black anchors in the country. Vance and Gentzler have been the most-watched news team in Washington for many years. Last summer, Vance celebrated 45 years with WRC. There's been talk that he'll soon be retiring.April 22, 2015
First NPR President Dies
Donald Quayle, a public broadcasting executive who helped establish DC-based National Public Radio in 1970 and served as its first president, died April 16 at a hospital in Silver Spring. He was 84 and a Bethesda resident. The cause was complications from brain surgery.
April 20, 2015
Area Radio TV Veteran Ron Smith Dies
Ron Smith, a veteran broadcaster in the Mid-Atlantic region, died April 17 in Egg Harbor Township NJ. He was 75. He most recently served as general manager of WMGM-TV in Linwood NJ from 2003 to 2013. He came to WMGM in 1989 as sales manager after a brief stint as a radio sales manager in Roanoke. From 1987 to 1989, he owned and operated WCBG-AM in Chambersburg PA. Smith's advertising and broadcast management career began in the mid-1960s when he was a vice president at Adler Advertising in Washington. Smith and Warren Adler expanded the company's operations to include broadcasting, with Smith acquiring and operating Baltimore's WAYE-AM and Hagerstown's WHAG-AM/FM for the company. In January 1970, Smith launched WHAG-TV in Hagerstown. He stayed with WHAG-TV for 17 years through several ownership changes, mostly as sales manager. While at WHAG, he briefly and concurrently owned and operated WAAT-FM in Johnstown PA. Born in Baltimore, Smith began his broadcasting career as a weekend announcer at WFBR-AM while a senior at Catonsville High School. He would later work at WDMV-AM and WICO-AM on Maryland's Eastern Shore. At Baltimore's WITH-AM, his shift followed that of personality Buddy Deane who would hire him as an announcer for WJZ-TV's "The Buddy Deane Show."
April 16, 2015
Britt McHenry Has Video Meltdown, Gets Suspended
ESPN has suspended DC-based sports reporter Britt McHenry (right) for one week after a video went viral of the former WJLAer arguing with a woman who works for an Arlington towing service. "I'm in the news, sweetheart. I will f*cking sue this place," said McHenry, whose car had been towed, in the security cam video. "I wouldn't work in a scumbag place like this... That's all you care about, taking people's money. With no education, no skill set, just wanted to clarify that. Do you feel good about your job?... I'm in television and you're in a f*cking trailer, honey." She also made comments about the towing service employee’s appearance and weight. McHenry has issued an apology on Twitter: "In an intense and stressful moment, I allowed my emotions to get the best of me and said some insulting and regrettable things. As frustrated as I was, I should always choose to be respectful and take the high road. I am so sorry for my actions and will learn from this mistake." McHenry joined ESPN last year after working at Channel 7/WJLA and its sister NewsChannel 8 as a sports reporter and news anchor.April 14, 2015
UMD's Diamondback To Cut Print Frequency
Laura Blasey, the departing editor of the University Of Maryland's student-produced Diamondback newspaper, says that "readers don't want a hard copy of the news anymore," so the print edition will come out with just one print paper a week beginning this fall - down from four. "We used to print almost 20,000 papers every day, and now we print a fraction of that at 7,000," Blasey says.
April 14, 2015
WTOP & WPOC Top March DC Radio Ratings
The monthly March radio ratings for the Washington market. Full-day, age 12+: 1) WTOP, 2) WAMU, 3) WHUR, 4) WIHT, 5) WASH, 6) WBIG, 7) WMAL, 8) WETA-FM, 9) WMMJ and WWDC, 11) WPRS, 12) WMZQ, 13) WKYS, 14) WIAD, 15) WGTS, 16) WPGC, 17) WJFK-FM, 18) WRQX, 19) WNEW and WLZL, 21) WTEM, 22) WDCN and WAVA-FM, 24) WFRE, 25) WBQB, 26) WFLS and WERQ and WAFY, 29) WQSR and WINC-FM, 31) WIYY and WGRQ, 33) WWEG and WKDV and WPFW and WHUR STREAM and WBJC, 38) WILC and WSMD and WSPZ and WACA and WZBA. The monthly March radio ratings for the Baltimore market. Full-day, age 12+: 1) WPOC, 2) WWIN-FM, 3) WERQ, 4) WZFT, 5) WQSR, 6) WWMX, 7) WLIF, 8) WJZ-FM, 9) WZBA, 10) WBAL-AM, 11) WRBS-FM, 12) WIYY, 13) WCAO, 14) WYPR, 15) WNEW and WCBM, 17) WHUR, 18) WTOP, 19) WWDC and WPGC and WMZQ, 22) WIHT and WKYS and WTTR, 25) WBJC, 26) WMMJ and WMAL, 28) WASH, 29) WBIG, 30) WEAA, 31) WGTS and WRQX, 33) WFRE and WRNR-FM and WLZL and WTMD and WXCY, 38) WWIN-AM and NC1061, 40) WSOX and WAVA-FM.
April 14, 2015
Ken Merson Joins WLIF
After five years as a weekend, fill-in guy with CBS Radio's hot adult contemporary 94.7 Fresh FM, WIAD, in DC, Ken Merson (right) heads to CBS's adult contemporary Today's 101.9, WLIF, in Baltimore for similar duties. "I'm looking forward to reuniting with my CBS Radio Baltimore colleagues and friends after an eight-year absence," Merson says. "I spent 34 wonderful years entertaining and informing Baltimore radio audiences at WCBM, B104, WWMX, WQSR, and WLIF." Additionally, Merson will be continuing as music brand specialist for Multibrand Media International and providing freelance commercial voice-over and radio voice-tracking services.April 14, 2015
7's "GMW" To Continue On NC8
Starting April 20th, "Good Morning Washington" will air from 4:25 AM to 7 AM on Sinclair's Channel 7/WJLA and then continue under the same brand on the company's NewsChannel 8 from 7 AM until 10 AM. The newscast will feature Larry Smith, Autria Godfrey, Jummy Olabanji, Eileen Whelan, Jacqui Jeras, Jamie Sullivan, and Julie Wright. With the change, NC8 morning anchor Kellye Lynn will move to the weekend anchor desk, Melanie Hastings will co-anchor NC8's "Let's Talk Live" with newcomer Julie Wright and continue with NC8 at noon. The "GMW" field reporters will include Sam Sweeney, John Gonzalez, Jeannette Reyesm, and Eileen Whelan. With the new schedule, there are numerous weather anchor changes. Among them, mornings on WJLA will feature Whelan. Jeras joins "GMW" on NC8. And, WJLA noon weather duties will be handled by Doug Hill.
April 13, 2015
Dan Mason Leaving CBS Radio
Dan Mason has announced his retirement as president of CBS Radio. Mason, who lives in Reston and commutes frequently to CBS's NYC headquarters, is a DC radio veteran, having once worked as a DJ and programmer at WPGC (right). He'll be retiring at the end of April and will be replaced by Andre Fernandez, who has been president and chief operating officer of Journal Communications. Mason served as CBS Radio president from 1995 to 2002 and from 2007 until now. Locally, CBS owns WJFK-FM/AM, WNEW, WPGC, WLZL, and WIAD in the DC market, and WLIF, WWMX, and WJZ-FM/AM in the Baltimore market.April 12, 2015
Dickerson Named New "Face The Nation" Host
John Dickerson has been named the next anchor of "Face The Nation," CBS's DC-based Sunday morning political talk show. The news was announced Sunday by the program's longtime host, Bob Schieffer. "My friend CBS News Political Director John Dickerson - who has been on this broadcast 83 times and he sure has the right bloodlines," Schieffer said. "His mother Nancy Dickerson was the first female correspondent in the CBS News Washington bureau." Dickerson has been political director for CBS News since 2011. He began working at CBS News in April 2009 as an on-air political analyst. Dickerson has been a reporter in Washington for almost 20 years, working for Slate and Time.
April 9, 2015
Radio One To Launch Praise 106.1 In Balto
The low-power signal of CBS's New Country 106.1 is going away. To be replaced by a new Radio One signal. According to a company memo: "Starting May 1st. Radio One will have a new FM radio station in Baltimore. Praise 106.1 featuring Yolanda Adams in the morning will be a uplifting spiritual format targeting women [aged] 35-64. We will doing a ton of TV commercials to get the word out that Praise 106.1 is here." Radio One will be leasing the 106.1 signal, technically licensed as W291BA, from the Hope Christian Church of Marlton NJ.April 9, 2015
Schieffer To Retire This Summer
After nearly 50 years with CBS News, "Face The Nation" anchor Bob Schieffer announces that he will step down from his post this summer. Schieffer, 78, has been with CBS News for 46 years, and has moderated the network's DC-based Sunday morning public affairs talk show for the past 24 years. In addition to his role at "Face The Nation," Schieffer is also the chief Washington correspondent for CBS News.
April 8, 2015
Pinkard Named BAL Radio News Director, More Promotions
Malarie Pinkard has been named news director for Baltimore news talker WBAL-AM, 1090. She's worked at the Hearst station for more than 15 years and most recently has been managing editor. Also, Mike Wellbrock has been named assistant program director for WBAL radio. He's been at the station more than 30 years, handling many aspects of the development and production of content. And, Johnny Goldsmith has been promoted to executive producer for WBAL radio. He joined the station in 1987 as an intern and most recently served as game director for WBAL's Ravens Game Day Network.
April 5, 2015
Buddy Belote Dies
Washington broadcasting pioneer Buddy Belote died March 20 in Tempe, Arizona. He was 93. In 1945, Belote started doing engineering duties for and spinning records at WINX radio when it was owned by the Washington Post. And he later did engineering work for WTOP-AM and TV, also when they were owned by the Post. He continued with DC's Channel 9 during its post-Post ownership changes as WDVM and WUSA. Belote retired in 1986. He's the father of championship swimmer Melissa Belote, who received numerous medals in the 1972 and 1976 summer Olympics.
April 2, 2015
Julie Wright Joins WJLA
DC area traffic reporter Julie Wright joins Channel 7/WJLA. She will be doing news features reports during "Good Morning Washington." In March, Wright left Total Traffic Network, where she was seen doing morning traffic on Channel 5/WTTG and heard on a variety of area radio stations, including WPGC and WNEW.
April 1, 2015
WTOP Drops To 2nd In Nat'l Radio Revenue
After four years, Hubbard all-newser WTOP has been dethroned as America's top radio revenue biller. Los Angeles's contemporary hit KIIS is now in first place, according to figures released by Chantilly-based BIA/Kelsey. KIIS, owned by iHeartMedia, recorded $65.9 million in ad revenue in 2014, compared to WTOP's second place $63.5 million, which was the same as it generated in 2013. WTOP raised $64.6 million in 2012, $64 million in 2011, $57.2 million in 2010, $51 million in 2009, and $51.7 million in 2008. There's no question that WTOP will remain the top 2014 radio revenue biller in the DC market by a large margin when those numbers are released. Rounding out the national "top 10" top radio revenue generators for 2014: 3) iHeart's WHTZ in NYC, 4) CBS's WCBS-AM in NYC, 5) iHeart's KBIG in LA, 6) iHeart's WLTW in NYC, 7) a tie between CBS's WINS and WFAN in NYC, 9) CBS's KROQ in LA, and 10) CBS's WBBM-AM in Chicago.March 31, 2015
98 Rock's Sarah Fleischer To Retire
Baltimore rock radio legend Sarah Fleischer (right) announced on March 31 that she is retiring from her midday gig at 98 Rock, WIYY, on June 5. She's been on the Hearst active rocker for 38 years, since the station started in 1977. She's been doing middays for the past 27 years. A Baltimore native with her trademark "sultry voice," Fleischer is a 2002 inductee to the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame.March 30, 2015
Delayed "Man Cave" Debuts On ESPN 980
Two weeks after it was supposted to debut, the "Man Cave" finally aired its first show on ESPN 980, WTEM, on March 30. The hosts of the new morning show, Jason Reid and Chris Paul, did acknowledge the delayed start but avoided talking about the multiple rumors surrounding it. "During that whole time that we were not on the air, Jason and I both remained silent because we had to," said Paul. "Things were being worked out behind the scenes, things you young folks wouldn't understand. It's a different level of grown-up mentality needed to understand exactly what was going on behind the scenes. So we had to let the people talk. We had to let them say what they were gonna say. But now, if you want to know what happened with the 'Man Cave' and why we did not debut, this is why."
March 29, 2015
DC Gospel Radio's Bishop Long Dies
Bishop C.L. Long, a charismatic DC pastor who was a dominant voice on radio and television for nearly four decades and was known for his high-octane preaching and gospel concerts at his Scripture Cathedral church, died March 21 at a hospital in Baltimore. He was 74. The cause was kidney disease. Long was part of the Radio One family for 37 years, first on WYCB, 1340 AM, and then WPRS, Praise 104.1. His programs would always begin with a soul-stirring gospel selection, followed by tearful confessions from radio callers and concluded with one of his sermons from "the Cathedral." Says Karen Jackson, general sales manager for Radio One, "Bishop Long was staple on WYCB for more than 37 years. He was one of our first pastors who would do his broadcast live from our studios and from church."
March 27, 2015
Larry Smith To 7's "GMW"
Sinclair's Channel 7/WJLA has hired Larry Smith as an anchor for "Good Morning Washington." He comes from WGCL-TV in Atlanta and worked at CNN before that.
March 27, 2015
Bill Toohey Dies
William "Bill" Toohey, a former spokesman for the Baltimore County Police, died Thursday of lymphoma at Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center. He was 69. A native of New Jersey, Toohey came to Baltimore after stints as a National Public Radio New York correspondent and as a newscaster for the ABC News' FM radio network. In 1986, he started as a reporter for the old Johns Hopkins University radio station, WJHU, now WYPR. He became the station's interim news director in 1987 and eventually its evening news anchor. Toohey became the Baltimore County Police spokesman in 1996 and, for many years, was seen and heard on Baltimore area media outlets providing information about indicents, crimes, and cases. He was a civilian employee and held the post until retiring in 2010. Toohey then went to work as the communications director for the Maryland governor's Office Of Crime Control And Prevention, a post he held at his death. He also taught communications at Towson University. He is survived by his wife, WNEW news anchor Rosemary Frisino-Toohey.
March 26, 2015
Tim Brant To Leave 7
Sportcaster Tim Brant (right) will be leaving Channel 7/WJLA after the May ratings "sweeps." He joined WJLA in the mid-1970s, left in 2002 to co-host the morning show at news talker WMAL radio, and returned in 2004 as the station's "vice president and director of sports." Brant will continue to call college football for CBS Sports and is the voice of ACC Basketball on the Raycom-Jefferson Pilot Television Network. In a staff memo, Brant said that he and new WJLA owner Sinclair "struck out in reaching a new agreement for me to stay."March 24, 2015
Jamie Sullivan Joins JLA
Jamie Sullivan is now doing morning traffic reports on Channel 7/WJLA and Sinclair sister NewsChannel 8. She left the DC traffic operation of Clear Channel (now iHeartMedia) in 2013 for a TV traffic gig in her hometown of Cleveland.
March 18, 2015
Mike Masco Leaving 2
Meteorologist Mike Masco is leaving Baltimore's Channel 2/WMAR, where he's been for three years. He writes on his Facebook page: "My plans going forward will feature a new adventure that will take me away from full-time TV. You'll see me pop up on ABC2 from time-to-time to help when I can."
March 17, 2015
WTOP & WPOC Top February DC Radio Ratings
The DC market monthly radio ratings for February. Full-day, age 12+: 1) WTOP, 2) WAMU, 3) WHUR, 4) WIHT, 5) WASH, 6) WBIG, 7) WMAL, 8) WETA-FM, 9) WWDC, 10) WMMJ, 11) WPRS, 12) WMZQ, 13) WKYS and WGTS, 15) WIAD, 16) WPGC, 17) WLZL, 18) WJFK-FM, 19) WRQX and WNEW, 21) WTEM, 22) WFRE, 23) WAVA-FM and WDCN, 25) WBQB, 26) WAFY, 27) WFLS, 28) WPFW and WGRQ and WERQ and WINC-FM, 32) WILC and WIYY and WQSR, 35) WTNT and WHUR STREAM and WKDV and WPOC, 40) WRBS-FM and WBQH and WSPZ and WLIF and WWEG and WACA. The Baltimore market monthly radio ratings for February. Full-day, age 6+: 1) WPOC, 2) WERQ, 3) WWIN-FM, 4) WLIF and WZFT and WWMX, 7) WZBA, 8) WJZ-FM and WRBS-FM, 10) WBAL-AM, 11) WQSR, 12) WIYY, 13) WCBM, 14) WNEW and WYPR, 16) WHUR, 17) WCAO, 18) WTOP, 19) WWDC and WASH and WBJC and WPGC and WIHT and WTTR, 25) WKYS, 26) WMZQ, 27) WMAL and WTMD, 29) WGTS and WAMU and WBIG, 32) WRQX and WXCY, 34) WEAA and WLZL and WFRE, 37) NC1061 and WRBS-AM and WRNR-FM and WJZ-AM and WWIN-AM.
March 15, 2015
Gardening Show Off NC8
After 25 years, the Merrifield Garden Center's Saturday morning TV show is no longer airing on NewsChannel 8. The contract was up for renewal - the garden center paid the station to air the show - and Merrifield didn't like any of the time slot changes suggested by the station. The last show aired February 28.
March 13, 2015
Laurie Cantillo Leaves WTOP
Laurie Cantillo (right) is out of her program director job with Hubbard all-newser WTOP. According to a Friday afternoon staff memo from WTOP Senior Vice President/General Manager Joel Oxley, "The decision has been made to not renew Laurie Cantillo's contract." He adds, "This decision was reached mutually by Laurie and me." A staff memo from Cantillo says, "This the right time for me to pursue my next adventure... My immediate plan is to co-create a screenplay... and finally get around to writing that next best seller. Radio and digital media innovation will continue to be a big part of my life, so stay tuned." Cantillo joined WTOP in late 2011 from NYC news talker WABC-AM. She took over from longtime WTOP programmer Jim Farley, who retired and is now a Florida-based consultant for the top-rated station, in late 2013. With Cantillo's departure, Mitchell Miller, Mike McMearty, and Darci Marchese will share the duty of overseeing the station's newsroom at various times, Oxley adds in his staff memo.March 11, 2015
Lee McCarthy Dies
Former NBC correspondent Lee McCarthy has died as a result of complications following cancer surgery. McCarthy came to Washington in 1967 to work at WTOP radio then worked for NBC, primarily out of the DC bureau, until 1986 when he went to WTAF (now WTXF) in Philadelphia to anchor their start up news operation. He retired from broadcasting in 1993 and taught journalism at Villanova until 2005.
March 9, 2015
WTOP & WRC Form News Partnership
Hubbard all-news radio outlet WTOP is ending its news partnership with Allbritton-then-Sinclair's Channel 7/WJLA in favor of a new one with NBC-owned Channel 4/WRC. The WTOP-WRC partnership, which begins on March 25, "combines the resources of two powerhouse news organizations and their award-winning journalists, in-depth content, and cutting-edge platforms," according to a release out today. "The multi-platform initiative will provide comprehensive coverage of news, weather and traffic on television, on the radio, and on digital and mobile devices. In addition, NBC4 and WTOP will team up to cover breaking news in a collaborative way that is unprecedented in the Washington region." In addition, WRC's Storm Team 4 meteorologists will provide forecasts every 10 minutes on the eights on WTOP. Reporters from both NBC4 and WTOP will be showcased on each other's newscasts throughout the morning, daytime, and night. "The combined forces of two dynamic, cutting edge newsrooms working together on all platforms will be powerful," says Jackie Bradford, president and general manager of NBC4. "This partnership will serve people throughout the Washington area well by delivering them the most up-to-date local news, information, and weather." Adds Joel Oxley, WTOP's senior vice president and general manager, "The Washington region is the most educated and information-hungry market in America. WTOP and NBC4 are committed to serving the needs of our community with timely, accurate news from the most trusted teams of journalists in the nation's capital."March 9, 2015
City Paper's Madden To WaPo
Washington City Paper editor Mike Madden jumps to the Washington Post to be deputy editor of Outlook and PostEverything.
March 8, 2015
Tsi-Tsi-Ki Felix To 14
Tsi-Tsi-Ki Felix joins Univision affiliate Channel 14/WFDC as evening news anchor. She comes from Chicago, where she worked for Telemundo's WSNS-TV up until 2012. Since then, she's worked at Univision radio outlet WRTO in the Windy City. Here in DC, Felix will also host the Sunday morning talk show "Perspectiva Nacional."
March 7, 2015
CBS Radio Moves Into New DC Digs
Last spring, we told you that CBS Radio would be moving its offices and studios from Lanham in Prince George's County to new facilities in southeast DC, near Nationals Park. Now, we hear the move of the firm's six stations will start this weekend. Back in April 2014, CBS Radio signed a deal for leased space at Capitol Riverfront, where it will join the National Labor Relations Board at 1015 Half Street, SE. The broadcaster will occupy 33,042 square feet on the second floor and about 3,000 square feet on the building's ground floor for use as a performance studio, which opened late last year. CBS will air backup programming Saturday night and Sunday morning while it moves news talker WNEW, 99.1, which should be operating from its new DC studios by 9 AM. El Zol, WLZL, will make the move next weekend, followed by 94.7 Fresh FM, WIAD, the following weekend, with WPGC and WJFK-FM/AM to follow. The business office will make the move around March 21st, we're told.
March 7, 2015
45's Janus To RNN
Reporter Stephen Janis is leaving Channel 45/WBFF. He's headed to the Real News Network.
March 6, 2015
Jay Philpott Heads To Atlanta
Jay Philpott is leaving his afternoon drive gig at Baltimore classic rocker WZBA, 100.7 The Bay. He will be heading to Atlanta to do afternoons and assistant program director duties at Rock 100.5, WNNX. Philpott tells us: "I will be joining Program Director Greg Ausham once again. I've respected Greg since we met in Minneapolis during the early days of both of our careers, and I worked for him for over four years at Lazer 103 Milwaukee during its famous rock war versus WQFM."
March 6, 2015
Sam Sweeney To 7
Channel 7/WJLA has hired Sam Sweeney as a general assignment reporter. He'll start April 13. Sweeney comes from Fort Myers, Florida's WBBH-TV. Before that, he worked at WMGM-TV in Atlantic City and KNXV-TV in Phoenix.
March 5, 2015
Jonathan Elias To Join 7
Jonathan Elias will head to Sinclair's Channel 7/WJLA in June to join the evening anchor desk along with Maureen Bunyan, Leon Harris, and Alison Starling. He comes from Boston, where he anchored at CBS-owned WBZ-TV and its sister station, WSBK-TV. Before that, Elias worked at KNXV-TV in Phoenix and KCBS-TV in Los Angeles. He's also worked at TV stations in Minneapolis, Birmingham AL, and Sacramento.
March 4, 2015
Jim Purks Dies
Jim Purks who for many years was heard on Leesburg's now-defunct community news talk WAGE, has died. Battling cancer, he passed away at Fairfax Hospital after suffering an injury at his Sterling home, we're told.
March 4, 2015
Cumulus Says Adios To O'Brien
Last July, we told you that Mark O'Brien, the market manager for Cumulus's DC radio cluster, had been removed of his duties. Although he was under contract to Cumulus into early 2015. Now, we hear that O'Brien's two-year contract will be allowed to expire. He came to Cumulus DC in early 2013 to oversee news talker WMAL and then-hot adult contemporary WRQX. Since then, WMAL's fortunes have improved with an expanded news department, more staff stability, and higher ratings. But O'Brien's canning of WRQX, Mix 107.3 longtime morning man Jack Diamond sent that station into a ratings spiral that it still hasn't recovered from, even with its new contemporary hits format and Sarah Frasier-based morning show as DC's 107.3. No word about O'Brien's plans. He's a DC radio veteran, having worked in the past for Clear Channel and Red Zebra. Cumulus Senior Vice President Gary Pizzati has been handling DC market manager duties since last summer.
March 2, 2015
Tabitha Abrams Dies
Tabitha Abrams, 41, died on February 21 after a 20-year battle with ovarian cancer. She was a news anchor on Washington area radio for WTOP and WFLS, as well as a newspaper reporter and editor at the Fredericksburg Freelance-Star, the Caroline Progress, and the Annapolis Capital.
March 1, 2015
Kirsten Lindquist Dies
Kirsten Lindquist died of pancreatic cancer February 14. She was 60. Linquist, who grew up in Alexandria, worked at then-all-newser WAVA radio in Arlington in the early 1970s. In 1976, she joined the Associated Press Radio Network in Washington, where she covered the White House, State Department, Congress, and the Supreme Court. She left radio in 1980 to join the startup crew of CNN. Lindquist later anchored news for CNN in Los Angeles. In 1985, she moved to Minneapolis where she worked for NBC, anchoring the news and becoming involved in community work.
February 25, 2015
Chandrasekaran Leaving Washington Post
Rajiv Chandrasekaran, the national editor of the Washington Post, where he has worked since 1994, is leaving the newspaper "to form a small media company based in Seattle that will create and produce nonfiction, social-impact content, some of it in partnership with the Starbucks Coffee Company," he writes on his Facebook page.
February 25, 2015
WNEW's Now A News Talker
CBS all-newser WNEW, 99.1 FM, transitions to a news talker with the addition of talk programming in evenings and overnights. On Monday, the station added three hours of Dave Ramsey's financial talk show at 8 PM. And, in overnights, it's now running the syndicated "Overnight America" talk show. WNEW still carries locally-produced news updates at the top of the evening and overnight hours. It remains an all-newser from 5 AM to 8 PM weekdays. During the past few months, WNEW has been adding infomercials during its night and weekend hours. It's also added sports - carrying Wizards games. CBS launched all-news WNEW in January 2012 and has not made a significant ratings impact on Hubbard's top-rated all-news WTOP.
February 24, 2015
Finn Neilsen Joins WNAV
Finn Neilsen is the new news diretctor at WNAV, 1430 AM, in Annapolis. The full-service station is owned by "Wheel Of Fortune" host Pat Sajak. Neilsen's career includes stops at DC's WTOP and Frederick's WFRE.
February 24, 2015
Cucchiella Joins WNST
Former 98 Rock, WIYY morning man Mickey Cucchiella will be a contributor to Nestor Aparicio's Towson-based sports talker, WNST, 1570 AM. Starting in March, "Mickey will be doing his own thing interspersed throughout our daily programming, but on Fridays and weekends you'll hear some segments where we'll be chatting with each other and attempting to have some fun as a radio tandem," writes Aparicio, who does the morning show at WNST, at wnst.net. Back in November, Cucchiella, a local stand-up comic, guest hosted mornings at CBS sports talker 105.7 The Fan, WJZ-FM. After leaving 98 Rock in mid-2013, Cucchiella has been running the Vape Lounge in Harford County, where he sells electronic cigarettes.
February 20, 2015
Paul & Reid To WTEM Mornings
Chris Paul and Jason Reid will team up and form a new morning drive program on ESPN 980, WTEM. "The Man Cave" will be a blend of sports, comedy, and entertainment, according to an announcement from the Red Zebra sports talker. Paul is a veteran of local broadcast radio, co-hosting the Donnie Simpson show on WPGC for 16 years, and for the last six years with the syndicated Tom Joyner show. Reid has been the Redskins beat reporter and later a sports columnist for the Washington Post, where he's worked since 2007. Before that, he covered sports for the Los Angeles Times. The show debuts March 16. It will replace the nationally syndicated "Mike And Mike" show from ESPN Radio, which moves over to Red Zebra's other sports talker, Sports 570, WSPZ, replacing Andy Pollin's "Sports Reporters" show.
February 18, 2015
WTOP & WPOC Top January Radio Ratings
The Washington market radio ratings for the month of January. Full-day, age 6+: 1) WTOP, 2) WAMU, 3) WHUR, 4) WASH, 5) WIHT, 6) WBIG, 7) WETA-FM, 8) WMAL, 9) WWDC, 10) WMMJ, 11) WPRS, 12) WGTS, 13) WIAD, 14) WMZQ, 15) WKYS, 16) WPGC, 17) WLZL, 18) WJFK-FM, 19) WTEM, 20) WRQX, 21) WNEW, 22) WFRE, 23) WBQB and WDCN, 25) WAFY, 26) WINC-FM and WAVA-FM and WFLS, 29) WGRQ, 30) WPFW and WERQ. Age 25-54: 1) WTOP, 2) WWDC, 3) WHUR, 4) WASH, 5) WAMU, 6) WBIG, 7) WIHT, 8) WIAD, 9) WMAL, 10) WKYS and WGTB, 12) WMZQ, 13) WPGC, 14) WMMJ, 15) WJFK-FM, 16) WPRS, 17) WETA-FM, 18) WLZL and WNEW, 20) WRQX, 21) WTEM, 22) WDCN, 23) WFRE, 24) WBQB and WINC-FM, 26) WAVA-FM and WAFY and WERQ, 29) WGRQ and WKDV. The Baltimore market radio ratings for the month of January. Full-day, age 6+: 1) WPOC, 2) WWIN-FM, 3) WLIF, 4) WJZ-FM, 5) WWMX, 6) WERQ, 7) WBAL-AM, 8) WZBA, 9) WZFT, 10) WQSR, 11) WRBS-FM, 12) WIYY, 13) WCBM, 14) WBJC, 15) WCAO, 16) WYPR, 17) WNEW, 18) WPGC, 19) WTMD, 20) WAMU.
February 17, 2015
Rochelle Ritchie Leaves 13
Channel 13/WJZ news reporter Rochelle Ritchie has left the CBS-owned station to become director of communications/spokesperson for the the Baltimore City State's Attorney's Office.
February 16, 2015
Garrett Haake To Join 9
Garrett Haake will leave Kansas City's KSHB-TV for Channel 9/WUSA, where he'll be a reporter. He starts in March. Before joining KSHB in February 2013, Haake was an NBC News campaign embed covering Mitt Romney's run for president. Before that, he had been an associate producer for "NBC Nightly News."
February 15, 2015
Arnaud de Borchgrave Dies
Arnaud de Borchgrave, 88, former editor in chief of the Washington Times, died February 15 at a hospice in Washington after a lengthy illness with cancer. He was editor in chief of the Times from 1985 until he retired in 1991. He had earlier been the chief foreign correspondent for Newsweek for 25 years.
February 13, 2015
Rick Strauss Returns To PD Gig At 98 Rock
Rick Strauss (right) has been named program director for Hearst's Baltimore rocker WIYY, 98 Rock. The move marks a return to WIYY for Strauss, who served as the active rock station's program director from 1994 to 2002. He replaces Dave Hill, who left his PD post at 98 Rock and co-owned news talk WBAL, 1090 AM, for a radio management gig in Portland, Oregon late last year. Strauss spent the past decade at iHeartMedia, formerly Clear Channel, in NYC, where he served served on the radio giant's national programming platforms team as senior director of digital music programming. Previously, he was director of marketing and content for Clear Channel Radio Digital. In addition to WIYY, Strauss has also programmed classic rocker WMGK in Philadelphia and rocker WZZO Allentown, Pennsylvania.February 11, 2015
Leinwand Out At Radio One
DC radio veteran Alan Leinwand is out as general manager of Radio One's DC cluster. And that Jeff Wilson from Radio One's Cleveland cluster will replace him. The DC cluster includes both WKYS and WMMJ, both of which have been under-performing in the ratings of late. Plus, WPRS, WOL, and WYCB.
February 11, 2015
Scott Masteller Joins WBAL Radio
Scott Masteller is the new program director at Hearst news talker WBAL, 1090 AM, in Baltimore. He comes from ESPN Radio, where he was senior director for content and audio. Masteller, who starts February 19, replaces Dave Hill, who left for a radio management gig in Portland, Oregon, in late 2014. Mike Wellbrock served as WBAL's PD in the interim.
February 11, 2015
Tim Watts Gone From Magic 95.9
Tim Watts, program director of Baltimore's adult urban contemporary WWIN-FM, Magic 95.9, returned from vacation yesterday only to be "let go" after 17 years with the Radio One station. Before that, he was with the now-defunct urban contemporary V103, WXYV, for 17 years.
February 11, 2015
9 Drops WeatherNation
Gannett's Channel 9/WUSA has replaced the WeatherNation network with Justice Network on its 9-3 digital subchannel. With the drop, there are no full-time weather networks on any DC area broadcast channels. WUSA provided local weather inserts on WeatherNation with its team of meteorologists, including Topper Shutt and Howard Bernstein.
February 10, 2015
Steve Burns Joins WMAL
Cumulus news talker WMAL, 105.9 FM/630 AM, expands its local news department with the addition of Steve Burns, who will serve as a weekday field reporter and a weekend anchor. Burns most recently served as an anchor and reporter at WATD in Marshfield, Massachusetts. His joining the station will allow additional weekend local news updates anchored from WMAL's Jenifer Street studios, WMAL Program Director Bill Hess tells us.
February 10, 2015
Kruz Adds PD Duties At Z104.
Baltimore contemporary hit outlet WZFT, Z104.3, named Kruz as its program director. He had been assistant program director at the station. Kruz will continue as its afternoon drive host. He began his radio career in Detroit in college at WDRQ and WDVD. After graduation, he joined WQAL in Cleveland, where for three years he took over the evening show before moving to DC to do nights on iHeartMedia's like-formatted Hot 99.5, WIHT.
February 2, 2015
Steven Portnoy Joins CBS Radio
Former WMAL reporter Steven Portnoy (right) has been named a CBS Radio News Congressional correspondent. For the past 13 years, he has been reporting for ABC Radio News. Says Portnoy: "Under the leadership of Harvey Nagler, who has maintained a standard of excellence first established by Paul White, journalists at CBS Radio News are at the top of our craft. As a lifelong listener and fan, I am honored and humbled to be joining the extraordinarily talented members of the CBS Radio News team."February 2, 2015
Mary Cliff Among WAMU Cuts
A source tells us: "The cancellation of 'Traditions,' a weekly folk and traditional music program hosted by Mary Cliff (right), as part of WAMU's cost cutting moves could signify the end of an era in DC area radio as Cliff had been on the air in some form or other from 1970 until her final broadcast two days ago. For a number of years, she was a fixture at WETA-FM with a five-hour Saturday evening show that combined musical playlists with announcements of upcoming performances by local folk, blues, bluegrass and other artists. Not long after that station switched to a classical music format in 2006, her program was dropped but picked up several weeks later by WAMU for a two-hour timeslot which didn't start until 11 PM on Saturdays. In 2013, 'Traditions' was moved over to Bluegrass Country whose 105.5 signal is much weaker than 88.5, although the show could also be heard on HD radio and did get an additional hour, going from 9 PM - midnight. While the folk music genre was abandoned by commercial radio decades ago, it has continued to find a home on public radio with most major markets, and some smaller ones, having at least one dedicated weekly program. Unfortunately, even that lifeline seems to be gradually fading as NPR exerts pressure on its local affiliates to carry more of its national talk programming and niche music shows are often among the first to get axed."January 30, 2015
Washington Times Cuts Radio, Podcasts
January 30 was the last broadcast of Andy Parks' Washington Times show on Salem talker WWRC, 1260 AM. All radio and podcasts will cease from the Times studios. The newspaper's radio and podcast programs are not generating sufficient financial resources.
January 29, 2015
WAMU Cuts 6, Dumps Intersection
The axe has fallen again at American University public radio news talker WAMU, 88.5 FM. More cuts have been announced by new General Manager JJ Yore in a staff memo, including a reduction of operating costs at its Eastern Shore outlet, Ocean City's WRAU, 88.3 FM, and at Bluegrass Country, which is carried on several low-power outlets such as Bethesda's 105.5 FM and via WAMU's HD2 subchannel. Also, Yore plans to eliminate WAMU's Intersection service, which is carried on the HD3 subchannel. "Unfortunately these savings require eliminating the full-time positions held by Bryan Russo and Chris Teskey. We also will eliminate four part-time positions connected to BGC and HD3 [Intersection] held by Echo Propp, Jenn Hitt, Mary Cliff, and Morgyn Vernon," he writes. "We need to balance our budget and must do that in a strategic way. I'm committed to protecting our core assets - the programs and services that reach the most people - and to laying the foundation for future growth. I've focused reductions on areas that have not proven to be sustainable in their current form, following the path I laid out in our December staff meeting." Late last year, WAMU cut the frequency of its local traffic reports, axed "The Animal House" Saturday show, and eliminated several staff positions
January 26, 2015
WaPo Cuts Biz Tab
The Washington Post is pulling the plug on its Monday weekly Capital Business tabloid, which it charged extra for but would often waive the charge if requested by a subscriber. In a piece entitled "This Is Not Goodbye," editor Dan Beyers insists that the Jeff Bezos-owned newspaper is not scaling back its local business coverage with the publication's termination.
January 26, 2015
Joe Clair To Replace Pablo At PGC
CBS Radio annnounces that Joe Clair (right) is the replacement for morning man Blaine "Pablo" Sato at rhythmic contemporary WPGC, 95.5 FM. He will be paired with Tati, Guy Lambert, and Poet. Clair started his radio career at WPGC as part of the "Sunday Night Hip-Hop Show" with veteran
DJ Big Tigger. He went on to become co-host of Russ Parr's morning show at WPGC's top rival, Radio One's urban contemporary WKYS, 93.9 FM, and
later an on-air talent at Hot 97, WQHT, in New York City. Clair is also a nationally known
comedian with multiple appearances on HBO's "Def Comedy Jam," Comedy Central's "Comic Groove," and BET's "Comic View," as well as host of BET's "Rap City" for six years. He most recently was heard on Howard University's adult urban contemporary WHUR, 96.3 FM, via its afternoon show with Frank Ski. "Joe is an incredible talent, a very funny man, a DC native who cares about the community and best of all a great guy," said Steve Davis, vice president of programming for CBS Radio's DC cluster and program director of WPGC. "To be able to bring him 'home' to anchor
mornings is incredibly exciting." Says Clair: "DC is my home and I want to give the
market a world class product with local sensibilities. I started my radio journey at WPGC so it
feels incredible to be back. I want to have a lot of fun, be as timely and topical as possible, play
great music and make my listeners laugh."January 23, 2015
Alpha Buys Free Lance-Star Stations
Portland, Oregon-based Alpha Media will acquire the four-station Free Lance-Star Radio group in Fredericksburg. The stations include country WFLS, 93.3 FM, news talk WNTX, 1350 AM, rhythmic contemporary WVBX, 99.3 FM, and classic rock WWUZ, 96.9 FM. Alpha chairman Larry Wilson says: "Around 50 miles from Washington DC, Fredericksburg is a thriving place that continues to grow. It will be a nice addition to our East Coast footprint. I feel privileged to be able to get into that market and work with the great people there." The stations were acquired by Sandton Capital in a bankruptcy auction last year. Sandton holds on to the Free Lance-Star newspaper.
January 23, 2015
Tommy Chuck To Be PD Of Hot 99.5 & WPOC
Tommy Chuck joins iHeartMedia's DC contemporary hits outlet WIHT, Hot 99.5, and Baltimore country outlet WPOC, 93.1, as program director of both. He comes from the company's Tampa radio cluster where he's been program director and digital director of contemporary hits WFLZ and hot adult contemporary WMTX. He starts February 9.
January 23, 2015
9 Announces Retirement Of JC Hayward
Channel 9/WUSA announces the retirement of longtime news anchor JC Hayward (right). "I have had a glorious 43 years with Channel 9," says Hayward, who has been off WUSA's airwaves for more than a year. She was the head of a DC charter school that has been accused of financial improprieties. "The people at the station have been my family for 43 years and they will always remain so in my thoughts and wonderful memories as I venture into this new phase of life," Hayward adds. WUSA President-General Manager Mark Burdett says: "JC has been an inspiration to all, as she devoted her passion and energy every day to WUSA 9. For more than 40 years JC worked tirelessly to inform & serve the community in an effort to help make Washington DC a better place to live and work."January 22, 2015
Carson Heads To KC
Local radio veteran Rob Carson is leaving the DC area for a Cumulus-owned news talker in Kansas City. He'll be hosting mornings at KCMO. The station is also adding Chris Plante's WMAL-based show for late mornings. For many years, Carson hosted afternoons and middays at WRQX, back when it was hot adult contemporary Mix 107.3. He also did fill-in talk show work at news talker WMAL. Both WMAL and WRQX are owned by Cumulus. Recently, Carson's been hosting the nationally syndicated "America Weekend" talk show for Envision. He's also been doing a fill-in service for news talkers around the country from a studio in his DC area home. Carson began his broadcasting career in Missouri after graduating from Northwest Missouri State University.
January 22, 2015
50 Years For McConnell At WTOP
Dave McConnell (right), the Capitol Hill correspondent for WTOP, observes 50 years with the all-newser this month. "He is fixture on The Hill and remains the lone full-time Congressional correspondent for a local radio station in America," says WTOP Program Director Laurie Cantillo. McConnell has covered 12 presidential elections, five inaugurations, and countless changes in party momentum. "He taps his vast knowledge of Congress and its history to help explain to listeners why a vote, a speech or even inaction matters," according to a tribute at wtop.com.January 21, 2015
WASH & WLIF Top Holiday Radio Ratings
The DC market radio ratings for the "Holiday" month, mainly early December to early January. Featuring a seasonal surge for WASH, which played holiday tunes for most of the period. Full-day, age 6+: 1) WASH, 2) WAMU, 3) WTOP, 4) WHUR, 5) WIHT, 6) WBIG and WETA-FM, 8) WMMJ, 9) WMAL and WWDC, 11) WPGC and WMZQ, 13) WIAD, 14) WGTS and WPRS, 16) WKYS, 17) WTEM, 18) WJFK-FM and WLZL and WRQX, 21) WNEW, 22) WFRE, 23) WBQB, 24) WAVA-FM and WINC-FM, 26) WDCN, 27) WFLS, 28) WERQ and WPFW and WAFY. Age 25-54: 1) WASH, 2) WHUR, 3) WWDC, 4) WIHT, 5) WTOP, 6) WAMU, 7) WBIG, 8) WPGC, 9) WIAD and WKYS and WMZQ, 12) WMMJ, 13) WGTS, 14) WMAL, 15) WTEM and WPRS, 17) WJFK-FM, 18) WLZL and WRQX, 20) WETA-FM, 21) WNEW, 22) WFRE, 23) WDCN and WINC-FM, 25) WBQB, 26) WAVA-FM, 27) WTNT and WERQ and WAFY, 30) WKDV and WACA and WIYY and WLIF. The Baltimore market radio ratings for the "Holiday" month, mainly early December to early January. Featuring a seasonal surge for WLIF, which played holiday tunes for most of the period. Full-day, age 6+: 1) WLIF, 2) WERQ, 3) WPOC, 4) WWIN-FM, 5) WJZ-FM, 6) WWMX, 7) WZBA, 8) WBAL-AM, 9) WQSR, 10) WZFT, 11) WIYY, 12) WRBS-FM, 13) WBJC, 14) WCAO, 15) WCBM, 16) WPGC, 17) WYPR, 18) WNEW, 19) WTMD, 20) WAMU.
January 20, 2015
Bill Rehkopf Returns To WNEW
Bill Rehkopf, who was one of the original news anchors on CBS all-newser WNEW, 99.1 FM, when it launched three years ago this month, is returning. He'll be anchoring afternoon drive with Stacy Lyn. Rehhopf left WNEW later in 2012 to return to Pittsburgh to be closer to family and deal with personal matters. While there, he anchored afternoons on CBS news talker KDKA-AM.
January 18, 2015
CBS's Greg Anthony Arrested For Solicitation In DC
CBS Sports commentator Greg Anthony, a former NBA player, was arrested in DC January 16 and charged with soliciting a prostitute during an undercover sting operation. Anthony, 47, a father of four, was arrested in a room at the Doubletree Hotel on Rhode Island Avenue NW, not far from the White House. He was slated to announce the University Of Maryland-Michigan State game Saturday afternoon in College Park for CBS Sports, where he has worked since 2008. CBS News released a statement saying Anthony has been suspended indefinitely and will not be working for CBS this season.
January 17, 2015
Earl Kelly Dies
Earl Kelly, a former Annapolis Capital Maryland State House reporter who retired two years ago, has died of an apparent heart attack. He was 64. Kelly had recently been hired to study Maryland politics and ethics by DC's Center For Public Integrity.
January 15, 2015
Kim Brown To Kansas City
Kim Brown heads to Kansas City to co-host mornings on urban contemporary KPRS, Hot 103 Jamz. She most recently worked at WRQX. Her media background inchudes stints at Channel 2/WMAR, International TV Services, and WKYS. She will continue to be a guest contributor on News One's DC-based "Roland Martin Show."
January 12, 2015
Doug Hill Signs Deal To Stay At 7
Since Sinclair took over ownership of Channel 7/WJLA from Allbritton in August, a number of the ABC affiliate's news people have left. Longtime chief meteorologist Doug Hill (right) won't be one of them. WJLA announced today that Hill has signed a "multi-year deal with the station that will keep him on air in the DC market for years to come." Hill, a native Marylander and former Prince George's County police officer, has been with the station since 2000 and brings over 35 years forecasting experience, including 30 years in the DC region, to his daily broadcasts. "ABC7 is my home," says Hill, who got his DC TV start at Channel 9/WUSA. "I love weather. I love Washington. It just seems like a simple decision to keep doing what I love with the great people we have here at ABC7." Hill is also heard doing weather forecasts in afternoons on Hubbard all-newser WTOP.January 12, 2015
Orioles Leave BAL For 105.7
The Baltimore Orioles have announced a new multi-year deal naming CBS Radio's 105.7 The Fan, WJZ-FM, the flagship station of the Orioles Radio Network. Beginning in 2015, fans will be able to hear all 162 Orioles regular season games, select spring training contests, and Orioles programming on 105.7 The Fan and across the seven-state, 34-station Orioles Radio Network. The team had been on Hearst news talker WBAL-AM. Orioles games will continue to be called by the broadcast team of Joe Angel and Fred Manfra, who return for their 12th season together on Orioles radio coverage. The Orioles' radio rights return to 105.7 The Fan, where the station had previously broadcast Orioles games between 2007 and 2010. "With a dedicated FM presence, a strong network of local CBS Radio stations, and an around-the-clock lineup of sports programming, 105.7 The Fan is the ideal flagship home for the Orioles Radio Network," says Orioles vice president of communications and marketing Greg Bader. "Partnering with the region's premiere radio destination for sports fans and CBS Radio's powerful cluster of stations allows us to effectively reach our diverse fan base on a daily basis and to develop valuable multiplatform marketing opportunities for our sponsors," adds Bader. CBS Radio Baltimore cluster senior vice president Bob Philips says, "We are thrilled that the Baltimore Orioles are coming home to 105.7 The Fan. This partnership with the Orioles is a great addition to our market leading number one sports brand and platform in Baltimore."
January 12, 2015
Michelle Butt Leaves WBAL
Michelle Butt (right), news director at Hearst's NBC affiliate in Baltimore, Channel 11/WBAL, and at news talker WBAL-AM, 1090, has been named president and general manager of WXII-TV, Hearst's NBC affiliate serving the Greensboro/Winston-Salem/High Point NC market. "Michelle is a highly successful Hearst news executive and has done outstanding work for our company at three market-leading stations," Hearst Television President Jordan Wertlieb says. Butt has served as WBAL-TV's news director since September 2003 and in a dual capacity overseeing the newsroom for WBAL-AM since August 2013. During her tenure, the WBAL-TV newsroom has earned many awards, including a Peabody, du Pont-Columbia, National Headliner, Cronkite, and Murrow. Before WBAL, she served as WXII-TV's news director, joining the station after a two-year term as assistant news director at WTAE-TV, Hearst's ABC affiliate in Pittsburgh. Before joining Hearst at WTAE in 1998, she served at another North Carolina station, WRAL-TV in Raleigh, where she rose from 11 PM news producer to executive producer.January 8, 2015
Kashon Powell Joins WMMJ
Kashon Powell is the new program director at Radio One's adult urban contemporary WMMJ, Majic 102.3. She comes from Norfolk's WNSB, where she was station manager of the Norfolk State University outlet. Her career includes stints at urban stations in Philadelphia and Houston. Powell replaces Dionne Burkett-Lewis, who left WMMJ in November.
January 2, 2015
Cortright To Do TMD Mornings
Alex Cortright moves to Towson University adult alternative rocker WTMD, 89.7 FM, to host the morning show, starting January 5. Back in September, due to a reported budget cut, he left Annapolis eclectic rocker WRNR-FM, 103.1, where he did weekday mornings. He's no stranger to non-commercial, public radio. Early in his career, Cortright worked at Johns Hopkins University's now-defunct WJHU. He replaces Erik Deatherage, who left the morning show gig at WTMD in early December to follow his fiance to North Dakota. "Supporting musicians and sharing music and stories about music is the most meaningful thing I've accomplished in radio," Cortright says. "Growing up, I was always the kid making mixtapes for friends and family and now, thanks to WTMD, I still get to share that same youthful enthusiasm of discovery. I can't wait to get started."
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