January 2005 to June 2005

Latest items listed first.....

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June 30, 2005
WJYJ Sold
California-based CSN International is selling Fredericksburg religious outlet WJYJ (90.5 FM) to Virginia-based Baker Family Stations. Baker owns Positive Alternative Radio, which owns Culpeper contemporary Christian outlet WPER (89.9 FM). Also included in the deal are Christian-formatted Old Dominion radio stations in Emporia, Nassawadox, and Waynesboro. The group sale price - $8 million.

June 27, 2005
Chris Roth Flies South
DC radio veteran Chris Roth - WRQX, WGTS, WASH, "Ted Striker" on WBIG, plus much more - has taken the position of senior program director at Cumulus's Fayetteville, North Carolina cluster of five stations. He'll be concentrating on their country and hot adult contemporary outlets. Roth starts on 7/11.

June 19, 2005
5 Wins Emmy Race, Again
Channel 5 weathercaster Sue Palka picked up an Emmy at the local ceremony. In fact, her Fox station netted a total of 13 - once again, the most of any area broadcast outlet. But, many "old timers," a la Kathleen Matthews, Maureen Bunyan, and Gordon Peterson at Channel 7, and Jim Vance and Doreen Gentzler at Channel 4, didn't even enter the Emmy competition this year. WJLA's VP of news, Bill Lord, says that the whole awards thingo is a young person's game. Although, Palka ain't no spring chicken.

June 18, 2005
"Duckpins" Host Tom Cole Dies
Tom Cole died on 6/16 at the age of 75 of cancer. For more than a decade through the 1960s, Cole was a sports anchor, staff announcer, and host of the "Duckpins For Dollars" bowling show at Channel 11/WBAL. He also reported news, weather, and sports for Channel 2/WMAR. Cole also worked in radio - at Towson's WAQE and at WCBM. In 1976, Cole joined Grempler Realty as a sales agent in its North Baltimore office. He retired about 10 years ago. Cole was a graduate of Loyola High School and Loyola College before moving on to the University Of Baltimore Law School.

June 15, 2005
Erica Hilary Leaves Z104
Erica Hilary has parted ways with Z104. She started doing news and traffic for the morning show at the Bonneville hot adult contemporary station last year. Before that, she co-hosted "Girl Talk" on Sunday evenings, which had been heard on Clear Channel's adult contemporary WASH.

June 15, 2005
11's GM To Boston
Channel 11/WBAL General Manager Bill Fine is being "bumped up" to the GM gig at Hearst's co-owned WCVB-TV in Boston. Fine is no stranger to WCVB. He used to be vice-president and general sales manager there. Fine moved to Hearst's Baltimore TV outlet in November 1998. Jordan Wertlieb, WBAL-TV's general sales manager, will be Fine's replacement.

June 15, 2005
WMAL Gets Approval To Double Daytime Power
The Federal Communications Commission has approved WMAL's application to increase the daytime signal of 630 AM from 5,000-watts to 10,000-watts. "This is the most significant increase in WMAL's signal since 1941. This upgrade will dramatically increase our coverage in the growing area of Virginia just south of Washington DC, and improve our existing daytime signal," we hear from a WMAL techie. "Over the next several weeks David Sproul and Rick King will be actively involved in the installation of new components along with testing and monitoring the new signal. If all goes according to plan we should be operating at 'double the power' sometime prior to our 80th anniversary this October." WMAL, which dates back to 1925, remains Washington's oldest station to be operating under its original call letters. The station's nighttime power remains 5,000-watts.

June 10, 2005
107.3's Carson Escapes Serious Injury
Mix 107.3 afternoon man Carson narrowly escaped serious injury Friday when the WRQX station vehicle he was riding in had a head-on collision with another vehicle. A promotions assistant was driving the vehicle to a Sprint store in DC, with another station staffer in back. Another vehicle crossed the median at Wisconsin and Van Ness. It allegedly was being driven by someone who fell asleep at the wheel. An apparently uninjured Carson and his "Mix crew" filed a police report and went on to the event, as scheduled.

June 10, 2005
WTOP Continues To Be Top-Biller
WTOP retains its lead as the DC market's top-billing radio operation. By a fairly wide margin. In fact, the Bonneville all-newser's ad billings were up 15 percent for May 2005, when compared to May 2004. We also hear that the new broadcast relay of Bonneville's Federal News Radio, WFED, now outbills Clear Channel's WTNT and WWRC, as well as Radio One's WYCB and WOL.

June 6, 2005
WCAO Veteran Bob Bartl Dies
Robert Bartl (right), 74, a fixture at Baltimore's WCAO for more than 20 years, died 6/4 of heart disease. He hosted a music show, "Date Night With Bob Bartl," and was news anchor and sports director. Bartl (also spelled Bartel) also hosted a Colts football show with Johnny Unitas and was involved with the USFL Baltimore Stars and Baltimore Blast at WCAO. He broke into radio at WFMD in Frederick, and then worked at WEAM and WPGC in the DC area.

June 2, 2005
David Burd Joins WTOP
Former WMALer David Burd was seen flying around WTOP's "glass enclosed nerve center" this morning. We hear he'll be doing reporting work, and may even pop up as a host of "The Politics Program" with Mark Plotkin. And possibly doing some fill-in work on the "Ask The..." show when Bruce Alan is away.

June 2, 2005
BET Founder To Retire
DC media magnate Robert Johnson, who started Black Entertainment Television, the nation's first network for African Americans 25 years ago, announced yesterday he will retire at the end of the year. Debra Lee, the network's president and chief operating officer for the past nine years, becomes the new CEO immediately.

June 1, 2005
Jim Robey Dies
Jim Robey (right), a staple of Cumberland radio since the mid 1960's, died on 5/31 at age 56. Robey, who hosted a variety of radio programs in Western Maryland for almost 40 years, was diagnosed with colon and liver cancer in January. "JR," as he was known by friends, family, and listeners, hosted a midday and late afternoon program on WCBC for three decades.

May 30, 2005
Hoppy Adams Dies
Charles Walter "Hoppy" Adams, a legend at once rhythm, blues, and soul-formatted WANN radio in Annapolis, died of cancer in early May at age 79.

May 28, 2005
FCC Fines 4, 5 & 7 For Not Providing Visual Twister Warnings
The Federal Communications Commission has proposed fining Channel 4/WRC, Channel 5/WTTG, and Channel 7/WJLA a total of $40,000 for failing to provide adequate closed-caption information for hearing-impaired viewers during a tornado watch in May 2004. As tornado conditions bore down on the region, local weather broadcasters told viewers to take cover but failed to relay the same information in closed captions, according to the FCC. Broadcasters are required to provide emergency information in both audio and visual form.

May 25, 2005
Joan Doniger Leaving 630
WMAL evening news anchor Joan Doniger (left) has been reassigned. And, she'll be leaving the station as of 6/11. Doniger has been with 630 since 1996. No word on her plans. Her father was Jack Doniger, who spent three decades behind the microphone, including 17 years as a sportscaster at AP Radio. Her husband, Bill Vanko, is morning news anchor at WBAL radio.

May 25, 2005
Joe Templeton Dies
Joe Templeton passed away in early May. Templeton came to DC in 1968 from Chicago. He was one of the original anchors on the ABC Contemporary Radio Network. And had anchored the ABC-TV newsbriefs out of Washington for several years. Also, Templeton worked for Westinghouse's Channel 13/WJZ in Baltimore.

May 24, 2005
Examiner Slams DC101's Elliot For Abortion Contest
An editorial in the Washington Examiner takes DC101 morning man Elliot Segal to task for having hosted a recent on-air contest offering a prize to the listener who claimed to have had the most abortions. "Segal thought it was hilarious when a woman called in to say her father forced her to get an abortion at age 13 after she was impregnated by her cousin. He jokingly offered a 'posthumous' award when another caller recounted a deceased woman's multiple abortions." Adds the Examiner: "The local station is owned by Clear Channel, which dropped shock jock Howard Stern's show last year for on-air obscenity. Segal's 'contest' doesn't fall under FCC definitions of indecent or obscene, although his trivialization of abortion is far worse than Stern's predictable vulgarity."

May 24, 2005
Erin Carman Back To Chicago
Erin Carman, Z104's morning co-host in the Brett Haber days, is in Chicago working the midday gig at rocker WLUP. Before her Z104 gig, she'd done some co-hosting (as "Heather") with Windy City motormouth Mancow at rocker WKQX. Recently, Carman had been hosting "Garage Takeover," a home makeover show on the Discovery Channel.

May 23, 2005
Lopez Is Dead
98 Rock morning newsman Lopez (left), 52, lost his battle with lung cancer Sunday. He was diagnosed with the disease in early 2004 and went public soon thereafter. "Since 98 Rock's inception over 28 years ago, we have had more than 10 morning shows," said WIYY (98 Rock)/WBAL General Manager Ed Kiernan. "Every show included 'Lopez.' He was the driving force behind each show. An unabashed liberal, he was absolute in his beliefs. Lopez was extremely bright, incredibly passionate with an extraordinary sense of humor." A graduate of the University Of Maryland, Lopez joined 98 Rock in 1978 - the station's second year on the air, after three years at WLMD in Laurel. Robert Edward Lopez is survived by his wife, Jean "Trixie," and his daughter Leandra, 13. A scholarship will be set up in Leandra's name.

May 22, 2005
John Pfautz Dies
John Pfautz, 79, a retired associate director of NBC's "Today" show, died of prostate cancer 5/18 at his home in Chevy Chase. Pfautz had worked for NBC in DC for 33 years, starting as an operations director for "Meet The Press" and "It's Academic." He retired from the "Today" show in 1989.

May 20, 2005
Savadove Buys Dame's Hagerstown Cluster
Former Root Communications honcho Dan Savadove, via his Philadelphia-based Main Line Broadcasting, has bought the Dame Broadcasting radio properties in the Hagerstown market for a total of $22.5 million. That's active rock WQCM (94.3 FM), hot adult contemporary WIKZ (95.1 FM), rhythmic contemporary WDLD (96.7 FM), and nostalgic twins WCHA (800 AM) and WHAG (1410 AM).

May 20, 2005
4 Picks Replacement For Zaloumis
Channel 4/WRC has hired Lindsay Czarniak (right) to be a weekend sports anchor. She's been a reporter for Miami's WTVJ-TV and has worked for the Speed Channel. The Northern Virginia native has also been a sideline reporter for NBC's "National Heads-Up Poker Championship." DCRTV assumes that Czarniak will fill the shoes of Nicole Zaloumis, who left WRC in February. Both WRC and WTVJ are owned by NBC.

May 18, 2005
30 For Emry
Chris Emry has reached his 30th anniversary on Baltimore-DC area radio. He hit the regional airwaves in 1975 on WAYE. Since then he's worked for DC101, 98 Rock, B104, WXZL, WQSR, WPOC, WOCT, and now does mornings on classic rock WZBA.

May 18, 2005
RCN To Carry MASN
The Mid-Atlantic Sports Network has reached an agreement with cable provider RCN (formerly Starpower) to carry additional Washington Nationals games. MASN recently signed a deal with DirecTV, but there's still no agreement with area cable firms Comcast, Adelphia, or Cox. RCN has 185,000 customers in parts of DC, Montgomery, and Falls Church.

May 16, 2005
WTMD Joins NPR
Towson University's adult album alternative WTMD (89.7 FM) has started airing newscasts from National Public Radio (NPR). It joined the DC-based public radio organization on 5/13. WTMD had been airing news from Associated Press. Two other Baltimore stations, WYPR and WEAA, are also members of NPR.

May 14, 2005
Music Promoter & Former GWU DJ Jumps Off Bridge
From the Washington Post: David Rubin, 42, a music and theater promoter who in the 1980s sought to broker a musical and cultural marriage of punk and funk, black and white, prosperous and poor, died 5/9. He was a Silver Spring resident. According to Maryland State Police, Rubin died after jumping from Millard E. Tydings Memorial Bridge on Interstate 95 near Perryville. In 1980, he enrolled at George Washington University, where he was active with the campus radio station.

May 14, 2005
MHz2 To Drop Russian
Fairfax-based MHz Networks will no longer air the Russian World TV Channel daily programming block on MHz2 from 8 PM to midnight, effective 6/1. MHz2 is what is known as the old analog Channel 53/WNVT, which is now digital-only on Channel 30 - and via a subchannel on sister Channel 57, the digital signal of analog sister Channel 56/WNVC, aka MHz. Foreign language-based MHz will continue broadcasting Russian News on MHz at 1 PM weekdays.

May 13, 2005
Kidd Out At 106.5, More Mix Changes
Jason Kidd and Infinity have parted company. Kidd was program director at Baltimore's hot adult contemporary WWMX, Mix 106.5. Also out: Jen Wagner, who'd come to 106.5 from alt rock WHFS. But wait, there's more. Returning to 106.5's afternoons is Fast Jimi Roberts, who's back from a gig at oldies (now Jack-FM) WQSR. Greg Valentine moves to nights at WWMX.

May 13, 2005
7 Accuses PG Police Of Roughing Up McCarren
Channel 7/WJLA has filed a complaint against Prince George's County Police for excessive use of force during a felony traffic stop conducted against investigative reporter Andrea McCarren. The incident occurred on 4/15 when McCarren and her photographer were surrounded by nine county police cars and up to a dozen officers with weapons drawn. The complaint alleges that officers held McCarren, who did not resist, at gunpoint while they forcibly restrained her arms, causing her right shoulder to be torn from the socket. She is undergoing medical treatment. McCarren and her photographer were apparently presumed by police to present a threat to an armed PG County officer who was the subject of their investigation. According to WJLA, McCarren, who had no weapon, and did not offer resistance, suffered a partially dislocated shoulder as officers manhandled her during the incident. The photographer, who was able to capture the incident on videotape (left), was not harmed, but was held at gunpoint and had his camera confiscated, according to the station.

May 12, 2005
Kamal Blames 9 For Firing
In an interview with a Miami TV station, Bill Kamal (left), the former DC TV weatherman who was busted in a Florida sex sting last fall, said he believes he was discharged in 1993 from Channel 9/WUSA for being openly gay. And about rumors that had spread throughout the DC TV community that Kamal had been caught having sex with a minor in a car. "I was fired during the 'storm of the century.' Nobody could tell me why. They didn't hire anybody for over a year to replace me. Years later, I go back to DC where I always visit my friends. I mean this ruined my career at that point... (I was) fired for an alternative lifestyle that was too alternative, or, 'He wore a pair of shorts that were really inappropriate to a company picnic.' I don't remember wearing the shorts, but maybe I did. That was a lifetime ago for me - or that I wore an earring that I never wore on the air - that I had pierced my ear." In the interview, Kamal tells why he pleaded guilty to charges that he attempted to arrange a sexual encounter with what he thought was a 14-year-old boy he met via the internet. "I was arrested in St. Lucie County in Fort Pierce - right-wing, conservative county - and how was I going to get 12 jurors to agree unanimously that I was innocent?" Kamal now wants to take back his guilty plea, saying that his lawyers talked him into it.

May 11, 2005
Bryant Joins TOP
Stephanie Gaines Bryant joins all-news WTOP as a freelance anchor. She had been the afternoon drive news anchor and host of the public affairs program "The Daily Drum" on WHUR. Her radio news career spans more than 15 years, including almost a decade in DC.

May 11, 2005
DC Media Mobilizes For Terror Threat
An unidentified private plane headed for the White House Wednesday afternoon. Fearing an act of terror, government buildings were evacuated. With Air Force fighters scrambled, the plane was turned around and landed in Frederick. WRC and WTTG provided airborne coverage to the cable news nets. On the radio side, a local source tells us that WTOP went live on the evacuation at 12:05 PM with Dave McConnell reporting as he was being pushed out by Capitol Hill Police. WMAL went live at 12:09 PM with a report from ABC News.

May 11, 2005
WWLG Adds Classic Rock
Baltimore's WWLG (1370 AM) is adding 1950s/1960s rock-based oldies format to its nostaglic music format. According to sources, the station wants to pick up some disaffected listeners from WQSR, which recently flipped to "Jack," an eclectic oldies format.

May 11, 2005
Herzog Does News On WTOP
Former radio voice of the Redskins Frank Herzog was heard doing news anchoring on all-news WTOP radio. WTOP sources tell DCRTV that Herzog will indeed be doing "fill-in anchoring." Apparently, he wants to work part-time and "keep his options open." For several decades, Herzog was a sports anchor on Channel 7/WJLA and, most recently, Channel 9/WUSA. After losing his Channel 9 job in 2004 and his WJFK-FM Redskins radio gig in 2003, Herzog had been doing Redskins commentaries on WTOP and a Redskins show on sports talk WTEM.

May 11, 2005
Doug Gilmore Injured In Car Mishap
Former WHUR personality Doug Gilmore was involved in a "very serious car accident" on 5/1. That's according to a message being sent to various radio websites, including UrbanInsite, by another former WHURer, his on-air partner Lorna Newton. She adds: "Currently he is listed in critical yet stable condition. His sister, Pam and best friend, Ron, have asked me to be the point of contact for any cards and get well wishes. Because Doug is in ICU he can not receive any visitors or flowers at this time."

May 9, 2005
WMAL's Graham "Roughed Up" At Rally
WMAL late morning righty talker Michael Graham "got hassled big time by organizers of a pro-illegal alien rally in Montgomery County on Sunday. The Montgomery County police detained him for questioning before releasing him. Graham got into the rally, where he was seriously hassled again for trying to take pictures. The rally took place on county (school) property and Graham had his media credentials with him." Graham showed up at the event, where folks were protesting ID restrictions that would prevent illegal aliens from obtaining driver's licenses, in a black T-shirt with the letters "INS" on it. According to WMAL: "Not only was Michael roughed up by a bunch of illegal goons, when the police arrived he was roughed up by them, too." They asked to see his ID.

May 6, 2005
R&B DJ Jackson Lowe Dies
From the Washington Post: Jack Lowe Endler, 89, a DJ and rhythm-and-blues enthusiast known to Washington area radio listeners in the 1940s and 1950s as Jackson Lowe, died 5/1 of complications from emphysema at his home in Sunrise, Florida. He promoted local R&B at a time when it was difficult for black artists to find a broadcast outlet. Endler moved to Washington in 1943, adopted the radio name Jackson Lowe and was an on-air personality for the next two decades. He worked for WWDC, WUST, WOL, and WINX.

May 6, 2005
Michael Kernan Dies
Michael Kernan, a writer whose "graceful versatility helped define the tone and literary flair" of the Washington Post's Style section, died 5/4 of pancreatic cancer at his home in Vermont. He was 78.

May 5, 2005
Hope Ridings Miller Dies
Hope Ridings Miller, who observed life in the capital for more than 70 years as society editor of the Washington Post and as a magazine editor and author, died 4/29 of congestive heart failure at the Washington Home. Her age, long a well-guarded secret, was 99.

May 4, 2005
QSR Jumps To Jack, Airstaff Dumped
Infinity's Baltimore traditional oldies outlet WQSR has flipped to the "Jack" eclectic oldies format. DCRTV hears that all of 102.7's airstaff have walked the plank. While Infinity signed the morning "Rouse And Company" team to a three-year deal last year, a station source tells DCRTV that the station "is going jockless for awhile." On the outs: Steve Rouse (and his "big boy salary"), Krisitie McIntyre, Mike Thomas, Bob Worthington, Maynard, Fast Jimi Roberts, and Johnny Dark. "The end of an era 17 years on the air. Plenty of ups and downs, but we were all a big family, and it was a very emotional departure," a source tells us.

April 30, 2005
DirecTV Adds MASN
After weeks of rumors, Rupert Murdoch's DirecTV has signed a deal to carry the Mid-Atlantic Sports Network, the Baltimore Orioles-owned regional sports channel that is carrying the Washington Nationals. MASN is now available on the satellite service's channel 626 to those customers who reside in DC, Maryland, Virginia, and parts of North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia. MASN is not available on any area cable systems.

April 29, 2005
Goodbye WBMD, WBGR
Baltimore's WBMD, 750 AM, signed off the air for good at 3 PM Friday. So did gospel WBGR, 860 AM, sister to religious talker WBMD. The Infinity stations are being sold to California-based religious broadcaster Family Stations, which also owns WFSI, 107.9 FM, in Annapolis. Look for the two AMers to be reborn soon with new religious formats. Back in the 1960s, WBMD featured country music that was simulcasted on 105.7, then WBMD-FM. In the 1970s, 860 was album rock WAYE.

April 29, 2005
WMAL Loses Milagros Ardin
Reporter Milagros Ardin's last day at WMAL is 4/29. She's been with the news talker since 1981. She's taken a job with an African aid organization and will be heading overseas this summer for her first assignment.

April 29, 2005
Mike Buchanan To TOP
Grizzled DC TV news veteran Mike Buchanan will soon be heard on Bonneville's all-news WTOP radio. In addition to his occasional reporting chores at Allbritton's Channel 7/WJLA. Starting 5/2, Buchanan will do a weekdaily radio commentary: "The Buch Stops Here." The 90-second pieces will air at 3:40 PM and 6:40 PM on 1500, 107.7, 820, and 104.3. Before joining 7 in 2004, Buchanan spent more than three decades at Channel 9/WUSA-WDVM-WTOP. Buchanan, 63, will be delivering his daily rants from his Gaithersburg home and will continue his WJLA work on a "part-time, freelance basis." Buchanan's wife is in poor health.

April 28, 2005
Woodruff To Say Adios To CNN
DC-based Judy Woodruff is leaving her fulltime gig at CNN. When her contract is up in June. She tells colleagues that she plans to do some "long-form projects in television," along with teaching and writing. Also, she plans to do consulting work for CNN, where she's worked for the past 12 years, including hosting "Inside Politics." Before joining CNN, Woodruff worked at PBS and NBC.

April 27, 2005
106.7 Junks Jump
The quarterly Arbitron radio ratings are out and WJFK-FM sees a big midday jump with the Junkies, who jumped from now defunct 99.1/WHFS in January, from 15th to 4th among age 25-54ers. Once again, WPGC-FM takes the top spot and WTOP dominates the drivetimes. WMAL drops across the board after a surge during last fall's elections. WRQX bounces back. WASH slumps after XMAS stunting. WJZW plunges, too. New Spanish WLZL makes a gain, mainly at the expense of existing Spanish WBZS/WBPS. And the lefty talk on WWRC doesn't even rank.

April 26, 2005
Rapper Faces Charges In WKYS Assault
Rap artist Jaceyon Taylor, who goes by the stage name of The Game, has been hit with assault charges as well as a $280 million civil lawsuit stemming from an incident at Radio One's urban contemporary WKYS (93.9 FM) in January. Prosecutors in Prince George's County have filed second-degree assault charges against Taylor and his manager, James "Jimmy Henchman" Rosemond, alleging that they attacked then WKYS evening personality Richard "Zxulu" Dunkerson on 1/21 in the lobby of WKYS's Lanham studio and office complex. Afterward, Zxulu was treated at Prince George's Hospital Center. A group of 20 men associated with Taylor reportedly accosted Zxulu and another man, who has filed a civil suit. Taylor apologized for the incident on BET: "To all the people at Radio One, I'm being sincere, we're sorry about what happened in DC. It'll never happen again." Radio One did pull The Game's releases, but the ban was later lifted. Zxulu no longer works at WKYS.

April 26, 2005
Roger Farquhar Dies
From the Washington Post: Roger Farquhar, 89, a former editor of the Montgomery County Sentinel and a newspaper reporter, editor, and publisher for four decades, died 4/21 of congestive heart failure at Friends Nursing Home in Sandy Spring. Farquhar started his journalism career in 1940 as a cub reporter for the Washington Daily News. He was with the Washington Post for 10 years before becoming editor of the Sentinel.

April 22, 2005
2 To Start Weather Channel
Channel 2/WMAR will be starting a local weather digital channel that will be carried on Comcast's Baltimore area cable systems. It'll feature the Scripps' station's top weather guy, Norm Lewis. In the DC area, Channel 4/WRC and Channel 7/WJLA have started like weather services.

April 22, 2005
Comcast Sues MASN
Area cable giant Comcast, which owns Comcast SportsNet, has filed suit against the Baltimore Orioles and the new Mid-Atlantic Sports Network over the right to televise Orioles games. In Montgomery County Circuit Court, Comcast asks that the Peter Angelos' Orioles be prevented from moving their games from CSN to Orioles-owned MASN at the end of the club's current television contract in 2006 without giving the network a chance to match the deal, a right Comcast says is included in the contract. Meanwhile, Comcast says it will not televise MASN's Washington Nationals games on its cable systems throughout the Baltimore-Washington region while the suit is being litigated, other than the 76 or so games broadcast via Channel 20/WDCA. "We are concerned about the impact on our customers of a $2 to $3 a month 'Angelos tax' that would be imposed as a result of MASN's creation," Comcast Executive Vice President David Cohen told the Washington Post. Sources tell DCRTV that there could be three to five lawsuits against Major League Baseball and the Orioles regarding the TV rights battle.

April 21, 2005
New Charm City Radio Home For UMD Sports
The University Of Maryland is moving its Baltimore sports radio affiliation from Hearst's WBAL-AM to Infinity's Live 105.7 and WJFK-AM, 1300. The "multi-year agreement" with the Terrapin Sports Network starts July 1. Maryland athletics, including all football, basketball, and lacrosse events, will be broadcast in Baltimore exclusively on Live 105.7 (WHFS) and/or on ESPN Radio 1300 AM (WJFK-AM). ABC's WMAL (630 AM) remains the university's DC market sports affiliate.

April 21, 2005
Tony Snow To Return To Radio Show
Tony Snow will return to his DC-based Fox News Radio show on Monday, 4/25. Snow has been off the air since February. He underwent surgery and treatment for colon cancer. Snow did a "special guest appearance" this week on his 9 AM to noon show to interview embattled politico Tom DeLay. Snow's show is heard locally on WMET (1160 AM) and on XM-165.

April 21, 2005
Tower Hike For WAVA
Salem's religious/righty talker WAVA (105.1 FM) has applied to upgrade its signal by moving to a taller tower. It now broadcasts from a tower in Arlington, near Lee Highway. It'll move to WETA-FM's tower, a mile or so away.

April 18, 2005
Multicultural, Metro Swap Stations
Multicultural Radio and Metro Radio are swapping area stations. Multicultural's Spanish WKDV (1460 AM) in Manassas goes to Metro. And Metro's WFBR (1590 AM) in Glen Burnie, formerly WJRO, which carries ethnic and religious fare, goes to Multicultural. Vienna-based Metro also owns Warrenton's Spanish WKCW (1420 AM). It recently sold Silver Spring's WPLC (1050 AM) to Bonneville, which became WFED. NYC-based Multicultural also owns Arlington's mainly Spanish WZHF (1390 AM) and Rockville's mainly Korean WLXE (1600 AM).

April 13, 2005
9 News Reporter Does Paid Promo For Hospital
Gannett's Channel 9/WUSA is running a series of paid 30-second spots this month that feature veteran news reporter Peggy Fox romoting "Lighten Up, Washington," an anti-obesity campaign organized by the station and the Inova Heart And Vascular Institute in Falls Church. The Inova advertisement features shots of the institute's building and the Inova and WUSA logos. According to the Washington Times, Randal Stanley, WUSA's news director said Fox's role in the spot and a related DVD should not be seen as an endorsement of Inova by Fox or WUSA. "We don't do endorsements," he told the newspaper.

April 12, 2005
5's Elisabeth Leamy To "GMA"
Channel 5/WTTG "senior investigative reporter" Elisabeth Leamy is jumping to ABC News, where she'll do consumer reporting for "Good Morning America." She'll be joining a fellow WTTG alum at "GMA" - weather guesser Tony Perkins. Leamy has been with Fox 5 since 1997.

April 9, 2005
Ron Rages Against JFK PD
DCRTV has been reporting rumblings that Ron and Fez's days at WJFK-FM could be numbered. There's been talk that the evening duo may be headed to satellite radio (XM?) or back to their old radio stomping ground of Florida. Now, we hear that Ron Bennington went into a royal rage on the air Friday against WJFK Program Director Cameron Gray. Cam, you'll recall, is responsible for stuff like cutting off Howard Stern's show before (sometimes way before) 10 AM, and putting old fart Bill O'Reilly in variety of midday slots on allegedly young male-oriented 106.7. After Cam called Ron off-air, wondering why Fez Whatley was being too quiet on Friday's show, Ron fired off an on-air verbal missile to Cam: "You're not the program director here. You've never been one."

April 9, 2005
Chalmers Roberts Dies
From the Washington Post: Chalmers Roberts, 94, a retired chief diplomatic correspondent of the Washington Post and the author of books on such topics as nuclear arms control and the joys of being a grandfather, died 4/8 of congestive heart failure at his home in Bethesda.....

April 8, 2005
"AAJ" Host Michael Hoffman To Retire
The Washington Jewish Week reports that Michael Hoffman, who hosts the long-running DC radio show "Awake, Alive, And Jewish," will retire in May. The program, which has aired for more than two decades, is currently heard at 10 AM Sundays on WFED (1050 AM). The search has started for Hoffman's replacement.

April 6, 2005
"Hideout" To Orlando
"The Hideout," which recently got bounced by WJFK-FM, is moving to Orlando. Hosts El Jefe and J-Dubs will be heard in the 7 PM to 11 PM slot on Clear Channel hot talker WTKS, Real Radio 104.1. "The Hideout" debuted several years ago in the Saturday evening slot on Infinity's 106.7. It then got moved to the weeknightly 11 PM slot, before being moved again and then getting axed. In addition to the show, El Jefe (aka Alex Hinojosa) handled production work for hot talker WJFK's "Ron And Fez" and "Don And Mike" shows.

April 5, 2005
Sonny Asselin Dies
Armand "Sonny" Asselin, who was news director at WTOP radio in the late 1970s and early 1980s, died in March in LA. He was 66. After working at WTOP, Asselin went on to become news director at then Metromedia-owned Channel 5/WTTG. He then headed to Hollywood to pursue an acting career.

April 5, 2005
Several "MFers" Make It Onto 9's Airwaves
Gannett-owned Channel 9/WUSA used a Snoop Dogg track as bumper music for its "Petline 9" feature on its Saturday morning newscast. However, the CBS affiliate ran the uncensored version, which featured several "mother f*ckers" clearly making it onto the airwaves. We're told that WUSA news anchor Derek McGinty delivered an apology on his 7 PM newscast Monday. And we're told that a news producer lost his job over the incident.

April 1, 2005
Frank Perdue Dies
"It takes a tough man to make a tender chicken." Frank Perdue, who became a local and then a national media fixture by hawking his Salisbury-based chicken company for more than two decades, has died at age 84.

April 1, 2005
Mike March Dies
From the Baltimore Sun: Mike March, a former Baltimore radio personality, died of a heart attack Monday at Beebe Medical Center in Lewes, Delaware. The Lutherville resident, 70, was a fixture on WCBM and WFBR during the 1960s and 1970s. March came to Baltimore in 1964, when he took an announcing job at WCBM, and quickly gained a reputation as an on-air funny man with his quick one-liners. In addition to his radio work, which also included DC's WRC, March did voice-overs for commercials.

April 1, 2005
Mitch Hedberg Dies
Comedian Mitch Hedberg, a frequent guest on 98 Rock's "Kirk, Mark, And Lopez" morning show, died Thursday at age 37. The cause is unknown.

April 1, 2005
Tom Brazaitis Dies
Tom Brazaitis, who covered Washington for nearly three decades for the Cleveland Plain Dealer and co-authored the 2000 bestseller "Madame President" with his wife, Newsweek's Eleanor Clift, passed away Thursday. He was 64.

March 30, 2005
Mike Nitka Dies
Mike Nitka, a veteran broadcast journalist and radio programmer, was recently found dead at his Los Angeles home. He'd apparently committed suicide, we're told. Nitka was a newscaster for WASH in the mid-1970s, and was program director at WAMU, back when its news department featured Craig Oliver, Matt Coates, Wendy Rieger, and Debra Silimeo.

March 30, 2005
PGC Tops Arbitrends
Another round of monthly Arbitrends out 3/30. All-news WTOP is up, due to winter weather. Rush and Hannity slump on talker WMAL, after a post-election spike. Hot adult contemporary Mix 107.3 sees an upward swing just as it starts changing the format. Adult hit Z104 is hoping and praying for a baseball boost. No ratings surge (yet) for the new Spanish El Zol, which replaced alt rock WHFS in January.

March 28, 2005
New Calls & Format For WKMZ
The Hagerstown area's WKMZ (95.9 FM) has picked up the WICL calls. The word is the station is flipping from classic rock to oldies, to fill the void of the old WARX (106.9 FM), which is now classic hits. Looks like a new website soon at cool959.com.

March 25, 2005
Liddy To WMET
G. Gordon Liddy is returning to the DC radio airwaves. After getting bounced from WTNT. Starting 3/28, the G-Man will be heard from 2 PM to 4 PM on WMET (1160 AM). It's part of revised line-up which includes Mark Bisnow at 7 AM, Tony Snow at 9 AM, JD Balart at noon, Linda Chavez at 4 PM, Michael Reagan at 6 PM, and Alan Colmes at 10 PM.

March 25, 2005
Hillary Howard Joins WGMS
Hillary Howard, who got bounced from the morning weather gig at Channel 9/WUSA last fall, joins Classical 103.5. She'll handle news updates for James Bartel's WGMS morning show. Also, Howard will continue to do reporting for WGMS's Bonneville sister, all-news WTOP, where she's been working since early this year. Before her four-year weather gig at WUSA, she did like work for Channel 5/WTTG. Howard is married to Channel 9 reporter Dave Statter.

March 24, 2005
Suspension For D&M Staffers After Taped "F-Bomb" Airs
Three Don and Mike show staffers have been given a two-week suspension without pay. A producer, a phone screener, and a "button dump guy." A listener tells DCRTV that on Monday's D&M "best of" show, the "f-bomb" was broadcast onto 106.7's airwaves at 5:41 PM. Evidently, the rerun tape featuring a caller, who uttered the word, was not edited and no one hit the dump button.

March 24, 2005
MPT Cancels "Wall Street Week"
Maryland Public Television is officially pulling the plug on "Wall Street Week" after 35 years. The public TV financial news program, which has been done with Fortune magazine since the ousting of longtime host Louis Rukeyser a few years back, will air its final episode on 6/24. "Evolving viewer expectations and competitive forces made it impossible to sell the additional underwriting slots needed to support production costs for a weekly program," says an MPT suit via an internal memo.

March 23, 2005
Larry Michael To Joins Redskins Organization
Larry Michael, the radio voice of the Redskins on WJFK-FM, will quit his Westwood One sports radio job. And become an employee of the Redskins. Our source tells us: "Talk about being bought and paid for. There goes any sense of objectivity." DCRTV hears that Michael is getting "big bucks" from Skins owner Dan Snyder. Michael took over doing Redskins radio play-by-play last season, replacing veteran booth man Frank Herzog. Infinity's WJFK-FM and Westwood One are owned by Viacom.

March 23, 2005
Peter Masters Dies
Peter Masters, who was the art director of WTOP-TV (now WUSA) from the late 1940s until the early 1960s, died of a heart attack on 3/21 at age 83. He lived in Bethesda. A WUSAer tells DCRTV: "The veterans of Channel 9's early years always spoke very highly of Peter. His son Tim used to do a wonderful weekend jazz show on WDCU."

March 21, 2005
Diamond To RQX: You're Too Boring
Is Mix 107.3 Program Director Kenny King really angry at WRQX morning man Jack Diamond's attempt at "podcasting" Monday morning and throughout the day? Was the break with the ratings-slumping ABC station's conservative playlist a real dispute or just a ratings stunt? Diamond proclaimed - on the air - that his station's hot adult contemporary music has become too "boring" and "predictable." And, he wants the tunes to be more random and feisty - including the Rolling Stones, the Scorpions, Kiss, Oasis, Van Halen - like the shuffle mode on his iPod. Later, Diamond called the stunt "fun and games." He said the idea was to spur ideas among station management and listeners to try out new and "different" music. Diamond said the ABC hot adult contemporary station plans to try out new music on the morning show and gauge interest on cuts that could be played throughout the day. Mix 107.3's ratings have taken a slide lately, as the last male-dominated ratings book thumped WRQX mornings. The effort to play "more daring" music, as Diamond called it, is to try and stay up with other forms of music formats, like satellite and portable music devices, that are gaining popularity and hurting terrestrial radio.

March 18, 2005
Morris Blum Dies
Morris Blum, 95, a longtime area broadcaster and steward of emergency communications for the state of Maryland, died of cancer on 3/15. Blum was the owner of WANN, 1190 AM (now WBIS) in Annapolis for many years. He is hailed as "a pioneer in race relations for putting African-American personalities on the air more than five decades ago." WANN aired soul, R&B, gospel, and other types of black-oriented "race music" from the 1950s until the early 1990s. Blum sold WANN in 1998

March 18, 2005
107.9 For Sale
Might Family Stations may be close to a deal to sell Annapolis religious outlet WFSI (107.9 FM). No word on the buyer. California-based Family recently bought Baltimore religious outlets WBMD (750 AM) and WBGR (860 AM) from Infinity. A source tells us that Christian talk WBMD and gospel WBGR "may be cleaning house and running satellite delivered programming, each station the same."

March 17, 2005
EZ Exits PGC
Afternoon man EZ Street leaves Infinity's WPGC-FM. No word as to why. And no replacement has been named. AA says that EZ "will announce his next big move soon."

March 17, 2005
Reecie Williams Gone From MMJ
Weekender Reecie Williams has parted ways with Radio One's WMMJ. He'd been working "swing shifts" plus Saturdays at Magic 102.3 for the past five years. No word on his plans.

March 17, 2005
Radio One's Move Back To DC Gets Tentative Approval
The Washington Post reports that Radio One has reached a tentative agreement with a key DC panel to relocate its headquarters from Prince George's County to the Shaw neighborhood, near Howard University, in hopes of creating a business and entertainment center in a blighted urban area. Radio One, which moved from DC to Lanham in 1997, has agreed to move into an $83 million office, residential, and retail complex on 7th Street NW, between S and T streets. The new facility will include the studios for WKYS, WMMJ, WOL, and WYCB. Also, there are plans for TV One, the Radio One-Comcast cable TV network, to move to the new facility from its current offices in Silver Spring.

March 17, 2005
Riggs Returns To HFS
Johnny Riggs returns to WHFS. The new WHFS at Baltimore's 105.7. Doing the 3 PM Saturday shift. A few years back, Riggs left the old Lanham-based WHFS at 99.1 after a drug/porno pics scandal.

March 17, 2005
WARX Now WWEG
Hagerstown former oldies and now classic hits WARX (106.9 FM) has new calls - WWEG. The Eagle.

March 15, 2005
PD Picked For El Zol
Infinity's WLZL (99.1 FM), formerly alternative rock WHFS, has appointed Aracely Rivera as program director of Spanish El Zol. Rivera comes from San Jose, where she was programming two stations for Entravision and was on-air middays for the past six years. She programmed a Spanish contemporary format and a tropical station, as well as launched and programmed the network version of super estrella (Spanish pop), which was heard in Chicago, San Jose, and Las Vegas. Rivera was born in Puerto Rico and raised in Miami.

March 15, 2005
Cougar To Gettysburg
Cougar Michaels, formerly of country WFRE (99.9 FM) in Frederick, has jumped to country WGTY (107.7 FM) in Gettysburg. He takes the 7 PM to midnight shift.

March 13, 2005
Hagerstown's 101.5 Becomes WFYN
Hagerstown's 101.5 FM has taken the WFYN calls. The VerStandig station flipped from WWMD to WEEG, "The Eagle," a few weeks ago, when it flipped from contemporary to classic hits. At the very same time Nassau's cross-town oldies WARX, 106.9 FM, picked up the same format and moniker.

March 12, 2005
Marcus Johnson To 105.9 Mornings
Marcus Johnson joins ABC-owned smooth jazz WJZW (105.9 FM) as its morning co-host. The keyboardist who heads Three Keys Entertainment will be teamed with Jacqui Allen. Johnson, a Silver Spring native, has been doing jazz concerts for the station since the mid-1990s.....

March 12, 2005
Phil Whitney Dies
Winchester radio pioneer Phil Whitney died Thursday at age 90. Whitney, who came to work at WINC shortly after the station signed on in 1941, announced live shows that featured Winchester native Patsy Cline.

March 11, 2005
Kennedy Leaves B&B
Clear Channel country outlet WMZQ parts ways with morning show co-host Jamie Kennedy. She had been a part of the "Ben And Brian" show for the past two years.

March 11, 2005
Art Sinclair Arrested For Sexual Assauly Of Minor
A Westminster man who goes by the radio name of Art Sinclair has been charged by Howard County police with the sexual assault and solicitation of a minor. Arthur Lapenotiere, 61, is alleged to have had sex with a 16-year-old Baltimore County girl that he met on the internet. Over the years, Sinclair has held various radio news and sports jobs at Frederick's WFMD and Baltimore's WFBR (now WJFK-AM) and WCBM. He was the voice of the Baltimore Blast soccer team. Police say Lapenotiere picked up the juvenile in Baltimore County in November 2004 and drove to a parking lot on Route 40 in Ellicott City where they say he assaulted her. He is charged with a second-degree sexual offense, unlawful solicitation of a minor, pandering, and second-degree assault, and is being held on $7,500 bond at the Howard County Detention Center.

March 10, 2005
Patrick Elasik Electrocuted
Patrick Elasik, 26, was electrocuted early yesterday while walking across NYC subway tracks from one platform to another. Elasik, who moved from the DC area in 1996, was the co-founder and co-owner of Mass Appeal magazine, a bimonthly urban lifestyle publication based in Brooklyn. His family lives in McLean.

March 9, 2005
WMAL To Up Power
ABC-owned talker WMAL (630 AM) has submitted a plan to the Federal Communications Commission to increase its daytime power from 5,000-watts to 10,000-watts. Its night power of 5,000-watts would remain unchanged. It's still in the "very preliminary" stage. No construction permit has yet been issued. "It should improve the signal in our current listening area - along with the growth areas south and west of DC," a WMAL insider tells DCRTV.

March 9, 2005
John Barron Dies
John Barron, the Washington Star's Woodward and Bernstein before there was a Woodward or Bernstein, died late last month at age 75. Barron, who originally trained to be a reporter, began his career as a naval intelligence spy in Berlin as the Cold War heated up. Leaving the service, he joined the storied Star in 1957 and became its lead investigative reporter.

March 7, 2005
Chuck Thompson Dies After Suffering Stroke
Local sports radio-TV legend Chuck Thompson (right), 83, died early Sunday after suffering a stroke Saturday morning. At Greater Baltimore Medical Center. Thompson, known for his catch phrases, "ain't the beer cold!" and "go to war, Miss Agnes," arrived in Baltimore in 1948 to do radio play-by-play for the International League Orioles and the All-American Conference Colts. When the St. Louis Browns moved to Baltimore in 1954, Thompson was named the broadcaster for their games. In 1957, Thompson left the Orioles to call the games of the Washington Senators for five seasons. But he returned to the Orioles in 1962, and called their games until his first retirement, in 1987. In 1990, Thompson came back to call about 25 games, and he was back for 80 games the next season. In 1993, Thompson became the 17th recipient of the Hall Of Fame's Ford Frick Award, the highest honor a baseball announcer can receive. Thompson last did play-by-play for the Orioles in 2000, when he was forced to stop because he suffered from macular degeneration, which made it impossible for him to read documents or follow the ball. His sports radio broadcasts were heard on WBAL-AM, WFBR, WCBM, and WTOP.

March 4, 2005
Good Ratings News For 11
The Baltimore Sun reports that February was a good month for Channel 11/WBAL, as the Charm City NBC affiliate turned in one of its strongest sweeps performances in years. The station's local newscasts at 5 PM and 6 PM weeknights drew larger audiences than those of its chief competitors, Channel 13/WJZ and Channel 2/WMAR, combined. In late news at 11 PM, WBAL topped its nearest rival, WJZ, by two ratings points or 20,500 area TV households. WBAL and WJZ are still "neck-and-neck" in the morning news race, and WJZ has a big lead at noon.

March 3, 2005
9 To Make HD News Push
Channel 9/WUSA announced that "it will become the first television station in Washington DC to present its local live newscasts in high-definition television. From buying new studio cameras to stringing miles of cable throughout, the station is literally being rebuilt from the ground up." This spring. Along with the debut of a new news set, which has been previously hinted about here at DCRTV. WUSA's news will get "a completely new look." According to the February "sweeps," the Gannett station suffered a news ratings disaster in afternoons and evenings, placing 4th and 5th in some time slots.

March 3, 2005
WMAL Cuts Weekend "Morning News"
ABC news talker WMAL has cancelled the Saturday and Sunday editions of its "Morning News," hosted by David Burd. It's replacing it with paid infomercial-type programming. WMAL honcho Chris Berry rold DCRTV: "We're moving some things around. Dave is a very talented broadcaster, and he will continue to be a part of the station, hopefully for a long time."

March 3, 2005
Rob Douglas Gives Up BAL Job
Talker Rob Douglas has given up his gig at WBAL-AM. At the end of last year, he gave up his weeknight show because of the demands of his full-time work as a security consultant. And now he's given up his Saturday show, again due to his other work obligations. "WBAL is an excellent station that afforded me a wonderful opportunity. I just found it impossible to do both a radio show and my full-time work and have any kind of normal life. So for now, no more radio," Douglas tells DCRTV.

March 3, 2005
Public Radio Fundraiser Goes Broke
DC-based Nancy Kruse And Partners, which produced fundraisers for many public radio stations, including WAMU, WETA-FM and WYPR, has hit the financial skids. The firm also handled the recent WTOP charity auction for the Washington Free Clinic.....

March 3, 2005
Ratings Hike To 7, 4 Still First
Channel 7 sees climbing news ratings in the all-important February ratings "sweeps." The ABC affiliate tells us that its AC Nielson numbers "show a double-digit share increase for 5 AM, 6 AM, 5 PM, 6 PM, and 11 PM." Still, 7 does not make a first place finish in any of the news time periods. In most newscasts, Channel 4 continues to take the top spot. But its margings are slipping. At 5 PM, 4's first, 7 second, 5 third, 50's "Judge Mathis" fourth, and 9 fifth. At 6 PM, 4's first, 7 second, 5's "The Simpsons" third, and 9 fourth. According to the Washington Post, news dean Gordon Peterson, who jumped from 9 late last year, is a big boon for 7.

March 2, 2005
Christianne Klein To 7
Christianne Klein has been hired by Channel 7/WJLA to anchor its weekend evening newscasts. She comes from Salt Lake City, where she handled KUTV-TV's 4 PM and 11 PM weekday newscasts.

March 1, 2005
Baisden To HUR
"The Michael Baisden Show" will be heard in afternoon drive on Howard University's adult urban contemporary WHUR (96.3 FM) starting 4/1. Baisden is a Chicago native who hosts an NYC-based radio show that's syndicated by the ABC Radio Network. The best-selling "bad boy" author writes about why men cheat on their wives and about related relationship issues. WHUR longtime afternoon hosts Doug Gilmore and Lorna Michaels exit.

February 28, 2005
XM To Raise Price In April, Put O&A On Basic Service
DC-based XM Satellite Radio will jack up the $9.99 price to $12.95 per month come 4/2. That's the same as what's charged by NYC-based rival Sirius. However, XM subscribers can "lock in" the old rate if they pre-pay at least one year in advance. Also, XM will make the High Voltage talk channel, which features "Opie And Anthony," part of its basic service. It has been available as a $1.99 per month premium channel. Also, XM will include music channel internet streaming with its basic service. XM Radio Online has been available to subscribers for an additional $3.99 monthly fee.

February 23, 2005
Vegas Radio Debuts On 1520
The equipment testing is over. Vegas Radio, via WTRI (1520 AM), is now officially on the air. Listen for Dean Martin, Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr., and more "Rat Pack" nostalgi standards tunes on the Brunswick MD (halfway between Leesburg and Frederick) former Korean language daytimer. DC radio veteran Buddy Rizer will be doing a live morning show starting 2/28.

February 23, 2005
7 Photog Held At Gunpoint By MontCo Cops
A "tipster" tells News Blues that Channel 7/WJLA photographer Dale Wright "was held at gunpoint in Gaithersburg by Montgomery County police yesterday after a woman called police saying she saw a big black man holding a gun on a little white man. Wright was on assignment with WJLA reporter John Lisle covering a follow-up report to a home invasion. Lisle attemped to convince police that Wright was not trying to kill him but was his co-worker who was carrying a tripod. After 20 minutes or so, police let Wright go."

February 20, 2005
BAL Vet Edward Russell Dies
Edward Russell, who worked 53 years at WBAL radio and TV, died of cancer on 2/15, just two weeks after his retirement as the reproduction manager in the station's print shop. He was 71. Russell, a Baltimore native, became the first African American to work in a supervisory capacity at a Baltimore TV station. "He has sat in on executive meetings, run the duckpin lanes for long-gone 'Bowling For Dollars,' operated a camera during a strike, taken publicity pictures, and called in returns from the field on election night," according to a 2002 profile in City Paper.

February 18, 2005
Kamal Sentenced To 5 Years In Teen Sex Sting
Bill Kamal, who did the weather in the 1980s and early-1990s on DC's Channel 9/WUSA, was sentenced Friday to five years in federal prison for trying to seduce a 14-year-old boy over the internet last fall in Florida. The "boy" was an undercover police officer. Kamal, who had worked for Miami's WSVN-TV since the mid-1990s, was also ordered to serve a lifetime of probation after being released from prison and to pay a fine of $20,000. WSVN, a Fox affiliate, fired Kamal after his arrest.

February 18, 2005
Larry Janezich Retires
It was the end of an era in the Senate Radio-TV Gallery on Capitol Hill as Superintendent Larry Janezich retired. Janezich, who'd been on the job for some 30 years, shepherded the transition from film to live television. For the thousands of credentialed members of the gallery, Janezich "has been the point man for countless battles to advance the cause of broadcast journalists. He has worked tirelessly, and has been among the most committed advocates for our profession," a colleague tells us.

February 17, 2005
Nationals To Z104, WFED
Evening and night Nationals baseball games will be heard on Bonneville's hot adult contemporary Z104 - WWZZ 104.1 FM and WWVZ 103.9 FM. And all games, including daytimers, will be heard on Bonneville's federal news talker WFED - 1050 AM. The announcement of the one-year deal was made on Bonneville all-newser WTOP's airwaves at 4:04 PM Thursday by Joel Oxley, who heads Bonneville's DC radio cluster, which includes Z104, WFED, WTOP, and WGMS. This is a surprise because it was widely reported that the Nats' play-by-play finalists were Clear Channel's WTEM and Infinity's WJFK-FM. The games will be difficult to hear on the Baltimore area airwaves because of Clear Channel smooth jazzer WSMJ at 104.3, which is adjacent to Z104's 104.1 frequency. Also, the full-powered 104.1 signal originates from Charles County, and has some weak coverage areas in DC's northern and western suburbs. Z104's 103.9 Frederick area outlet is a relatively low-powered regional signal, as is Silver Spring's WFED, which runs only 1,000-watts by day and 44-watts at night. The Washington Post reports that the team will buy the air time - terms were unavailable - and try to recover the money through ad sales.

February 16, 2005
Nicole Zaloumis Leaves 4
Channel 4/WRC and weekend sports anchor Nicole Zaloumis have parted ways. The Washington Post says she "resigned." Zaloumis, who is heading back to her native California, replaced Jill Sorenson, who jumped to a news reporting gig at Channel 5/WTTG. Zaloumis joined Channel 4 in June 2004. She came from a TV station in Medford, Oregon.

February 15, 2005
Cancer Scare For Tony Snow
Tony Snow, the DC-based Fox News radio host, has been diagnosed with colon cancer. "For years, I've had colitis, which is a disease that has a pretty high cancer risk, and Friday after I got off the air, my doctor informed me that he had found a small, cancerous lesion inside my colon," says Snow, 49, a former speech writer for the first President Bush. "So as soon as possible, I'm going to go in and get that sucker taken out." In 2003, Snow turned over TV hosting duties for "Fox News Sunday" to Chris Wallace, and started his own radio show in early 2004. It's carried at 9 AM on WMET (1160 AM) and is also available via XM.

February 11, 2005
WETA Board Votes To Yank Classical From 90.9
The Washington Post reports that WETA-FM (90.9) listeners who had hoped to sway the public broadcasting station's board of directors from dropping classical music programs left WETA's Shirlington offices disappointed last night. By an overwhelming majority, the board approved a resolution to focus on news and public-affairs programming. A new lineup, with round-the-clock news, analysis, and interview programs, will debut on 2/28. Only the weekly broadcasts of the Metropolitan Opera and "Traditions With Mary Cliff," a folk music program, will remain for music lovers. In 2004, the station's audience sank to its lowest point since 1991, and is ranked 18th in metropolitan Washington, according to a station spokesman.

February 9, 2005
O'Malley Denies TV News Reporter Rumor, Ehrlich Aide Resigns
It has made the rounds on DCRTV's Mailbag. A rumor about how Baltimore Mayor Martin O'Malley fathered a child with a Baltimore television news reporter and separated from his wife. But the story has snowballed. Now, the Democrat, who is eyeing a campaign for the office of Maryland governor, has gone on the record to deny it. And to accuse "agents" of the current governor, Republican Robert Ehrlich, of spreading the rumor. The Washington Post reports that Ehrlich has asked for and received the resignation of Joseph Steffen, a longtime aide. Steffen confirmed that he had discussed the rumor on a popular conservative website and in private e-mails, which were given to the Post.

February 9, 2005
George Herman Dies
CBS News correspondent George Herman, who once hosted DC-based "Face The Nation," and who was the first to broadcast news about the break-in at the Democratic Party's national headquarters in the Watergate in 1972, died of congestive heart failure on 2/8 at his Washington home. He was 85.

February 8, 2005
Karl Haas Dies
Karl Haas, who did "Adventures In Good Music," a syndicated classical music program that was once heard on DC's WGMS and still airs on Baltimore's WBJC, died on 2/6 at age 91.

February 6, 2005
WTNT Dumps Liddy For Scarborough
G. Gordon Liddy has been dropped by Clear Channel talker WTNT (570 AM). Fellow righty talker and ex-congressman Joe Scarborough, who hosts a show on MSNBC, willtake WTNT's noon to 3 PM slot. Starting 2/7. Scarborough is being distributed nationwide by Westwood One, Liddy's old syndicator. DC-based Liddy, who switches to Radio America distribution, will continue to be heard on Baltimore's WCBM (680 AM), and via the XM and Sirius satellite radio services. "Don't worry, I haven't disappeared," Watergate scandal convict Liddy tells the Washington Post. "Though I'm sure there are people who would like me to disappear."

February 4, 2005
O'Reilly Back To Afternoons On JFK-FM
Bill O'Reilly returns to WJFK-FM afternoons. As of 2/7. The Fox News commentator was removed in mid-January from 106.7's noon to 2 PM slot for the resurrection of the Junkies, who got bounced from 99.1 (formerly WHFS) when it flipped to Spanish. O'Reilly, who had been airing via tape delay at 11 PM, now jumps into the 1 PM to 3 PM slot. Clobbering the 2 PM Don and Mike "best of" hour. With the Junks airing from 10 AM (cutting off Howard Stern whether he's done or not) to 1 PM (instead of to 2 PM). O'Reilly's show is syndicated by Westwood One, which is owned by Viacom, which owns Infinity Radio, which owns WJFK-FM. Also, WJFK-FM has added "Loveline" in the 11 PM slot. The program had been regionally without a station since it was dropped from 99.1 last month, when the old WHFS flipped to Spanish.

February 4, 2005
Angelos' Nats Feat Results In Single-Year BAL Orioles Deal
The Orioles have signed a deal to continue their flagship relationship with WBAL radio (1090 AM). But it's for only one year. Jeffrey Beauchamp, WBAL's vice president and station manager, said ongoing negotiations between Orioles owner Peter Angelos and Major League Baseball over the relocation of the Montreal Expos to DC as the Washington Nationals prevented the two sides from forging a long-term agreement. He said he was confident the two would craft a multiyear broadcasting union once the "financial protection" issues between Angelos and MLB are resolved.

February 1, 2005
Examiner Launches, With WTOP's Help
From the Washington Post: The Washington Examiner, a free tabloid newspaper aimed at upscale readers, plans to launch today in the District, and in the Maryland and Northern Virginia suburbs, replacing the Journal Newspapers and entering head-to-head competition with the Washington Post, the Washington Times and other publications. The Examiner marks the latest attempt by Denver billionaire Philip Anschutz, who bought Journal Newspapers last September, to create a new model of newspaper aimed at readers who say they don't have time to read traditional broadsheets. The Post adds that the Examiner will print traffic information supplied free by WTOP, as well as publish a portion of Mike Causey's Federal Report. Causey appears on Federal News Radio, which is operated by WTOP, which is owned by Bonneville. It's called a "news-sharing agreement," according to an article in the debut edition. By the way, Monday's 64-page tabloid Examiner contains a half-page ad for each of Bonneville's four DC area media properties: WTOP, Federal News Radio, Z104.1, and Classical 103.5. The Examiner's website is at dcexaminer.com.

February 1, 2005
Garcia To Head ABC's DC Radio Bureau
Robert Garcia has been named chief of ABC's DC radio news bureau. He takes over from Merrilee Cox, who recently retired from the post. Garcia had been VP for CNN Radio, was executive producer for CBS's DC radio news bureau, and once served as news director at DC's WLTT radio (now WARW). In his new role he'll oversee all of ABC News Radio's coverage that originates from the Nation's Capital and all of the network's radio reporters and producers at federal agencies including the White House, the Capitol, and the Pentagon.

February 1, 2005
Robert Johnson To Leave BET
DC media magnate Robert Johnson, founder of Black Entertainment Television, is scheduled to step down from his post at the end of 2005. Johnson, 58, sold BET to Viacom for $3 billion in 2000. His contract expires at the end of the year. Debra Lee, the current chief operating officer of BET, is expected to take Johnson's chief executive post. The WSJ adds that Johnson wants to spend more time with his other business ventures, like the NBA Charlotte Bobcats.

January 31, 2005
Bill Shadel Dies
Bill Shadel, a reporter for WTOP radio in the 1950s, the first host of CBS's "Face The Nation," and an anchor at the then upstart ABC, died Saturday of cancer. He was 96. Shadel moderated the third presidential debate between Nixon and Kennedy in 1960, and that he spent 12 straight hours in the anchor chair during John Glenn's 1962 orbit.

January 31, 2005
Leo Meidlinger Dies
Leo Meidlinger, 61, a producer for ABC News in DC, died of cancer on 1/28. He was said to be a key part of ABC News' coverage of virtually every major event since 1972.

January 28, 2005
New Owner For WTRI
Tricaster Communications has completed its purchase of Brunswick MD's WTRI (1520 AM) from JMK Communications. The purchase price of the station, located halfway between Frederick and Leesburg, was not released, although we hear that it was $1.5 million. Tricaster is a partnership between Walter "Buddy" Rizer, who spent 15 years as program director and on-air personality at DC101 and who now works at 98 Rock, and Marty Sheehan, who had been sales director for Clear Channel's WTEM, WTNT, and WWRC. They're joined by Bethesda businessman R. Taylor Walsh. Since 1999, WTRI has broadcast Korean programming. Sources tell DCRTV it'll soon be "Vegas Radio," with a mix of 1940s through 1960s nostalgic tunes, a la Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin. And a Rizer morning show.

January 28, 2005
7 Launches Doug Hill Weather Channel
Channel 7/WJLA has launched Doug Hill's Weather Now in place of the ABC News Now network, which said bye-bye to its broadcast-cable distribution Friday. Via one of WJLA's digital subchannels and via Comcast's digital tier.

January 28, 2005
105.7 Now WHFS
Baltimore's Live 105.7, formerly WXYV, is now officially using the WHFS call letters. The old WHFS at 99.1, now Spanish El Zol, becomes WZLL.

January 26, 2005
KYS's Xzulu Attacked By Recording Artist's Entourage
All Access reports that WKYS evening man Xzulu, "The Big Lip Bandit," was punched and kicked by recording artist Jayceon "The Game" Taylor's entourage on 1/21 at the Radio One urban contemporary station's lobby in Lanham. According to AA, the scuffle stemmed from a remark the radio personality made about a wireless earpiece worn by Taylor's manager Jimmy Henchmen. Xzulu was approached by Henchmen and approximately five to 10 men, all of whom allegedly landed punches or kicks on the radio personality, AA adds. Xzulu was taken by ambulance to a local hospital, where he was treated for cuts, bruises, and internal injuries. Prince George's County police are investigating the incident.

January 25, 2005
Montgomery's Cable News 21 To Go Dark
After 16 years, Montgomery Community Television's Channel 21 will air its last local newscast on 1/28. According to a December Washington Post article, Montgomery County slashed MCT's budget by $1 million in 2004. And a 2005 increase was not enough to keep up with inflation, even with fees that come from cable operator Comcast, plus funds generated by television production classes. Cable News 21 helped launch the careers of many local TV reporters, including WRC's Darcy Spencer, WJLA's Kevin Schultze and John Lisle, NewsChannel 8's Bruce DePuyt, Melissa Mollet, and Julie Parker, WBFF's Harold Fisher, and Fox News anchor Kiran Chetry. MCT will continue to operate Channel 21, but will replace the news program with coverage of town hall meetings and press conferences.

January 25, 2005
HFStival To Be Held In 2005
The HFStival will again be held this year, even though the 99.1 station has flipped to Spanish. WHFS program director Lisa Worden announced on Baltimore's Live 105.7 yesterday that there will be an HFStival, probably in May. Since Friday, the co-owned Infinity talker at 105.7 has been airing WHFS-type alternative rock music and personalities during evenings, overnights, and on the weekend. The Sun also reports that Dave Grohl, former Nirvana member and lead singer of the Foo Fighters, called in to 105.7 during the WHFS programming to congratulate the resurrection of the format and to offer to play at the HFStival this year. Also joining Worden at the new HFS on 105.7, assistant program director Libby Carstensen, and music director Pat Ferrise.

January 23, 2005
New DC News Bureau Head For Sinclair
Sinclair has hired reporter Don Hammond from Dayton, Ohio to head the Baltimore TV station group's DC news bureau. He replaces Jon Leiberman, who was fired in October for criticizing the firm's decision to air a program critical of Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry's Vietnam war record. A source tells DCRTV that Hammond's politics "lean to the right, and he is well known to Dayton viewers for his sometimes bizarre stand-ups and live shots." Sinclair's new DC correspondent is Alison Kosik. She's been a freelance reporter in DC.

January 21, 2005
Bicknell, Harrison Form Read Street
DC-Baltimore radio vet Paul Bicknell, who was Davy Jones on "top-40" WPGC in the 1960s, has joined forces with media editor and producer Jay Harrison to create Read Street Sound And Video, which handles radio, television, and other media projects. Harrison, formerly of Flite Three Audio, Capitol Video, and Vince Clews And Associates, and Bicknell, writer, producer, narrator, and former sales executive of a local media production company, will be housed in the Eisner Communications complex in Baltimore.

January 21, 2005
WHFS Resurrected On 105.7 & Internet
Infinity has resurrected WHFS-type tunes and personalities on Baltimore's WXYV, Live 105.7. The mainly talk station will, for the time being, keep Howard Stern in mornings and Don and Mike in afternoons, but will run alternative rock during evenings and overnights, and on weekends. It started Friday at 7 PM and the first song was the Clash's "This Is Radio Clash." Say goodbye to DC's Ron and Fez, which had aired during evenings on 105.7. Personnel from the old WHFS at 99.1 FM, which flipped to Spanish-language music last week, include former afternoon driver Tim Virgin. They'll be heard via the new incarnation, which will also be available fulltime on the internet at whfs.com and via America Online's Radio@AOL. Programming will include new music, archive programming from WHFS, and performances from past HFStivals. "We heard loud and clear how important WHFS and its programming are to the Washington DC-Baltimore community, and through our partnership with AOL, we are thrilled to be able to bring WHFS back to its passionate and loyal fans," said Infinity marketing suit David Goodman. "The legacy of WHFS as a pioneering music station will continue to live on for millions of listeners around the world."

January 21, 2005
Michael Powell To Leave FCC
Federal Communications Commission Chairman Michael Powell, who led the charge against broadcast "indecency," is calling it quits. In March. He was named head of the FCC four years ago, and has been a commissioner since 1997. On this morning's show, Howard Stern, who has been fined several times by Powell, took pleasure in the news. "Thank God he's gone," Stern said. "This is a great day in broadcasting." No word on where Powell is headed, or about his FCC replacement.

January 18, 2005
40 For Dave McConnell At WTOP
Dave McConnell (right) celebrates his 40th anniversary with WTOP today. McConnell started his career at WTOP four decades ago as a general assignment reporter. He predates the station's all-news format, which was born in 1969. In 1977, McConnell became WTOP's Capitol Hill correspondent. He also serves on the executive committee of the Congressional Radio-Television Correspondents Association and is a member of the National Press Club.

January 17, 2005
New Lefty Talk WWRC Debuts
DC gets a left-leaning talker to balance the largely right-leaning talk on other AM stations like WMAL and WTNT. It's Clear Channel's WWRC (1260 AM), which drops sports talk. There's a new website at progressivetalk1260.com. Don Imus does mornings (also on co-owned WTNT), Al Franken at noon, plus Randi Rhodes, Stephanie Miller, Ed Schultz, and Janeane Garofalo.

January 14, 2005
Junkies Return To JFK-FM
Infinity's DC talker WJFK-FM will start carrying the Junkies in the 10:30 AM-ish (when Howard Stern ends) to 2 PM slot. Then known as the Sports Junkies, they had done the evening shift on WJFK-FM before moving to mornings at Infinity's now defunct alternative rock WHFS in late 2002. Bill O'Reilly will move from live at noon on 106.7 to a tape-delayed broadcast at 11 PM. And, "The Hideout" with El Jefe and J-Dubs, which had been airing at 11 PM, gets dumped.

January 14, 2005
Stanley Nabs 9's ND Gig
Randal Stanley, acting news director at ratings-challenged Channel 9/WUSA, has become its permanent news director. Stanley plans to oversee "a spanking-new news set scheduled to debut in the spring," according to the Washington Post. Stanley, who had worked at Gannett's co-owned stations in Cleveland and Buffalo, landed the then-temporary WUSA gig after Dave Roberts was given the boot last summer.

January 13, 2005
Marius Payton Joins CSN
Marius Payton joins Comcast SportsNet as anchor and reporter. The Virginia Beach native comes from the ABC affiliate in Salt Lake City, where he's covered the National Basketball Association and the Olympics.....

January 12, 2005
HFS Goes Spanish
Infinity has killed off alternative rock WHFS (99.1 FM). It's now Spanish language El Zol, with a blend of Caribbean and Central American dance music. "We have made clear our desire to expand into this burgeoning market and believe this move marks an important step in our commitment to Spanish radio," said Joel Hollander, president and chief operating officer of Infinity. "There exists a tremendous opportunity for Infinity to launch a Spanish language format in Washington DC where almost 10 percent of the population is not being directly served. El Zol will be the most powerful Spanish radio station in the area and will provide listeners with the music, entertainment, and information relevant to the many segments of the Latino culture." Spanish Broadcasting System served as a consultant to and advised Infinity on the reformatting of the station. Infinity announced a strategic alliance with SBS in October 2004, which included an equity interest in the largest Hispanic-controlled radio broadcasting company in the USA. WHFS was born in the 1960s on 102.3 FM in Bethesda, and became a maverick free-form progressive rocker by the early 1970s. It moved to Annapolis-based 99.1 FM in 1983. After a variety of owners, it evolved into a mainstream alternative rock outlet serving both DC and Baltimore, with studios in Lanham. During the past years, however, its ratings have slumped, particularly in the DC market.

January 11, 2005
5:30 PM & AM Newscasts For 45
Charm City's Channel 45/WBFF will be adding a 5:30 PM newscast. This 30-minute show will be anchored by Jeff Barnd and Jennifer Gilbert. Its Sinclair sister, Channel 54/WNUV, will be dropping its 6:30 PM newscast. Also, WBFF will be adding a half-hour of local news at 5:30 AM, expanding the existing 6 AM to 9 AM news block. Patrice Harris moves from reporter to anchor, with Harold Fisher. She replaces Jennifer DesMarais, who has left WBFF for Rhode Island. Plus, Jenna Maloney joins WBFF's morning news as a reporter.

January 11, 2005
Heart Surgery For Another CBMer
WCBM sportscaster Art Sinclair was slated to undergo quadruple-bypass heart surgery at the cardiac care unit of Baltimore's Sinai Hospital. Just last week, the Baltimore talker's Les Kinsolving underwent triple-bypass heart surgery.

January 11, 2005
Former NPR President Dies
Lee Frischknecht, 76, who served as president of National Public Radio from 1973 to 1977, died on 12/29 in Logan, Utah. He had Alzheimer's Disease. In 1970, Frischknecht joined NPR in Washington as the director of network affairs. He was elevated to vice president and became president in 1973. Frank Mankiewicz took over as president in 1977, and Frischknecht served as senior vice president of programming and distribution.....

January 10, 2005
New Liddy Job For Kalandros
Diana Kalandros has been appointed executive vice-president of G. Gordon Liddy Network Productions. She had been executive producer of the G-Man's radio show. In her new gig, she'll be handling Liddy's schedule, publicity, and all of his many activities apart from the show. Liddy is jumping syndicators - from Westwood One to DC-based Radio America. Currently, his show is heard locally on WTNT and WCBM.

January 7, 2005
Walt Starling Dies
Walt Starling (right), 52, died on 1/4. Starling, a pilot and the first airborne traffic reporter in the Washington area to become a major radio personality, was being treated at his Montgomery County home by hospice nurses and family. He was diagnosed last spring with colon cancer. Starling was remembered on 1/7 during a funeral service at the First United Methodist Church in Hyattsville. More than 1,500 people showed up - "a true who's-who of Washington-Baltimore broadcasting." Before the service, traffic planes performed the missing man formation over the church. Then, all three area TV station helicopters flew a circle overhead. For two decades, Walt flew a traffic plane over the DC area. His reports were heard on WAVA, WASH, WPGC, and WLTT/WARW.

January 7, 2005
Nightly QSR Gig For Johnny Dark
Area radio veteran Johnny Dark has landed the weeknightly slot at Baltimore oldies outlet WQSR (102.7 FM). Dark was fired from DC's oldies WBIG (100.3 FM) last fall. Since then, he had been doing Saturday mornings on WQSR. Also, Jeff "Goldy" Gold, who got canned WBIG, has been hired as a parttimer at WQSR. He'll be doing the Saturday morning slot.

January 7, 2005
Heart Bypass For Kinsolving
Les Kinsolving, a longtime fixture at Baltimore talker WCBM, underwent triple-bypass heart surgery at Fairfax Hospital. He suffered a heart attack on 1/5. In addition to his WCBM show, the right-leaning Kinsolving is a member of the White House Press Corps and a contributor to WorldNet Daily. He worked WAVA in the 1970s, when it was all-news.

January 7, 2005
Farley To Oversee B'Ville News Talkers
Jim Farley, all-news WTOP's VP of news and programming, will now also be national news talk program director for Bonneville, WTOP's owner. The Salt Lake City-based firm owns 37 radio stations, including a handful of news and talk outlets, like KSL, the company's flagship in Utah's capital.

January 6, 2005
Greasy Biz At 700
New format for the Frederick area's WDMV (700 AM), formerly WGOP. The Greaseman all morning and business news talk the rest of the day. Starting next week. While Doug "Grease" Tracht has been airing during mornings on Birach-owned 700 for years, the post-Grease hours have been filled with a variety of mainly righty talkers and ethnic programs.

January 6, 2005
Allan Prell To Seattle
Allan Prell, the left-leaning radio talker who was once heard on Baltimore's WBAL-AM, and the now-defunct WLMD in Laurel and Fairfax's WEEL, has landed the late morning gig at Seattle radio talker KIRO. He replaces Dave Ross, who had taken a leave of absence to mount an unsuccessful run for Congress and who now returns to afternoon drive on the station. KIRO suits used the terms "offbeat" and "wacky" to describe Prell's show. Several years ago, Prell, who has lived in Oakton with his wife and family while writing a novel, moved to Denver to do a radio talk show there. But that job didn't last long.

January 6, 2005
GMS Launches Opera Web Stream
Bonneville's Classical 103.5 has officially launched VivaLaVoce.com, a 24/7 internet-only radio station focused on classical vocal music - opera, choral music, and art song. "VivaLaVoce.com was created in response to demand and a general lack of quality classical vocal music programming both locally and nationally," explains Jim Allison, program director at WGMS. "Since Classical 103.5 presents a mainstream, instrumental classical approach, it seemed a perfect extension to provide a venue and an opportunity for listeners to enjoy more focused vocal programming." The internet station is produced, programmed, and presented by the WGMS staff.

January 5, 2005
New PD For WETA-FM
Maxie Jackson (left) is the new program director of classical and news talk WETA-FM (90.9). He comes from Morgan State University's jazz and news talk WEAA (88.9 FM) in Baltimore. While at WEAA, Jackson developed programming that has been hailed by National Public Radio and the African American Public Radio Consortium as a model for African American news throughout the public radio system. Jackson joined Radio One in 2001 as an assistant director of programming. He was involved in the radio programming provided by Radio One Satellite Programming to XM Satellite Radio. Before that, Jackson was a producer for "The Keenen Ivory Wayans Show" at Buena Vista Television and "Video Soul" at Black Entertainment Television.

January 5, 2005
Richard Rael Dies
Richard Rael, a broadcast production director and special English announcer at the DC-based Voice Of America, died on 1/3 of injuries he received in a bicycle accident that occurred on 12/24.

January 4, 2005
4 Launches Weather Plus
Area cable giant Comcast plans to add the new NBC Weather Plus service that Channel 4/WRC has just started carrying via a digital subchannel. NBC launched a like local weather service on digital TV in NYC during late 2004, and is planning to roll it out across the country. Look for it to be on the digital lineup of DC market Comcast systems by mid-February. Comcast already carries the ABC News Now service that's relayed via the digital subchannels of ABC affiliates Channel 7/WJLA and Channel 2/WMAR.

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