January 2006 to June 2006

Latest items listed first.....

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June 30, 2006
Amy Morris Upped At WFED
Amy Morris gets promoted to executive editor of Bonneville's Federal News Radio, WFED (1050 AM). Morris has been with Bonneville seven years. She started at all-news WTOP as a freelance assistant editor, writer, reporter, and anchor, moving on to morning drive reporter and weekend anchor. For the past two years, she has been afternoon anchor on WFED.

June 30, 2006
Hot 99.5 Goes Julian-Less
Julian Nieh, who did Hot 99.5's "The Hot Freek Show" from 6 PM to 10 PM, is gone. After four years at the contemporary hit station, he has been wiped from WIHT's website.

June 29, 2006
XM Boots Hank For Willie
DC-based XM Satellite Radio has signed country music legend Willie Nelson to relaunch its traditional country channel. XM-13, which had been called Hank's Place in honor of country legend Hank Williams, will be called Willie's Place as of 7/10. XM is building studios in Carl's Corner, Texas, at Nelson's BioDiesel Truck Stop. Willie's Place will begin broadcasting live from Carl's Corner next year.

June 29, 2006
Paul Miner Dies
Paul Miner, who made radio commercials and had worked in the broadcast industry, died Monday after collapsing in the lobby of the North Baltimore condominium building where he lived. He was 88. Miner, who had worked for WINS and WABC radio in NYC as well as the DC-based Voice Of America, moved to Baltimore about 20 years ago and had a show, "Mr. Information," on WCBM.

June 26, 2006
Levan Reid, Joyce Jackson Leave 9
Sports anchor-reporter Levan Reid is leaving Channel 9/WUSA. "My guess is that it's his choice," a 9 Newser tells DCRTV. Reid, who joined the Gannett CBS affiliate several years ago from Boston's Fox station, has another gig lined up somewhere, we're told. Also, we hear that recent Emmy winner and sports reporter Joyce Jackson will be gone from 9 soon, too. You'll recall that WUSA and other Gannett stations used Jackson to report from her native New Orleans during Hurricane Katrina coverage last year.

June 23, 2006
PGC, ERQ Top Latest Trends
Another batch of those monthly Arbitrends. DC. Full day, overall age 12+: 1) WPGC-FM, 2) WMMJ, 3) WHUR, 4) WTOP-FM/AM, 5) WKYS, 6) WGMS/WGYS, 7) WIHT, 8) WJZW, 9) WASH and WMZQ and WWDC, 12) WMAL, 13) WRQX, 14) WBIG, 15) WJFK-FM and WTEM, 17) WLZL, 18) WARW, 19) WTWP-FM/AM, 20) WPGC-AM. Morning drive, age 12+: 1) WTOP-FM/AM, 2) WPGC-FM, 3) WMMJ, 4) WWDC, 5) WKYS, 6) WHUR, 7) WIHT, 8) WRQX, 9) WMZQ, 10) WMAL and WGMS/WGYS, 12) WASH, 13) WJFK-FM, 14) WJZW, 15) WBIG, 16) WTEM, 17) WLZL, 18) WTWP-FM/AM, 19) WARW, 20) WAVA. We didn't get to see the afternoon drive numbers, but WJFK-FM (Don and Mike) placed 5th in the 12+ numbers. Baltimore. Full day, age 12+: 1) WERQ, 2) WPOC, 3) WWIN-FM, 4) WBAL-AM, 5) WLIF, 6) WIYY, 7) WSMJ, 8) WZBA, 9) WWMX, 10) WCAO and WQSR, 12) WCBM, 13) WRBS, 14) WHFS.

June 23, 2006
2's News Director Gone
DCRTV hears that Connie Howard is out as news director at Baltimore's Channel 2/WMAR. Good thing Howard has a local real estate gig going on the side, as DCRTV had previously reported. No word on her replacement at the Scripps Howard-owned ABC affiliate that's always in third or four place in the Charm City news ratings. Howard joined WMAR in 2004. She came from WFAA-TV in Dallas, where she was assistant ND.

June 22, 2006
Nashville's Sara Walsh To 9
The Nashville Tennessean tells us that Sara Walsh, "Nashville's first female TV sports reporter since Robin Roberts worked here more than 17 years ago," is leaving WKRN-TV for a gig at a Washington DC TV station. DCRTV hears that Walsh's destination is Channel 9/WUSA.

June 21, 2006
Former VOAer Benjamin Gordon Dies
Benjamin Gordon, 73, a former Voice Of America broadcaster, died of pancreatic cancer 5/21 at his Silver Spring home. Gordon worked as program and news director for the Atlantic Broadcasting Company's WUST radio in the late 1950s before joining the VOA as a radio news writer in DC. He advanced to foreign information specialist and United Nations correspondent. Gordon retired in 1990.

June 20, 2006
Larry Young To Conntinue WOLB Gig
The Baltimore Sun reports that former Maryland state Senator Larry Young, a Baltimore Democrat who was expelled from the General Assembly on charges that he used his public position to enrich his private businesses, has chosen to continue his radio career rather than attempt a return to the legislature. Young, who has already collected $40,000 in campaign contributions, said Monday that he is abandoning the comeback bid so he can continue his morning talk show on Radio One's Charm City talker WOLB (1010 AM) and join the ministries of the Reverend Al Sharpton.

June 20, 2006
Thomas Kengla Dies
Thomas Kengla, 56, a Rockville postal worker-turned-video producer at Montgomery Community Television, died of pneumonia 6/2 at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore. He worked on "News Counterpoint," "Focus On The Farm," "Tack Room," and "Inside The Blues."

June 20, 2006
Philip Merrill's Death Ruled Suicide
Maryland authorities have recovered the body of Philip Merrill, 72, the publisher of Washingtonian magazine and the Capital newspaper in Annapolis, who disappeared on 6/10 while sailing alone in the Chesapeake Bay. Officials of the Maryland Natural Resources Police said a boater spotted the body floating in the Chesapeake off Poplar Island, about 17 miles south of Annapolis. Family members identified Merrill's body, which was clad in a shirt with the name of his sailboat "Merrilly" on it. The body was found with a shotgun wound to the head and without a life jacket. Merrill's death has been ruled a suicide.

June 15, 2006
Oziel Out At WFED
David Oziel is out as news director of WFED (1050 AM), Federal News Radio. Lisa Wolfe, program director at WFED and Bonneville's co-owned all-news WTOP, has assumed Oziel's former duties. Bonneville denies a report that WFED and federalnewsradio.com missed a mid-term revenue target.

June 15, 2006
Judlyne Lilly Leaves WFED
Judlyne Lilly, "one of the most memorable and recognizable voices" on DC area news radio, is leaving Bonneville's Federal News Radio operation. The former all-news WTOP radio and Channel 5/WTTG reporter will return to her native Houston come July. "Family reasons" is what we're hearing.

June 15, 2006
Jerry Coleman Out At BAL & 98 Rock
Jerry Coleman is out as morning sports guy at Hearst's talker WBAL-AM and 98 Rock, WIYY. This week, former Channel 2/WMAR sportscaster Keith Mills began filling the role (as DCRTV reported in a 6/13 newsblurb), though WBAL management said it is a temporary assignment at this point while it considers Mills and others for the job.

June 13, 2006
Don Cheadle To Star In Petey Greene Movie
Filming was slated to begin in June on a movie about Ralph "Petey" Greene, a DC radio and TV broadcaster who hosted a Channel 20 (later also shown on BET) talk show in the 1970s and early 1980s. "Talk To Me" is being filmed in Toronto and stars Don Cheadle (right) as Greene, who was said to be a Washington folk hero and a tireless advocate for the poor. Greene, who spent time in Lorton Reformatory and battled the bottle, died of cancer in 1984 at age 53. More than 20,000 showed up at his funeral.

June 12, 2006
Riggo To Red Zebra
Former Redskin John Riggins has joined Redskins owner Dan Snyder's Red Zebra Broadcasting. Riggins recently left a gig at Sirius Satellite Radio, where he did "The Afternoon Blitz" show. Red Zebra is planning to start an ESPN-based DC radio sports talker this summer.

June 11, 2006
MSNBC Fires Maury & Connie
MSNBC's "Weekends With Maury And Connie" is being cancelled. The program, hosted by DC TV veterans Maury Povich and Connie Chung, will end its run this week. The husband and wife team taped their second-to-last show last Friday. "Weekends" launched six months ago, but never seemed to find an audience. Povich continues his nationally syndicated tabloid talk show, "Maury."

June 10, 2006
NPR Veteran James Barrett Dies
From the Washington Post: James Barrett, 75, who acted on radio and in the Army before joining in the birth of National Public Radio as its first public relations director, died of pneumonia 6/4 at Inova Fairfax Hospital. He lived in Arlington. Barrett came to DC in 1970 and helped launch NPR and "All Things Considered" in the spring of 1971. He promoted the fledgling network until 1979, when health problems forced early retirement.

June 7, 2006
Weinstein Gone From 980
Bram Weinstein is gone from SportsTalk 980, WTEM. "It came as a surprise to the suits at Clear Channel," Williams tells DCRTV. WTEM Program Director Chris Johnson tells the DC Examiner: "We are sad to see Bram go. He has been a part of the WTEM family for seven years. We wish him well no matter what his next job may be." Weinstein could wind up at Redskins owner Dan Snyder's Red Zebra Broadcasting, which is planning to start a rival sports talker this summer.

June 6, 2006
NABET Votes To Strike 4
The National Association Of Broadcast Employees And Technicians, which represents 2,500 employees at four television stations owned and operated by NBC, including DC's Channel 4/WRC, has voted to authorize a strike. A strike date was not set. Issues under negotiation include overnight shift differential pay and health care coverage for new hires, according to NABET President John Clark. The union has been negotiating with GE-owned NBC Universal since its contract expired in March.

June 6, 2006
WNVC Goes Digital-Only On Cable
Northern Virginia public TV outlet Channel 56/WNVC has been granted FCC permission to become a digital-only outlet on area cable TV systems. However, it will not turn off its analog over-the-air transmitter. As of 6/30, look for DC area Comcast cable systems to discontinue carriage of WNVC - also known as MHz - on their basic analog tier and add four WNVC digital signals: WNVC MHz Worldview (205), WNVC Link TV (186), WNVC Russian World TV (657), and WNVC Nigerian TV Authority (677).

June 6, 2006
Jim Vance's Contract Talks With 4 "Turn Nasty"
FTVLive is reporting that negotiations between NBC's Channel 4/WRC and longtime news anchor Jim Vance "have turned nasty and it could end up with the two sides parting ways." WRC and Vance are far apart on the negotiations and one source says that Vance has gone so far as to fire his agent. FTV adds that "NBC is quietly looking at resumes and a possible replacement for Vance." Vance's shows were number one in the most recent May ratings. Vance has been at WRC since 1969 and has been the main anchor since 1972. Sources tell FTV that both NBC and WRC have been trying to keep the news of bad negotiations a secret. The search for a possible replacement is being kept equally as quiet.

June 5, 2006
Fox 5 To Add News At 11
Channel 5/WTTG will add an 11 PM newscast in July. The Fox station will go head-to-head seven days a week with the other stations in town. Channel 5, which has run a 10 PM newscast for more than three decades, has not said what will happen to its current 11 PM occupant, the low-rated "Geraldo At Large."

June 4, 2006
Tom Shedlick Gone From CC
Tom Shedlick, director of engineering for DC's eight-station Clear Channel complex in Rockville, has parted ways with the radio giant. After eight years.

June 4, 2006
Former DC Record Store Owner Dies
Robert Bialek, 84, a native Washingtonian who opened the Discount Record Shop near Dupont Circle, which evolved into the Discount Book And Record Shop franchise, died on 5/30 after a heart attack. He sold the business in the early 1980s.

June 2, 2006
4 Axes Wally Bruckner, Replacement Picked
Channel 4/ WRC will not renew the contract of Wally Bruckner (left), who has been with the NBC-owned station since 1990. As lead sports event reporter and weekend evening sports anchor, Bruckner has traveled extensively for the nationally syndicated "George Michael Sports Machine." He will leave WRC in late July, shortly before the start of Redskins pre-season. Bruckner will be replaced by Dan Hellie (right), the sports director at Orlando's WFTV-TV, who grew up in the DC area. According to NB, even though Hellie signed a long-term renewal with WFTV, the contract contained a "DC out" clause, allowing him to return to his hometown in the event of a job prospect. Hellie joined WFTV three years ago from WPTV-TV in West Palm Beach. WRC is one of the nation's great local sports stations and has a 20 person sports staff, led by the legendary George Michael.

June 1, 2006
Oldies WWLG Becomes Gal Talk WVIE
Baltimore oldies outlet WWLG (1370 AM) becomes WVIE, V-1370 "The Voice," with its flip to "female-targeted" talk. The line-up includes Laura Schlessinger, Laura Ingraham, Tammy Bruce, and Joy Browne. "Sister" WWLG is owned by locally-based Mangione Family Enterprises, along with "brother" male-oriented talker WCBM (680 AM), Rush Limbaugh's new radio home.

May 31, 2006
Redskins owner Buys Richmond Sports Talker
Washington Redskins owner Dan Snyder's Red Zebra Broadcasting has agreed to purchase Gee Communications' WXGI (950 AM) in Richmond. An official announcement will come 6/1, with Red Zebra beginning a local marketing agreement with sports talk WXGI, which features ESPN programming. Red Zebra recently purchased three stations in the DC area - WBZS (92.7 FM) in Prince Frederick, WBPS (94.3 FM) in Warrenton, and WKDL (730 AM) in Alexandria - from Mega Communications.

May 31, 2006
O&A To 106.7 Middays
Opie and Anthony will air on WJFK-FM in middays, in replacement of Peter Rosenberg's 10 AM to noon show. Starting 6/26, O&A will air from 10 AM to 1 PM. Bill O'Reilly gets moved to the 1 PM to 3 PM slot. Penn Jillette will be heard from 7 PM to 8 PM, and Jay Severin from 8 PM to 11 PM. Rosenberg moves back to weekends. According to Dan Caterinicchia in the Washington Times, Michael Hughes, general manager of WJFK-FM, said the CBS talk station had "work to do in middays" after it dropped from 13th to 18th overall, and "The Don And Mike Show" in afternoon drive dropped from 5th to 15th. O&A aired in afternoon drive on WJFK-FM until 2002, when they were yanked after doing a show which featured a Virginia couple having sex in an NYC church.

May 29, 2006
Former VOAer Jerry McKinney Dies In Rafting Mishap
Jerry McKinney, former managing editor at the DC-based Voice Of America, died in a rafting accident in New Mexico. McKinney ran the VOA newsroom until he returned to New Mexico in 2002. According to Associated Press, McKinney, 68, died on 5/26 when his raft flipped on the rapids section of the Animas River, throwing himself and a 3-year-old girl into the water. The girl was rescued by another raft.

May 29, 2006
HFStival: From "Spectable" To "Just A Concert"
Only 16,000 tickets were sold in advance for this weekend's HFStival at Columbia's Merriweather Post Pavilion, which was expanded to hold 27,000. According to the Washington Post, this year's two-day concert "marked a visible end to the glory days of the HFStival, when it was routine for organizers to sell out 60,000-seat venues. Last year, Washington's 99.1 FM, the major promotional platform for the festival, was converted to a Spanish language station, El Zol. The 2005 festival was at the Ravens' M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore. In previous years, it has been at RFK Stadium and FedEx Field." Says one participant: "The other ones were a spectacle; they were crazy. This is just a concert." Now only a parttime alternative rocker, WHFS resides on Baltimore's 105.7 FM, which is difficult to hear in much of the DC metro. The Baltimore Sun says the event drew 40,000 in two days, down from 46,000 last year.

May 26, 2006
PGC, TOP, HUR Top 'Trends
Another round of those monthly radio Arbitrends from Arbitron. For DC. Full day, age 12+: 1st WPGC-FM, 2nd WMMJ, 3rd WHUR, 4th WTOP-FM/AM, 5th WMAL, 6th WJZW, 7th WASH, 8th WIHT, 9th WKYS, 10th WMZQ, 11th WGMS, 12th WWDC, 13th WBIG, 14th WRQX, 15th WJFK-FM, 16th WLZL, 17th WTEM, 18th WARW, 19th WPGC-AM, 20th WTWP-FM/AM. In Baltimore, WERQ is 1st in the full day, age 12+ numbers, WPOC 2nd, WWIN-FM 3rd, WBAL-AM and WLIF 4th, WIYY 6th, WSMJ 7th, WQSR 8th, WWMX 9th, and WZBA 10th.

May 26, 2006
5's Gargiulo To NYC
Michael Gargiulo, who's co-anchored Channel 5/ WTTG's "Morning News" since 2000, is leaving the newscast at the end of next month to join NYC's NBC-owned WNBC as a reporter. The native New Yorker said he will miss the station but that he's "always thought about trying to get back to New York and this was an opportunity."

May 25, 2006
4 & 11 Top News Ratings
Channel 4's newscasts continue to dominate the DC market. Channel 4 won every head-to-head newscast among total viewers. The NBC station's biggest audience is at 11 PM, when its newscast averaged 194,000 viewers. That's 60,000 more than Channel 9 and nearly double Channel 7. Channel 5, boosted by hit "American Idol," featured the most-watched "late night" news. It's 10 PM newscast attracted 197,000 viewers. Channel 7's 5 PM newscast was tops among the age 25-to-54 demographic that local advertisers prize. Channel 9 continues to lag in early evenings. Its 5 PM newscast was fifth behind the other three newscasts and "Judge Mathis" on Channel 50. Channel 9's news was third at 6 PM, behind 4 and 7. Channel 11 is the king of the TV hill in Baltimore. In the May "sweeps," 11's newscasts were tops at 6 AM, 5 PM, 6 PM, and at 11 PM. Channel 13 was the news victor at noon.

May 24, 2006
Oldies WWLG To Go Talk
Baltimore oldies outlet WWLG (1370 AM) will go to a female-oriented talk format on 6/5. As WVIE. The station, which is locally co-owned with talker WCBM (680 AM), has been playing oldies since May 2005, when CBS's WQSR (102.7 FM) dropped older oldies for its newer oldies "Jack" format. Before that, WCBM played nostalgic adult standards.

May 17, 2006
Dick Ireland Recovering From Stroke
Dick Ireland (right), host of the morning show at Baltimore religious music and talk outlet WRBS (95.1 FM), is recovering from a stroke he suffered on 5/11. A source tells us: "I spoke to his wife, who said he's mobile - just can't talk right now." Ireland, who has been in the radio business since age 17, spent many years at the then easy listening WLIF (101.9 FM).

May 14, 2006
Jane Day Dies
Jane Day, 82, a journalist who worked for the old National Observer newspaper and United Press wire service in Washington, died of cancer 4/17 at the Quarry Hill rehabilitation facility in Camden, Maine. Day, a prolific writer and editor, worked in Washington for a variety of publications, including the Southern Maryland Times and the Sentinel in Rockville. She was a member of the White House Correspondents Association from 1968 to 1970.

May 13, 2006
David Harfeld Dies
David Harfeld, 70, who, beginning in 1989, wrote and hosted a weekly radio show on Broadway musicals, "Curtain Up," on the then WNTR (1050 AM) in Silver Spring, died on 5/7 of cancer at Suburban Hospital. The Chevy Chase resident's show aired on public radio stations in Wisconsin, Alaska, Georgia, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and elsewhere.

May 11, 2006
Clear Channel Cans Kash From DC101, XM's Kiss
Kevin Kash is out at DC101 after a decade at the rocker. We're also told that DC101 owner Clear Channel has canned Kash as the program director of its Kiss contemporary hits channel on DC-based XM Satellite Radio. He also ran CC's Mix adult contemporary, Nashville country, and Sunny easy listening XM channels. Look for Kash to soon return to the radio biz "talking on a much larger platform."

May 8, 2006
PFW's Damu Smith Dies
Damu Smith, the "Spirit In Action" co-host of Pacifica's WPFW (89.3 FM), died on 5/5 of complications from colon cancer. The noted peace activist was 54.

May 8, 2006
Lots Of News Changes For 13
A batch of news changes at Baltimore's Channel 13/WJZ. Mary Bubala will join Don Scott on the noon news show. Also, Bubala will report for 13's morning news. Tim Williams and Bernadette Woods will now handle weather in the noon newscast, replacing Marty Bass, who will continue to be featured in "team weather" and features segments. Kathryn Brown will move to nights, reporting for 13's 11 PM newscast. Adam May will anchor weekend nights, joining Bernadette Woods and Stan Saunders, who will continue to report during the week. Sharon Lee is leaving 13 to join her husband in Boston. Jessica Kartalija comes from Albuquerque to join 13 in July. She'll anchor weekend mornings with Tim Williams. Reporter Peggy Lee comes from Savannah to join 13 in June. Lee, who specializes in "cold case" crime news, used to work at Philadelphia's WCAU-TV.

May 5, 2006
Former 2er Keith Mills Gets House Arrest
Former Channel 2/WMAR sportscaster Keith Mills was sentenced to nine months of house arrest for stealing prescription medicines from his next-door neighbor in Linthicum, a woman who was suffering from cancer. According to the Baltimore Sun, Mills, 48, pleaded guilty before an Anne Arundel County Circuit Court judge to first-degree burglary. Mills received five years of supervised probation and was ordered to undergo random urine checks and to have no contact with his neighbor. Under the terms of the plea agreement, the state's attorney's office dropped five other charges against Mills. Mills was arrested at his home in January for stealing OxyContin and other painkillers from his neighbor, who was undergoing chemotherapy for cancer that had spread to her breast and kidney. After his arrest, Mills lost his job at WMAR, where he had worked for 18 years. Addressing the judge, Mills said: "I have been humbled by this experience - embarrassed, humiliated, but humbled more than anything." Immediately after his January arrest, Mills enrolled in a month-long drug treatment program in Antigua. And, he said he now attends five Alcoholics Anonymous meetings a week.

May 5, 2006
Former Baltimore TV Personality Arrested For 1974 Maryland Rape
Ron Meroney, a Memphis television news anchor who was just arrested on charges of raping a young child on Maryland's Eastern Shore in 1974, once worked in the Baltimore market, and was a weatherman on Channel 2/WMAR. Meroney, 69, was arrested at his Tennessee home on 5/3. He was indicted in December on a charge of statutory rape of a child under 14. The victim, now in her 30s, recently came forward to police. And the Wicomico County Child Advocacy Center began an investigation. Under Maryland law there is no statute of limitations on felonies. Meroney, who is an anchor on "Good Morning Memphis" on the Memphis Fox affiliate, has vowed to fight extradition to Maryland.

May 4, 2006
VOA's Al James Dies
Al James, former host of the Voice Of America's "Daybreak Africa" program, died on 5/2. James began his career with the DC-based VOA as an engineer and later worked in the English-to-Africa service as a news reader. He then became writer and host of "Daybreak Africa," where he remained until his retirement several years ago.

May 3, 2006
CW To Baltimore's 54
The new CW network will land on Baltimore's Channel 54/ WNUV, the Sinclair-operated current Charm City WB affiliate. Replacing the WB and UPN nets, CW will debut this fall. Baltimore's current UPN outlet, Channel 24/WUTB, will join Rupert Murdoch's My Network TV this fall. WUTB is owned by Murdoch.

May 3, 2006
Louis Rukeyser Dies
Louis Rukeyser (right), the longtime host of Maryland Public Television's "Wall Street Week," a Friday evening PBS staple for three decades, died yesterday at his home in Greenwich, Connecticut. He was 73 and had multiple myeloma. Rukeyser moved his business news and commentary program to CNBC in 2002 after a dispute with MPT, which wanted to reformat the show and use younger hosts.

May 1, 2006
Tracy Morgan Jumps From PGC-AM To WAVA
Tracy Morgan, who spent almost a decade as a personality on CBS's gospel WPGC-AM, joins religious WAVA (105.1 FM) as host of the Salem station's weekend gospel program. Morgan, who left Heaven 1580 in January, will air on WAVA from noon to 5 PM each Sunday. Morgan is a consultant with internet gospel radio station spiritco1.com.

April 28, 2006
HUR Soars, JFK Sinks
The winter Arbitron radio ratings. In the overall age 12+ DC numbers, adult urban WHUR soared to 1st, with all-news WTOP/WTWP in a tie with adult urban WMMJ for 2nd. Urban WPGC-FM was 4th, urban WKYS 5th, adult contemporary WASH 6th, classical WGMS 7th (despite its move to the weaker 104.1/103.9 frequencies), country WMZQ 8th, rhythmic contemporary WIHT 9th, smooth jazz WJZW 10th, and rocker WWDC 11th. Talker WMAL was 12th, tied with hot adult WRQX. Oldies WBIG was 14th, sports talk WTEM 15th, while Spanish WLZL dropped to a 16th place tie with classic rock WARW. Post-Stern talker WJFK-FM sank to 18th place, with religious talker WAVA at 19th. Gospel WPGC-AM and country WFRE tied for 20th. Urban WERQ takes the top spot in Baltimore's age 12+ numbers, with country WPOC 2nd, adult urban WWIN-FM 3rd, adult contemporary WLIF 4th, news talk WBAL-AM 5th, rock WIYY 6th, smooth jazz WSMJ 7th, adult hits WQSR 8th, classic rock WZBA 9th, hot adult WWMX 10th, gospel WCAO 11th, talk WCBM 12th, talk-alt rock WHFS 13th, and religious WRBS 14th.

April 28, 2006
DC Radio Veteran Tom Bells Dies
Longtime Arlington County Police Department spokesman Tom Bell died on 4/25 of complications from leukemia at Georgetown University Hospital. He was 57. Bell, who retired from his ACPD job in 1998 after two decades, had previously been an announcer and program director for several Washington area radio stations including WASH, WEAM, WEEL, and WXTR. He was in Vietnam from 1969 to 1970, was active with the Virginia National Guard, and served as commanding officer of the Leesburg National Guard. In 1997, Bell retired from the military at the rank of major.

April 27, 2006
Changes At WTEM
Some line-up changes at Clear Channel's SportsTalk 980, WTEM, come 5/1. Former Redskin Brian Mitchell will do the noon to 3 PM shift now that ESPN programming, including Dan Patrick, is going to Redskins owner Dan Snyder's still-veiled sports talk outlet. The show will be co-hosted by Braum Weinstien. "The Sports Reporters" with Andy Polin and Steve Czaban will air from 9 AM to noon, replacing "Monday Night Football"-bound Tony Kornheiser. John Thompson's show will now run from 3 PM to 7 PM. Previously announced: Czaban is replacing ESPN's "Mike And Mike" in mornings.

April 27, 2006
Kurt Kenschen Dies
Longtime Washington-based Mutual Radio newsman Kurt Henschen died Wednesday night after a long bout with ALS.

April 26, 2006
Lapidus Out At CC
Clear Channel has handed the pink slip to Mark Lapidus, who was marketing director for all of the radio giant's eight DC area stations. "He was told they need his salary to hire a PD for WBIG," a source says.

April 26, 2006
Unfair Labor Practice Claim Filed Over Washington Post Radio
WTOP's Neal Augenstein is reporting that the union representing Washington Post employees has filed an unfair labor practice claim with the National Labor Relations Board. The union says the newspaper pays some, but not all reporters who "appear" on Washington Post Radio. There is also a claim that the Post will not disclose how the decision is made on who gets paid and who doesn't. Tina Gulland, of the Washington Post, says participation is voluntary, and those who provide radio content outside of their usual newspaper responsibilities are paid. Washington Post Radio, talker WTWP, is owned by Bonneville, which also owns all-news WTOP. Also: some Washington Post reporters are refusing to go on WTWP until the union dispute is resolved.

April 26, 2006
Lark To Vegas
It looks like Channel 5/WTTG morning news anchor Lark McCarthy will be moving to Las Vegas. The Las Vegas Review-Journal reports that McCarthy, who was a White House correspondent for ABC News before joining Fox 5 in 1990, is heading to an anchor gig at KLAS-TV in the gambling mecca. Apparently, she's following her husband on a job change.

April 25, 2006
Tony Snow To Get WH Gig
DC-based Fox Newser Tony Snow will become the White House press secretary, with the official announcement coming Wednesday morning. Snow's Fox News Radio show wasn't a big hit when it recently aired on Gaithersburg talker WMET (1160 AM). According to the Washington Times, Dennis Israel, WMET's general manager, said he had received only one phone call and two e-mails about the disappearance of Snow's largely pro-Bush show after the station switched to paid programming in March.

April 25, 2006
Sex Charges Swirl Around Povich
From the Washington Post: A producer for DC TV veteran Maury Povich's "Maury" syndicated tabloid talk show filed a multimillion-dollar sexual harassment lawsuit against him and members of his staff, claiming she was subjected to sexual remarks and made to watch pornographic movies and expose her body. According to AP, a 28-year-old NJ woman says in court papers that she had a heavy workload because she had to do jobs that should have been performed by another female staffer, who was having an "intimate and sexual relationship" with Povich, according to the AP report. DC native Povich (right), who got his start at Channel 5/ WTTG, is married to former TV news anchor Connie Chung, another former WTTGer, who co-hosts "Weekends With Maury And Connie" on MSNBC.

April 24, 2006
Marcus Johnson Out As JZW's Morning Man
Morning man Marcus Johnson (left) is leaving Smooth Jazz 105.9, WJZW. The renowned jazz pianist and head of Three Keys Music has rejected an offer from station owner ABC to, instead, do 60-second arts segments. Johnson says station assertions that he didn't want to continue doing mornings due to his rigorous performance schedule are simply not true. If he received "the right offer," he would have continued. Johnson was named 105.9's morning show host in March 2005, teamed with Jacqui Allen. Meanwhile, Fernando Carlos and Charlie Maxx are the new morning team, according to smoothjazz1059.com.

April 24, 2006
New Calls For 50
Channel 50 is dropping the WBDC calls for WDCW. Come 5/1. The Tribune-owned station becomes a new CW network affiliate this fall, when the WB network ceases to exist. DC's Channel 50 has also sported the WCQR and WFTY calls.

April 21, 2006
Rush To WCBM
Rush Limbaugh's Baltimore move to talker WCBM (680 AM) is practically "a done deal. There were money issues," a source tells us. But, after a few behind-the-scenes personnel cuts, the dough was found to pay what the rotund Florida-based righty was demanding. We're also hearing that the most likely CBM on-air cut will be DC-based former Watergater G. Gordon Liddy. Limbaugh got fired from talker WBAL (1090 AM), which plans to extend the shifts of Chip Franklin and Ron Smith to fill its midday "Rush gap" come June.

April 20, 2006
O&A To Return To CBS Radio, Junks To Stay At JFK
Opie and Anthony will be returning to terrestrial radio to replace Howard Stern replacement David Lee Roth. O&A's "uncensored" show will continue on DC's XM Satellite Radio. While there are reports that O&A will replace Roth on CBS Radio's FM talk stations in northeastern cities, including NYC, the duo could also air in DC via CBS's WJFK-FM. O&A aired during afternoons on 106.7 until they got yanked from the broadcast airwaves in 2002 after an infamous "sex in a church" contest scandal involving a DC area couple. However, Junkies were assurred on-air by WJFK-FM head Michael Hughes that they'll remain 106.7's morning show. In the future, O&A could air tape-delayed in another WJFK-FM time slot.

April 20, 2006
WHSV Veteran Engineer Dies
Ira Titus "Buddy" Lowe Jr., 85, died on 4/7 at Rockingham Memorial Hospital in the Shenandoah Valley town of Harrisonburg VA. Lowe was chief engineer at Harrisonburg's Channel 3/WHSV (previously WSVA-TV) for 36 years. He was a resident of Harrisonburg.

April 19, 2006
11 Photog Mark DeLeon Dies
Mark DeLeon, a Channel 11/WBAL news photographer and editor, died of cardiac arrest during surgery at a Baltimore area hospital. DeLeon had been with WBAL-TV since 1985, and before that with Channel 2/WMAR in the same capacity. "Mark has 'broken in' many a new reporter and photographer including myself when I came to Baltimore in 1987," a co-worker tells DCRTV. He was "always a friendly person willing to lend you a tape or cable or offering advice to fellow photogs in the field."

April 18, 2006
Stan "The Fan" Returns To Radio, Launches Sports Rag
Longtime Baltimore sports radio personality Stan "The Fan" Charles has come back to the Charm City airwaves and he's launching PressBox, a weekly sports-oriented newspaper. "PressBox Live" airs from 7 AM to 9 AM Saturdays on WJFK-AM (1300). The print version will feature local sports columnists Jim Henneman, Phil Jackman, Craig Heist, and Damon "The Bulldog" Yaffe. Charles had penned the Baltimore City Paper's "A Fan's Notes" column and did programs for Maryland Public Television and the old Home Team Sports. He hosted an evening sports talk show on WJFK-AM until 2002.

April 14, 2006
NY Times To End TV Venture With Discovery
The New York Times plans to sell its stake in Discovery Times Channel, a news and documentary network launched four years ago with Silver Spring-based Discovery Communications after investing $104 million in the venture. In the original deal arranged in 2002, the Times had the option to sell its stake in the channel (Comcast 111, Cox 150) back to Discovery after the venture's four-year anniversary. Times Chairman Arthur Sulzberger Jr. said he was "pleased" with the Discovery venture. "But over time our strategy has shifted," he said in a statement. "We believe that shorter form pieces, such as the video we are currently producing on NYTimes.com, serve us well. With broadband penetration increasing, video has proven popular with both users and advertisers. Increasingly, that is where we will focus our efforts."

April 12, 2006
John Aronoff Dies
John Aronoff, 41, a sports statistician and a graphics and information specialist for several television networks, died on 4/5 from a self-inflicted gunshot at his home in Portland, Oregon. A DC area native, Aronoff once worked for Channel 20/WDCA, where he kept statistics for Baltimore Orioles games. Aronoff also worked for ESPN, CBS, NBC, Turner Sports, and the Golf Channel. He teamed with well-known sportscasters, including James Brown, Mike Tirico, and Mike Patrick.

April 12, 2006
CC Gives Hess Control Of DC AMers
Clear Channel officially names Bill Hess as operations manager of its DC area AM stations - sports talk WTEM (980), plus talkers WTNT (570) and WWRC (1260). He'll continue as program director of adult contemporary WASH (97.1 FM). Hess recently gave up the programming reins for WBIG (100.3 FM), which flipped from oldies to classic rock hits.

April 11, 2006
Margaret Leppo Dies
Margaret Leppo, longtime executive secretary for Baltimore's WWIN (1400 AM), died of cancer on 4/2 at the Greater Baltimore Medical Center. The Lutherville resident was 83. Baltimore radio veteran Jack Edwards tells DCRTV: "Mags was there when Jack Dawson hired me in 1956. Vince Bagli, Nelson Baker, and Jim Stanley were also onboard at that time." Leppo retired in 1980.

April 11, 2006
MAL, RQX Veteran Linda McQueeny Dies
Linda McQueeny, a veteran of ABC's WMAL and WRQX (previously WMAL-FM), died on 4/10 at Anne Arundel Hospital. She'd lived on the Eastern Shore. No word on the cause of death, but McQueeny had suffered from heart-related problems. For many years, McQueeny was secretary to WMAL CEO Andy Ockershausen. According to her good friend and former WMALer Tom Gauger: "Linda was in reality Andy's executive officer and could put out fires, answer complaints, set up and run client schmoozes and, in general, keep both WMAL and WRQX up and running. She was the most amazing person I ever met at WMAL in the 18 years of my presence there." McQueeny and Gauger are pictured at right.

April 10, 2006
Haber In Hot Water Over OLN Remarks
Channel 9/WUSA sports anchor Brett Haber was reportedly dismissed from a side job he had at Comcast-owned OLN, Outdoor Life Network, for allegedly making tasteless remarks during coverage of a rodeo in Portland, Oregon in February. According to rodeo news website Rodeo Attitude: "During a commercial break in the telecast..., the audio feed was on as rider Brian Herman struggled to get settled atop a bull as it thrashed in the chute. Before Herman was granted a re-ride, and in a comment heard on the in-arena TV monitors, Haber said, 'Nod your head you f****** hillbilly. You're not going to ride anyway.' Later that night, with the audio feed off, Haber made yet another comment that angered at least one rider. When Willy Ropp went down in a wreck during his ride in the championship round, and it was clear the injuries suffered would result in a delay, Haber complained that he was going to miss his flight (back to DC), according to two OLN sources."

April 10, 2006
Kingston To XM's Ethel
Steve Kingston will program XM's alternative rock Ethel channel (XM-47). Kingston, who once programmed NYC's alternative rock WXRK and contemporary Z100, owns adult alternative WRNR and country WINX in Annapolis. He'll be based at XM's NYC offices.

April 9, 2006
Ken Barnett Dies
Ken Barnett has died at age 43. A DC area native and radio engineering expert, he helped alternative rock WHFS build its 99.1 signal. Much of Barnett's time was spent on the Eastern Shore, where he worked at WWTR, WSBY, WKHZ, WKHI, WOCQ, and talker WQMR, which he helped start.

April 8, 2006
Anita Marks To 1300
Anita Marks is leaving a sports talker in Miami in late April to become an afternoon drive host in Baltimore. And DCRTV hears that she's headed to sports talk WJFK-AM (1300).

April 7, 2006
Snyder Snatches ESPN Programming From WTEM
Redskins owner Daniel Snyder and his Red Zebra Broadcasting have acquired the rights to ESPN Radio's programs and will begin broadcasting them when Snyder's stations switch from a Spanish-language format to sports talk in the next few months. The programs, which currently air on CC's SportsTalk 980 WTEM, include "Mike And Mike" in the morning and "The Dan Patrick Show" in the afternoon. The loss of the ESPN shows weakens WTEM, which is losing its late morning host, superstar Washington Post sports columnist Tony Kornheiser, who will become an analyst on ESPN's "Monday Night Football." The three Red Zebra stations - WBPS (94.3 FM) in Warrenton VA, WBZS (92.7 FM) in Prince Frederick MD, and WKDL (730 AM) in Alexandria VA - have signals too weak to cover the entire DC area, especially at night. But Snyder could expand the stations' reach by buying other stations, or by forming an alliance with a stronger station, possibly CC's WTEM or one of its sister FMers. With the loss of ESPN Radio programming (see newsblurb below), sports talk WTEM will be airing Steve Czaban in morning drive. Czaban already does a national morning show, "The First Team On Fox," for Fox Sports Radio, which will now air on WTEM come July. Replacing ESPN's "Mike And Mike." Czaban will continue to do "The Sports Reporters" with Andy Pollin at 5 PM on WTEM.

April 6, 2006
9 "Promotes" JC, She'll Leave 5 PM Newscast
Channel 9/WUSA will yank three decade DC TV news veteran JC Hayward off the 5 PM news anchor desk. There have been rumors floating around that Hayward will be leaving 9 when her current contract is up. However, WUSA station manager Darryll Green announced Wednesday that Hayward has been "promoted" to the newly-created post of vice president for "media outreach programs." Green said: "This is an extension of JC's long term commitment to our community and an opportunity for us to increase both her and the station's visibility as active participants in the life of this community." Hayward will continue to anchor 9's noon newscast, but because of her new responsibilities "she has decided that now is the time to leave the 5 PM anchor chair," according to a statement from the Gannett station. Hayward will continue her weekly "JC And Friends" feature during 9's noon and 5 PM newscasts. Beginning 4/24, Tracey Neale and Derek McGinty will co-anchor the 5 PM hour. The 6 PM and 11 PM newscasts remain co-anchored by Neale and Todd McDermott. McGinty will continue with the 7 PM newscast. In the latest "sweeps" period in February, WUSA's 5 PM newscast was in fifth place, feeding speculation that Hayward's "promotion" is due to poor ratings.

April 5, 2006
Couric Makes In Official: She's Jumping To CBS
After months and months of rumors, she made it official on Wednesday morning. Arlington-native Katie Couric confirmed on the air that she's leaving NBC's "Today" show at the end of May. She'll be jumping to CBS where she'll anchor the evening news and produce stories for "60 Minutes." Meredith Vieira, co-host of ABC's "The View," is expected be Couric's "Today" replacement.

April 5, 2006
Examiner Launches Charm City Edition
From the Baltimore Sun: A decade after the demise of the Evening Sun, the city's last afternoon publication, Baltimore will again be a two-newspaper town with today's launch of the Baltimore Examiner, a free tabloid aimed primarily at the region's most affluent residents. The new paper will be published Monday through Saturday. It is the third in a chain of newspapers that Denver-based Clarity Media - owned by conservative billionaire Philip Anschutz - hopes to expand into as many as 60 cities. Clarity publishes the DC Examiner.

April 3, 2006
WBIG "Evolves" From Oldies To Classic Hits
achman Turner Overdrive's "You Ain't Seen Nothin' Yet" kicked off the latest "evolution" of Clear Channel's WBIG, which flipped from oldies to "classic hits" from the late 1960s, 1970s, and early 1980s - "The Greatest Rock 'N Roll Of All Time." The Eagles, Fleetwood Mac, Billy Joel, Chicago, Elton John, the Beatles, Boston, and Led Zepplin. The calls and the Big 100.3 name will stay. The new format will "encompass many of the current songs WBIG plays, with a different presentation," a CC suit says. The new WBIG will be jockless, as CC starts a search for on-air personalities as well as a new program director. The morning team of "Murphy And Cash" is gone, along with middayer Stephanie Wells and afternoon host Tom Kelly. "Cousin Vinnie" Bruce will stay as WBIG's music director and is the only member of the airstaff to remain. Former WBIG PD Bill Hess will continue programming sister WASH, which has an adult contemporary format. The word is that Hess will also help program some of CC's DC AMers - sports talk WTEM and talkers WTNT and WWRC.

April 3, 2006
Sun & BAL Jump Into Bed Together
The Baltimore Sun and news talk WBAL radio have agreed to share news resources under a new "working relationship." Veteran Sun columnist Dan Rodricks will regularly share host duties with WBAL's Chip Franklin, beginning in June. The Sun's business desk will provide material for a daily early-morning news show. WBAL will share audio feeds with the Sun's website. And, the paper's reporters can begin appearing on the station's broadcasts. Plus, the two organizations also hope to co-sponsor political debates during the fall campaign season.

April 3, 2006
Morris Jones To Head Sinclair's DC Bureau
Sinclair is making some changes with the effective demise of its Hunt Valley-based News Central operation as of 3/31. Former primary anchor Morris Jones becomes Sinclair's DC bureau reporter - the same job once held by Jon Leiberman, before he was fired and sued. Former News Central co-anchor Jennifer Gladstone now anchors mornings at Channel 45/WBFF. Vytas Reid, former chief meteorologist for Sinclair's Weather Central, continues his WBFF duties. Lisa Teachman will do weekend weather at WBFF. Tony Pagnotti will do AM cut-ins for selected Sinclair stations. Kristin Emery, Susan Schrack, and James Wieland received layoff notices.

March 30, 2006
Post Radio Hits The Dial
At 5:30 this morning, former WTOP morning man Mike Moss launched the long-form news talk output of WTWP, Washington Post Radio. With a Post-produced website and internet streaming at washingtonpostradio.com. WTWP is a joint venture with Bonneville, which owns all-news WTOP, and can be heard on 107.7 FM and 1500 AM. WTOP's flow of non-stop news continues on 103.5 FM in the DC area, on 820 AM in Frederick, and via wtopnews.com.

March 29, 2006
Classic 7 Show Host Dies
Claire Kleess Lyons of the "Claire And CoCo" (right) 1960s childrens' show died 3/28 at a hospital near her home in Florida from a blood clot in the heart. "Claire And CoCo," an award-winning human-and-poodle program on Channel 7, then WMAL-TV, was televised from the old "Van Ness Ice Palace" studios from 1965 to 1969. After the show ended, Claire hosted "Now Women" and later "Claire," an adult-oriented interview show on Channel 7. Also, we hear that Charlie Gibson of ABC's "Good Morning America" was Claire's floor manager at WMAL-TV. There's more at kidshow.dcmemories.com.

March 29, 2006
Junks Slump On Post-Stern JFK
The latest monthly Arbitrends, morning drive, overall age 12+ for DC, show the post-Howard Stern Junkies sinking to 14th place via WJFK-FM. With Stern, JFK usually ranked 6th or 7th in mornings. However, a local radio guru tells us it all ain't that bad. "The Junkies actually recovered a lot of ground month to month. P 12+ they went 1.6 to 2.2. P 25-54 went 2.5 to 3.7. Stern's last two books in that demo were 3.4 and 4.6, so they are actually not far off of his pace." Adds our source: "The rest of the WJFK line-up is a disaster. Midday was even lower than January, Don and Mike are way down for the second month in a row, and Severin is barely showing up." Once again, in mornings, WTOP took 1st, with WMMJ 2nd, WPGC-FM 3rd, and DC101's Elliot got boosted to 4th, obviously getting some ex-Sternies. WHUR placed 5th, WASH 6th, WMAL 7th, WMZQ 8th, WRQX 9th, WIHT 10th, WGMS 11th, WBIG 12th, and WJZW 13th. Arbitron badly mangled the data for WTOP and WTWP, both of which carried the all-news output of WTOP during the ratings period.

March 29, 2006
WETA-FM Signs Rebecca Roberts For Daily Talk Show
Rebecca Roberts, 35, the Bethesda-born daughter of DC journalists Cokie and Steve Roberts, will be hosting a daily talk show for public radio news talker WETA-FM. It'll be called "The Intersection," will focus on "local issues," and will debut this summer. Roberts has been hosting a public radio show in San Francisco.

March 29, 2006
Lee Hall Valeriani Dies
Lee Hall Valeriani, 80, who was a foreign correspondent for NBC television in the 1950s and early 1960s and then worked for 28 years at Voice Of America, died of cancer 3/23 at her home in Washington.

March 27, 2006
Former PGCer EZ Street Joins KYS
EZ Street (right) will be returning to DC's airwaves. DCRTV hears that he'll be heard on Radio One's urban WKYS (93.9 FM) starting next Monday (4/3) in afternoon drive. EZ was the afternoon jock at CBS's urban WPGC-FM (95.5) until March 2005, when he left for a radio gig at urban adult KBLX in San Francisco. In February, Osei, "The Dark Secret," left WKYS and its afternoon drive slot.

March 26, 2006
5 Tech Vet Robert Lynch Dies
Robert Lynch, 75, former technical director for Channel 5/WTTG, died of cancer 3/16 at Doctors Community Hospital in Lanham. He lived in Riverdale Park. During his career, Lynch was a cameraman on "The Jimmy Dean Show" in DC and filmed President John Kennedy's last news conference in November 1963. Eventually, Lynch headed Fox 5's technical department. He retired in 2001.

March 23, 2006
Robert Free Dies
Robert Free, a former Baltimore broadcaster, died of liver and lung cancer on 3/17 at a hospital in Winter Haven, Florida. He was 54. During the 1980s, Free worked as a producer and board operator at the old WFBR handling Orioles broadcasts. He was a disc jockey at WFBR and later at WPOC. He was working as an announcer at WCBM when he moved to Hollywood, Florida in 1989.

March 22, 2006
WTWP Hires Jerry Phillips
Bonneville has hired Jerry Phillips (right) to produce a weekly public affairs show on the new Washington Post Radio station, WTWP. The show, which debuts on 4/2, will air at 6 AM Sundays on 107.7 FM and 1500 AM. Clear Channel axed Phillips in December when it shut the public affairs department for its eight DC radio stations. Phillips served as WHUR's morning host in the 1970s and 1980s, and had been with Clear Channel for 13 years.

March 20, 2006
DC Post Veteran Bill Brady Dies
Bill Brady, 85, a retired night metropolitan editor for the Washington Post who helped shape coverage by handling late-breaking news and by breaking in young reporters, and who was once dubbed "the most unflappable person in the Post newsroom," died 3/19 at the University Of Virginia hospital in Charlottesville. He had a respiratory ailment.

March 17, 2006
Controversial DC Tower To Be Removed
DC Mayor Anthony Williams has announced that the District and American Towers have reached an agreement to tear down a partially completed controversial communications tower on 41st Street and Wisconsin Avenue in upper northwest. "I am pleased that this protracted dispute has been settled - I know that many Tenleytown residents have been waiting for years for a resolution to this case," said Williams. "I look forward to the dismantling of the tower, and I have instructed my staff to facilitate the permitting process so that this can proceed quickly." For five years, neighborhood residents have contended that the proper zoning permits had not been acquired for its construction. Causing a protracted legal battle.

March 16, 2006
WMET To Go Ethnic, Keep Grease
IDT-owned talker WMET (1160 AM) will keep Doug "Greaseman" Tracht for mornings, but dump everything else. Starting 3/24, it'll be brokered ethnic programming. The Gaithersburg-licensed DC-studioed station, which has a great daytime signal but becomes a pip-squeaker after dark, has featured several Fox Newsers, including Tony Snow and John Gibson. Plus DC-based Watergater G. Gordon Liddy.

March 15, 2006
Hollis Out At 97.1
Clear Channel has said goodbye to WASH "After Hours" host Glenn Hollis. His 9 PM to 2 AM show was syndicated to other adult contemporary stations. Hollis will be replaced on 97.1 by the syndicated Delilah.

March 14, 2006
Howard, Litzinger, Burd, Brown Land WTWP Host Gigs
We hear more details about the lineup on WTWP, Washington Post Radio, which debuts later this month. We already know that WTOP morning man Mike Moss will handle morning drive and NBC News veteran Bob Kur will do afternoon drive on the long-form news talker, which will be owned by all-news WTOP-owner Bonneville. Now, DCRTV learns that Hillary Howard will do the 10 AM to noon shift. Howard, married to Channel 9 reporter Dave Statter, used to work at Channels 5 and 9 and has been reporting for WTOP of late. Three decade radio vet and former WAMUer Sam Litzinger will anchor the noon to 3 PM slot. David Burd, who jumped from WMAL to WTOP last year, will anchor Saturday and Sunday mornings. Burd, who was once was half of the "Baker And Burd" show on WPGC, will continue his contributions to WTOP's weekday afternoon drive show. And, Washington Post automobile columnist Warren Brown will air from 11 AM to 1 PM on Saturdays. Brown used to do a show for WMAL. And, Nationals play-by-play will also be heard on WTWP, which takes over the 107.7 FM and 1500 AM frequencies on 3/30.

March 13, 2006
WBAL Radio "Cancels" Limbaugh
Baltimore news talker WBAL (1090 AM) is losing Rush Limbaugh at the end of May. To be more precise, it's not just losing him, it's canning him. "Our cancelling Rush was all about WBAL being local, local, local," says a top BALer. Starting 6/1, Hearst's WBAL will extend Chip Franklin's current late morning show from 9:30 AM to 2 PM, and start afternoon driver Ron Smith at 2 PM instead of at 3 PM. "Our research shows that Marylanders desire even more information and discussion about the events and issues impacting them, and the communities where they live," says a statement at wbal.com.

March 13, 2006
Sinclair To Close News Central
Baltimore-based Sinclair Broadcast Group will effectively shutter its Hunt Valley-based News Central. News Blues reports that the national news operation, which feeds dozens of Sinclair-owned and operated TV stations, will close at the end of March. The employment status of news anchors like former Fox 5er Morris Jones, Jennifer Gladstone, and Alison Kosik, and weather forecasters Kristin Emery, Scott Padgett, Tony Pagnotti, Vytas Reid, Susan Schrack, Lisa Teachman, and James Wieland remains unclear. Sinclair launched its $50 million News Central in 2002. Says NB: "Designed to cut costs by eliminating or greatly reducing the size of existing news departments at Sinclair stations, News Central became the focus of much criticism because it shifted control of news content away from the individual stations and into the hands of Baltimore news managers." However, News Central newscasts produced low ratings and have been dropped by many Sinclair stations. NB adds that Sinclair is "scrambling" to maintain local news broadcasts on its major network-affiliated stations like Baltimore's Fox 45, WBFF, which produces a morning and a 10 PM newscast.

March 12, 2006
Howard U's "Mr. Bill" Dies
William "Mr. Bill" Christian, 64, former news director at Howard University's WHUR-FM and WHUT-TV (once WHMM) and an adjunct communications professor, died on 2/12 of complications of diabetes at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in DC. Christian worked at WHUR from the 1970s through the early 1980s, and then freelanced at several other DC area radio and TV stations.

March 11, 2006
Source: 2 Fires Keith Mills
A reliable Baltimore media source tells DCRTV that Channel 2/WMAR has "very quietly" fired sports anchor Keith Mills. The decision to terminate Mills was made two weeks ago, we're told. Mills was arrested in January and charged with the theft of prescription painkillers from his next-door neighbor - a cancer patient - in Linthicum. Mills faces two felony counts of first-degree burglary and two misdemeanor counts of theft. The charges carry a maximum combined sentence of 43 years. In November 2004, Mills was charged with "obtaining a controlled dangerous substance by fraud" after allegedly phoning in a prescription under a false name. He did a 28-day stay in a drug and alcohol treatment facility in December 2004. Since that first incident, Mills has openly discussed fighting his addiction to prescription painkillers.

March 10, 2006
DC TV Photog Nabbed For Exposure
According to the Washington Post, a freelance TV news photographer who supplied footage to all four DC TV news operations - Channel 4, 5, 7, and 9 - was arrested Wednesday on charges that he exposed himself to a group of 12 and 13-year-old girls in Wheaton in February. Steven Eisen, 58, of Silver Spring was charged with burglary, stalking, and two counts of indecent exposure. He was released on $3,500 bond.

March 10, 2006
Post Cuts Editorial Staff
The Washington Post is slashing 80 newsroom jobs. Most of the cuts will be via attrition and buyouts. Affected employees are being notified this week. The Post, which has about 800 reporters and editors, has seen its circulation drop for the past few years.

March 9, 2006
Fox 5 Reporter Arrested In Domestic Dispute
The Baltimore Sun reports that Darryn Moore (left), a investigative reporter for DC's Channel 5/WTTG who used to work at Baltimore's Channel 2/WMAR, was arrested Tuesday night and charged with domestic aggravated assault, accused of throwing a kettle of hot water at his wife during an argument in their West Baltimore home. Moore, 41, was released on his own recognizance shortly after he appeared before a court commissioner. Moore, who joined Fox 5 in January, had formerly been a police officer in Atlanta. In 1999, he gave up the gun and badge to pursue a career in television news. He joined WMAR in 2003.

March 9, 2006
Musical WHFS Lives On WHFS 2
CBS Radio has launched a website for WHFS2 at whfs2.com. The ad-free alternative rock stream is available via digital HD Radio on Baltimore's new WHFS, 105.7 FM. An internet stream is "coming soon." Ever since the old DC-based alt rock WHFS at 99.1 FM got yanked for Spanish WLZL in early 2005, 105.7 FM's main analog signal features talk by day and alt rock at night and on the weekends. The 105.7 signal is difficult to receive in the DC area.

March 8, 2006
Fairfax's Cox Adds MASN
If you live in Fairfax County (not Reston) and are a Washington Nationals fan you're in luck. Cox, the largest stand-alone cable TV system in the DC area, is adding the Mid-Atlantic Sports Network. Cox has 242,000 subscribers in Fairfax County, Fairfax City, Falls Church, and the towns of Herndon, Clifton, and Vienna. Cox will carry MASN on expanded basic channel 102. Comcast, which has 1.3 million subscribers in the DC area, still has no plans to carry MASN, which will have 154 Nats games in 2006. Ditto with Adelphia. Comcast is suing MASN, which was founded by Baltimore Orioles owner Peter Angelos, over the rights to carry the Orioles on Comcast SportsNet. A Montgomery County Court judge has twice dismissed Comcast's lawsuit. Cox will also add MASN to its Fredericksburg system. MASN is also carried by Verizon, RCN, Charter, and DirecTV.

March 6, 2006
Celeste Clark Dies
Mix 107.3, WRQX, personality Celeste Clark died on Sunday morning at her home in Leesburg after battling cancer. Clark, 50, who grew up in Arlington, had been with the ABC-owned now hot adult contemporary station since the mid-1980s. Once known as overnighter "Candy Clark" in the station's contemporary music Q107 days, she became a traffic reporter, and eventually segued into on-air personality work during middays.

March 6, 2006
New Nats TV Team
Bob Carpenter will handle play-by-play for the Nationals and Tom Paciorek will do color analysis for MASN. They will be in the Nationals' TV booth for 158 games in 2006, including four preseason contests. Carpenter's called the St. Louis Cardinals for a decade, and has handled baseball, college basketball, and college football for ESPN. Paciorek arrives from the Atlanta Braves where he spent five seasons, after a year with the Detroit Tigers and 13 seasons covering the Chicago White Sox.

March 3, 2006
"Sweeps" Show Local Viewers Vanishing
The all-important February TV ratings "sweeps" are done. And, Channel 4/WRC continued its lead in the DC TV news battle, as the reported number of local TV viewers plunged. The overall drop is blamed on ratings firm Nielsen's use of the new electronic Local People Meter system, instead of relying on a paper diary method. Some of the steepest declines were in the early-morning period. According to the Washington Post, Channel 7/WJLA had the biggest morning decline. Bill Lord, WJLA's vice president of news, told the Post: "A lot of our audience evaporated with the change in measuring systems. I can't sit here and cry about it because I'm going to be living with this system." Also: The Baltimore Sun tells us that Channel 11/WBAL benefited from NBC's Olympics coverage and was the victor in many Baltimore news rating races.

March 3, 2006
Tower Shutters Annapolis Store
California-based Tower Records, which filed for bankruptcy protection a few years ago and has been struggling with falling CD sales (with the rise of digital downloading), is closing its Annapolis location on 3/12. Its only presence in the Baltimore market. "After 15 years of serving the local community, we've lost our lease and are closing out doors for good," says the copy of an ad running in area rags. Tower's five other area outlets - DC, Rockville, Tysons Corner, Alexandria, and Fairfax - remain open.

March 2, 2006
Stephen Johnson Joins Red Zebra
Redskins owner Daniel Snyder's Red Zebra Broadcasting adds Stephen Johnson as VP of sales. Johnson, a two-decade veteran of sports marketing sales and management, most recently worked for CBS Radio. Red Zebra recently bought WBZS (92.7 FM), WBPS (94.3 FM), and WKDL (730 AM) in the DC area.

March 2, 2006
Post Circ Drops Again
Circulation and earnings continue to slump at the Washington Post. The number of subscribers to the daily edition declined 4.3 percent in the latest quarter, with Sunday circulation dropping 4.1 percent. The Post's circulation has seen a steady decline the past two years or so largely due, some say, to the news output being available free on the paper's website. And, soon, the Post will be giving away its news product on the radio, too, in a deal with Bonneville to create Washington Post Radio. While the Post's Kaplan education division continues to do well, the newspaper's cable TV arm suffered big losses because of damage inflicted by Hurricane Katrina to systems in the Gulf Coast region.

March 1, 2006
JFK-FM Suffers From Stern's Departure
In morning drive, WJFK-FM netted a 4.4 share among the age 25-to-54 "money" demo for 8th place in the rolling November-to-January Arbitrend average. That was down only a little bit from Howard Stern's 4.6 share in the fall. But, when you break down the numbers to reflect only the post-Stern radio universe after 1/1, sources tell DCRTV that WJFK-FM's full-day audience is below a 2.0 share. We're told that Stern had a 5.5 in November, a 5.4 in December, and that the Junkies had a 2.3 morning drive share in January. In Baltimore, via WHFS, the news for the Junkies was even worse. In the age 25-to-54 demo, Stern's two last months produced a 5.9 and a 7.6. The Junkies had only a 1.8 morning drive share in January. WPGC-FM topped the overall age 12-plus demo in the latest Arbitrend radio ratings for Washington, and WERQ topped the same demo in Baltimore. Also, DCRTV hears that ratings firm Arbitron has told Bonneville it will perform a full audit of the "Washington Winter Phase 1 Arbitrends" because of problems recording and reporting the ratings of the WTOP-WTWP-WGMS frequency flipperooni of early January.

February 27, 2006
Rohland & Dukes Out At 1300
Some changes are coming to Baltimore sports talker WJFK-AM's evening drive line-up. The "Out Of Bounds" team of Bill Rohland and Chad Dukes is heading to the showers.

February 27, 2006
Sun Reporter Attacked After Car Accident
Carl Schoettler, 72, a veteran Baltimore Sun reporter was attacked Saturday near Baltimore City Hall during an apparent robbery attempt and remains in serious condition at Maryland Shock Trauma Center. Schoettler had been driving west on Fayette Street at 8 PM when his car and another vehicle collided. After the two drivers exchanged information, Schoettler was attacked by a young male who was standing at a bus stop. Witnesses saw the attacker strike Schoettler and kick him several times in the head. The attacker fled without getting money or personal property.

February 25, 2006
Bob Kur To WTWP Afternoons
Bonneville-operated Washington Post Radio talker WTWP hires Bob Kur as its afternoon drive host. Kur used to be a reporter for NBC News and, most recently, anchored on NBC's MSNBC cable network. Kur joined NBC in 1973 as a general assignment reporter for Channel 4/ WRC. WTWP launches on 3/30 via 107.7 FM and 1500 AM.

February 24, 2006
Steve Harvey To WHUR
Howard University's adult urban WHUR is replacing its "Real DC" morning show with Steve Harvey, who is syndicated from NYC. TC, part of WHUR's now former local team with Tony Richards and George Willborn, writes via sistacircle.com: "It saddens us to inform you that we will no longer be on the air at WHUR. Management has decided to replace us with the syndicated 'Steve Harvey Morning Show' scheduled to start in March. If any audience deserves to have a goodbye, you are that audience. However radio does not allow that. We have always said that you are the best listeners in the world and we will always believe that. Thank you again for the time we shared together. The laughs and memories will stay in our hearts forever."

February 24, 2006
This Time WGAY Is Really Gay
For the first time in five years, the WGAY call letters will again be on the DC radio dial. Well, the internet radio dial. For decades, WGAY graced the 99.5 FM frequency (and several AM outlets) with many years of "beautiful music," which eventually became adult contemporary. Now, you can listen to "gay-oriented programming" at DC area-based wgay.fm live every Friday evening, plus "archived programming" from WGTB, once Georgetown University's progressive rock outlet. The new encarnation of WGAY is headed by Dave Kolesar, 28, who says he's wanted to run his own radio station for "more than half my life."

February 23, 2006
New PD For KYS
Radio One urban WKYS (93.9 FM) hires Derrick Brown as program director. Brown comes from an Infinity urban oldies outlet in Denver. He's also worked at an adult urban station in Miami. He replaces Daryl Huckaby, who now handles programming duties for Russ Parr's WKYS morning show, which Radio One syndicates nationwide.

February 23, 2006
WTEM Does "Lifetime" Deal With Thompson
Clear Channel has signed John Thompson to a "lifetime contract" with SportsTalk 980, WTEM. Thompson, the former head coach of Georgetown University, hosts a two-hour show on WTEM at 3 PM daily. "As a veteran broadcaster, John's experience coupled with his candor and humor have made him one of the area's biggest sports radio personalities," says Alene Grevey, senior VP for Clear Channel Radio's Mid-South region.

February 22, 2006
Fox Launches New Neto For 20 & 24
We now get a clearer picture about what DC's Channel 20/WDCA and Baltimore's Channel 24/WUTB will be showing after the UPN network goes belly-up this summer. WDCA/WUTB owner Fox will launch My Network TV. Starting in September, the new net will feature "original content" programming from 8 PM to 10 PM Monday through Saturday. Still no firm word about what specific shows will be carried. The DC and Baltimore stations will be joined by Fox-owned former UPN affiliates in NYC, LA, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Minneapolis, Phoenix, and Orlando. UPN and the WB network are being merged to form CW, which will air in DC on Channel 50/WBDC and on Baltimore's Channel 54/WNUV.

February 22, 2006
WMUC To Kiss 88.1 Goodbye
It looks like WMUC, the University Of Maryland's decades-old low-powered student-programmed radio station on 88.1 FM, will soon be history. At least on the FM broadcast band. Nick Madigan, in the Baltimore Sun, did a profile on Baltimore public radio outlet WYPR. And he told us that WYPR "has gotten permission from the Federal Communications Commission to push aside a low-wattage student station at the University Of Maryland, College Park that already occupies WYPR's signal on 88.1 FM." The 10-watt WMUC signal can be received within about five miles of College Park, and, if you're on a hill and have a decent receiver, can be heard in Arlington and central Montgomery County. WYPR also operates WYPF, a Frederick area relay on 88.1 FM. Madigan adds that WMUC will continue its output of music, talk, and sports as an internet-only operation.

February 22, 2006
WFMS Host Apologizes For Hitler Remark
A Frederick radio talk-show host has apologized for comparing the president of the Frederick County Commissioners to Adolf Hitler. According to the Baltimore Sun, Blaine Young host of "Frederick's Forum" on Clear Channel talker WFMD (930 AM), a former Frederick alderman and the son of former Frederick Mayor Ron Young, said during his show's weekly broadcast Saturday morning that growth opponents led by Commissioner John Thompson tend to blame real-estate developers for the county's problems in the same way Hitler blamed Jews for Germany's pre-war economic decline. Thompson responded Monday by calling Young "an unmitigated liar" and offering not to sue Clear Channel for defamation if the company would donate $10,000 to the US Holocaust Memorial Museum. Young, who also is WFMD's ad sales manager, said that he apologizes to anyone who was offended by the remark. He said he would apologize publicly on his radio show this Saturday. "I did not mean any disrespect in any way, shape or form to the Jewish population in terms of the atrocities that they suffered during the Holocaust," Young told the Sun. Douglas Hillard, general manager of WFMD, said he wouldn't discipline Young for the remark.

February 21, 2006
Howard Dicus Loses Wife
Condolences to WTOP reporter Howard Dicus on the death of his wife, Marilyn, on 2/19 after a three-year battle with breast cancer. She was 60. For many years, Marilyn was a spokesperson for DC's Metro rail and bus system. Howard and Marilyn moved to her native Hawaii a few years ago, as he continued reporting technology and business issues for WTOP.....

February 21, 2006
Scott Engler Joins 5
Scott Engler, former co-anchor of the 10 PM news at Philladelphia's Tribune-owned WPHL-TV, jumps to DC's Fox 5 as a Sunday morning news anchor and weekday reporter.

February 20, 2006
WWIN DJ Robbed
Durwin Dean, a weekend personality on Baltimore's adult urban WWIN-FM (95.9), was robbed in Annapolis on 2/15. According to police, Dean was driving a bus on Lincoln Drive when he was approached by a suspect with a handgun who demanded money. Dean, 31, who was not injured in the incident, turned over cash to the robber, who fled on foot. The police investigation continues.

February 14, 2006
WPER To Be Relayed On WJYJ
Positive Alternative Radio, which owns Culpeper's WPER (89.9 FM), will expand its contemporary Christian music format throughout northern and central Virginia via its recently purchased WJYJ (90.5 FM) in Fredericksburg. WJYJ, which offered more traditional religious programming under previous owner CSN Virginia, has been stunting with Christmas tunes since the beginning of 2006. WPER's "Positive Hit Music" will also be heard on a network of WJYJ's low-powered FM translators in Flint Hill (96.5 FM), Alexandria (97.7 FM), and Leesburg (93.5 FM). New translators are planned for Front Royal (88.1 FM), Winchester (106.3 FM), and Stanardsville (88.1 FM). Plus, WPER will boost its coverage into the DC suburbs by March with antenna improvements. Positive Alternative Radio has also acquired WPVA (90.1 FM) in Charlottesville, which is called "Spirit FM."

February 14, 2006
New PD For JFK-FM
Greg Gillispie is the new program director of CBS's "Free FM 106.7" WJFK. Gillispie's worked at stations in Pittsburgh, Omaha, Toledo, Detroit, and Denver. He takes over from Cameron Gray, who advances to the confused talk station's operations manager slot. Gillispie says he looks forward to working with afternoon drive "legends" Don and Mike.

February 13, 2006
Famed Baltimore Media Professor Dies
Baltimore Junior College (now Baltimore Community College) media professor A. Frank Holston died on 2/10. "He leaves behind three generations of grateful students, friends, and media professionals," says a close acquaintance.

February 10, 2006
DirecTV To Drop 66
DirecTV will eliminate Channel 66/WPXW from the package of local DC area broadcast stations it offers. It's part of DirecTV's decision to drop the Pax or "i" network from its line-up as of 2/28. According to DirecTV, the network and all of its nationwide stations are being removed because their "family-oriented entertainment" programming has been replaced with "infomercials and other promotional shows," in violation of the contract Rupert Murdoch-owned DirecTV has with Pax. Last year, Channel 66 and its sister, Channel 60/WWPX in the Hagerstown area, were the DC market TV affiliates for the Baltimore Orioles.

February 9, 2006
Geronimo Injured In Car Accident
WJFK-FM afternoon man Don Geronimo, whose wife was killed in a car accident last summer, received a "level two" concussion and bruised ribs in a car accident on 2/9. He told listeners via a phone call to his radio partner Mike O'Meara on his show that the accident wasn't his fault, and that he blacked out for about 20 seconds after he hit his head on his car's sun roof. That injury required six stitches to the back of his head. He was treated and released from a Northern Virginia hospital. No details on where the mishap occurred. But Geronimo did say that his vehicle hit a vehicle that was leaving a driveway. The driver of that vehicle was not injured, Geronimo said.

February 8, 2006
KGOer Takes WTWP PD Post
Greg Tantum, the news director at ABC's KGO news talk radio in San Francisco, has been hired as the program director for WTWP, the Washington Post Radio talker to be operated by WTOP owner Bonneville. Tantum's 30-year broadcast resume includes news stints as a reporter and anchor at stations in LA, Philadelphia, Seattle, and San Diego, and he's worked for Gannett, CBS, Westinghouse, and ABC. During Tantum's tenure with KGO, the station won five national Edward R. Murrow Awards for news excellence during the past four years.

February 8, 2006
WTOP Launches Spanish Language News Website
Bonneville all-newser WTOP has launched wtopnoticias.com to serve the DC area's Spanish speaking population. It'll feature news from Associated Press Spanish Online and the Washington Hispanic newspaper. "The fastest-growing segment of the population in our region is the Hispanic community," says Jim Farley, WTOP's VP of news and programming.

February 8, 2006
Marimow To NPR
Bill Marimow will become the vice president for news at DC-based NPR, the network's equivalent of editor-in-chief. He's been acting in that capacity since Bruce Drake, the VP for news since 2000, stepped down last year. Marimow is a two-time Pulitzer winner and was the long-time managing editor/editor of the Baltimore Sun.

February 8, 2006
Kornheiser To "MNF"
Washington Post sports columnist Tony Kornheiser will be joining the ESPN broadcast booth for "Monday Night Football" next season. Kornheiser will serve as a color commentator in what is expected to be a three-man booth for "MNF," which is moving from ABC to ESPN. Speculation has revolved around longtime ESPN play-by-play man Mike Tirico and former Redskins quarterback Joe Theismann joining Kornheiser in the booth. Kornheiser also hosts sports shows on WTEM and ESPN.

February 7, 2006
45 To Launch 2nd Channel Via Digital
Sinclair's Channel 45/WBFF will carry a separate video stream of programming on one of its digital subchannels. Dubbed "45-2," the channel will launch on 5/1 and be available via the Comcast, Millennium, and Verizon cable TV systems in the Baltimore market. The 24/7 digital offering will feature "a nostalgic line-up of some of the best shows that have aired in the Baltimore market over the years," says Bill Fanshawe, general manager of WBFF-TV. Including "All In The Family," "Sanford And Son," "In The Heat Of The Night," and "Good Times." Also: "We have set aside air time on Sunday mornings so that local churches can reach out to their parishioners through the broadcast of their services. The plan is to eventually expand to include other community events, as well," Fanshawe adds.

February 7, 2006
James Brown To CBS
DC-based Fox Sports football pre-and-post-game anchor James Brown is jumping over to CBS Sports, where he worked before Fox. Brown got his start calling Washington Bullets games for DC TV in 1978 and later joined Channel 9/WUSA as a reporter and anchor.

February 6, 2006
Citadel Does Deal With ABC Radio
Citadel will indeed buy a chunk of ABC/Disney's radio assets in a deal worth $2.7 billion in cash and stock. Including ABC's DC stations: WMAL, WRQX, and WJZW. The sale would create the industry's third-biggest radio group. Disney will keep Radio Disney and the ESPN brands and networks, according to a report in the Wall Street Journal, but spin off its radio assets and merge them with Citadel's. Citadel shareholders will own around 49 percent of the new company, Disney shareholders the rest. A DC media watcher tells DCRTV that Citadel will probably "slim down" costs and people at ABC Radio, and then spin off the stations individually in a year or two. Citadel is bankrolled by "big leveraged finance guys. Their interests are short-term, not long-term."

February 6, 2006
New GSM For WTWP & WGMS
Steve Goldstein will become general sales manager for Bonneville's new Washington Post Radio talker WTWP and classical WGMS. He comes from Clear Channel, where he's been managing the sales departments of WIHT and WBIG. Goldstein, who must sit out a non-compete clause in his Clear Channel contract until May, has also worked at WJFK-FM and its Redskins Radio, WGAY, WLTT, and WXYV.

February 3, 2006
Osei Says Goodbye To KYS
Osei "The Dark Secret," WKYS's top-rated afternoon drive host, has decided not to renew his contract with the Radio One urban contemporary station. "The management of WKYS presented me with a new contract, but for personal reasons I chose to decline the offer and resign my position," Osei says via a statement. Osei was hired by WKYS in May 2003 as the host of "Chocolate City Soul," the station's former slow jams program. Before joining WKYS, Osei worked at Baltimore's now defunct urban contemporary WXYV, at DC's WPGC-FM, and at Philadelphia's WPHI.

January 31, 2006
Ryan Ditches Print Version Of Weather Almanac
In the past, at the start of every year you could find the print version of "Bob Ryan's Almanac And Guide For The Weatherwise" at every area Giant Food store. Not so this year. The Channel 4/WRC meteorologist announces that he'll "do something a bit different this year." A web-only version. "Rather than adding new articles, pictures, and printing an almanac once a year, our online version will be a work in progress and interactive and updated throughout the year," Ryan says via nbc4.com.

January 31, 2006
Mike Moss Lands Morning Gig At New WTWP
Mike Moss will be the morning drive host for Bonneville's new Washington Post Radio, long-form news talker WTWP, set to debut in March. Moss has been morning drive co-anchor on Bonneville's all-news WTOP radio for 10 years, sharing the studio with Richard Day. Moss and Day have ranked first in key demographics for the past 16 Arbitron ratings "books." Moss will be replaced at WTOP with Bruce Alan, who currently does middays. Moss joined WTOP in 1996. Before that he worked at NBC News, Associated Press Network News, former radio news talker WRC, plus radio outlets in Boston and Atlanta.

January 29, 2006
9 Assignment Editor Chris Houston Dies Of Cancer
Chris Houston (left), who worked the news assignment desk at Channel 9/WUSA, died of pancreatic cancer Saturday morning at his home in Silver Spring. He was 42. He joined WUSA in the mid-1980s as a reporter trainee and, over the years, performed many newsroom jobs. "Chris was a key player in our newsroom and one of the most valuable members of the 9News team," says a statement at wusa9.com. "Chris was also the conscience of our newsroom, never letting us lose sight of the importance of fair and balanced reporting." His wife, Karen Gray Houston, is a reporter at Channel 5/WTTG.

January 29, 2006
J. Parker Connor Dies
J. Parker Connor, 79, a DC communications law attorney for more than 25 years before becoming a radio broadcaster and real estate agent in the Eastern Shore's Bethany Beach, died of congestive heart failure 1/21 at his winter home in Florida. Connor was a partner in the law firm of Mullin And Connor (later Mullin, Connor, And Rhyne) from 1960 until the mid-1980s. In 1974, he started WWTR-FM in Bethany Beach. Connor later purchased WJDY-AM in Salisbury and WSUX-FM in Seaford, and put WSBY-FM on the air in Salisbury.

January 27, 2006
Sandusky To Do Ravens Radio
In the Baltimore Sun, Ray Frager confirms that WBAL radio has named Channel 11/WBAL sports anchor Gerry Sandusky play-by-play announcer for the Ravens. "This is one of those dream jobs every sportscaster wants," Sandusky said yesterday. Still no word on an analyst on the games, which will also air on 98 Rock, WIYY. All three stations are owned by Hearst.

January 26, 2006
20 Becomes DCA20
Fox is removing the UPN logo from its UPN affiliates, including DC's UPN 20 (WDCA) and Baltimore's UPN 24 (WUTB). Apparently, Fox is upset with the UPN-WB network merger and the fact that its UPN affiliates will not become part of the new CW CBS-Warner network. That honor will go to Tribune-owned Channel 50/WBDC. Fox also owns the UPN affiliates in other major markets, like NYC and Chicago. Before Channel 20 became a UPN affiliate, it was known as DC20. It's now known as DCA20.

January 26, 2006
2's Keith Mills Charged With Stealing Painkillers From Neighbor
Channel 2/ WMAR sports anchor Keith Mills (left) was arrested Wednesday and charged with the theft of prescription painkillers from his next-door neighbor in the 200 block of Cheddington Road in Linthicum. The Baltimore Sun reports that Mills has been hit with two felony counts of first-degree burglary and two misdemeanor counts of theft. The charges carry a maximum combined sentence of 43 years. After a hearing in Anne Arundel County District Court in Glen Burnie last night, Mills was released on $250,000 bond. According to the Sun, Mills' neighbor, who has been undergoing cancer treatment, became suspicious after she noticed a door ajar at her home and pills missing two years ago. She installed a video surveillance system that is alleged to have captured Mills on tape stealing pills in December. In November 2004, Mills was charged with "obtaining a controlled dangerous substance by fraud" after allegedly phoning in a prescription under a false name. Mills spoke with the Sun in December 2004 after finishing a 28-day stay in a drug and alcohol treatment facility. He openly discussed fighting his addiction to painkillers, specifically Vicodin. WMAR General Manager Drew Barry has refused comment on the matter.

January 24, 2006
Fire Claims WMUC DJ
Dave Ellis, the University Of Maryland student killed in a 1/24 College Park apartment fire, was a DJ at the school's campus station, 10-watt WMUC, 88.1 FM. Ellis, 22, was the host of "TRS Radio," a program that carried on a tradition of Friday night hip-hop on WMUC that dates back to 1991. "The Soul Controllers" (now on WPFW) aired in that block from 1991 to 2000. It then hosted by Peter Rosenberg (now of WJFK-FM fame), who gave it to Ellis.

January 20, 2006
Redskins Buys Mega's 3 DC Area Radio Stations
Redskins owner Daniel Snyder's newly created Red Zebra broadcasting arm has purchased Mega's three DC area Spanish language radio stations - WBZS (92.7 FM) in Prince Frederick MD, WBPS (94.3 FM) in Warrenton VA, and WKDL (730 AM) in Alexandria VA. A rumored $33 million deal. While no format changes have been announced, the word is that Snyder is planning an English language sports talk format on, at least, the FM duo. According to the press release, Red Zebra "will be the broadcast home of the Redskins, managing the broadcast rights to the Redskins, starting with the 2006 season." It will be run by Bennett Zier, who, had headed Clear Channel's Mid-Atlantic radio operations.

January 19, 2006
Bonneville To Carry Nats For 3 Years
Bonneville has made it official. It confirmed all of the rumors that it will carry the Washington Nationals on its new Washington Post Radio talker WTWP, which will debut in late March on 107.7 FM and 1500 AM. The Nats will also be heard on low-powered 104.3 FM in Leesburg. Also confirmed: Charlie Slowes and Dave Jageler will serve as the team's radio voices. It's a three-year deal. This season, a minimum of 10 pre-season games, all 162 regular season games, and all post-season games will be broadcast on WTWP.

January 19, 2006
Local Radio Unveils Digital Offerings
Clear Channel will be launching digital "HD" programming in the DC and Baltimore area. Via rhythmic contemporary Hot 99.5, WIHT, on digital 99.5 look for the newest contemporary hit radio hits. Via country WMZQ on digital 98.7 it will be classic country. Via country WPOC on digital 93.1 new and future country will be offered. Via oldies WBIG on digital 100.3 you'll get older oldies from the 1950s and 1960s. Via rocker DC101 on digital 101.1 "Elliot On Demand" from the station's morning show will be on tap. Via adult contemporary WASH on digital 97.1 you'll be treated to ballads and love songs. And, via smooth jazz WSMJ on digital 104.3 the offering will be traditional jazz. Bonneville also announces its "HD Radio" digital services. Via classical WGMS on digital 104.1 there will be a relay of opera Viva La Voce. Via all-news WTOP on digital 103.5 look for classical music "deep tracks." Meanwhile, CBS will put adult album alternative music on WARW's digital 94.7, gospel on WPGC's digital 95.5, reggaeton on WLZL's digital 99.1, female-oriented talk on WJFK-FM's 106.7, lite adult contemporary on WLIF's digital 101.9, sports talk on WQSR's digital 102.7, fulltime alternative rock on WHFS's digital 105.7, and contemporary hits on WWMX's 106.5.

January 17, 2006
WTOP Takes 1st In Fall Arbs
Those fall quarter Arbitrons are out and all-news WTOP takes the top spot in the DC market, which usually has an urban music outlet in the numero uno position. In the "beauty contest" age 12+ demo, urban contemporary WPGC-FM stays in 2nd, and urban adult WMMJ falls from 1st to 3rd. Urban adult WHUR drops from 3rd to 4th, adult contemporary WASH jumps from 7th to 5th, with classical WGMS slumping from 4th to 6th. The rest: urban WKYS 7th, talker WMAL 8th, rocker DC101 9th, rhythmic contemporary WIHT 10th, smooth jazz WJZW and country WMZQ tied for 11th, talker WJFK-FM 13th, hot adult WRQX 14th, Spanish reggaton WLZL and oldies WBIG tied for 15th, sports talk WTEM 17th, classic rock WARW 18th, defunct "modern music" Z104 19th, and Spanish "classica" WBZS/WBPS 20th. Up in Baltimore, in the age 12+ demo, urban WERQ takes 1st, country WPOC 2nd, adult contemporary WLIF 3rd, urban adult WWIN-FM 4th, and talker WBAL-AM slumps into 5th. 98 Rock places 6th, talk and alt rock WHFS 7th, smooth jazz WSMJ 8th, "Jack" oldies WQSR 9th, and gospel WCAO 10th.

January 16, 2006
Mono Returns To DC's FM Band
Mono is making a comeback on the DC area's FM band. Radio engineers have long known that a mono FM signal has more range than a stereo one does. In fringe areas, a stereo signal can feature an annoying hiss. The resurrection of mono arrived several years ago, when Bonneville's WTOP started an FM relay on Warrenton's 94.3, which got moved to 107.7. The mono signal improved coverage into the DC metro. And since the programming was news and talk, the loss of stereo didn't seem to matter to listeners. Then, Bonneville stripped stereo from its 104.1 and 103.9, two edge-of-the-metro area signals that carried "modern" music-based Z104. It improved the coverage area, but didn't seem to do a lot for the station's anemic ratings. Z104 was decapitated earlier this month. A quick check of the DC FM band finds several other stations broadcasting in mono, including the new WTOP news signal on 103.5, classical WGMS's old stereo home. Also in mono: CSPAN's wonk-talk WCSP 90.1, which battles closely-spaced Culpeper's Christian contemporary WPER 89.9 in parts of Northern Virginia, Salem's religious-oriented talker WAVA 105.1, and Mega's Spanish "classica" music rimshots of WBZS 92.7 in Prince Frederick and WBPS 94.3 in Warrenton. Still talking in stereo: NPR-based WAMU 88.5 and WETA-FM 90.9.

January 12, 2006
7 Veteran John Harter To Retire
Reporter John Harter (left), a Channel 7 employee of nearly 40 years, is retiring at the end of January. Harter has covered business and consumer issues, particularly the airline and automotive industries. He might be best known for his auto test drives, though he hasn't done those in years. His tenure goes back about two dozen news directors, two station owners (the Washington Star and Joe Allbritton), and two sets of call letters (WMAL and WJLA). Harter will freelance for 7 and sister NewsChannel 8 after his retirement.

January 11, 2006
Bennett Zier Jumps From Clear Channel To Redskins
Bennett Zier, head of Clear Channel's Washington/Baltimore radio operations, is leaving the company to become CEO of Red Zebra, a group being launched by Washington Redskins owner Daniel Snyder. Snyder, who recently seized control of the Six Flags amusement park chain, reportedly wants to build a media empire and is putting Zier in charge of sniffing out radio, television, and internet opportunities nationwide.

January 10, 2006
New Calls For Bonneville Stations
With the recent Bonneville signal flips, these call letter changes have been granted by the FCC. As of midnight tonight, now all-news 103.5 drops WGMS-FM for WTOP-FM and relay 820 drops WXTR-AM for WTOP-AM. Also, 1500 drops its longtime WTOP-AM ID for WTWP-AM and 107.7 drops WTOP-FM for WTWP-FM. In late March, 1500 and 107.7 will become Washington Post Radio with a long-form news and talk format. On 1/16, now classical 104.1 drops WWZZ-FM for WGMS-FM and relay 103.9 drops WWVZ-FM for WGYS-FM.

January 9, 2006
Metro Traffic's Gary Thompson Dies
DC area traffic reporter Gary Thompson, 41, died Saturday. The cause of death is undetermined, pending an autopsy by the DC Medical Examiner. Thompson, for the past year and until recently, had been a weekend overnight traffic reporter for Metro Networks. His work was heard primarily on WMAL. He had previously been a traffic reporter for XM Satellite Radio.

January 9, 2006
NY Times Journalist Dies After Being Beaten In DC Robbery
David Rosenbaum (right), 63, a member of the New York Times Washington bureau for more than 30 years, died Sunday after he was attacked Friday night on Gramercy Street in northwest DC, between Connecticut and Wisconsin avenues. He suffered a head injury and underwent surgery Saturday at Howard University Hospital to try to relieve pressure on his brain. Joe Gentile, a DC police spokesman, said that the victim was taking a walk when he was attacked and that his wallet was missing when police arrived at the scene. Police are investigating a report that two men were seen leaving the area in a dark-colored vehicle. Over the years, Rosenbaum held a number of reporting and editing positions with the NY Times.

January 5, 2006
Neil Strawser Dies
From the Washington Post: Neil Edward Strawser (left), 78, a former CBS News correspondent who became a spokesman for Capitol Hill committees, died 12/31 at George Washington University Hospital after a heart attack. He was a resident of the District. Starting in 1952, Strawser spent 34 years at CBS in Washington and was mostly a radio correspondent. He also appeared on television, including one assignment to interview future first lady Jacqueline Kennedy on the presidential campaign trail in 1960 and another in 1962 during the Cuban missile crisis, when he was among the first newsmen admitted to Guantanamo Bay Naval Base.

January 4, 2006
Bonneville Kills Z104, Moves GMS To 104.1 & 103.9, TOP To 103.5, DC Post Radio & Nats Coming To 107.7 & 1500
At noon today, Bonneville killed off "modern music" Z104. It moved classical WGMS from its longtime dial spot of 103.5 to Z104's 104.1 and 103.9 frequencies. And it put all-news WTOP on 103.5. So, what's going to happen to 107.7, which is still relaying WTOP? Bonneville's DC radio honcho Joel Oxley announced on WTOP's airwaves at 12:23 PM that, come March, WTOP's Warrenton FM relay and Wheaton AMer on 1500 will become WTOP-produced Washington Post Radio, with "long-form" news, a la a commercial version of NPR. There are also reports that the baseball Nationals will land on 1500 AM and 107.7 FM, via the Post's radio service. Looking for jobs: Z104 Program Director Sammy Simpson, Z104 personalities Mathew Blades, Jenny Chase, Sean Sellers, and JV, and Nationals radio man Dave Shea. On its airwaves, WTOP called the changes "a seismic shift in Washington radio." Also, we hear that WGMS will get a new antenna this weekend which will "significantly boost the signal from where it is now." Says DC Post columnist Marc Fisher in his Raw Fisher blog about WGMS leaving 103.5: "That's an unfortunate move for the highly successful WGMS, which will now have trouble reaching big chunks of its affluent, educated audience in upper northwest (DC) and lower Montgomery County, where the Z104 signal is very weak."

January 4, 2006
Plagiarism Charges Fell Sun Columnist
Baltimore Sun columnist Michael Olesker (right), 60, resigned Tuesday amid allegations of plagiarism. Olesker, who wrote a column that appeared twice a week in the Maryland section, quit two weeks before his 30th anniversary as a Baltimore columnist. According to a Baltimore CityPaper investigation, several instances were uncovered in which Olesker had apparently appropriated the work of journalists at his own paper and at the New York Times and the Washington Post.

January 3, 2006
Park Service Launches Info AMer On Mall
The National Park Service has launched a low-powered radio operation on 1670 AM to provide tourists with information about DC's parks, monuments, and memorials. The 10-watt signal can be heard within three miles of the Mall. Park rangers will provide recorded updates on visiting hours and other information for the Capitol, the White House Visitors Center, the National Holocaust Memorial Museum, the Bureau Of Engraving And Printing, the Smithsonian museums, the Washington Monument, and Pershing Park.

January 3, 2006
Levin Replaces Core On 630
Sean Hannity radio "family" member Mark "F. Lee" Levin will take the 6 PM slot on WMAL, replacing locally-based Chris Core, who is moving to late mornings. The righty Levin, who apparently lives in Virginia, already airs in the same slot on WMAL's ABC sister news talker, WABC in NYC.

January 2, 2006
New Line-Up On 106.7
CBS talker WJFK-FM, now dubbed 106.7 Free FM, debuts its post-Howard Stern line-up this week. The Junkies at 5:30 AM, Peter Rosenberg at 10 AM, Bill O'Reilly at noon (up an hour), Penn Jillette at 2 PM, "Don And Mike" remain at 3 PM, and Jay Severin at 7 PM. The Junkies and D&M are also heard on Baltimore's 105.7 Free FM, WHFS.

January 2, 2006
"Wire" Actor Dies
Richard DeAngelis, who played Baltimore Police Colonel Raymond Foerster in HBO's Baltimore-based crime drama "The Wire," died of congestive heart failure on 12/28 at his home in Silver Spring. He was 73. DeAngelis' movie career spanned four decades, including the character "Ricky Roach" in John Waters' "Cecil B. Demented."

January 1, 2006
Spanish TV Channel Changes
With the arrival of the new year, Univision has flipped its two DC area Spanish language TV signals. The Univision network moves from low-powered Channel 47/WMDO to full-powered Channel 14/WFDC. And Univision's youth-oriented Telefutura network moves from 14 to 47. The change causes Univision and Telefutura to exchange channel locations on DC area cable TV systems, too.

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