Current Mailbag - Mailbag Archive Index - DCRTV Front Page - Support DCRTV DCRTV Mailbag - May 26 to June 3, 2009 Latest messages listed first..... \/ June 3 Messages \/ Air America on Bonneville's 1050 in Silver Spring... Great move as long as the Democrats control Congress and the White House... "KSL? What KSL? WTOP? What WTOP? Bonneville? Wasn't that a car?", should the Republicans to ever again win elections getting both houses of Congress and the best house of all: The White House! And, be posessed of retribution. Good short-term sttategy. Too risky long-term... (6/3/09) Was it 1050 or 1150 AM that was the all-comedy "WJOK" of years ago? (6/3/09) Dave's response: Re: R&R. I realize it was a Rant, and this is your site. I think the tone of your reporting of the news was a bit narrow and self focused. R&R may have ripped you off for years, but today the loss to the radio community and the significance of the closing would seem to trump your personal experience. Another day you can describe how you feel about R&R. Today I think the collective loss is more meaningful. (6/3/09) Dave's response: I always liked R&R's reporting on many issues, and, as you all know, I linked to their articles rather frequently. It's just a shame that they could never return the favor..... Here's the report from RadioAndRecords.com about the shutdown of R&R: Radio & Records Closes Doors - It's The End Of An Era... The current state of affairs has left The Nielsen Company with no other alternative but to immediately cease all services, products and events related to Radio & Records. The magazine's final edition is the June 5 issue. Electronic products end today, the Web site will be taken offline soon. R&R Editorial Director/Associate Publisher Cyndee Maxwell stated, "Everyone on this team has worked extremely hard to fulfill the vision of Radio & Records, and everyone can hold their heads high on this very sad day. We had a highly talented group of people that always worked hard and gave it their best -- especially in the recent past. I deeply regret that this day has come. The good news for some other companies out there is that we have many fantastic people who are now available to put their excellent talents, abilities and skills to work for someone else." [The article concluded with a timeline of R&R from its inception in 1973 to its closing earlier today] (6/3/09) The Nats got hosed on the MASN deal and continue to get the shaft. They will ALWAYS be second class citizens on a station run by another team with which they compete for fans. It was a f'ed up deal from day one and MLB completely caved to Angelos. Fact is, I know Nats fans who won't watch the games on television to this day as long as they are on MASN. The area would have been much better served if COMCAST SportsNet got the Nats games. (6/3/09) R&R Site Back Up ...? ... but it redirects you to Billboard.biz, which is still silent regarding the demise of R&R. Go figure?!?! (6/3/09) So Air America will be on 1050 AM. We will see how long that lasts, since they have maybe 50 listeners at once. This might last a year, then the format will change again, Maybe someone will see fit to put a real oldies station on 1050 AM. (6/3/09) Guess what? The (R&R) website itself has already shutdown, so I could not read their news report of their demise anyway. (6/3/09) Regarding Nats' TV ratings and such: I recall in the mid-1980s, the Baltimore Orioles were playing at Cleveland, and during a rain delay, Jon Miller remarked about the Indians' small crowds and how that was to be expected in a town that hadn't seen a World Series in more than 30 years or a pennant race in more than 25 (at the time, Cleveland had last experienced a pennant race in 1959, losing to the White Sox). I remember thinking then, couldn't you make the same argument regarding Washington? And I still feel that way. Save for the hanging-on-gamely wild-card race in 2005, there hasn't been significant September baseball for a D.C. team since 1945, nearly 65 years. or postseason play since 1933 -- more than three-quarters of a century. Is it any wonder that there isn't much of a baseball culture in this town? But just as Cleveland revived in baseball in the 1990s with contending teams, so will Washington once it gets decent product. If the original Senators had stayed past 1960, having the nucleus of the great mid-sixtiesTwins teams (Killebrew, Allison, Pascual, Kaat), they would have drawn as well in Washington as they did in Minnesota. I'll only believe D.C. is a bad baseball town when good product doesn't draw well here -- and that's something none of us knows the answer to. (I'm certain that from 1924-33, when the Senators won three pennants and were generally competitive in other years, their attendance was comparable to other teams in MLB at the time, even though this was then one of the majors' smallest markets.) -- Vincent in Triangle (6/3/09) I always used the R & R website to check up on the Arbriton ratings for various markets around the country. Is there any other website where the ratings are available? (6/3/09) Dave's response: All Access requires you to register but it's free..... Joe Kasell is correct on the facts but misses one important point and its possibly one thing we can all agree on........ Both Washington, DC and Baltimore have ALWAYS been football towns basically. The Baltimore Colts once had the longest streak of sellouts in the NFL, and guess what, yep, during that time Orioles attendance was not so great, while Redskins attendance was also great during the same period Senators attendance was so bad. (6/3/09) Aw maaan... as if I haven't read enough bad news today, I just saw where former Monkee Peter Tork is battling some rare head and neck cancer called Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma. His personal website says he's "been very public about his own battle", but this is the first I've heard about it. Peter and his band Shoe Suede Blues have previously played Jammin' Java in Vienna, and will be making a September appearance in Richmond. If 'JZW has a brain anywhere in the building, they'll get him on the air while he's in Virginia to talk about the show. I hope he beats this. (6/3/09) Dave's response: While I liked Peter, Mickey was always the cute one..... Mike Sorce:: There is no doubt to [us] that the PRIMARY reason you, Don Geronimo, remain moth-balled by CBS is of your own doing. However, during your time of grieving, your agent did you a grave disservice in negotiating on your behalf, such a bad non-compete agreement. During such emotional times, a one-year sabbatical would of been a good start. Your life is full of bad choices. Add your agent to that list. (6/3/09) I am glad Air America is back! 1050 has a CP to increase daytime power to 10KW. Bob Fairfax (6/3/09) Mike OMeara:: So here is an honest "loyalty" challenge to McBride. Give her two weeks to find an apartment or she is fired! (6/3/09) Dave's response: I hear that O'Meara's going to use the proceeds from the sale of O'Meara's restaurant in Manassas to buy several of those motels along Route 50 in Fairfax, not far from JFK's studios. He's going to change the name of the Breezeway to Beth Ann's..... That didn't take long...the R&R site is already down. (6/3/09) Dave's response: Really? I'll have to change all my Front Page R&R links..... I don't know about Sylvie or anyone else, but I am proud to be an AMERICAN. Although some of my ancestors were Micks, I have a son-in Law who is a Pollock. My daughter is turning into a Pinko. My next door neighbor is Colored. The people next to them are Wops. My boss is a Hebe. My favorite bowling alley is now a hangout for a bunch of Spics. And the Chink joint down the street closed up. God Bless America! Signed, Archie Bunker (6/3/09) Mike OMeara:: See what happens when you listen to [us]. Judging by the last few PPM numbers, BETTER RATINGS! Keep-up the Make Us Laugh format. The bad news remains producer Beth Ann McBride. Not only is she the wrong fit professionally, today's first segment continues to substantiate [our] longstanding claim that by continuing to live in a cheap hotel, she is not committed to the show personally. Jokes aside, It insults [us]. It should you as well. FIRE HER. She already has her bags packed - in a year, she has never unpacked! (6/3/09) So Dave, pray tell….If Air America is going to air on 1050 AM, will any DC area AMer be carrying WTOP after the change is made? ? Or will it just be on FM again? . . . . I guess Air America will draw many devoted listeners, just like all the ones for Limbannitavage et al. And those who become likewise addicted to it will have to seek treatment from….you guessed it -- AAA (Air America Anonymous). But that, little Adam, is another story. KOF (6/3/09) Dave's response: WTOP will be only on FM - 103.5, 103.9, and 107.7 (and, oh yeah, 104.3 in Leesburg) - and that'll be fine with Farley. AirAM will never get any ratings with 1050. The lefty net never got any ratings with 1260. But they'll have "bragging rights" that they're "back on in DC." Whoopie..... What's 1050's coverage like? I would have listened to 1260, but it was always heavily staticky and basically unlistenable in Alexandria. (6/3/09) Dave's response: The daytime signal ain't bad, but at night it's pretty much gone if you're not in DC or southern Montgomery..... RE: ["P.S. I'm a Hispanic American, not a Latina America] Actually Silvie, the Census Bureau quickfacts.census.gov classifies Puerto Ricans as: "Hispanics or Latinos are those people who classified themselves in one of the specific Spanish, Hispanic, or Latino categories listed on the Census 2000 questionnaire -"Mexican, Mexican Am., Chicano," "Puerto Rican", or "Cuban" -as well as those who indicate that they are "other Spanish/Hispanic/Latino." While you cartainly have a right to express a personal preference for one ethonym over another, in the official eyes of the United States Government, both are technically correct and the ethonym "Latina" is perfectly okay to be applied to you. (6/3/09) I used to read Radio & Records back in the mid/late 1980s. The classifieds were always popular, as were the many adverts for "ad-lib"/show prep/deejay writing services. I also enjoyed Dan O'Day's column. I wonder if R&R's demise is another reflection of the eventual death of radio? Maybe it's about a rapidly dying "dead trees" model, too. One thing's for sure: they should've given DCRTV Dave full credit for the stories of his that they ran. (6/3/09) Can we all just agree that attendance for both the Orioles and the Senators was pretty crappy in the '60s and early '70s? I followed both teams closely and could always find a place to stretch my legs over several seats in either place. I'm failing to see the point. Attendance is now bad for both teams because the teams stink. The Nats' TV ratings problem has nothing, or at least little, to do with MASN and everything to do with the team having no fans at this point. MASN has even started adding Nats content to Tom Davis' Saturday show and, during the off season, to the Hot Stove Show. They seem to at least be trying. Howie (6/3/09) "Let’s have a contest. We each write a script for a plant for the Sean Hannity Show today at 4:52" OK dude you've made your point for several days now. Time to let it go. Also, you might want to stop listening if it bothers you so much. (6/3/09) "Dave's response: This is nothing new for WTNT." I assume the station is automated? Honestly though, what would it take to hire a couple of college interns interested in radio, to baby-sit the board at a minimum during prime hours? Hell I worked at a station back in the 80's that was automated on FM. It would go to some programming, most often music, if silence was detected for more than 10 seconds. It's not rocket science. (6/3/09) Inside Radio reporting 'Radio & Records' is going tits up. Here's their writeup, arriving moments ago in my email: "Nearly three years after being purchased by Nielsen Business Media, the 36-year old Radio & Records becomes the latest victim of the media downturn. The magazine will print its final edition Friday. Its website will also cease to exist, in a move that will lead to the layoff of roughly 40 employees. Insiders say some radio airplay charts will be absorbed by sister Billboard." (6/3/09) Dave's response: Too bad. They were never a very good source of DC radio news. We scooped 'em millions of times over the years..... Let’s have a contest. We each write a script for a plant for the Sean Hannity Show today at 4:52 PM. The script that is the closest to the actual planted caller’s script wins. I will go first. "I am fron Brooklyn [message- here is a connection], and Judge Sotomayor has always been a racist to me [premise]. I am an African American female [yes, Black women do listen to Sean Hannity], and Sotomayor is a racist against Blacks and Whites alike [we are all getting along, what a great nation!] LeRaza is a dangerous joke {May wish to throw in the word “terrorist” here]. I mean what would happen if White people went around promoting their race like LaARaza does [flawed logic, but it sounds good coming from a Black woman]. I mean, they did, it was called ‘Hitler’s Germany.’” [gotta work WWII in somehow] “This is the United States of America, God Bless us, and we need to stop racism by not allowing Sotomayor on the bench.” [Patriotism is always a great way to end a call]. Next! (6/3/09) Not sure if you previously covered this or not but Jeff Shamrock of the defunct KMS show at 105.7 is now a talk radio producer at Sirius XM Radio. (6/3/09) Dave said: "No one will listen, except maybe a few housewives from the Waldorf area." Precisely what I've been bitchin' about for years now. We start getting used to a specific program (in this case, Mancow) and then - KABOOM! - it's taken away from us. Same thing happened at the station close to my heart, WMAL. But we Waldorf-area housewives will support Melanie Morgan, Laura Ingraham and Monica Crowley no matter what. We just need a better signal so that we can stop jockeing for position in area parking lots, looking for that perfect listening post. They had better signal waves on the Titanic, for Chrissakes... -Silvie- (6/3/09) "P.S. I'm a Hispanic American, not a Latina America ..." Silvie, Silvie, Silvie ... we're all the resultant products of ethnic origins. But ... anyone who is a citizen of this country and lives in this country is plainly an AMERICAN. Not a xxx American, or a xxx American, just AN AMERICAN. The mailbag doesn't need to be reminded of your ethnicity or the semantics surrounding it. It's not relevant to anything here. Tell it to the folks attending the Rican festivals. (6/3/09) How and in what way are the Nationals 2nd class citizens on MASN? They have the same # of HD games, same pre-game shows, equal advertising & promotion time & equal cable TV coverage in the region. The Nationals seem to have a good announcing crew. Am I missing something here? How are they 2nd class citizens and why do people say this? I think it kind of explains how few people are actually watching the Nationals on MASN. Otherwise, people wouldn't make such foolish comments. Even Orioles fans hate Angelos, but that's not stopping twice as many of them from watching the Orioles on MASN compared to the Nats and the Nats will eventually own 40% of MASN and even now have a considerable amount of say in their own broadcasts and complete control of their radio broadcasts. This constant whining about Angelos is just ridiculous drivel. And Mike in Fairfax managed to find the only years that the Senators drew more than 10k. Go figure, hehe. Many years Senators attendance is half that of the Orioles and other teams and dead last in the AL for decades mostly. Finally, the Nats have the Phillies and the Mets. That might not be a direct equal to the Yanks and Sox, but it's darn close, especially since Philly is so close by. I mean, duh.................... (6/3/09) Dear Dave: Attendance for Game 1 of the 1971 World Series: 53,229. Attendance for Game 2 of the 1971 World Series: 53,239. Three games in Pittsburgh, then a return to Memorial Stadium for Games 6 and 7, which drew 44,174 and 47,291, respectively. I'll acknowledge that the attendance for each game was more than the capacity of most MLB parks back then and today, but the drop from Game 2 to Game 6 was 9,065, or 17%. There would be many outside this Washington-Baltimore area who would look at this and wonder about this drop. Was it fan apathy since the team had won it's 3rd American League Pennant in a row and the 1970 World Series? Or had they just given up on the team since they were returning to Baltimore down three games to two? Seems to me that if you have a juggernaut like the Orioles of the late 1960's-early 1970's, you're out at the ballpark showing your support for the hometown team (including the use of the old ChuckThompson phrase "Go to War Miss Agnes"), especially for a Game 6 or Game 7. Can we get back to discussing radio and television now? Sincerely, Joe Kasell (6/3/09) The reason for the supposed 'dead air' on WTNT is actually part of Mr. Snyder's pledge to reach all audiences with disabilities. In this case, that part of the WTNT RADIO programming was for their deaf listeners. Sincerely, Helen Keller (5/3/09) Dave's response: This is nothing new for WTNT. The station has been plagued by technical problems for at least a decade. I remember when Art Bell/George Noory's overnight show was on the station, which frequently featured dead air or two audio sources being run at the same time. I've tried listening to Mancow's show several times lately and all I hear is silence. No wonder the station ranks 30th or lower in the local radio ratings. I can't imagine any local advertiser who'd throw away their money on WTNT. The station is a fucking joke. How long did PD Greg Tantum stay there, in between his 3WT and Fred Thompson gigs? About five minutes? Sheesh..... Dave, I was driving back from Annapolis this morning, and I heard John McCaslin of the Washington Times on The Laura Ingraham Show talking about his new book (relating to Colombian drug trafficking in the 80's, or something like that). Anyway, he also stated that he's going to have his own radio show with Melanie Morgan (who just moved to DC), starting on June 15th on the Talk Radio Network from 6 - 9 a.m. (I'm not sure if you've covered this already, but I think that they'll be on WTNT, bumping off The Mancow). McCaslin went on to talk about the drug trade and specifically marijuana, and he said that [paraphrasing]: "I know news anchors in this town [DC] who smoke marijuana every single day." Not sure if these are local or national anchors - male or female. Laura pressed him for names, but he wouldn't give any on-air. Now I'll be looking at these TV people much, much closer... Interesting... -Silvie- (6/3/09) Dave's response: Yeah, my sources tell me that the WashTimes new radio show will air on WTNT. The station's a mess (see above newsblurb). No one will listen, except maybe a few housewives from the Waldorf area..... Personally, I don't care what the reason is for COMCAST moving NHL Network off their sports tier and into the digital tier. The NHL Network is the only reason I have the sports tier so I can now get rid of it and save 5 bucks per month. (6/3/09) WTOP's morning crew came to work in their PJ's in support of the "Official WTOP Sleep-In Team" for the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure this Saturday in Washington, D.C.. In previous years Team WTOP walked or ran. This year they decided to give sleep-deprived early-morning Washington commuters the chance to sleep in Saturday while feeling good that that they still helped raise money for the cure for breast cancer. That's report Mark Segraves in the red and white striped night shirt, anchor Mike Moss in blue jammies and sports reporter Dave Johnson with the impaired fashion sense. (6/3/09) The only reason Comcast moved NHL network, they own VS and want to keep hockey on VS. So moving the NHL network to the digital classic tier is in their best interest. (6/3/09) "If you recall Phil Wood saying Senators attendance was as good as Orioles attendance, you recall Phil Wood being incorrect. The Senators were consistently in last place or 2nd to last in attendance for a period of over 50 years." I don't think he said Senators attendance was as good as the Orioles - just competitive with it in certain years. For example, the average regular season crowd at Memorial Stadium was 13,112 in 1969 and 13,050 in 1970, while the corresponding figures for RFK Stadium were 11,335 and 10,183. Inasmuch as Baltimore posted a combined record of 217-107 over those two years and played in both World Series while Washington was 156-168 (although enjoying a rare winning season in '69), you'd expect the attendance gap between the two franchises to be much larger than that. The notion that only a bunch of over-55 people care about baseball is absurd - all you need do is attend a game in any ballpark to see that. Subscribers to the Verizon FIOS Extreme HD package now have access to the YES network which features Yankees oriented programming (although the actual game telecasts can't be shown outside the greater New York area). For most of the afternoon, the channel provides a simulcast of Mike Francesa's WFAN talk show - so he's found a way to go national less than a year after his longtime co-host Mad Dog Russo jumped to Sirius XM. Mike, Fairfax (6/3/09) RE: [In addition, during Laura Ingraham's show in recent weeks, WTNT cuts her off every :27 minute and conducts 'dead-air' for 3 minutes, followed by on/off ads until :34 and then maybe, if we're lucky, we'll get Laura back again. - Silvie] You know, I think you may be on to something Silvie. Oddly, it's beginning to manifest at other stations too. For example, I've had my radio tuned to 630 WMAL every morning this week from 5 to10 A.M. Each day, I've experienced five continuous hours of dead air, punctuated every few seconds by the sound of two grumpy old white men continuously arguing with each other. Each hour, it's pretty much 26 minutes of unintelligible gibberish interrupted only by news reports at the top and bottom of the hour and the occasional traffic and weather update. Eerie. - Jeff in Bowie (6/3/09) I may be mistaken but I believe the Nats have had a larger average attendance than Baltimore every year of their existence until this season (which is only 1/3 over). And that is without the Yankees and Red Sox boost that Baltimore gets when the stadium fills up with opposing team fans. So what on earth is Joe in Essex babbling about? I might add that the Nats on television is destined to be a disaster because the station is owned by Angelos and the Nats are second class citizens. I mean, duh...................... (6/3/09) (What the hell is going on at 570 WTNT?) In the first few months after the take over by RZ, they blamed everything on Clear Channel’s neglect. Couldn’t someone there in Danny’s media empire at least make it look like they care? (6/3/09) No one has successfully or otherwise disputed your data because no one cares. (6/3/09) To poor ol' windbag Joe in Essex: Joe, you make it so easy - almost compulsory - to direct personal insults at you. With the amount of animosity in the mailbag directed against you, shouldn't that tell you something? It should, but you just don't get it. Never will. You're as hard-headed and obtuse as Silvie. Oops, can't forget ... :-) (6/3/09) To poor ol' windbag Joe in Essex: Joe, you make it so easy - almost compulsory - to direct personal insults at you. With the amount of animosity in the mailbag directed against you, shouldn't that tell you something? It should, but you just don't get it. Never will. You're as hard-headed and obtuse as Silvie. Oops, can't forget ... :-) (6/3/09) Actually, Tommy (McFly) is 23 today... (6/3/09) Dave's response: And that makes Carson 46 and Diamond 69. Yeah, about right..... RE: "used to join him (Wolfman) at the Baltimore “Hard Rock” (from PLB/DJ) *** Unless Wolfman was doing side gigs up in 'Charm City', I recall him doing ONLY the Hard Rock Cafe gig in Washington, DC on Friday nights... Marilyn Thomas was the co-host at these broadcasts and you're right, he was a very gentle soul! One evening I stopped by with my 2 kids (Kristopher & Samantha) and he took a few minutes to talk with them on the air and wish Kris a happy birthday (all this captured on tape and residing in the 'alfradio' archives) but, it all seems so long ago... Al Santos (who used to listen to WHYN, growing up in Ludlow, MA) (6/3/09) "No one has successfully disputed anything...." Baseball is dead. No one cares except geezers. The O's and Nats are garbage will be for a long time. Paulie G. (6/3/09) To Joe Kasell: People forget those Baltimore Orioles World Series attendance numbers are greater than the capacity of most Major League ballparks today. Have you ever sat in the 53,000th seat at old Memorial? Trust me, you'd not see a thing. Can't see how those attendance numbers are that bad since they are better or same as the Washington Nationals opening day attendance and even the Baltimore Orioles and most major league teams as well today, and it's almost 40 years later. Did the Nationals even sell out Opening Day this year? I don't think so. And even The Washington Post says they are dead last in TV and radio ratings. Kinda confused, are you deliberately trying to prove Joe in Essex correct or what? (6/3/09) Congratulation's to Johnny Holliday on his induction into the U of Maryland Hall of Fame. Our thoughts and prayers are with Johnny and his family as one of his grandson's undergoes treatment for a malignant tumor. Shawn, Bethesda (6/3/09) Dave – Not sure if you do anything with b-days but tomorrow (Wednesday) is Mix 107.3’s Tommy McFly’s…. Matt (6/3/09) Dave's response: Awww, shucks. Happy birthday, Tommy! How old are you? Half of Rob Carson's age? A third of Jack Diamond's age? Ha ha ha. Oh, pic from FishbowlDC..... No one has successfully disputed anything I said, just personal insults. If you recall Phil Wood saying Senators attendance was as good as Orioles attendance, you recall Phil Wood being incorrect. The Senators were consistently in last place or 2nd to last in attendance for a period of over 50 years. Orioles attendance in the 50s/60s wasn't anything to brag about either, but still sharply higher than Senators attendance during the entire time the 2 teams were in existence together, even the later years when DC became a larger market, had a brand new stadium and Baltimore had a dump of a stadium. In fact, I don't believe the Senators ever outdrew the O's once. I once gave Phil Wood the stats from the baseball almanac going back to the 1900s and his only response was that they were a bad team. The problem with that theory is that the Orioles have now gone through roughly 20 years of bad teams & losing seasons & a very unpopular owner, yet have remained largely popular and had good TV and attendance #s during most of that period. Once again, I've stated facts and people have responded with excuses, excuses, & excuses, oh, and a smattering of personal insults. God I love touching a nerve. It's ok, obviously people hate being wrong or having bad news shoved in their faces. I do too, hehe. Oh, one more fact that people from DC hate to hear & refuse to believe is true..... Many people from DC have remained Orioles fans & still watch the O's on TV instead of the Nats despite Angelos. Finally, just to make people happy, this will be my last post on the topic. You all should be watch the Nats on MASN instead of responding to my every post. HAha! :-) (6/3/09) When is espn 360 coming to Comcast.net? (6/3/09) Hey no name, a friend of yours from high school called you and said Chick acted cooler than Tiger? Are you drunk? Watch the interview dork before you make a ridiculous statement like that. I saw the interview, it was fine. They were both engaging, looked like they had fun talking about their kids and other stuff. Most relaxed I've seen Tiger during an interview. You're a boob. (6/3/09) In addition, during Laura Ingraham's show in recent weeks, WTNT cuts her off every :27 minute and conducts 'dead-air' for 3 minutes, followed by on/off ads until :34 and then maybe, if we're lucky, we'll get Laura back again. And then there's a 10-second station ID ad by Monica Crowley that the station keeps overplaying and overlapping with.... the same ad over & over! P.S. I'm a Hispanic American, not a Latina America... but your post was hilarious and I really needed a hearty laugh today. -Silvie- (6/3/09) Anyone looking for a lighthearted general assignment reporter who has the unique ability to connect with people on the street while bringing much needed humor to Washington, D.C. news or radio? Here are some links and let me know what you think. I am a professional business person looking to transition back into the world of television or radio. I want the chance and will win for you! Here are some links: www.youtube.com - www.youtube.com - www.youtube.com - www.youtube.com... Contact Greg: gahuds@gmail.com (6/3/09) A mailbagger wrote; "Anyone know how big Kim Martucci is?" Well... I asked her myself, and she answered; "Big Kim Martucci is just fine, thank you." (6/3/09) Dear Dave: Wanted to add to Mike in Fairfax's quote "that the Senators were drawing nearly as well as the Orioles back then despite the fact that Baltimore was the dominant team in the American League while Washington was consistently closer to last place than first." What some people don't realize is that Games 6 and 7 of the 1971 World Series between the Orioles and Pirates that were played at Baltimore's Memorial Stadium were not sellouts. A total of 44,174 attended Game 6 and 47,291 attended Game 7. The capacity of Memorial Stadium at that time was 53,208. As Casey Stengel would say, "You can look it up." Great site Dave! Sincerely, Joe Kasell (6/3/09) /\ June 3 Messages /\ \/ June 2 Messages \/ DCRTV Dave are you really listening to True Oldies. I much prefer when Scott Shannon is handling things cause he plays a lot of 60's and the occasional 50's music track. During the rest of day it's the same old tired 70's sh8t that been played ad infinitum. Now who is handling the programming over at True Oldies when Scott Sahannon ain't on? Steve Alan? Frankly, it's so boring a song selection I hardly listen. As for Mr. Imus I find the show humorus and entertaining and even a bit informative, surely not everybody on the radio has to be nice do they? blah I've noticed True Oldies ain't mucking up the Imus show with as much of the boring 70's song sh8t as in past. And sad to hear the passing of Mrs. Grant. Which reminds me of my fondness for the American Songbook on WPFW Sunday afternoons. It all sucks (6/2/09) Dave's response: Actually, I dig the music Shannon plays. I just can't stand Shannon's voice and on-air "schtick." I like JZW best when it plays "top 40" pop from the 1960s and early 1970s. That's the music of my childhood, and since I had a wonderful childhood, I have very fond memories of it. I don't like it when 105.9 plays classic rock, especially the more turgid stuff you could hear over on WBIG. Don't even waste my time listening to JZW when Imus is on..... Re: WETA - Public Interest Communications Inc. telephone harassment. I wrote to the DCRTV mailbag yesterday requesting information from any others, if they had been subject to many and frequent harassing phone calls from this company. Caller ID shows "pub interest co 801-484-1107" (without the quotes). They have been ringing my phone 2-3 times a day for about the last six weeks. As with most telemarketer harassment, recipient picking up the phone hears nothing and a dead phone line. Well I finally got a live person from this company this evening and indeed it is a telemarketing call on behalf of WETA, thanking me for my pervious support and asking for more. I can not think of anything more vile and offensive that to hire a teleharassment company to be a nuisance and serious problem to the people they are asking for support. Public Interest Communications Inc. www.pubintcom.com lists a Falls Church address on their website and WETA as client. WETA has lost my support for a long, long time. Robert in Arlington (6/2/09) (regarding a previous post) "that posting for hitparadeonline or whatever sounds like it is a paid subscription service. why are they posting a message, effectively a free ad, rather than paying for an ad." I'm the person who posted the message on the DCRTV Mailbag, after hearing about this new radio service. I'm not associated with the company. I liked what I heard and I thought other DC-Baltimore area radio listeners might enjoy checking out the format. As far as I know, no radio station in either market offers a similar blend of 50s/60s/70s tunes, so maybe some smart station in DC or Baltimore might make this programming available. As for HitParadeRadio becoming an advertiser on DCRTV, here's their website so Dave can contact 'em and ask for the order: www.hitparaderadio.com (6/2/09) The hell with waterboarding enemy combatants. Let's just sit 'em all down in one big room and put poor ol' Joe in Essex in front of them and let him babble on for an hour or two. Then we could bring in Silvie to put them out of their misery. Of course then they'll all be charging mental cruelty. :-) (6/2/09) "Point #1: Washington, DC is nearly twice as large as Baltimore and both teams are in last place yet Washington, even going back to the old Senators days, has always been a piss poor baseball town and historically & consistently often in last place in attendance...". That's a misleading statement - DC certainly wasn't much bigger than Baltimore in the late 60s and early 70s, yet I recall Phil Wood once saying on WTEM that the Senators were drawing nearly as well as the Orioles back then despite the fact that Baltimore was the dominant team in the American League while Washington was consistently closer to last place than first. What appears to be forgotten is that the Nationals were in playoff contention for most of their inaugural season of 2005 (actually led the NL East by four or five games at the all star break) - and the crowds at RFK exceeded 35,000 on a regular basis. Neither should the importance of marketing be underestimated - nonexistent when the franchise was a ward of the league and no great shakes since the Lerners took over a few years ago. Needless to say, coverage of the team by the local media (especially TV and radio) has fallen far short of what anyone who's lived in a traditional baseball town is accustomed to. As the Capitals have proven recently, this town will turn out for a team that's committed to winning and on track toward competing for titles. By contrast, only the Redskins seem capable of consistently putting a mediocre product on the field yet still sustaining the fan interest. Mike, Fairfax (6/2/09) I kept scrolling down poor Joe in Essex's latest post, and kept scrolling down, and scrolling down ... until finally and mercifully I got to the next post. The other poster is right. Poor Joe is a friggin windbag. Oh, lest I forget ... :-) (6/2/09) Why all the mentions of Joe in Essex and another of his nonsensical posts? Haven't we all become used to him, kind of like a slightly off-center uncle that no one talks about? (6/2/09) ("Got a peak at the demos that matter. Junks and O'Meara both 3rd in men 25-54, 5th in persons 25-54. Big O and Dukes 6th men 25-54, 8th persons 25-54. Imagine that... Get some promotion and programming that bring in some new cume, and the ratings go UP! This station isn't broken. It does great in Nova where the signal is good. Put a little sustained promotion into it like you did for the caps, move to 94.7, and you have a huge winner. Come on, CBS!") Ditto....the station is great. Signal fades on 66 at Rosslyn, and is unlistenable in parts of Montgomery County. Put it on a REAL signal, and it will soar! (6/2/09) Dave's response: I shall repeat myself again regarding CBS in DC - JFK on 94.7 with a step or two toward sports talk, move El Zol to 106.7, put music-intensive adult alt rock on 99.1 as WHFS. Take 95.5 and "amp" it..... Shales on Conan; Shales = big gas bag (6/2/09) Like Silvie, I, too, wondered what happened this morning to WTNT. I had Ingrahm's show on in my office. I stepped out to get some coffee and returned to hear static. I figured it was one of TNT's many "blips." Earlier that morning, Mancow's end of the hour interview with a woman promoting raw milk got cut off with the "MANCOW!!" bumper that led into the top-of-the-hour news, but such occurrences are commonplace on WTNT. After a minute of listening to static, I turned the station. Now I read that the station was off the air for TWO HOURS? Guess they figured out the mess just in time for "The Ed Schultz Show." [grimace] Schultz should continue to mix well with the other programming once the Washington Times radio show begins. What a mess. Christian (6/2/09) Anyone know how big Kim Martucci is? On TV, she comes across like is 6 '1 and she could break through on offensive line. Do TV viewers find her sexy? (6/2/09) I don't think Joe in Essex gets it. The issue isn't "how much patience" DC will have with the Nats. The issue is how long will it take for them to develop into a competitive team? When they become a team worth seeing, they will be the talk of the town and their radio and tv ratings and attendance will go through the roof. Just look at the Capitals. The owner literally fighting with fans just a few short years ago things were so bad. Now, they are the hottest pro sports team around and have clearly become the number two team in town. Some people think that towns that support terrible teams year after year are good sports towns. I think they are towns whose population has a low IQ. And I am very happy that DC is making baseball earn its place in the local market and not blindly supporting a terrible product like the lords of baseball arrogantly expected. (6/2/09) So TNT's vanished again, eh? Any complaints? Any questions? Any answers? Any rags, any bones, any bottles today, any rags…. Julius (G.; the one, the only) M. (6/2/09) "Dead-air is an on & off occurrence at WTNT." Yes it is. A couple of weekends ago they went an entire hour with dead air. Network news came on at the top of the hour, then dead air until news the following top hour. Obviously no one in a position to do anything spends time listening to the station. Nothing says pride in your product or FU to listeners and advertisers like recurring episodes of extended dead air. (6/2/09) "I'm not gay." BA today on JFK. (6/2/09) RE: -- How much longer can True Oldies 105.9 stay afloat with their 21st rated station? A switch to any format would probably give them better ratings than what they have. Jack would be easy and cost effective.” -- WJZW's music is actually okay. It's the air staff that's not okay. Don Imus is a drag and the ubiquitous Scott Shannon sounds so contrived. Citadel needs to give up the "cheap" and let PD Steve Allan hire some real talent who understand the music, relate to the desired demo and sound local. It’s time to make some serious overtures to sidelined DC/Baltimore area personalities like Johnny Dark, Ken Merson, Kathy Whiteside and others. (6/2/09) Dave's response: If the jackoffs that run Citadel would get out of the way and let Steve Allan program and staff 105.9, it would be a success. That means ditching Imus and Shannon, cutting the classic rock tunes, and focusing on the 1960s/70s "top 40" pop oldies..... Hysterical posting on Craig's List for GSM of WZBA-FM 100.7 The Bay in Hunt Valley, Maryland. (6/2/09) Got a peak at the demos that matter. Junks and O'Meara both 3rd in men 25-54, 5th in persons 25-54. Big O and Dukes 6th men 25-54, 8th persons 25-54. Imagine that... Get some promotion and programming that bring in some new cume, and the ratings go UP! This station isn't broken. It does great in Nova where the signal is good. Put a little sustained promotion into it like you did for the caps, move to 94.7, and you have a huge winner. Come on, CBS! (6/2/09) “I wish MASN would get their act together and put CSN out of business. They have better talent and management and know sports.” --- I guess this genius doesn’t realize that the clowns running MASN used to run CSN, but got booted years ago because they were clueless. (6/2/09) How much longer can True Oldies 105.9 stay afloat with their 21st rated station? A switch to any format would probobly give them better ratings than what they have. Jack would be easy and cost effective. (6/2/09) Yes, WTNT has been off the air for a few hours. Gads of Catholic, “40 something,” women have been rioting over at St. Charles Town Mall since about 10:30 AM this morning. And now for the rest of the story; Chris Plante was getting jealous of Mancow faking being waterboarded, and was heard earlier this morning mumbling “why didn’t I think of that,” as he was sawing through the electrical cords of the satellite downlink at WTNT’s tower site. The rumor Paul Duckworth was to blame for the wreckage, because he was upset with losing the “Chuck County Moms” to WTNT, are not true. Mr. Duckworth has been stuck in his office all day today taking calls from listeners correcting the false, misleading, and unsubstantiated remarks made by Andy Parks this morning about Obama’s NY trip. I hope this has cleared everything up. And if anyone didn’t know, at 52 past the first and second hour (you can set your watch by it) of his radio show, Sean Hannity takes a call that is a plant. The caller has been provided a script by the hannity show to read on the air. The script tells a story, and I do mean “story,” that directly puts into context the propaganda Sean is spewing. Please don’t believe this caller is truthful. Silvie is a wise Latina American, and I trust when Washington Times Radio starts mornings on WTNT, she will become a big fan. (6/2/09) RE: "The Nats attendance and ratings will soar when they become a good team." The same could be said for Baltimore which has not had a winning team for over 10 years now. However, If Nats attendance & ratings are this bad so soon in the franchise's short history, what will happen 8-10 years from now if they are still bad? Orioles attendance and TV/radio ratings have historically been pretty decent even through over 20 years of mostly bad seasons. The question begs, how much patience will DC have with the Nats and for how long? (6/2/09) WDON flipped to country sometime around the spring of 1964. (6/2/09) What the hell is going on at 570 WTNT? Dead-air this morning for nearly 2 hours during The Laura Ingraham Show. It *forced* me to switch to -- Gasp! -- The Joe Scarborough Show [a.k.a. 'Morning Blow'] Dead-air is an on & off occurrence at WTNT. Any info? -Silvie- (6/2/09) What a windbag Joe in Essex is. The whole Nats thing can be boiled down to one sentence. " The Nats attendance and ratings will soar when they become a good team." Simple, Joe in Essex, huh? I, for one, am thrilled that sports fans in the area don't have the attitude that MLB thought they would have, i.e., we're just privileged to have a team here so we will flock to see that team no matter how bad. Fact is, the Expos franchise, including their minor league system, was raped and pillaged before it was brought here and the team is still trying to recover. Joe in Essex really doesn't have anything to crow about until the fans in DC don't support a winning team. And that won't happen. (6/2/09) I disagree with a prior poster. I think COMCAST Sportsnet does a very good job of covering the DC area teams. MASN has cast their lot as a Baltimore channel and it is going to be very difficult for them to ever grow out of that perception. (6/2/09) Question: Apparently WDON was a "top-40" station; so when did they become "country?" Tom in Denton, MD. (6/2/09) Dave's response: I moved to the DC area in the early 1970s, and remember WDON as being country. The "top 40" days were before my time..... Re the Junks discussing on-air the failure of the Harris Teeter market in Fairfax: word has it that actress Pamela Anderson is in talks to acquire both the Harris Teeter and Giant supermarket chains. New name of the company "Giant Teeters". (ten-year-old joke but its still funny...) (6/2/09) Hey – just saw your Tweet about Wallander on DVD – it’s also available for online viewing, on our new Video Portal -- www.pbs.org/video... --Kevin (6/2/09) Dave's response: Cool! Dave, that posting for hitparadeonline or whatever sounds like it is a paid subscription service. why are they posting a message, effectively a free ad, rather than paying for an ad. i think you are being used rather than compensated. (6/2/09) Dave's response: Yeah, I'll hit 'em up for an ad..... According to the 1963 Broadcasting Yearbook, at that time WDON was located at 11216 Georgia Avenue. The next yearbook I have (1973) indicates the station had returned to University Boulevard. (6/2/09) From this morning's Inside Radio: "Inside April’s PPM Numbers — All-News. For the first time in New York City’s nine PPM surveys, CBS Radio’s WCBS (3.7-4.1, #5) bests sibling WINS (4.4-4.0, #6) among persons 6+. Overall, numbers for all-newsers continue to slip. The typical 6+ average for a panel of stations we’ve been tracking (minimum one-share 6+ in April) fell ever so slightly from 3.95 in March to 3.91 in April. That however represents the lowest average in the past seven months. Based on our sample, January (4.50) has clearly been the format’s strongest recent survey period. News posted a 4.20 in November; 4.15 in February; 4.05 in December; and 3.96 for the Holiday period. Forty-four percent (44%) of stations in this format were up March-April (44%) and an equal number went down (44%). The other 12% remained flat. Typical increases and usual declines were -.35. WCBS had gains in NYC (+.4); Long Island (+.3) and Middlesex (+.5). This is at least the seventh successive month that WTOP, Washington (8.9) and KYW, Philadelphia have the format’s highest 6+ shares. Both however were down month-month — WTOP by four-tenths and KYW by six-tenths. It was typical for an all-News station posting at least a one-share (6+) in April to finish (exactly) 11th compared to #11.81 in March. More than half were in the top ten in April including #1s WBBM-AM, Chicago; KCBS-AM, San Francisco; and WTOP. Others in the top ten are KYW and WCBS-AM (Long Island) both #3; WCBS-AM (in its New York City home) #5; WINS and KCBS-AM, San Jose both #6; and WWJ, Detroit #7. A whopping 83% of the News shares in PPM markets are controlled by CBS Radio; 14% by Bonneville (WTOP); and 2% by Empire (KLIV, San Jose). Figures are based on stations with at least a 1.0 (6+) in April." (6/2/09) Dave: Let's face-it, CSN would consider cancelling its "Sportsnite" shows if it wasn't for Geico's sponsorship money.. What a low-budget, cheesey segment Chic Hernandez did with Tiger Woods! Just because CSN is the only regional to will spend money to cover Tiger's tournament and given the fact they are in-bed with the Comcast-owned "Golf Channel," that doesn't mean we should be in awe of Chic interviewing Tiger Woods. A friend of mine from high school called me while I was in Myrtle Beach and told me Chic acted like he was cooler than Tiger. I wish MASN would get their act together and put CSN out of business. They have better talent and management and know sports. on another point, Phil Wood may know his baseball facts and figures. However, he's a terrible radio personality and doesn't belong on TV as well. Phil needs to stick with writing books or work for a network, while supporting their editorial staff. I know his ego won't like this but it's Phil ego that's gotten him in trouble. (6/2/09) Can you patent a radio format? I guess you could have copy-write laws for the name, but a format is what I'm shooting for. (6/2/09) Dave's response: Yes. You can copyright unique elements of a radio format, a la the hit oldies "Jack" or "True Oldies" formats..... According to the HitParadeRadio website, adults 50+ represent seventy million people - 28% of the entire population. Demographic trends associated with the aging of Boomers, plus gains in longevity will grow this market to over 106 million by 2015. To satisfy the music needs of this segment of the population, HitParadeRadio now offers the only 24/7 satellite-delivered radio format that targets the 50+ audience, with the greatest hits of the '50s through the '70s. Here's the link to listen online here (6/2/09) Ok, it's time once again for that time honored tradition of debunking Phil Wood, The Washington Post, and/or some previous DCRTV mailbag posters regarding Nationals TV/radio ratings and attendance by comparing them to the Orioles... Point #1: Washington, DC is nearly twice as large as Baltimore and both teams are in last place yet Washington, even going back to the old Senators days, has always been a piss poor baseball town and historically & consistently often in last place in attendance... Point #2: Nationals TV & radio ratings are the worst in the country yet DC is the 7th-8th largest market & nearly twice the size of Baltimore while the Orioles are technically one of the smaller MLB markets in the country yet have ratings higher than 50% of the rest of the MLB clubs, as well as attendance consistent with its market ranking while DC attendance is nowhere near its market ranking and the Nats are outdrawn by towns even smaller than Baltimore and even cities with teams nearly as bad... Point #3: The Phil Wood theory. The argument is often made that the Orioles historically were a winning team, hence draw more interest. Well, both teams are in last place and the Orioles haven't been a winning team for over a decade now while The Nats are a brand new team with a brand new stadium and both are in last place, yet the O's are outdrawing the Nats on TV, radio, and in ticket sales If only the Nats would win? The Nats have not even been in existence that long. Orioles fans have lots more reasons to be disgruntled and stop visiting the Yard. The Nats conversely are a brand new team that no one seems to even care about. Point #4: It's the fault of RFK Stadium. See Point #3, the Nats have a fantastic new ballpark with possibly some amenities that even Camden Yards doesn't have... Point #5: The argument is often made that Nationals attendance would be stellar if only they played the Yankees & Red Sox all the time and Orioles attendance would go down the drain without them. Poppycock! Witness this past weekend as the O's played the Detroit Tigers (hardly a big draw), yet nearly sold out Camden Yards just for the debut of a rookie and sold as much or even more tickets than when the Yankees and Red Sox were in town AND they were ALL Orioles fans! Conversely, the Nats don't even come close to a sellout for the Phillies and the Phillies fans owned the Nats stadium... Point #6: The Angelos Factor: the theory that all things wrong with The Nats are the fault of Peter Angelos and MASN & Bud Selig. Once again, let's prove that false. The Nats make their own radio deals and are still in last place in MLB radio ratings while Orioles ratings are quite good considering the size of the market. MASN and MASN 2 are equally carried on practically every cable system in the region now and half of each teams' games are even in HD this year. So why are Nationals ratings so poor compared to the Orioles, even on the equally balanced MASN networks? Even Orioles fans hate Angelos, so how could he have such a negative impact on the Nats when the man has done far more damage to the Orioles? Stop using Angelos as both a piñata and a crutch. This theory continues to fail on its merits... Point #7: The Orioles have a fan base while the Nats don't theory. Once again, poppycock. The O's haven't won for over a decade and have hemorrhaged much of their fan base long ago, most of it due to Angelos's mismanagement of the organization, and some due to the Nats very existence. The Nats are a fresh brand new franchise that people should be at least interested in just for the "newness factor" of the brand new nice stadium. When Camden Yards first opened, I believe the Orioles sold out most games for several years, even during seasons when the team was absolutely horrible. Sure, there was the Ripken factor, but that's only really a few key games. Finally, the only way to describe DC baseball apologists is... "Excuses, Excuses, Excuses." If even I've been to a Nats game, I say, "Put up or shut up DC!" -- Joe in Essex :-) (6/2/09) Sorry Paul, but you have not seen Tiger Woods interviews like the one CSN did in other cities. That was done out at Tiger Jam according to their golf show that Chick hosts Tee Time. And I think in this case, they're using "exclusive" yeah it's an overused term to mean no one in this tv market is sitting down with the world's top golfer. Lets behonest too Paul, you're not seeing that kind of interview anywhere but CSN Stop hatin'. As for WPL, well (6/2/09) Everett Dillard's WASH-FM began broadcasting in January 1947, originally at 98.3mc.(The only other DC FM station on the air at that time was the Washington Post's WINX-FM broadcasting on the dual frequencies of 43.2 and 92.9mc.) Almost seven years later, WDON 1540kc AM first popped-up in the Washington Post Radio list of "Other Standard Stations" on Friday, October 9, 1953. The daytimer AM would simply simulcast WASH-FM in the beginning. (6/2/09) www.nbcdfw.com... Nancy Reagan: Obama Snubbed Me... Former first wife also says in an interview she sees Ronald Reagan's ghost (6/2/09) /\ June 2 Messages /\ \/ June 1 Messages \/ A March 29, 2009 Gazette article announced that Everett Dillard's old broadcasting campus in Wheaton is available for redevelopment: www.gazette.net Google Maps' Street View shows that the site lies sadly empty. (6/1/09) Did Don Dillard's father put WASH on the air in the late 40's and years later built WDON?? And then sold WASH to Metomedia. ?? Could be wrong? Kaye Kolb (6/1/09) So I turn my radio on and Mark Levin is complaining about the terrible problems he has living in his wooded, multi-million dollar estate in Great Falls that sits on the golf course and how badly he feels he is treated by the HOA officers, the golfers, and the tourists looking for the Red Skins players in his exclusive neighborhood. Who is he talking to in his audience exactly? -Chainsman (6/1/09) Dave's response: Sounds like Limbaugh and his rants about the "turtle lights" at his complex of mansions in Palm Beach..... Is anyone else here getting many, repeated phone calls from (caller i.d.) 801-484-1107 pub interest co ? They have been ringing my phone several times a day for over a month. When I finally got mad enough to answer and pick up, I get dead air. If one googles "801-484-1107 pub interest co" (without the quotes), you will find page after page of web sites with comments from folks who are being harassed in the same way by this telemarketer. Apparently they are a "non profit" teleharassment company so escape the Do Not Call List restrictions. If you look at their web site for Public Interest Communications www.pubintcom.com you will find their client list includes WETA. I wonder if these calls are coming on behalf of WETA? WETA and WAMU have telemarketed to me in the past and have both earned a long lapse in my support for their stations. Robert in Arlington (6/1/09) Paul!!! I can't believe you left out of your ad "Jazz Unlimited" at WRC and WGMS!!! Not to mention booth voicing at WRC-TV, and doing the weekend weather at WDVM/WUSA. (Wel'll skip the tambourine bit at WETA... HI) You are probably the most versatile and effective talent in Washington broadcasting. Don't be so modest about it. 73, "Faithful Engineer" (6/1/09) Although WDON was located at the transmitter site on University Boulevard when the station first went on the air in the mid-1950s, the station did move to a Georgia Avenue storefront sometime in the early-60s. It was on the west side of Georgia Avenue between Dunkin Donuts at Georgia Avenue and Reedie Drive and Pendleton's Hardware at Georgia and Triangle Lane. I claim DCRTV geezer points for recalling when University Boulevard West was named Old Bladensburg Road and Triangle Lane was called Cunningham Drive. Gotta go now and change my Depends. (6/1/09) What once was Ev Dillard's tiny headquarters was (and still is) on University Blvd, West, a stone's throw from Veirs Mill Road, not Georgia Avenue. R.A. Campbell, who actually worked at WASH/WDON in the early '60s, states at his tribute page racampbell.tripod.com that "The WDON studio was in a strip mallacross from WASH." Also shown on Campbell's page, the WDON Rate Chart from the early '60s gives an address of 2647 University Blvd, West, which puts it on the north side of MD-193. So if WASH was truly "across from WDON", that would put WASH-FM on the SOUTH side of MD-193 (where Bagel Master was located in the '80s). In any case, Georgia Avenue is a full two blocks away, so I'm afraid Ben Stein is guilty of fuzzy memories. (I'm sincerely sorry to hear that Ben has "been ill for some time now" by his own admission.) By the way... until 1967, the accepted spelling was "Viers Mill Road", until Montgomery County decided to change the spelling to "Veirs Mill Road" instead. That explains why the long-established "Viers Mill Road Baptist Church" is now located on Veirs Mill Road! (6/1/09) Dave, Emily Gracy made an appearance on 2's 5pm newscast today(monday) with Mary Beth Marsden maybe Kelly Groft reversed the decision to fire her? (6/1/09) at 5:17 pm Emily Gracey is doing the weather on Channel 2. her mug photo and bio are still on the ABC2News website. (6/1/09) "WDON was on University Blvd in Wheaton when I was growing up in the 70's. Can someone verify if it was ever on Georgia Ave as per Ben Stein's comments?" I think it was actually at University Blvd and Georgia Ave. but on the University Blvd side. Les in Adelphi for now (6/1/09) “No offense Dave W. but CSN BLOWS! Have you tried sitting through an hour of that WPL at 5 without squirming in your seat? Ivan Carter is the worst host I've ever had the misery to watch. And those ''exclusive'' Tiger Woods interviews aren't that exclusive. Tiger's been giving pretty much the same ''exclusive'' interview to other cities. Paul” – Agree about ivan, CSN should go back to Russ Thaler, everything else is okay. I watch them over any local station that does 2 minutes of sports per night. (6/1/09) Re the Baker And Burd reunion on the web ... I bet this will provide as few laughs as their on-air shows did. I never thought either of these guys were amusing or entertaining. Same with Elliott and Woodside. I've never warmed to David Burd and still cannot appreciate the sense of humor he tries to dispense when he's on air. That, coupled with the flat, monotone voice of his, makes listening to him a chore. Bring back Dude and Doug (for those old enough to remember). (6/1/09) Old audiotape of the Don and Mike Show dating back to Mazda Miata Giveaway #2 in 1990! I have a box full of old WAVA, Q-107 (Sonny Fox, Larry King (Westwood One overnights) and even a little B-106 and WKYS that I plan on posting in the coming weeks dating back from 1985-1992. www.youtube.com Don and Mike Show - 1990... Greg (6/1/09) interesting to hear neo-lib Chad Dukes supporting a rather severe punishment for LeBron James' lack of sportsmanship over the weekend. Seemed a bit harsh to me, but his position on "thug-life" sounded sensible. -- ThePenIsMightier (6/1/09) DAMN IT MIKE O'MEARA! Just when [we] saw a glimmer of hope in the show and ratings, you go and revert back to going down a format you have no business visiting and your listeners don't want. Mistake 1. You open your show today with serious Air France crash news. Mistake 2. Your allowed McBride to book a FAA expert for the third hour. Lesson 1. Mike. You're a part-time daddy so don't forget to write the check, Lesson 2. If your listeners want news, they will turn to CNN! Wake-up CBS suits! Before WJFK goes sports talk in a month, realize that McBride is NOT a good fit for the MOM Show and FIRE HER SORRY ASS TODAY! That's a start! (6/1/09) I keep reading about WJFK flipping to sports. Is this ever going to happen? Who will be the program director? HKU (6/1/09) Mike O'Meara mentions the missing (presumed crashed) Air France jet off Brazil in the first five minutes of today's show. Why? Great way to get a "comedy" show started. - MM (6/1/09) (From DCRTV's Classified Ads:) Wanted experienced broadcast sales person. Willing to hit the ground running. Responsibilities, selling time on multiple radio stations in Maryland. Will be based in the Baltimore area. Must be experienced and willing to travel in Maryland 2 to 3 days a week. This position will include Salary, commission and incentive bonuses. Contact: Bill Parris, RBC Broadcasting, 13321 New Hampshire Avenue-Suite 207, Silver Spring MD 20904-Phone 301-879-2422. (6/1/09) WDON was on University Blvd in Wheaton when I was growing up in the 70's. Can someone verify if it was ever on Georgia Ave as per Ben Stein's comments? I still have in my collection one of those WDON buttons from today's flashback . Tom P. in Wacky Wheaton (6/1/09) No offense Dave W. but CSN BLOWS! Have you tried sitting through an hour of that WPL at 5 without squirming in your seat? Ivan Carter is the worst host I've ever had the misery to watch. And those ''exclusive'' Tiger Woods interviews aren't that exclusive. Tiger's been giving pretty much the same ''exclusive'' interview to other cities. Paul (6/1/09) I grew up in Wheaton and was interested in Ben Stein's memory of WDON being in a storefront??? on Georgia Avenue??? I wasn't a listener and could be wrong, but I remember WDON being in the WASH building, on University Blvd. between Georgia Avenue and Viers Mill. I guess it could have been called a storefront, but it was a 50's designed little one-story building that faced University, with the tower behind the building, the tower is probably still there, I don't live there anymore. My father really enjoyed experimental AM-FM stereo simulcasts, don't remember how often that occurred, before multiplex stereo FM (Bethesda's WHFS 102.3 was the DC area's first commercial multiplex stereo station). The attached picture from the December, 1957 "Hi-Fi Music At Home" WASH program guide, shows the little building with the tower looming behind it, apologies for the quality. The Washington 4, DC address given, I dunno, but that's not where the station was, WQMR did the same thing - it was located on Kemp Mill Road in Wheaton and gave out a Washington address, for prestige purposes??? I was 5 years old in 1957 and can only say WDON, WASH and WQMR were in Wheaton, my relatives drove me by there year after year going to Hot Shoppes or later, Wheaton Plaza, and past the little art-deco 1947 vintage WQMR (formerly WGAY) AM building at 11306 Kemp Mill Road. I know WQMR was licensed to Silver Spring, and WASH to Washington, not sure about WDON... but they were really in WHEATON, MARYLAND! Or you could call it Silver Spring, Maryland, Wheaton isn't an incorporated city... Bill in the midwest somewhere (6/1/09) Al (Peterson) you were quite a bit behind me at WHYN, I was there from 1963 to 1965, went to WBZ, came back to WHYN in 1967. Also, I worked with “Wolfman” at X-TRA 104, he was a really nice guy. Used to join him at the Baltimore “Hard Rock” Knew his craft, little or no ego. Just a kind gentle “good guy” Sure do miss him. PLB/DJ (6/1/09) (Dave's response: I tried using my digital TV to see if 50 was running This TV on 50.2, but, heck, I can hardly get digital 50's main signal via antenna here in Fairfax County.....) I'm near the old Tower Records/CC, I get channel 50 just fine. (6/10/09) Dave's response: One of the big problems with over-the-air digital TV reception is that signal strength can vary widely within the same neighborhood, even from room to room within the same house..... Davy Jones: wha' hey! Another WHYN alumni sneaking around the DCRTV hallways without a pass! I thought I was all alone. - Al Peterson (WHYN-AM 1986-90) (6/1/09) I had the pleasure of working with Wolfman and Lonnie twice in my career. Both were a pleasure, one in front of the mic, the other not far behind. Wolfie might have come across as gruff, and he did have an eye for the young girls, but he was always very polite in his own way, remembered your name and thanked you for whatever you did for him that day. He shared whatever he had with those around him. He knew how to draw you to the radio, and few know how to do that today. Whoever has a bad word for him must have never met him. I would take Wolfman over Howard Stern. The Wolfman made great radio without all the filth that Stern and his imitators seem to think is the modern way. Howl. (6/1/09) I do not understand why Wolfman Jack was disparaged as having a bad attitude and not being accessible. In '93, when Xtra-104 had the Wolfman live on Friday nights, I made a point of going to see him do his thing live twice--and it was a wonderfully surreal experience. There was THE Wolfman broadcasting LIVE on a LOCAL station. Wow, it was so cool. I saw him do remotes at the mall in Waldorf and in the theater at Adventure World, now Six Flags. Although I had been in radio for years, I just went up to him as a fan and he was nice enough for me, making a 'scary' face for a photo and signing one of his compilation CDs. Clap for the Wolfman and all the greats who made radio what it was and should still be. Robb in Capitol Heights (6/1/09) Dan Scanlan rocks! Cory Haber (6/1/09) Dan Scanlan…Dan Scanlan…man how time flies…I worked with Dan at WHYN in Springfield MA back in the 60’s. A top notch guy with a terrific sense of news..timing and delivery. Great memories. Davy Jones/KHZ-WYRE…soon KHZTV.com…that’s a promise. (6/1/09) RE: "Bawlamore Charm"......... If a lost tourist is accidently arrested in Baltimore's Cherry Hill neighborhood, that's actually NOT an accident, it's a LIFE-SAVING technique, sorta like pulling out of a pool a baby who's accidently fallen in. They should feel lucky they're alive. Little did they know how oh so close to a drug deal gone wrong and/or a shooting they were. And now you know the REST of the story. :-) (6/1/09) thought of a GREAT idea for WUSA 9 last night. They could make a few bucks by canceling the nightside news on weekends too and put "Hits of the 70's" infomercials on instead! It is difficult to watch now that Jennifer Ryan is gone. The sports segment afterwards is painful comedy and appears produced at a local junior college, love that pimp music at the intro! (6/1/09) This article the top public radio salary in the U.S. mentions Sharon Rockefeller's salary at WETA by way of comparison: www.philly.com (6/1/09) "Balmer Charm": That story actually became a topic of all the talk shows when it happened...three years ago. Howie (6/1/09) What might be the last on-air sighting of longtime WRC-AM Timekeeper Al Ross was Stan Karas' Swing format on WEAM in 1980. Details here: DCMemories.com... Ross had worked with Karas at Nick Chaconas' WHMC for another failed revival of AM's good ol' days in the early '70s after leaving WRC-AM. Ross eventually went to the VOA, where he worked until just before his passing in April of 1987 at age 71. (6/1/09) Now here is some of that Balmer Charm in action. www.wbaltv.com... I am curious, since this involves a couple from Virginia, having trouble in Baltimore, and even has a connection Harrisburg PA, just an hour away,,,did any of the DC stations or papers cover this incident. I wonder, how would it have been handled otherwise, by both media and police, if the couple had been black, Latino or Asian. It would be interesting to know some details about the officers involved. (6/1/09) Dan Scanlan-----I LOVE Dan Scanlan! Rita (6/1/09) I was surprised that no one mentioned that Jack Diamond of 107.3 had a tribute to Don Dillard who passed on Thursday on his website as well as on the air Also, Tom Grooms in the Grooveyard on 105.9 True Oldies had an interview with Barry Richards (from LA) about Don Dillard and how Don had affected Barry's life and was responsible for getting him into the radio business. Don certainly had an influence on local radio deejays and their careers in the business. He will be greatly missed by his colleagues and the folks who listened to him on WDON. Barbara, Bowie (6/1/09) Anybody watching CSN? They are calling Chick Hernandez "scoop" over there, I heard Kelly Johnson say it on sportsnite last night. He broke the news that Eddie Jordan was the new head coach of the 76ers a couple of night ago, and he had the only interview with Jordan. Then later in the show, Chick had an exclusive with Tiger Woods, didn't see that on any other local, I guess thats why they call it exclusive. If i'm not mistaken he was also the first to report that John Jansen was cut from the team earlier this week (nice move Skins)... is anybody paying attention to CSN? I'm not in love with the guy, but it's hard not to notice what he's doing. An actual sportsnews making network in our town, who'd a thunk it! Personally I watch to see Kelly and Lisa HIllary, nice bonus. Dave W. (6/1/09) /\ June 1 Messages /\ \/ May 31 Messages \/ I was surprised to see the WDON button picture in the DCRTV news blurbs. I never listened to that station (except to log it), but for some reason, I had one of their buttons in my jewelry box. I have no idea where I got it back in the 70s. Oh well. The real questions I have (for me) are: Why did I get one? and why do I still have it? Perhaps the answers are: It was free and I never throw anything away. George, Stephens City, Va (5/31/09) This message is about WRC-AM from back in the early 60s. Does anyone know what happed to Al Ross, the Timekeeper? Also, at 5:30 pm, WRC used to play a short musical piece (maybe 4 seconds long). This piece would be akin to the NBC three bongs in the sense that it was always played and identified the upcoming news program. I believe it was just before Brysan Rash came on with the news. Does anyone have an audio file of this? Thanks for the help. George in Stephens City, Va. (5/31/09) Hey Dave it's been quite some time since I heard an unslanted opinion from ANY editor of The Daily Feed. Did Max finally get himself arrested? Did Frank get sick of pointing out the rancid activities we call politics? Did John fire them both? I always thought The Daily Feed would be a great segment on The Daily Show but then again maybe thats too much truth and honesty for the media to allow. I won't bother to whine about that station that used to treat us to Frank and Max's views. Not right now anyway. I really could go for some fish and salad though. (5/31/09) RE: [Jeff in bowie writes a long winded load to cover US practice of torture regarding waterboarding.] Actually, quite the opposite. I suggest you go back and read the post again. (5/31/09) From Radio-info: After years of work, the FCC gives Clear Channel-owned WKOX-AM (1200) in Boston a power boost from 10,000 to 50,000 watts, making it the strongest Spanish-language signal in Massachusetts. No wonder WAGE wants to move to 1190. (5/31/09) Proof that Count Gore De Vol, America's only vampire hypnotist, actually emigrated from Lapland. vimeo.com (Expect to see a spike in enrollment at hypnotist class.) (5/31/09) Quote: "Dave's response: Well, according to the six ads in this morning's Post, Comcast won't start carring 50's digital "This TV" channel until 6/30, which gives WDCW a few more weeks to get it up and running....." This link: www.broadcastingcable.com makes it look like Channel 50 should have already had This TV on-air. And then there's the Post who has been listing 50.2 as This TV in the TV Week mag for a while. But, then again we know how accurate the Post can (or can't) be... Mike/Fairfax (5/31/09) Dave's response: I tried using my digital TV to see if 50 was running This TV on 50.2, but, heck, I can hardly get digital 50's main signal via antenna here in Fairfax County..... Hey Dave: I know this is a dumb question, but what exactly is the purpose of the Pete and Brenda ad at the top of your web page? They never answer their e mails, Salem (WAVA) is not looking for new air talent, their don't appear to have a show at the moment, the Youtube link is not getting good reviews and no one says anything about them in the mailbag. If you don't want to put this in the mailbag (since they are generating revenue for you), please respond privately. I have nothing against Pete and Brenda, I simply can't figure out what kind of response they are looking for. You would think that with all of the connections your readers have, they could at least respond to their e mail. They can't be that busy. I support your sponsors. (5/31/09) Dave's response: The ad is there because Pete and Brenda have paid for it. I've e-mailed both and they always respond very promptly. In fact, they've both been very friendly. They even sent me a batch of cool 'fridge magnets..... Jeff in bowie writes a long winded load to cover US practice of torture regarding waterboarding. 'Moral relativism'? That this guy freaked over rules of grammar in his second sentence lessens my confidence to follow his intellectual loudspeaker. Jeff in Bowie sides with the military because Jeff prefers to 'leave these decisions to our military (abu ghraib?) professionals'. Jeff skirts and never mentions the practice of waterboarding and apparently does not trust "People who have never shouldered a gun and have never volunteered to walk that wall to defend our freedom." to argue the issue. There are tons of well paid military pensioner intellectuals like Jeff with tons of time on their hands in the DC area. (5/31/09) There are Mustangs sold at GM dealerships...used ones.. (5/31/09) For you Don Dillard fans...there is a link on the www.98wrc.com home page taking you to a tribute page complete with sound from Barry Richards. (5/31/09) A few years ago, a construction crew in the heart of Tysons Corner, hit a fiber optic cable no one knew was there. Within moments, three black sport-utility vehicles drove up, a half-dozen men in suits jumped out and one said, "You just hit our line." Whose line, you may ask? The guys in suits didn't say. Sunday's Washington Post looks at how the Metro digging at Tysons has disturbed so-called "black wire" and has created underground intrigue. www.washingtonpost.com (5/31/09) RE: Jeff (the blow hard)...bigot and a racist...legislate from the bench...close minded journalism...liberals think they need a fairness doctrine...Al Sharpton school of debate.] Well, one thing is for sure - through YOUR words, we can all certainly tell where YOU go to "research" your opinions! As for the rest of your rant, your conservative-talk-radio-stoked over-generalizations could not be further from the truth, Pal. I -- as one of those "lib-ruls" you have been conditioned by your masters to hate so vociferously -- WELCOME conservative talk radio. Why on earth would I seek to destroy the very thing that entertains me? Without the foolish rants of those like Limbaugh, Hannity and Levin to ceaselessly mock, who would there be for me to direct my humor and scorn at? I don't want them to go away...for heavens sake no! They are the primary reason that the Republican party is hemorrhaging voters faster than a chimp with Ebola! I wake up every morning with a prayer to GOD (yes, regardless of what you have been told, liberals DO pray) that Republican politicians will continue to bow under the dominance of the Limbaugh wing of their party. Truth be told, your Reagan-worshiping talk-radio rage-a-holic L-H-L triumvirate has won more elections for liberals and progressives than they could ever cost us! As for your comments otherwise, My juxtaposition of the Sotomayor and Alito quote was intended to elicit the exact reaction out of neo-conservative FAUX-noisemakers that it obviously did in your case: Nodding agreement and whole-hearted approval -- right up to the point that you find out that it was spoken by Alito -- followed by blind childish rage. It worked, and I thank you for providing the proof. See, the difference between you and I is that while I make you mad and then you call me names, you make me laugh and that makes me want to mock your kind all the more. So, please, please do keep the schoolyard taunts coming - they make me laugh like a drunken monkey. - Jeff in (Setting them up, and then knocking them down) Bowie (5/31/09) Yes, Dan Scanlan does a superb job filling in for me on America in the Morning (locally on AM-1500 WFED). Dan, a veteran of WGR, Buffalo, WINS, New York City, and AP Radio, used to cover congress for Mutual Radio. He also occasionally fills in on another Westwood One morning magazine, "First Light" (locally on AM-680-WCBM) and on NBC hourly newscasts (locally on AM-1160 last time I checked). As for his drug-dealing to school children, that happened on a slow news day and got overly hyped in the media. The terror plot involving nuns and puppies, Dan describes as "a playful prank that sorta got out of hand". Jim Bohannon (5/31/09) /\ May 31 Messages /\ \/ May 30 Messages \/ What exactly from Channel 50 is Comcast going to start carrying? As of Saturday afternoon, I still get nothing on 50.2 which is supposed to be ThisTV for Washington. Good thing I'm using over the air because I can get ThisTV on 45.2 out of Baltimore. Mike/Fairfax (5/30/09) Dave's response: Well, according to the six ads in this morning's Post, Comcast won't start carring 50's digital "This TV" channel until 6/30, which gives WDCW a few more weeks to get it up and running..... In Googling for the Dillards, I discovered that Jean Dillard's will established a scholarship for EE students at the U of Md. (5/30/09) I'm surprised you haven't carried coverage of Verizon's petition to the FCC to get them to force Comcrap to sell CSN-Philly programming to Verizon. Because CSN-Philly is only fed terresterially, it's exempt from the law requiring it being offered to competitors. DirecTV and Echostar (DISH Network) tried a sumilar petition years ago, but failed. It'll be interesting if it goes through this time under the new government. If Ford had Comcrap's D.C. lawyers and lobbyists, you'd see Ford Mustangs being sold at Dodge and Pontiac dealers... (5/30/09) Oh that Dave at DCRTV...can't even get the Dillard Story correct...he's becoming more like the Washington Post! (5/30/09) Dave's response: Due to the fact that you and so many other regular DCRTV visitors don't support the site, I've had to send the fact-checker home at noon on Fridays as a budget-cutting measure. So, any "news" that we report from noon Friday until 9 AM Monday is not guaranteed to be "totally truthful." Sorry..... Alzheimer's kicking-in, I guess! I was referring to WPRW in the era after third-tickets could run directional AM's. I recall WPRW being referred to as having such a fucked-up pattern that it was the only DA AM that was still required to have only 1st ticket ops. And, regarding WDON, among the stations Earl Robbin worked for around here was WWDC, IIRC. He did a nightly remote from the old "Casino Royal" nightclub for WWDC which was tied-in for at least awhile with a short-lived synficated gig that Dick Clark tried to get going but sort of crashed on rotation. In a way it was kind of a precursor to Bob Smith's last big radio gig which he launched on XTRA-104 from D.C.'s Hard Rock Cafe, and was successfully networked until Bob's untimely death, itonically the morning after one of his D.C. shows. In fact, I believe he may have in fact been on some locally profuced show on WUSA-9 the morning of what would become his last show on XTRA-104. Unsigned Corporate Suit (5/30/09) Question about Don Dillard: Is this the same "Don Dillard" who played country music on WDON? If so, I remember hearing him, circa 1969; if this is the same one who you guys are saying played "top-40"..guess this proves that a good disk jockey (that's what they called them back then).can handle any format..and sound like they are well-versed in which ever field of music he/she's playing! Johnny Dark certainly pulled if off; we all know what he did with the "top-40" format on WCAO; then, turned around and played "country music"..and listeners could pretty well tell that he had done his homework! WDON was a pretty good little country station in the late 60s; I could pull them in a little at the school for the blind I attended in Baltimore..and if I wanted to really listen close, I could sometimes even hear WDON among all the "shaking"..here on the eastern shore! This was back in the days when Tomcat Reder was still there; I used to enjoy him..although it wasn't that easy to hear WDON in the early morning in the Baltimore area! Tom in Denton, MD (5/30/09) R.A. Campbell has a candid shot of Don Dillard behind the big W-DON audio console at his site: racampbell.tripod.com (5/30/09) OK, time for today's "Holy S***!" moment: Remember the song "Tears in Heaven" Eric Clapton wrote about his son? Had things not taken the turn they did, 22-year-old Conor Clapton would be graduating college right about now. Yep, I said "college". HOLY S***! (5/30/09) In FM's earliest days, Everett Dillard's WASH-FM was a part of the "Continental FM Network", (sometimes known simply as the "Continental Network"), which piped mostly classical music to 17 stations along the east coast. And, BTW, there's a nice article about Jean Dillard (Everett's wife) from 1963 at DCMemories.com (5/30/09) More about Everett Dillard's Continental FM Network: "During the 1940s Dillard also headed the Washington-based Continental FM Network, a 52-station network. The Continental Network was Dillard’s and Edwin Howard Armstrong's creation to get some content for Armstrong’s Alpine, NJ, station. Dillard's WASH fed a 15 kHz phone line to Alpine. Some of the content was WASH's evening classical record program. The network 'connected' Dillard’s WASH-FM to stations in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, New York (as far west as Buffalo), Connecticut, Massachusetts and ending at Mount Washington, in New Hampshire. Many of the stations picked up the broadcast from the station 'down the line' and rebroadcast it, thus allowing the next station 'up the line' to pick-up the broadcast and forward it along." Source: en.wikipedia.org (5/30/09) Regarding the "racist" (and I don't understand why they haven't thrown "sexist" into the mix) comment the Honorable Sotomayor made, I am reminded of a awkward and sensitive judicial situation Justice Ginsberg was in when she had to explain to the eight male justices the delicate and emotional issue of why a 13 year old girl would refuse a strip search. Satomayor bashing can be heard on WMAL. (5/30/09) Does anyone know what other radio shows Dan Scanlan hosts ? He has been filling in for Jim Bohannon this past week on American in the Morning and has been outstanding. (5/30/09) Jeff (the blow hard) in Bowie. See this is what happens when you get the whole story from only one source such as TWP. How do you know that the 'whole story, the whole context" that you read was not edited as well? In my research on Sotomayor, I found many more than one incident where she put race and policy ahead of legal integrity. Now we have another source, the NYT no less, that confirms what I said. See unlike you, I get my info from multiple sources. To quote the NYT, Sonia Sotomayor "has championed the importance of considering race and ethnicity in admissions, hiring and even judicial selection at almost every stage of her career —". As I said, the woman is a bigot and a racist. Her words, in context, or out, confirm this. Your ponderous defense of her is without merit. The words she spoke in 2001, of a hispanic woman being superior to white male, are not taken out of context when repeated on their own. They are her own words, and she has repeated them so often, in so many contexts, that they stand alone as her holy grail of how she will legislate from the bench. The relevance to the local media scene is that those who defend her keep citing the same local sources, which they think are somehow the best sources because they are in DC. So what!! They do not read beyond what is handed to them. You, Jeff, ascribe to exactly the sort of close minded journalism that makes liberals think they need a fairness doctrine. The fairness however is intended to mute debate, to force the showing of another side that does not exist, but by which the airing of so confuses the discussion that it ends. Its the Al Sharpton school of debate. This woman excels at that. It is however you who are being unfair, trying to lump Alito in with Sotomayor. Obama needs to do the right thing and remove her name, just as he did with the tax evaders. And Janet needs to fired too. (5/30/09) Not quite right about the elder Dillard. Ev Dillard ran the Commercial Radio Equipment Co. Despite its name, it was really an FCC consultant which would do the paperwork and representation for your applications or stations before the FCC. Everett Dillard knew the right people at the FCC and Ed did the technical stuff. Dillard started in Kansas City and had the predecessor to KOZY(FM) on the air prior to WW2. He shut down KOZY during the dark days of FM after he had moved to DC and started W3XL/WASH. Major Armstrong supported WASH in presenting the remote broadcasts of the Armed Forces bands and symphony orchestras. WASH fed Armstrong's station near NYC at least part of the time in the evenings by special high fidelity wire lines. Larry Carl preceded Nelson Griggs as the major WASH announcer when it had classical music in the evenings. WASH also had a remote of Basil Fomeen's band from the Congo Room of the Carleton Hotel some weeks. Ev Dillard's wife. Jean, managed WDON(AM). The elder Dillards retired to Titusville, FL, many years ago and are now deceased. (5/30/09) WOW…..GOLLY GEE….Come on get a life…Mike…WOW….would not even consider being MOM…ever..too much pain..GG (5/30/09) Hi Dave, I am afraid you got something wrong. Don Dillard did not own WDON. It was owned by his father Everett Dillard (who also owned WASH - FM. The senior Dillard sold radio transmitters and put WASH on the air for demonstration purposes. For a long while he used to carry WQXR - FM from New York (classical music which was owned by the NY Times). Don wanted to try radio so daddy set up the AM station so he could learn the business. Don used to do afternoon drive and before him was a guy named Earl Robbin who went on to work for several larger stations in DC. I believe one was WEAM and maybe WPGC. The last I knew Earl was last selling office products in the early '80s. Steve (5/30/09) Unsigned Corporate Suit: Way back when, any AM radio station with a directional antenna (including WPRW AM-1460 Manassas, VA) had to have someone with a First Class Radiotelephone Operator's License on duty when the station was on the air. If not the announcer, then they had to have somebody else, but many stations didn't want to hire 2 people. Hence, all the quickie first ticket schools back then, which would cram a jock's head with enough electronics to pass the test, then forget it all. This, as opposed to the Third Class Radiotelephone Operator's Permit, needed at non-directional AM stations and FM's, which also included a test, but one any trained monkey could pass (I got one). Before that, you only needed a little permit which was, almost literally, obtainable with 25 cents in coin and a boxtop. (5/30/09) In answer to "didn't the old WPRW-1460 have a condition on its license requiring a 1st ticket for every operator on duty?" The answer is yes. So did WEAM, WEEL, WINX and any other station that had a "directional" signal. Sometime during the 70's that was changed by the FCC to only 3rd ticket restricted. Don Dillard was one of the greats in the 60's, and I had the chance to run into him several times, when I worked for Milt Grant. Milt for a while did his regional shows, from different stations. I did the news for Milt, so I'd travel with him. WINX, WAVA, WEEL and WDON were just some of the stations we traveled to. Don was a gracious and personable radio guy. Not many left! Pat Murphy (5/30/09) /\ May 30 Messages /\ \/ May 29 Messages \/ Also sorry to hear about the death of Don Dillard. When I was in my early teen's there was a record store in the same little shopping center where WDON was located. I can remember going into WDON's storefront many times and looking through the studio window while Dillard did his show. That was really big time. When I got a little older I went to many of his record hops at the Kensington Armory. Where I grew up WEAM could not be heard clearly after sunset so when WDON signed off that meant tuning to out of town stations. (5/29/09) Hmmm... -City FM 99.5-... By any chance was it consulted by Mike "Hot Hits" Joseph? Unsigned Corporate Suit (5/29/09) Don Dillard, circa 1961 Photo (5/29/09) My last .02 on the torture debate, and then I'll shut my mouth on the subject. Following the fall of Baghdad in 2003, conservative talking heads repeatedly employed the meme that our troops had freed the Iraqi people from "Saddam's rape rooms and torture chambers". Ironically, we have now become the ones debating the merit of torture, with some among us basing the justification of its use on expediency and results. Amazing. How, and more importantly, WHY did we get to this point? There can be no moral relativism on the subject of when and how to justify torture. Regardless of reasoning, regardless of situation, torture, defined as the intentional infliction of pain or fear of death on any captive, is clearly prohibited by the Uniform Code of Military Justice, as well as United States Law and countless international laws and treaties. Period. Torture is not something that we can be judge to be justifiable on a case-by-case basis. As a people, as a Nation, we either condone it, or we condemn it. Why? because once you begin down the slippery slope of making any abhorrent act acceptable, you find yourself in the impossible moral dilemma of defining just where and how we as a people will draw the line. The questions abound - If we condone torture to exact information that might protect, is it then justifiable to preemptively torture? What basis do we use to identify the "ticking time bomb" scenario to justify the preemptive torture of another human being? Regardless of the Hollywood myth, there is rarely a "Jack Bauer" moral certainty within the intelligence community. In a nearly unanimous opinion from our military as well as our intelligence community, holding a gun to a bad guy's head does not produce accurate intel. It's the old adage: You shove a cattle prod up a man's ass, and you can make him sing show tunes. Where do I stand on the issue? Personally, I prefer to leave decisions of this nature to those who have skin in the game. Our military and the intelligence professionals. Throughout this political debate, I haven't heard many of them crying that their hands are tied by adherence to the limitations outlined within the Army Field Manual. Flat out, torture is not condoned by the military. Why? Because it constitutes an unjustifiable increase of risk for our troops in the battlefield, as well as our uniformed personnel in situations of capture by the enemy. Who is it that is doing the complaining then? Lawyers. Politicians. Conservative Talk Show Hosts. Pundits. People who have never shouldered a gun and have never volunteered to walk that wall to defend our freedom. That should tell you something. Personally, I side with our Military. They seem to know wrong from right. We should too. I now step down from the soapbox. - Jeff in (Why are we even having this argument?) Bowie (5/29/09) Very sorry to hear of the passing of Don Dillard. Back in the early 1960's (When I got my start in the 'biz locally) Don was one of the local DJ's whose record picks were published Fridays and then later on Saturdays in the "Area D.J.'s Top Records Lists" in the "Teen" section of the old Washington Star newspaper. Dean Griffiths (WPGC), Carroll James (WWDC), Felix Grant (WMAL), and Milt Grant were among the others. And, by now we've possibly lost all of them. That was the amazing thing about radio in the old days... It was not just local, it was personally local in that for Top-40, there were stations which appealed to particular parts of the area. I'm sure that the combination of WPGC being essentially a daytimer (The FM didn't start staying on after sunset until the FCC started enforcing the "Unlimited Hours" rule on FM's, requiring a minimum of 126 hours/week of airtime...) and the other AM's being crippled with night DA's which varied from insane to absurd (IIRC, didn't the old WPRW-1460 have a condition on its license requiring a 1st ticket for every operator on duty? Can somebody answer that non-political question?) helped cause this. Don was the son of Everett L. Dillard, who not only built and owned WDON, but also built WASH and owned it for a considerable length of time. I believe it was from him that Metromediocre bought it. Recent DCRTV obits... greats in the business who've passed on. And, of late, they've all been my age or younger! Unsigned Corporate Suit (5/29/09) Who says radio isn't exciting anymore? (5/29/08) Love the righteous 'save Americans at any cost' patriots. Bottom of the logic box empties out quickly when posters turn to a quote from Mancow to build an argument. What would you not torture people for? Brave little girl dying of cancer? Would you torture doctors for information and results? Are you too slow and too well paid with your military pension to understand the logic? (5/29/09) Re: "Hey, who cares about Miss Howard…who cares about Howard…..get an f’n life for Gawd’s sake-WOW" Remember WOW upside-down spells MOM. Could WOW be Mike? Mike Joseph (5/29/09) Mancow rigged it! He was not really waterboarded, people! Do you also think Sean Hannity’s phone calls at 52 past the first and second hour are from real listeners without scripts? Geeeeeesh! The problem with torture, as anyone familiar with it will tell you, is you glean what you want to hear, not necessarily the truth. (5/29/09) "Would I waterboard a terrorist if I knew it would save my childrens' lives? Yes, and so would everyone else if it meant saving their childrens' lives," says Mancow, heard mornings on DC's WTNT (570 AM). The preceding is what was posted on the front page of DCRTV. One would think few would dispute that. Frankly, not only would I support torture of a terrorist to save my family, friends and innocent Americans, but I would gladly participate in the process. But we have this guy Neal who seems to think that the 9/11 lives lost were worth whatever principles Neal believes in because he claims he wouldn't have waterboarded to prevent their deaths. Putting aside that his view of the relevant "principles" seems more than a little warped, the problem with his wrongheaded thinking is that it is the ultimate slipperly slope. So, according to Neal, we don't waterboard a terrorist to prevent the deaths of 3,000. How about 10,000? How about 100,000? How about 1 million? How about some day when there is a weapon powerful enough to destroy the entire world? Who is going to respect your principles then, Neal? I agree with the other poster that Neal's is a classic ivory tower argument by a guy who seems not to have a clue how the real world works. (5/29/09) F*ck Howard, Miss Howard, and the mule they rode in here on. Robert in Arlington (5/29/09) Joe in Essex - "Hmmm, do you need zoning approval to re-construct something already previously given zoning approval" - Yes. Rockville is funny about stuff like that. I know you are on your constant quest about licenses, but WLXE is not one that is trying to skirt the rules. (5/29/09) Don made his home in Annapolis, MD – he moved from Montgomery county over 20 years ago. Do was “American Graffiti” to many. (5/29/09) Hey, who cares about Miss Howard…who cares about Howard…..get an f’n life for Gawd’s sake-WOW (5/29/09) Dave's response: I want to see Miss Howard Bernstein, the 9 weather dude in drag..... All right Dave, this is my last post on the subject. "And somehow I don't think his pompous, ivory tower approach would be the same if he or his family were the victims of terrorism." Did you hear me say that two of my friends died in the South tower? Neither could escape in time? Do you know anyone who was in the buildings/planes? No? Oh. Now about my 'callowness for human life', many people have died in defense of America's principles. We have a name for them: heroes. Much like each of 2,983 victims that day. And to think, I always thought the GOP (which all three of these people were) were the party of adhering to the principles of America. Show me where in our history books that it says we should adhere to them only in peace? Like holding on to the principle of non-violence in the face of segregationists. Most blacks wanted to repay Southern whites for their savagery under Jim Crow. Their adherence to that principle, when no one in their right mind would have blamed them for retaliation, is what saw them through. Perhaps if either of you two had a clue of what the word 'principles' means, you wouldn't be making a fool of yourself now. R.I.P. Mike & Margaret. We defend America's values and principles in your honor. Like you family and I know you want us to... (5/29/09) [We] were wondering. Since he keeps putting her out for all to see, is Don Geronimo grooming his new wife to become the next on-air Freda? With what would have been Freda's b-day on June 7, [we] hope not! (5/29/09) Marie Blanchard has been selected as Miss Howard TV June 2009 for Howard Stern’s Howard TV On Demand subscription video on demand channel. Originally from Haiti, the stunning 5’8” model/actress now lives in Pittsburgh where she also co-owns a construction company. She has both a boyfriend and a girlfriend, the latter of which happily joined Marie in the studio during her interview on the Howard Stern Show and they couldn’t take their hands off each other. Seemingly shy, Marie loves to go to clubs dressed in provocative outfits; she prefers standing on top of the speakers and dancing with the other hot girls to fend off the hoards of men that always hit on her. When asked by Howard about her first lesbian experience, Marie obliged with a detailed description of her first steamy encounter. She said she used to be a good girl, to which Howard replied, “Now you are a bad girl.” Marie’s goal is to be an actress and she has already had some small roles in the movies Zach and Miri Make a Porno with Seth Rogen and Elizabeth Banks, Kill Point with Donny Wahlberg, the upcoming Sorority Row with Rumor Willis and She’s Out of My League. She met her current girlfriend at a club when she was wearing a hot fire engine red dress. When Howard suggested that perhaps she doesn’t need the boyfriend anymore, they both answered, “No way. He owns nightclubs and restaurants and besides…he’s a really good cook.” Marie Blanchard’s studio interview can be seen only on Howard TV On Demand. She will also host the monthly preview show during June. Marie is also profiled with photos, blogs and a webcast on www.howard.tv/MissHowardTV. (5/29/09) I wrote about the non-letterboxed "Law & Order" a few months ago. Out here on Comcast, it is the same on Channel 4, so I guess that is WRC's call. I recorded most of this season's episodes from WBAL as a result. Charles in Winchester (5/29/09) "Bob Schieffer's band, Honky Tonk Confidential..." HTC is not "Bob Shieffer's band." He appeared on an album cut of theirs a couple of years ago and sometimes makes guest appearances with them. But, he's not a member, and they don't appear on Face the Nation! (5/29/09) After reading Neal's view on 9/11 all I can say is wow. To be so callous about human life is beyond me. And somehow I don't think his pompous, ivory tower approach would be the same if he or his family were the victims of terrorism. Mancow is absolutely right. (5/29/09) Neal uses the typical loser tactic of name calling when he has no argument. Tell you what Neal, caring about the lives of other Americans is neither panic nor cowardice. What is disgusting however, is your suggestion that the lives of over 3000 people were worth your "principles." (5/29/09) Dave's response: Keep it to media-related stuff. Don't want to have to start trashin'..... " There is NO ONE that wouldn't have been for torture if it could have prevented 9/11..." Not true at all. Real Americans still wouldn't have been proponents of torture, as that is clearly anti-American. If America's as great a country as we have all purported it to be, why would we go against our fundamental principles? Some of you dolts got so scared after 9/11 that you'll trade in your freedoms for protection. And as Ben Franklin pointed out, you deserve neither. And I knew three people who were in the Trade Center that dreadful day. One of them survived. And that survivor would be the first to tell you that what makes America great is holding on to our principles in the most challenging of circumstances. Since you suggest that we panic, you show your true lack of patriotism. And your abundance of cowardice... Neal (5/29/09) (From DCRTV's Classified Ads:) Producer - Federal News Radio 1500 AM seeks F/T Producer. Minimum 3-4 yrs professional broadcast news exp. Must have strong interest in federal contracting, IT & employment issues, proven ability to cultivate sources & break news, excellent multi-tasking and writing skills under deadline and basic web knowledge (html photoshop)..Complete application at www.federalnewsradio.com link “inside WFED”…follow instructions from there. An Equal Opportunity Employer…. (5/29/09) Jeff in Bowie. If you do not see the difference in the words of Alito va Sotomayer, then I feel sorry for any community that let's you vote. You lack the intelligence to understand what you read. Nice try on the spin. Obama made a mistake, stay tuned. (5/29/09) Any idea where Marc Fisher is heading now that he has written his last column for the Post? www.washingtonpost.com (5/29/09) Responding to a previous poster, you are correct that WTEM is seriously deficient in covering hockey and baseball too, for that matter. But I don't think it has anything to do with the race of listeners. I think it has to do with the complete ignorance of people like Sheehan, Pollin, Walker and Thompson when it comes to anything other than football and basketball. And what is all the more remarkable is that one can make a very good argument that the Caps have become the number two pro sports attraction in this town. One would think that a sportstalk station would be ahead of the curve with respect to the market it serves. Yet, WTEM continues to wallow in their poor ratings and ignore that things are changing in the DC sports market. (5/29/09) The blurb on Mancow's comments says it all about why this whole torture thing is a farce. There is NO ONE that wouldn't have been for torture if it could have prevented 9/11, and I'm not talking waterboarding here, I'm talking cutting off fingers and putting people on the rack. The next time this country is hit, the whole debate goes back to a 9/12 setting and Obama looks like a fool. (5/29/09) Here is a rare non-political comment: Verizon FiOS has started carrying Telefutura on its Channel 17.Now I can watch Betty La Fea on Thursday nights. And the subtitles make it easier to understand for a non-native speaker like me. I am guessing that it's low-power channel 47 from the District but it may be a plain network feed. Either way, thank you Verizon! Also, you know what I noticed? When L&O is carried on analog Channel 4, it is not letterboxed; I guess they zoom it to a full-screen 4:3 picture and cut off the sides. Is it Verizon that does the enlarging or is that something given to them by WRC-TV? Anyone out there know? -- Carl in Olney (5/29/09) Bob Schieffer's band, Honky Tonk Confidential, will perform with him at the the Society of Professional Journalists D.C. Pro Chapter annual Dateline Awards Dinner June 9 at the National Press Club. The band, which has played at the Grand Ole Opry, the Kennedy Center and the Waldorf Astoria, will entertain when Schieffer, Gwen Ifill, moderator of Washington Week, Kenneth Walsh, U.S. News & World Report White House correspondent, and Toby McIntosh, of BNA, are inducted into the chapter Hall of Fame, and Courtland Milloy, Washington Post columnist, receives the Distinguished Service Award. (5/29/09) Marc Fisher has apparently written his last column for The Washington Post. www.washingtonpost.com (5/29/09) Bill R., What's laughable is anyone believing that the right's constant whining about bias and "playing the refs" has had no effect on today's journalism. We now have a media where the debate is consistently held based on how the right frames the question. That is not to say that the media always agrees with the right on any given issue, it is simply a guarantee that the right preferred terminology will always be used to present any issue. The right always gets to play on the home field, so to speak. A perfect example is the widely accepted code words of "Judicial Activist" and "Strict Constructionist". The media has accepted the right's definition of that even though the actuality is that the right side of the Supreme Court is much more likely to vote to overturn passed laws than the left side is and to, in effect, make law. BTW, whether you want to admit it or not, the WaPo editorial page under Fred Hiatt has been reliably neo-con for quite some time. Accepting the right frame is something they do daily. Howie (5/29/09) Sad to hear Ken Dermota had died. He was a tape editor at NBC/MBS when we all worked there in the mid-to-late 90s. We saw Ken at the NBC/MBS Reunion last September; he did not look good but I'm not sure how many of us knew he was sick--or, how sick he really was. Ken sort of stuck to himself, meaning he didn't say much about what he did--so, like many obits, the Post's writeup shed new light on his life before broadcasting. Tragic enough to lose someone; more tragic to lose someone so young. sean hall (5/29/09) The following was forwarded to DCRTV..... (5/29/09) With Doreen Gentzler's leave of absence for the summer, there was speculation that Wendy Reiger will be filling in on the 6pm newscast..After seeing Vance and Eun Yang co-anchoring the other day, I think she should sub for Doreen..I've seen them co-anchor before and feel that there's much more chemistry between Vance and Eun Yang than Vance and Reiger..Just my opinion. (5/29/09) I love Jeff in (fill in the blank) Bowie. Besides agreeing with almost everything he says, he makes me laugh. -- Bobbie (5/29/09) Regarding Howie’s previous message, “The WaPo also had to post a correction today concerning the claim that Sotomayor was born to ‘immigrant parents’ . Just goes to show how easily the right wing framing of an issue is accepted by the mainstream media . . .” Could it be that the WaPo’s editors didn’t know that anyone born in PR since, I think it is, 1917 is a U.S. citizen? This being the case, Sotomayor’s parents moved, not immigrated, within U.S. territory from PR to New York. And the thought of the right wing framing of an issue (which) is accepted by the mainstream media is just laughable. Bill R. (5/29/09) ("While I agree that Mike O' Meara and his staff know nothing about sports, Big O and Dukes know little if any more. When Big O and Dukes talk sports it consists of a few things, first Oscar will bring nothing to the discussion and repeat everything Chad/Drab says. Second, the sports talk will be MMA...") Sounds to me like someone listens to a lot of Big O and Dukes. Great show in my opinion. They would succeed in any time slot, in any market in the country. - California Listener. (5/29/09) A question for the broadcast engineering community: who is handling the buildout for the Times' radio-TV facility? If they have any brains over there, they would have hired the same people that wired up the White House three years ago. You wanna talk about a world-class facility? The White House press briefing area, the downstairs bureau offices and the digital guts downstairs in the old Presidential swimming pool have no equal anywhere. (5/29/09) fjallfoss.fcc.gov... Problems for WLXE AM 1600 continue, first ground system accidently dug up & transmission line severed during construction, then a truck accidently topples one of the towers. Multicultural is asking for more time to replace the collapsed tower apparently citing zoning requirements. Hmmm, do you need zoning approval to re-construct something already previously given zoning approval? I guess that's possible, but seems a bit of a suspicious to me. I'm thinking, no money to do the work is the more likely reason. I guess we'll see how long this drags out. Hopefully, not as long the AM 1600 repair job in Dover, Delaware for WDPZ, which I think hasn't had a permanent transmitting facility for, geez, TEN+ YEARS NOW!!!! That means almost no one has been listening since 1998! What a complete WASTE of our airwaves. How exactly does our crazy FCC allow stuff like this to happen? TEN YEARS? Why isn't their license yanked? Oh, and the FCC gave them more translator licenses which they also had under STA or continual construction permit. Somebody give me a valid reason, seriously somebody explain it to me how this BS happens or gets approved. Why should any broadcaster who doesn't maintain their current facilities for an incredibly long period of time (and I think 10 years is an incredibly long period of time) be given NEW LICENSES to pull the same stunt? Anybody have a clue? (5/29/09) /\ May 29 Messages /\ \/ May 28 Messages \/ The Winchester Star/Clarke Courier, while I am sad to hear about even more people who will lose their jobs in this economy, coming rom someone who had actually work in the Winchester, Virginia radio market back in the 90s, I have to agree with the previous poster who claimed that the paper was "anti-radio outside WINC". That one is totally true. Back in 1994 I took a job in that market and right off the bat I was told by my then-PD, no matter what either I or he had felt about my work on air or the ratings, The Winchester Star will still think "I suck", because to them ( The Star ) the only radio station that really mattered to them was 92.5/1400 WINC-FM since everyone else in the market was to the Star "common trash". Ask the other local stations in the area like Q102, WFQX, WKSI, WFTR/WZRV, WSIG, WEPM/WLTF, WDHC/WCST, and WTRM..Chances are they would agree. Back in November 1995 I was working in Winchester and as I remember it was actually The Winchester Star who indirectly had the local Arbitron book for Fall 1995 thrown out because the paper had brought up during the book about some local jock having HIV and how he should not be allowed to be on the air as if that was a major news story and as a result in the book comments were made about "..you get the name..you now must play the game", "Adam and Eve..not Adam and Steve" and "Pervert who shall rot in hell" anyway as a result of that very strange book WINC-AM 1400 became the number one station in the market, WINC-AM which prides itself ( at the time anyway ) as being the station '"on the RIGHT side of the AM dial", a 1000 watt station who ends up being number one in the market and beating the more powerful FMs like Q102, WKMZ and WINC-FM? Ah don't think so..so anyway thanks an agreement between ALL of the local stations including WINC and despite all of the local stations who had spent good money in promotions and what-not that book was thrown out and Arbitron decided to re-do the Winchester book in Spring 1996. Thank you Winchester Star !!!!! (5/28/09) ("Except any sports talk flip that includes O'Meara and his merry band of queens would be a failure. Have you ever listened when they talk sports? Mike is a great sports fan, and can jump on a DC bandwagon better then anyone, but Buzz and Rob know and care about sports as much as TMU does about them. Now, if you move Big O & D to drive time, you could have success. Chad did sports talk before, and they both know and actually care enough about sports to talk around it for 4 hours.") While I agree that Mike O' Meara and his staff know nothing about sports, Big O and Dukes know little if any more. When Big O and Dukes talk sports it consists of a few things, first Oscar will bring nothing to the discussion and repeat everything Chad/Drab says. Second, the sports talk will be MMA. Third, Chad will throw out nonsensical arguments about ESPN covering teams in New York, LA, Chicago, Dallas, and Boston more than others while forgetting that teams in those markets are the most popular in sports. Fourth, Chad will bash sports radio hosts that are infinitely more successful than he will ever be (Jim Rome, Mike and Mike, Colin Cowheard). Fifth, Chad will tell callers what team they need to be fans of, this is done, seemingly without regard to where the person was born or has lived in life, but is predetermined to be the Washington sports teams. Lastly, Chad's sports opinions lack substance, he gets on the air and blurts out crackpot theories based on his years of fantasy football "experience" and nothing more. For all of these reasons it is no wonder that Chad was fired in favor of Anita Marks of all people. (5/28/09) I have several friends at WTOP but have to agree that sometimes stuff gets through to air with barely a critical ear, if that. The JJ Green series has been a bunch of nothing - taking off his clothes and we hear the zipper. Who cares? JJ is trying to build drama, but 85% of the series was superfluous and a boring waste of time. As long as I'm writing, Kristi King did what may be perhaps the most incoherent, rambling piece I have ever heard on a major market station last weekend. It was about a National Geographic travel book, I think, but it was also about playing with kids in Fiji, George Lucas's travel preferences, connecting people with travel, Tom Brokaw's favorite place and I can't even remember. Sort of like this note: completely rambling and pointless. They also had a piece a few weeks ago on men's underwear that makes your ass look bigger, and they turned it into a multi-part extravaganza. If anyone on Idaho Ave. is reading this and says "That's memorable radio because the listener remembered it." It was remembered for all the wrong reasons. They can do better. (5/28/09) Dave, Referencing the last poster's comments about The Winchester Star's name not having "Evening" in it, he / she is correct as far as the paper itself is concerned but the legal entity is still The Winchester Evening Star, Inc., as I stated in my first email to you today. Here is the second paragraph in this week's Clarke Courier about the demise of the weekly: "The Courier was purchased in August 2008 by Winchester Evening Star Inc., which owns The Winchester Star. It was bought with the hope of saving a failed publication." Dirtymon (5/28/09) Hockey has not been discussed on WTEM since the day after the Capitals were eliminated. What if the Wizards had somehow made the playoffs and were eliminated? Do you think that they would have immediately stopped talking about the NBA playoffs? Of course not. But there is a logical reason and they are most likely playing to their predominant audience. If you listen from 12 to 4 you might notice that many, sometimes most, of their callers are black. Hockey and baseball is not a sport that blacks are interested in these days. But they are very interested in basketball (and football) thus the incessant talk about this foul, that blown call, players being called by silly nicknames, etc, etc. When 4pm comes the voice of the audience switches back to white callers and baseball is sometimes discussed as well as football but never hockey. I have no way of knowing who is actually listening but I do know who is calling. I suspect that the 12 - 4 pm hosts are being told what to talk about just like during the Caps playoff run they were told to talk about hockey even though they didn't know a hockey puck from a lacrosse ball. (5/28/09) One of Mike O'Meara's favorite lines is "I talk, you talk, I talk, you talk..." regarding people interrupting or talking over each other. Guess who interrupts or talks over people the most???? Yes it is Mike!!!!!! Go to the pod-cast of last Thursday's show after Mike left to attend his daughter's play. Robb, Beth Ann and Buzz ran the last two breaks and not one time did they interrupt or talk over each other - it seemed like they had been doing it together for years. Oh, and Mike, when you ask a guest a question try not to blather on by asking the question, re-phrasing the question, give possible answers to the question, then ask the question again. Just ask a direct question and let your guest answer!! KP (5/28/09) Small correction to your story about The Winchester "Evening" Star & the Clarke Courier. The Winchester Star dropped the word "Evening" way back in 1980 when the Winchester Star started publishing a Saturday morning edition.Also for a local newspaper, Interesting that this had made the news here since The Winchester Star outside of WINC-FM is very anti-radio. After all they were the paper who in 1995 had published an editoral "suggesting" the firing of then WFQX overnighter "Tad Pole" over Tad Pole's "health" in favor of Elwood King while they also attacked then Q102 then morning gal Jenny Lynn over her then popular catch phrase "roll over and turn me on", plus in 2000 in yet another anti-radio editoral they really slammed then Martinsburg's WKMZ-FM jocks Gary Michaels and Cliff Maxwell over their "questionable" personal lives, YET they seemed to approve Cliff Maxwell when he moved over to WINC. Go figure !!! The worst mistake the Clarke Courier had ever done was letting themselves being taking over by the Winchester Jesus Star. (5/28/09) What's with all of the posts about the Supreme Court nominee in the Mailbag the last couple of days? Besides sounding racist, paranoid and more than a little nutso, they have absolutely nothing to do with Washington area radio and TV. (5/28/09) Old audiotape of George McFly circa 1990 at WAVA 105.1fm: www.youtube.com (5/28/09) Jeff, you have the makings of a pretty good investigative reporter!!! Please continue to introduce these boneheads to facts, won't ya? Neal (5/28/09) The Washingtonian has compiled its quadrennial list of the city's best and most influential journalists in its June issue. WAMU’s Diane Rehm and Kojo Nnamdi are on their list of "Anchors Strong and Steady...12 Washington anchors we trust to give it to us straight." (5/28/09) Dave's response: I prefer my news "bent," a la Fox5's Brian Bolter..... Well, well, well…it turns out this Supreme Court Nominee just might turn out to be one of those closet "liberal activist judges" that Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity keep warning us about. And the more the nominee speaks, the clearer the picture gets on just how far this so-called “Judge” intends to legislate from the bench if given the opportunity for a lifetime appointment to the United States Supreme Court. I quote: "When a case comes before me involving, let's say, someone who is an immigrant -- and we get an awful lot of immigration cases and naturalization cases -- I can't help but think of my own ancestors, because it wasn't that long ago when they were in that position… When I get a case about discrimination, I have to think about people in my own family who suffered discrimination because of their ethnic background or because of religion or because of gender. And I do take that into account." Now, doesn’t this whiny liberal empathetic Kumbaya claptrap just make you sick to your stomach? Um, one catch though….that specific phrase comes from the 2006 Confirmation hearing transcript of Bush Nominee Samuel Alito. Oops. My bad. - Jeff in (context is everything) Bowie (5/28/09) Dave: Just days after Times Community Newspapers spun off its Fairfax paper to the Gazettes, the first paper sold off, The Clarke Courier, has published its last issue after 140 years.... www.winchesterstar.com (5/28/09) "Quote: "Well, it looks like Jeff's post touched a "Rican" nerve." Yup, a Rican nerve with a short fuse and a lack of sense of humor." Yessiree, the voice of a really stable individual. If I was Rican and had that shortcoming and had half a brain in my head, I wouldn't admit to that for everyone to read. Silvie, you not only have a short fuse and no sense of humor (your words), you're an idiot. (5/28/09) When told of rumored plans to replace WNBC-4's 5 PM newscast with a "Lifestyle" show, perhaps Sue Simmons' response was something like this: www.youtube.com... Or this: www.youtube.com... Or, maybe this: www.youtube.com... (5/28/09) Quote: "Just goes to show how easily the right wing framing of an issue is accepted by the mainstream media" Oh Howie, Howie... do you really think that WaPo was referencing any right-wing media outlet on whether or not they've said that Judge Sotomayor's parents were "immigrants"? I mean, really, do you think WaPo gives a rat's behind about the doings (or undoings) of the disappearing "vast-right-wing-conspiring-media"? Please point out where, when and how this has been "framed" and pointed out by the right wing media - whether on TV, radio or newspapers. I think this was just a mistake by WaPo and its editors - nothing more. It just goes to show that Hispanics and Latinos are all lumped into one big category, and that's it. No one cares to learn or know that Puerto Ricans are U.S. citizens. If they've got brown skin, then they must be "immigrants". -Silvie- (5/28/09) Those JJ Green stories have me scratching my head too. He's going to ride in an AF Thunderbird F-16 and the first story he filed, which sounded like it was recorded over the telephone, consisted of nothing but him taking off his clothes in a doctor's office in preparation for a medical exam required for the ride along. That was the entire story. Is there no editor at WTOP with the brains/guts to have trashed that report? Who gives a shit? (5/28/09) Dave's response: While driving around this morning, WTOP actually ran a report about people pooping and peeing in public pools..... A 44-year-old Woodbridge woman whose only broadcast experience is the intercom at the car dealership where she works was selected (in February 2006) to be the new voice of Metro. Randi Miller was chosen from among 1,259 contestants across the country who competed to record the "doors closing" message that plays each time a train leaves a station in the nation's second-busiest subway system. ... Miller , a lease retention manager whose smoky alto draws compliments whenever she pages someone on the public-address system at Lindsay Lexus, was encouraged to enter the contest by her boss. She will not be paid for the recordings, and at yesterday's ceremony there was no sash or tiara -- just the satisfaction of knowing her voice will be played 33,017 times a day. Article continued at: www.washingtonpost.com (5/28/09) So the Sotomayor nomination is being well-received among non-NY Latinos and Hispanics in the Baltimore Washingotn area who are calling into Viva 900 the past few days. I don't get the posting person who says she is not well-liked outside of NYC Puerto Ricans. Listen to the radio and see. There's not a single negative or concerned call among them that I've heard. (5/28/09) Celebrity dies of swine flu. And we all know who gave it to him... (5/28/09) You “emigrate” from Puerto Rico’ to the United States, not “immigrate.” Now, the first fool that goes to Dictionary.com to prove me wrong, I say, “GET A REAL DICTIONARY YOU LUNKHEAD!” (5/28/09) Oh so now it's a "pattern", eh? Convenient. No, Jeff, I was not listening to WMAL at the time, and I did not hear it. And if I'd heard it - I'd admit it. I don't need to play these silly back & forth games and eating up valuable Mailbag space on Dave's site. So if you're going to state something that someone on WMAL said about Puerto Rican "immigrants", and how they said it, I want you to name names or least link the audio clip, or just shut the hell up. -Silvie- (5/28/09) Dave.. I think you might be a little off-base on the column today...YES...we are in agreement about the 'New Fresh'..its a loser, but I told ya that BEFORE they even turned it on...I like DG as a DJ...but Don has been off playing more than radio the last 15 years and --although in his heyday in Chicago and at 105.5 in the 80s..the format, although I like it...is over here in DC...its been too jammed with the likes of BIG..and 105.9...little bit of 107.3..but its been ruined! It will take more than DG to save the CBS bacon...the guys running that outfit have never once really 'read the market'they continue to play with formats that are passe' at best AND have been defeated in other markets before...time to look in the crystal ball on come up with something that works...and works in this complex market! As for 106.7...I'm not a sports guy..but sports radio AGAIN is being abused in DC..NONE of the stations compares to the ESPN outlet(s) in NYC or for certain, WFAN! What they (CBS) should do is develop a LOCAL format like WABC or WOR --promote the hell out of it...as THE VOICE of DC and stick with it...WMAL is such a LAME excuse for an AM powerhouse...and the morning drive show is a good example of the joke it has become to the 'radio community'..... Just my thoughts...my rant for today. Hope you had a good Holiday...enjoy the weekend! Dave (5/28/09) According to Inside Radio, KQLO 1590 AM in Sun Valley, NV was bought at a bankruptcy auction by florist Ricardo Garcia, paying $65,000 for the silent AM'er. He is now a first-time broadcast owner. This will happen with more regularity to dark and floundering AMs than FMs around the country, but it may indicate that diversity is returning to ownership once again. Locally, the most visible off-the-air station is WDMV-AM; you may see a small queue lined up by the door of bankruptcy court if the Birachs ever put that stick up for grabs. (5/28/09) Who is the female voice for the DC Metro? It sounds like Diane Kepley from AP Radio news. Does anybody know? Rich (5/28/09) (From DCRTV's Classified Ads:) I'm Marcus Crockett a recent graduate of Towson University with a degree in Electronic Media and 8 years of radio broadcasting experience. At the age of 16 I started as an intern at WBGR in Baltimore. I have worked for Radio One and CBS Radio. I have interned at WBAL-AM with Steve Davis, WAVA/ WITH, and WMAR-TV. I am looking for the next opportunity to be part of a winning team. I am a Creative Media Maker- I love programming and developing new content. Please feel free to contact me at (443) 695-0059 or email at mcrock2@students.towson.edu, marcuscrockett24@yahoo.com. I am also on Facebook and MySpace. Work samples and demo is available upon request. Thank You (5/28/09) The WaPo also had to post a correction today concerning the claim that Sotomayor was born to "immigrant parents". Just goes to show how easily the right wing framing of an issue is accepted by the mainstream media (although being of immigrant parents should never be a bad thing in this country). Howie (5/28/09) "Doc Walker and Kevin Sheehan have gotten much better together [on WTEM] and collectively know more about sports than any show on that station or any other station including Comcast Sports Net." They may have gotten better together but they're not together anymore - Walker was moved over to the John Thompson show after Brian Mitchell's contract wasn't renewed. Sheehan's been hosting solo since then and I'd question the scope of his sports expertise - great on the Redskins, college hoops and the NBA but considerably weaker when it comes to anything else. Much like Andy Pollin, he freely admits his lack of hockey knowledge or interest in the sport - has he even mentioned the Capitals or the NHL playoffs since the day after they got eliminated by Pittsburgh? You could also listen to that show (or Thompson's) for days on end and hear little or nothing about baseball. I know the Nats are nothing to write home about, but the Orioles aren't exactly a contender either and the sports stations in Baltimore talk about them all the time. Ironically, Sports Reporters has become the one program on 980 that makes at least some effort to deal with the local baseball scene. As far as WJFK-FM going all sports is concerned, I'll believe that when it actually happens. Mike, Fairfax (5/28/09) Jeff in Bowie, It is indeed interesting when people actually read comments in their entirety prior to passing judgment. Your link to that article made me realize just how stupid some people actually are. One thing's for certain, all the GOP talkers who just can't wait to call someone a 'racist', surely didn't read this article, or her comments in their entirety. Perhaps some of them need more education. And a pacifier. And a red nose to match their clown suit. Thanks for helping to enlighten the stupid. They're pretty desperate these days, can't ya tell??? Neal. (5/28/09) Anybody know whatever happened to Joe Bruno, WMAR's former Chief of Engineering? Any help would be appreciated. (5/28/09) on Channel 4 here in DC? If true, I think they'd put this on all the (NBC) o and o's www.observer.com: "Could the station that 30 years ago gave birth to the "Live at Five" news format now be plotting the eventual demise of the early evening news genre? Rumors are currently swirling at WNBC-4, NBC's flagship station in New York, that executives at NBC Universal are considering the creation of a daily 5 p.m. lifestyle show that could debut on affiliate stations around the country as early as the fall of 2009—and which could spell the end, locally, of WNBC’s 5 p.m. newscast, currently anchored by Sue Simmons and David Ushery." (5/28/09) RE: [The racist white male hater, as clearly shown in her own words, is a NY Puerto Rican. Puerto Ricans from outside of NYC call her group Neuyo (phonetically sound like New Yo) Ricans. And they don't like her kind. Those outside of NY feel that her sort looks down on the rest of the Hispanics and disdains Hispanic culture.] You know, there are times when I am absolutely astounded by the amount of sheer ignorance and misinflrmation one person can pack into a single paragraph. For those of you who still hold an open mind on the matter, I urge you to take a moment to read the nominees actual words in full context before you pass judgement based on one sentence repeatedly quoted by a stable of right wing yakkers. www.nytimes.com... Silvie, to address your comments, it was on WMAL. I am positive you were listening at the time and heard it. You already know who it was. My statement is in reference to a pattern by the station, not any individual....and finally, I don't answer to you. - Jeff in Bowie (5/28/09) Dave, I'm looking for information on an early WJMA/Orange employee, Joe Tully, who went to WRC Radio in the early 1950s. He later moved to NBC TV where I'm told he was an early producer/director for "Meet The Press". Can you suggest anyone I could contact who might remember Joe Tuly? Thanks for any help you can provide. wjmainfo at radiohistory dot net.... Ross Hunter (5/28/09) (" Look, if CBS puts sports talk on 106.7, with the Junks and O'Meara as the "bookends," it'll do better than the guy talk. ") Except any sports talk flip that includes O'Meara and his merry band of queens would be a failure. Have you ever listened when they talk sports? Mike is a great sports fan, and can jump on a DC bandwagon better then anyone, but Buzz and Rob know and care about sports as much as TMU does about them. Now, if you move Big O & D to drive time, you could have success. Chad did sports talk before, and they both know and actually care enough about sports to talk around it for 4 hours. Move MOM over to 94.7 where the show and "whacky bits" could fit well with the audience. Fill the midday with ESPN 980 cast offs or Dan Patrick, and you have a winner. (5/28/09) dave...you gave the link, but did you actually read Erica's blog? it says she is NOT going to be on the TV show! (5/28/09) Dave's response: The blurb has been updated..... It is interesting to note how out of touch the media may be on their fawing coverage of the Supreme Court nominee. The racist white male hater, as clearly shown in her own words, is a NY Puerto Rican. Puerto Ricans from outside of NYC call her group Neuyo (phonetically sound like New Yo) Ricans. And they don't like her kind. Those outside of NY feel that her sort looks down on the rest of the Hispanics and disdains Hispanic culture. Her choice may actually be divisive rather than cohesive for the Hispanic support. No media coverage has brought up this possible liability of her ethnicity. (5/28/09) What's the deal with J.J. Green's current series of reports on WTOP? I usually think he's one of the station's bright spots, but this is just embarrassingly bad. He keeps saying its a series about his "exciting" flight with a group of elite Air Foce pilots...but the first report I heard was J.J. in a doctor's office, describing every piece of clothing he removed and then the green smock he put on for the examination. The next report was J.J. sitting in the waiting room...waiting. And then the doctor called him in--end of report. I'm not making this up. Is this supposed to be funny? (5/28/09) Quote: "Well, it looks like Jeff's post touched a "Rican" nerve." Yup, a Rican nerve with a short fuse and a lack of sense of humor. Still waiting for an answer from Jeff............... *sound of crickets* -Silvie- (5/28/09) Dave's response: I hear that Andy Parks will be driving an old WMAL bus taking Puerto Rican "immigrants" back home. Yeah Andy, take I-95 south to Miami and make a "left"..... Memories, indeed! Funny how you can get nostalgic over a drug store tube tester. And the way they were programmed to say "short" every time you plugged in a 6GH8! (Just kidding--those really did short out on their own.) Then there was Rodman's Drugs, with their LP racks featuring bootlegs of Arturo Toscanini... and Dart Drug with their 33-cent cutout LPs. Lotsa great records with little holes in their jackets... ~~CA in BC (5/28/09) Re: Radio-TV Museum tube tester! Thanks for the photo of that old machine, at 47 I remember them well. It was the city-man's version of Lowes! My father would always go to the 7-11 in the basement of River House Apartments in Arlington to test the TV tubes. He would often send us downstairs for TV Tubes, Dr. Pepper, dinner, penny candy, Schlitz, and cigars. Before Pentagon City, the airport and pentagon views were terrific! Happy 80-th birthday, Dad (5/28/09) Re: "Jeff in Bowie - regarding your post, name names. -Silvie-" Well, it looks like Jeff's post touched a "Rican" nerve. (5/28/09) /\ May 28 Messages /\ \/ May 27 Messages \/ 1067TheFanDC.com was registered last week. (5/27/09) The truth is that WTEM is fine between 12p and 7p but awful before it. Mike and Mike are terrible for a smart market like DC; Coward is a talent but does too much college football and isn't that funny. Doc Walker and Kevin Sheehan have gotten much better together and collectively know more about sports than any show on that station or any other station including Comcast Sports Net. The John Thompson Show is trouble but the Sports Reporters is still pretty entertaining. Czaban is a talent. Most have gotten used to Pollin. (5/27/09) How'd you like to hear THIS little number on that 105.5 FM bluegrass station? www.aprilwinchell.com (MP3). Sure'n I'll be seein' you in church this weekend, laddie. (5/27/09) Anyone heard what former anchors Lark McCarthy and Tracey Neale have been up to since leaving their stations? (5/27/09) BIG 100.3 still in the top 5. Has anyone else noticed they've been pushing the envelope a little more toward classic rock in recent weeks? Their website has changed too, using the phrase "BIG Classic Hits. BIG Classic Rock" (idigbig.com). Too bad about Struber though, these numbers were earned while he was still in afternoon drive. Dave, do you think they'll continue to hold a place in the top 5 for the foreseeable future? (5/27/09) Dave's response: Yeah, classic rock is a "top 5" or "top 10" format in many markets. But you've got to keep the playlist "fresh." Something CBS was unable to do in the last months of classic rock on 94.7. Now, if CBS let 94.7 sound as cool as it did that final (Cerphe programmed) weekend in early April, they might have had great success with it..... Dave: Wow, I wonder if the exec's at Fox Sports Radio took notice of that big stick up Czaban's xxx this morning. He really sounded like someone who didn't care anymore or was on the brink of getting fired...just awful radio! May be it's the perfect time for WJFK to introduce a sports line-up and finally put an end to all of the speculation regarding a format change. I don't know about the rest of you, but WTEM is a bad-listen from 12noon - 7pm weekdays. If Dan Snyder is so concerned about money, marketing and success, why doesn't he set a good example and do something about this terrible sportstalk station. I guess he's treating his station like his NFL team...all talk, no action. (5/27/09) Dave's response: People keep using the sorry excuse of ESPN 980 and its poor ratings as a reason why a better-programmed, better-signaled sports talker wouldn't do well in Washington. I say horseshit (or zebrashit). Look, if CBS puts sports talk on 106.7, with the Junks and O'Meara as the "bookends," it'll do better than the guy talk. And if it put the station on the better signal of 94.7 it would do even better, me thinks. Get the Nats next season, maybe TK, too, and program the station for guys in their 20s and 30s. And maybe CBS could try to convince Dan Snyder that he'd be better off selling his little radio operation and putting the Skins back on JFK..... You mentioned that Sports might have had a lot to do with the jump in ratings for WJFK. Don't forget the MOM show went away from their 10 minute breaks in May. So this might have helped a lot as well. It helped with the midday show. (5/27/09) Dynamic radio personality Olivia Fox, who can be heard on MAJIC 102.3 in Washington, D.C. from 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. will be appearing on Fox 5 Morning News to discuss her participation in the 1st Annual Tri-County Golf Classic to benefit the National Kidney Foundation of the National Capital Area. Olivia, who was diagnosed with kidney disease in 1996 will talk in-depth about her hectic everyday experiences in hopes of encouraging others coping with the same ordeal. Olivia Fox has launched a docu-series entitled "Hope For A K", which focuses on her tasking journey towards kidney transplantation. (5/27/09) Jeff in Bowie - regarding your post, name names. -Silvie- (5/27/09) I used to love going with my dad to the drugstore to test the TV tubes. He'd usually let me plug them in for testing. Dave's right that they were usually near the records-$1.99 for the mono LP and $2.99 for stereo in 1966. And in every store there would be a rack that said, "HEY KIDS! COMICS!" Ah, good times! Howie (5/27/09) Saw Ms. Brinkman out on the weather terrace last week with Topper. It appeared she was scrunching down a bit with bended knees so she wouldn't tower over Topper. Maybe the channel 9 general manager could get Angie Goff to dress more like super Univision Weather Gal Jackie Guierrido! Does channel 4 have The Czarniak doing the traffic reports sometimes? Hey Donnie G. I still would prefer Craig Kilborn over the tiresome ,imooc, Craig Ferguson. I dug Kilborn's smug sense of humor and the darling babes he'd get on the show and a lot of the whacky bits he and his writing staff came up with and I liked the music he had on the show. One wonders why he chose to quit the show bidness? Too me the top late nighter is Jimmy Kimmel. Even with the evil Disney sitting on a lot of his bits I still find the guy the wittiest dude on Late Night tv. I do look forward to the return of Andy Ricther on the Conan show but alass you can't turn back the hands of time. It all sucks. (5/27/09) I clicked the link for the Radio-TV Museum in Bowie, and found something I hadn't seen or thought of in decades: a tube tester! Every drug store and radio shop in town had one of these by the door, and they maintained a stock of common tubes that the consumer could buy and replace him/herself. They had a big, simple-to-read meter, a couple of neon bulbs that showed if a tube was gassy or had a blown filament, and a pair or more of dials and switches that made sure you were testing the right type of tube (the roller chart above the tester assured that). You whippersnappers under the age of 40 may never have seen one of these, but all you geezers 45 and older: feast your eyes! (photo: Retro Electronics and Audio Lab, Midland TX) (5/27/09) Dave's response: When I first moved to Reston in 1972, there was a Drug Fair at the new Hunters Woods Village Center that had a tube tester and a big selection of vacuum tubes, right next to a few racks of vinyl LPs. Stuff you'd never find in a drug store today..... Howie - totally agree. I've never heard her, so I have no opinion on that piece. I, too, thought the original author's attempt at word play was a stretch. Worse, even, than all the stupid O'Liely and FauxNews word play "hilarity" used all too often here. Bob in Forest Hill (5/27/09) Bob in Forest Hill: I agree with your description of racism, but that silly nickname assumes a fact not at all in evidence about Maddow. Humor is effective when there is is a smidgen of truth in it or, at least, it emphasizes a popularly believed falsehood. So while I agree with you that being a "liberal" does not rule out one's being a racist, I insist that the comment makes no sence when applied to Ms. Maddow. Howie (5/27/09) Speaking of WMAL, Grandy and Andy pounded all morning the two out of context and edited quotes of our SC Nominee. It is funny how Media Matters predicted weeks ago if Satomayor is nominated, the right wing media would do exactly what they did; edit these two quotes and paraphrase them to make it sound like she said something she didn’t. Grandy and Andy have become a total joke, and unlistenable for the common person that knows logic. Remember when we all tuned into WMAL to be informed? Now we tune into WMAL for pure Bullsh1t! I guess G&A have to pick up and run with the BS Chris Plante no longer is responcible for doing! This morning CSPAN took a call that sounded a lot like a hannity scripted call. The guy said he was an Obama delegate from Texas and a lawyer, and he he said he “will quote” what she said. He then misquoted her with the talking point. They politely hung up. Was this caller calling to reherse his Sean Hannity scripted call this afternoon and 52 past the first or second hour? (5/27/09) Someone forget to tell Ms. Joynt that Sally Quinn and Katherine Weymouth are not housewives, are not "real housewives," are not stay-at-home anythings. Quinn is a regular writer, and her kids are all grown and out of the house. She keeps busy all the time with various reporting projects, social projects, and other things. As for Katherine Weymouth, she is a single mother, but, er, ah, ahem, say hello to reality--she just happens to be the Publisher of The Washington Post. What Joynt SHOULD have said is what everyone else with a brain is saying: This show is stupid, this idea for this show is stupid, D.C. does not need this stupid show, D.C. does not need any type of reality show at all, and the entire project, at every level, is just stupid. Stupid, stupid, stupid. (5/27/09) Dave, Laura Ingraham drives a BIG SUV!! --RB (5/27/09) Re: Al McGilvray's comment that he doesn't get the "racist" thing regarding Rachel Maddow because "she's a liberal." I can't say I follow all the humor in the original poster's comment and I honestly have never listened to/watched her for even a minute, but being a liberal does not mean that one cannot be a racist. Racism is basically making assumptions or decisions based upon someone's race (and having the power to actualize those decisions, some would argue). Typically "racism" refers to discrimitation with a negative outcome, but it needn't. All those liberals who voted for President Obama largely or solely because he is black are, in any equitable definition of "racist," well, racist in th exercise of their power to vote. While the most obvious, destructive and egregious racists surely do come from the right - no doubt about that - my personal experience (and PLEASE don't flame me on what is my honest personal experience) is that a whole lotta liberals pay a lot of attention to race (and sex and victim or minority status) and live their lives making decisiosn through those skin-colored glasses. Just because they claim that it's for reasons that are goodness and light, does not mean it is any less discrimiatory. Please note for the haters, I did not say "all" or "most" and I did note the difference between good intentions (we can argue about the actual outcomes) and abject destructivism. Bob in Forest Hill (5/27/09) "Something's coming, I don't know what it is, but it is gonna be great"? Sorry Dave, nowadays that happens only in the movies. Not on the radio. KOF (5/27/09) Dave, I'm reluctant to feed the liberal / conservative flame wars at your site, but last night I was paging through the Weekly Standard -- neocon alert!!! -- and found myself enjoying Andrew Ferguson's latest article, about the media love-fest over Katie Couric, who graduated from my alma mater, Yorktown High School in Arlington. The piece goes on to discuss the fawning media treatment of Maureen Dowd by the likes of Howard Kurtz, who writes the media column in the Washington Post. So ... maybe this is a news tip, or maybe it's just a Mailbag semi-rant. Anyway: weeklystandard.com - Christian (5/27/09) Incredible. On 630'MAL this morning, while discussing the President's Supreme Court pick, the on-air staff repeatedly referred to Puerto Ricans living in the Continental United states as "immigrants". Honestly, can anyone really be this stupid unintentionally? Thank GOD the more sentient within their listening audience called repeatedly to slowly explain to the hosts that Puerto Rico is a territory of the United States, and as such, all citizens of the island were granted United States citizenship in 1917. You have to excuse the WMAL On-Air Staff though...I guess an idea like that can become reality in a person's mind when your total life-experience of interaction with a given ethnic demographic comes from repeated screenings of "West Side Story" on TCM. - Jeff in (they teach this stuff in fourth grade for chrissakes!) Bowie (5/27/09) a few words with new post sports columnist tracee hamilton voices.washingtonpost.com (5/27/09) I heard Kris read the traffic the other day, and despite the delivery he covered about 4 times as many roads as Angela does. Once we get past the "read my blog", facebook and twitter crap, she covers about 3 roads and that's it! I need the information not fluff!!! It's bad enough with the screen graphics! (5/27/09) Dear DCRTV, Just a point of clarification: Lindsay, Chad, Sam, Anne, Jonathan, and Chad were all named rising stars, which is separate from the 50 Top Journalists. You're certainly able to argue that different people should have been reflected in the rising stars list or in the top journalists list, however the piece doesn't say that Chuck Todd and Sam Stein are on the same level. Conflating the lists does a disservice to both groups -- the rising stars are people who will likely make the main list in future iterations, much as people like Jeff Zeleny "graduated" from the rising stars' list in 2005 to the main list in 2009. Cheers, Dippy Graff (5/27/09) Dave - - any news on the future of 947's HD2? You mentioned a few weeks ago that something new was coming. (5/27/09) Dave's response: My sources keep telling me that something's coming. But, so far, nothing to report..... Dave: Laura Ingraham for "Real Housewives of D.C."? I guess I need to read up on the show. I would've thought "housewife" would require one to be someone's wife -- Ingraham isn't married; she's a single mom! -- but maybe Bravo is defining the term loosely. Christian (5/27/09) (Snip) but I can't figure out who the 'brother' is (end snip). The "brother" reference to Rachael Maddow of MSNBC is, I believe, a dig at her sexuality (she's a lesbian). What I don't understand is the "racist" reference; she's a liberal. Al McGilvray (5/27/09) (regarding a previous post) "Gee, I tell Keith Overbite and his brother Racist Catchow that they are too chummy with the Slappy In Chief but they can’t hear me, what with their heads up his ass." Okay. I get that the poster is referring to Keith Olbermann, but I can't figure out who the 'brother' is. If 'Racist Catchow' is supposed to mean Rachel Maddow, wouldn't she be a 'sister' and not a 'brother'? 'Slappy in Chief', of course, refers to President Obama, so that was an easy one. Now - the big thing I can't figure out, Dave, is why you even allow these stupid, immature and unfunny posts on here. Really, if people can't refer courteously to people they're commenting about and use their actual names, you really should ban these kinds of posts, because they lower the tone of the place. (5/27/09) You people are unreal. Seems the liberals can attack the conservatives, say or write all kinds of trash, then whine like babies when the truth comes back to bite them in the butt. I am talking about the NY worthless Times, the hapless MSNBC with its trash talk to name a few. (5/27/09) Re: "Hey Dave...Did you finally cut "ThePenis" off this site??? LOL..." I'm sure you didn't, right?...right? I know you didn't... I am still relatively new to this web site where I find out about all kinds of radio/media things that I want to know and couldn't imagine finding anywhere else. I appreciate _all_ the mailbag input from the great variety of sources and characters that might be found here, who I have learned all have something interesting to contribute to the conversation. Cheers, Robert in Arlington (5/27/09) /\ May 27 Messages /\ \/ May 26 Messages \/ According to Inside Radio, Clay Hunnicutt - Clear Channel senior VP of the East Major Region - is taking on the company's Community Engagement Director position. Check out the Dilbert-esque spin that C.C. radio president/CEO John Hogan gives: "Hunnicutt will oversee station's community engagement efforts and ensure our commitments come to life in a robust, consistent and sustainable way." Maybe it's just me, but doesn't that statement sound like a whole lotta nuttin'? (5/26/09) Hey Dave...Did you finally cut "ThePenis" off this site??? LOL... (5/26/09) Dave said: "suburban redneck, WTNT-lovin' Southern Maryland". Shit, if we could only get a damn good signal, that statement might be true (I still haven't given up on WMAL, though!) -Silvie- (5/26/09) so BIG 100.3 and DC101 did their BIG500 and DC500 countdowns this memorial day weekend. anyone notice what the #1's were? WBIG's was Stairway to heaven--SUPRPRISE SURPRISE!!! and WWDC's.....Smells like teen spirit. whoop dee freekin doo. OK they said these were based on listner's votes, but i highly doubt it was. Gee we already hear those songs 10 to 15 times a day on their own respective stations, why vote to hear them for the billionth time??? i think BIG and DC101 just put together these lists based on how many times these songs are played on air. i dont understand it......i just wonder what classic rock 94.7 wold have had on their #1 if they were still going... (5/26/09) ("Are they selling crack at the Washingtonian cafeteria?") Yes, they sure are. Gotta know the right cashier to ask though. Signed, Marion Barry (5/26/09) So Dave, does a Southern Maryland suburban mom with 'racist, bigoted & homophobic values & ideas' have a chance at that Real Housewives of Washington show? Or is it only for the Georgetown elite lady clubs? I'm looking forward to it, actually... I've watched the Atlanta, CA & NY shows and they are very entertaining, in a train wreck sort of way. -Silvie- (5/26/09) Dave's response: When they say "Real Housewives Of Washington," I'm pretty sure they mean the whole Washington "area," and that includes your part of suburban redneck, WTNT-lovin' Southern Maryland..... All this talk about how unattractive the female traffic reports are in DC just reinforces what I've always felt: it's the men of DC traffic that hold the real sex appeal. Somebody needs to step up and make a charity Men of DC traffic calendar for 2010. I can see it now. Bob Marbourg in a toga as strapping young college rugby players feed him grapes, Jerry Edwards in a bubble bath surrounded by candles sipping from a glass of Chardonay and my favorite Jim Russ wearing only a Paul Simon bowtie and hiding behind fig leaf with one hand pressed to his cheek (which one???) as he expresses a shocking "oh, did I do that?!" look on his face. (5/26/09) “Van Susteren & Hubby Too Chummy With Palin?” Gee, I tell Keith Overbite and his brother Racist Catchow that they are too chummy with the Slappy In Chief but they can’t hear me, what with their heads up his ass. Besides: Van Susteren is a Scientologist, so who cares? (5/26/09) RE: Ingraham being whiny and nagging....you hit the nail on the head! (5/26/09) Dave's response: She's my nomination for Bravo's new "Real Housewives Of Washington." Does she drive a mini-van? Rumor Mill! Rumor Mill! Sometimes [we] just can't look a radio gift horse in the mouth without taking economic and social advantage of it. The rumor has it that since Mike Sorce is writing a book, an Unauthorized Biography of Don Geronimo is in the works too and will be released concurrent to his. Albeit an online book, the "alleged" dirt about this guy will make great and interesting reading. Interviews with all the people he has burned in radio too. Not to mention his interesting career, including D & M stint. A name is being registered with the writers guild but what would you title the unauthorized book? (5/26/09) Dave's response: Stint? Due an unfortunate personal circumstance afflicting one of the actors in this coming weekend's Terry Schreiber Weekend Intensive, we have an immediate opening for one actor to do a scene with Aubrohn King in class. If it is a female actor (age 20's-30's) who can do this, your scene will be from Lanford Wilson's "Fifth of July." If not, you will have a scene assigned as soon as you can let us know you are available. The class is Saturday. We will arrange it so your scene will not be up until Sunday and will be the last scene that day. You will have time to do rehearsals this week and will get another week to hone the scene in your second run-through with Terry. We know this is last-minute. I am thus, offering $100 off the lowest rate for the class, held this weekend and next at JHU in Baltimore. ANY actor is welcome to apply for this, but a female in the demo described will be given preference. Since this is last-minute, we will work with you. If you can do this, email Aubrohn King immediately at aubrohnking@yahoo.com and myself at tommooreradio@yahoo.com. Tom Moore Lead vocals, "The Tom Moore Band" and Radio host, "The Antwerpen Tom Moore Show" Talk Radio 680 WCBM (5/26/09) In response to the person who disparaged Angie Goff and her substitute. I am a traffic reporter with considerable experience. I have not seen her substitute but I can say without reservation that Angie does an excellent job. She is fine on-air and also uses her position to further many charitable causes. I'm honored to call her a friend and feel that we need more like her that are willing to give their time to help in the community. Ralph Segal (5/26/09) Lindsay Czarniak? Journalist??? - can we all agree that journalism as we once knew it no longer exists? The profession has been turned into a joke so yeah in some regards this makes sense. (5/26/09) What is NBC4 doing to Ashley Linder. Her hair is too short and the style is matronly. She looks pale and almost white on camera. Let her be what she is. She is young and pretty and you've ruined that. Also, if she is going to be on camera help her with makeup. Don't squander Ashley's biggest assets. (5/26/09) RE: [GE has a multi-billion dollar investment in Obama's new socialized health care scheme and has promised Obama to use MSNBC to promote and provide insight into the new program.] Hmmm... I heard that chestnut planted on Limbaugh and Hannity too..and what? The only problem is, when you go to actually scratch the surface to research it, there seems to be a serious lack of any real credible evidence or concrete proof to back up these wacky assumptions. Ah, this is too easy. It's called healthyimagination. $6 billion in health care initiatives recently launched by GE. And you think Immelt's position on Obama's economic advisory board, and payback for TARP has nothing to do with it? LOL www.bizjournals.com (5/26/09) From Fistbowl: No offense to anyone, but this is not a representative, realistic list of the "top 50" journalists in the D.C. area. In fact, it's not even close. In fact, it's offensive to journalists. Talking heads and TV types who aren't out doing shoe-leather reporting on a consistent basis are not the top reporters in the area, not by a long shot. How many people does it take to complain about the Washingtonian's constant, childish and lame "lists" to get this magazine to stop this inane and ridiculous practice? Washingtonian: ENOUGH LISTS! And the magazine is wondering why they're losing subscribers, readers, ads, revenue, profits, interest and credibility? Lists like these are the reason. The main problem here is the complete lack of many very real, very top-level shoe-leather investigative reporters in the region who are the real top journalists in the area. (5/26/09) Lindsay Czarniak? Journalist??? Are they selling crack at the Washingtonian cafeteria? Paul (5/26/09) Dear Dave, Ed Graham's rant on Ingraham's so-called racism is ridiculous. She is calling for a higher birthrate in the West as a means to further Western values and culture in the future. Last time I checked there were plenty of races besides the white folk that subscribed to our way of life and plenty of people from the third world trying to get a piece of it. Graham ought to plant his ass in Mongolia with like-minded limp-wristed reds and see how the other half lives. m (5/26/09) I found this in a surfing-while-bored moment I would have otherwise spent listening to a good radio station. This sounds like a description of every corporation in existence today,especially radio/media. "For decades, business schools at universities taught that a good manager could manage any company without detailed technical expertise. The professors usually added that a manager could hire plenty of experts. In the 1970's, this was proven dead wrong. Generally, high level managers will approve the best sales pitch, ignore the best ideas, and laugh at lowly experts. At the beginning of the 1970s, big companies like IBM, Burroughs Corporation, RCA, Honeywell, Digital Equipment Corporation, General Electric, AT&T, UNIVAC, Xerox, Control Data Corporation, and Westinghouse were the leaders in computers and software. They had the best experts, minicomputers, supercomputers, outstanding hardware, wonderful patents, and great software, but they pathetically and literally gave away their companys' technology, which their managers did not understand, to eager young college dropouts and hackers who had technical expertise and a vision. Soon these youngsters were the richest men in the world and a revolution in productivity began. Business empires and unions crumbled as globalization and technology exploded. Those with vision and able to keep up with technology prospered, but millions of jobs became obsolete" (5/26/09) All I remember about Super TV are all those Sybil Danning movies where her rather large warrior princess metal breast plate would fall off....all...the...time! Paul (5/26/09) Come on Dave. You are seriously comparing Van Sustren's relationship with Palin to Immelt's relationship with Obama? Give me a break. (5/26/09) Dave's response: They're both improper. But saying that we'll look the other way at Van Susteren's conflicts of interest at Fox because of something "worse" at MSNBC doesn't cut it..... RE: [GE has a multi-billion dollar investment in Obama's new socialized health care scheme and has promised Obama to use MSNBC to promote and provide insight into the new program.] Hmmm... I heard that chestnut planted on Limbaugh and Hannity too..and what? The only problem is, when you go to actually scratch the surface to research it, there seems to be a serious lack of any real credible evidence or concrete proof to back up these wacky assumptions. It all just melts into the ether. Isn't it funny how whenever Hannity, Limbaugh, Levin and their ilk are called to the carpet on accusations of this nature, they all suddenly seem to shy away from being "investigative journalists" and quickly retreat behind the mask of just being an "entertainer" or a "commentator"with an opinion? Unfortunately for their listening audience, this one turns out to be a flat out lie...and a lie is still a lie, no matter how many times you repeat it. (5/26/09) re: TOP Returns to 7.2 (WJLA). Gee, maybe the "King-of-the World" management at WTOP could include that 7.2 coverage mention in their top of the hour legal ID that seems to go on and on forever. (5/26/09) Dave, If we are going to spend time on Van Sustren's close relationship with Palin, how about some equal time dissecting the relationship of GE CEO and NBC News executive Jeffrey Immelt? Obama named Immelt to his Economic Advisory Board, which is ironic since GE has done worse since Immelt took over as CEO. Immelt earned a total salary of over $14,000,000 dollars between bonuses, base salary and stock options, took TARP money, yet Obama never once asked him to forgo his bonus. GE has a multi-billion dollar investment in Obama's new socialized health care scheme and has promised Obama to use MSNBC to promote and provide insight into the new program. (5/26/09) Dave's response: I love how you Fox News "seminar defenders" defend your network's "sins" by pointing out that the other guys do it, too. Lame..... Hey, WUSA. You're a top 10 market CBS affiliate. This Kris person you have on doing traffic sounds like the cracked voice kid on The Simpsons and he's obviously reading a script and has no knowledge of the area. I guess I should expect this from you considering Angie Goff is not much better. Although easy on the eyes, she lacks authority and would rather you follow her on Twitter than tell you how the roads are. Shameful. (5/26/09) Funny how the NY Times and worthless MSNBC can sling mud at Greta for several interviews with the Sarah Palin, yet be in the tank for Obama and his woeful set of advisors. NY Times is nearly bankrupt, MSNBC ratings continue to go down the tubes. They both need to take their sorry selves and hide under a rock. That includes Chris Softball Matthews and Keith Hateful Olbermann. Bill (5/26/09) The NYSlimes never shines a light of truth. How dare that rag get on Greta and not mention the assholes at MSNBC, especially Matthews, who are all so far up the dems's asses that they can see daylight only when the dems yawn This is just another example of Sarah bashing. Where the hell were the women's and equal rights groups when Palin was (and is) continually attacked? I guess the National Association of Really Ugly Women doesn't really care for women's rights, unless they believe in the same leftist bull shit of that organization Geo. (5/26/09) I listened to Laura Ingraham a few times in the past two weeks on WBAL. Aside from her politics, she sounds really bad on the radio - - kind of old, whinny, nagging, unpleasant. It's easier to take when you can see her on TV, where there is a conversation, and not the typical droning on from a host repeating the same idea over and over to fill time. This week she had a guest who wrote a book about the Western World. (Meaning us and white European cultures) losing dominance in the world because we don't have enough babies. Aside from the obvious racist meaning of that statement, the USA and the World really don't need more people. Laura, of course, agreed with him. She doesn't belong on a good major market radio station promoting the racist views of some of the right wing. I would think that Conservatives would have grown out of that. WBAL needs to think of the future. The morning show format should be duplicated in the afternoon. Ron Smith move back to early afternoon. He is their best talker by far. Sherry and C4 might be good in the afternoon magazine. Mid morning needs a new personality. Evening sports doesn't have the right person yet. Laura has to go. WBAL could be fixed to last a few more years during the inevitable decline of terrestrial radio. In fact, they should be planning to program to those older people who wouldn't ever text or tweet. Entertaining those people will be their short term salvation. Ed Graham (5/26/09) Disappointed not to see traditional WETA (26) broadcast of 'Victory at Sea' Monday afternoon. Re-runs of BBC comedy's - i.e. "Are You Being Served"...How appropriate on U.S. Memorial Day afternoon. Carl, Pasadena, MD. (5/26/09) From TRI...you may have all ready seen this...but could DC be far behind? Two (one JZW HD) are doing this format..but no one on FM is back to this,,,there IS money here.......I've said it before.....we'll have to wait and see... D --- “Catch the L” to Chicago’s new smooth jazz station - now on TV Channel 6. So - Clear Channel’s WNUA doesn’t want to continue its 22-year heritage of smooth jazz on 95.5? As fast as a Chicago train changing passengers at rush hour, Venture Technologies snaps up the format for its WLFM low power TV, with audio heard at 87.7. It happened Friday, manager Pat Kelley tells the Chicago Board at Radio-Info.com. Venture’s earlier deal to put New York’s “Pulse 87” on the audio of its Channel 6 outlets in Chicago and L.A. cratered, and it’s now nailed down not only the jazz format in Chicago – but also most of the Broadcast Architecture lineup that previously aired on 95.5. Another favorable factor for Venture – Arbitron’s recent policy change that lists the radio-like feeds of a Channel 6 TV station alongside the rest of the FM band (88.1 to 107.9 MHz). Pat Kelley also likes his transmitter location – the John Hancock tower... (5/26/09) Back in the early 1980s my then in-laws who lived in Fairfax, they had Super TV. As far as their late night airing of porn goes, well maybe some would consider hat they had aired as porn. Now to me, what Super TV had aired back then during those early morning hours really wasn't that much different that what Cinemax is doing today late at night. In other words no hardcore Ron Jeremy type of adult films, just the soft "dirty" movies. However I would imagine Super TV, they could had aired rated X movies if they really wanted too only because I don't believe Super TV had to deal with a particular city or county in order to do business in that area unlike cable TV who has to deal with a locality for the rights to do business there. That is why over the years one hears about some town someplace that had "banned MTV" or "Banned Showtime", that was part of the agreement between the cable company and city/county. Today however in this day and age of Comcast, such "rules" are very rare. Super TV on the other hand I dont think had anything to worry about, at least in that department. Of course Super TV did had to worry about cable spreading like wildfire in the two metro areas and rightfully so since that was what killed Super TV in the first place. (5/26/09) Reading about Super Tv does anybody remember HBO on a microwave service back in the 80's ? Les soon out of Adelphi. (5/26/09) RE.."Pontificating & self-righteous" I am not..." He then prattles on in direct contradiction. /// Surely I don't get why anyone would subscribe to Don Geronimo's twittering, and even less why someone would feel the need to parrot his babble here. That said, what exactly is the link between Mike "Bad Guy" Sorce, Good Guy Mike O'Meara and your clairvoyant abilities to judge peoples feelings, intentions, and deeds towards Veterans on Memorial Day or any other day? Parades, Swimming Pools, Cook-Outs, Sales at retail outlets, along with a slew of other Memorial Day activities which hardly help Vets have been around long before 2,200 simps signed up for Don Geronimo's Tweeterings. I don't argue with your facts about homeless vets, etc., but the linkage between what a few people do for apparent entertainment for a few moments during the day and whether they take the time to help veterans is hardly a zero sum game. To single out a group for an ad hominem attack based on one or two postings from individuals in the Mailbag is a little heavy handed. Your missive about the plight of veterans would have been more powerful if you didn't muddle the issue by sharing your unrelated personal feelings on the bona fides of fans of two fading deejays, without a hint of any facts, only your own personal prejudices. (5/26/09) Super TV would air edited porn movies. Video stores would carry the hardcore version of a movie and the cable tv version. A leg or an arm would be placed in postion to cover up anything you really wanted to see. (5/26/09) This past holiday weekend made me think of something I havent thought of in a while. It seems that during every major holiday, you'd hear on radio newscasts that the National Safety Council was predicting that some number of people would be killed on the nation's highways, during a holiday period. I can't remember when they stopped issuing this warning, but it's been a while. When/why was this practice stopped? (5/26/09) Is Leonard Roberts @ WBAL Radio among the missing? Have not heard him on the air and I do not think I have seen anything on him on your site since he won life achievement award for black journalist association... (5/26/09) /\ May 26 Messages /\ Jump to the Mailbag Archive Index.....