Front Page - BW2007 - BW2005 - BW2004 - BW2003 - BW2002 - BW2001 - BW2000 BEST: Elliott & Diane in the morning! WORST: The fact we do not have a true country music station in the nations capitol,a country station should play country music!!!what kind of station is DC101?and what kind of music does it play??? What kind of station is WPGC? and what kind of music does it play??? What does WJFK play,TALK, and that what calls itself,a talk station!!! Something is wrong when we can't get country music played on a "COUNTRY"music station,DUMB,DUMB,and more DUMB!!! A.B.-H. Best: Dan Snyder. Sure, he wants to line his pockets with more filthy lucre, but his craven motives are known to all. What wasn't as clear, until Snyder made his move to buy WGMS, were the craven motives of the WETA-FM board, now exposed for all to see. For the same group, which claimed to be serving the "public interest" by dropping Classical music a while back, telling us that its studies showed that listeners wanted more talk, had a sudden change of heart when Danny Boy looked like he might kill off Classical music on the FM dial. They voted to move back to Classical when and if such a deal was made, no doubt alarming the news/talk staffers hired in the recent past. And now that the WGMS deal might not go through? Things must be frosty between the current staff and board. But we listeners can rest assured that the WETA board is merely serving our interests. Worst: The WETA board of directors. See above. Best:JackFM- no weather or traffic every 3 minutes, just music. Reporter: Kathryn Brown, Anchor:Jennifer Gilbert Play-by-play: Johnny Holiday, Talk: Bob Haynie( very knowlegable) Steve Rouse-nice to have him back but the format stinks. Ron Matz-wish he would talk to Harry Horni and get him back on the air.KMS, Oh couldn't forget Amber Theoharris Worst:WEATHER!!! If it's raining it's the "top story" then we gotta sit through the weather 3 more times in a half-hour and listen to underworked and overpaid windbags who are usually wrong. Bring back Les Nessman weather.......look out the window.Sports reports are down to about 3 minutes. Police Headquarters, nothing happens there why are the reporters always there? What happened to actually going to the scene where news happened? Traffic and weather after every song!! Does it change that much? Sunny and 70 today and I-95 is heavy........see I could do that job. Keith Mills, Damon Yaffe on tv ,WBALTV sports,Marty Bass(has friends in high places) Vic Carter, Democrat(I mean Donna) Hamilton, and GO RAVENS. GM in Harford The Best : -WPGC for not compromising local programming and personalities for syndication. Shawn Yancy with Fox 5 news-she's awesome!! -WEAA for it's excellent programming and personalities. The Worst : WHUR for the dismissal of the Real DC morning show with Tony, TC and George. I have not tuned my dial to 96.3 since their dismissal . WHUR's Steve Harvey morning show, it's the pits. He needs to revisit grammar school and learn how to speak proper English. Radio One and Cathy Hughes-a disgrace to the African American community. Demetrius BEST: WTOP for it's consistency in product, the fact that the anchors and reporters all seem to enjoy working there and they don't take themselves too seriously. They have a great mixed of the seasoned Ira Mellman, Bruce Allan, Richard Day, Dave McConnell, Nathan Roberts, Frank Herzog, JJ Green, David Burd and Bob Madigan (Man About Town has to be the best gig in radio) along with the fresh sounds of Mark Seagraves, Darci Marchasi Derrick Williams, Adam Tuss, Eve Chen and Nathan Hager. WGMS for keeping up a great sound while Red Zebra tries to suck the life out of it. The professionalism of James Bartell, Diana Hollander, John Chester, and Chip Brienza is remarkable. WTWP for trying to make talk radio in Washington more interesting than just "right vs left" nastiness. Mike Moss, Jessica Doyle, David Burd, and Sam Litzinger are the best. Yes, whatever DID happen to Joel A. Spivack?? ABC-7 for picking up Arch, Maureen Bunyan, Gordo and Doug Hill. Fox-5 for keeping Sue Palka front and center. WORST: Bonneville, BZ & Red Zebra for potentially destroying a great legacy radio station. Don & Mike for not being able to find a punch line even with two months of so-called "best of" shows. CC for killing WASH FM which used to have a personality. NBC-4 for surgically removing much of its personality. Best: XM in general. Worst: 60s on 6 dj Terry "Motormouth" Young's insistence on playing his name jingle in the middle of songs. BEST: The Hot Morning Mess on 99.5 with Mark, Kris, Ron and Teapot Tim. I had some coats ready this year for their annual coat drive--too bad they are gone. They made that station what it is today. John Ballard. WORST: No more Mark Kaye, Kris Gamble and Ron Ross at 99.5. Letting Susan Kidd and Arch Campbell go at NBC 4. Worst: XM Radio- terrible programming, too much talk and arrogant customer service representitives. You're lucky to get a person on the phone and if you do they blow you off as quickly as possible. Best: Sirius Radio- awesome programming, minimum talk and excellent customer service. If you are on the fence about satellite radio, go with Sirius. Believe me, you'll be much happier. Best: Podcasts (radio on demand). Total Recorder for programs not podcast. The revised/original Star Trek, now aired on 20. HD Radio station WTOP 2 (classical) and WAMU 3 (bluegrass). Worst: Satellite radio because it hurts growth of free HD. "Bang, zoom there go the fireworks" (we're not all three year olds). Worst: Clear Channel for gutting its stations and low-balling salaries while its CEO’s will each pocket $250 million with the sale of its stations. Happy f*cking New Year Mr. Mays. Best: Doug Hill's on the money forecasts told in a pleasant way, both on TV and Radio, Channel 4, before the latest round of staff cuts, (with the exception of George Michael who should be gone) , WTOP moving to 103.5 where it sounds much better, Traffic and weather together on the 8's which is a must for every commuter in the region, the Nats on a radio signal we can all get (107.7 and 1500), Comcast and MASN reaching a deal to get the Nats on TV more, the talented reporters on WTOP who work hard all year and tell you more than you think they do every day. Worst: Dan Snyder's attempt to screw up local radio the same way he's screwed up the Redskins, George Michael's sportscasts (glad he's gone), the loss of WTOP's signal for the folks in Culpeper, Spotsylvania and to the south, the loss of some very talanted journalists on Channel 4, the blatantly political slant of EVERYTHING on WMAL. Best: Sirius Radio - If only I could get as much enjoyment from every $12.95 I spend each month!; WTOP - Still the very best source of news, traffic and weather, the guys in the Glass Enclosed Nerve Center did not skip a beat during their transition to WTOP/TWP; The Greaseman - Just plain funny, makes me laugh, a very talented guy; Lisa Baden (first) and (more recently)Julie Wright - for applying very pleasant personalities to what could be a mundane but important assignment; David Burd - Thank you David for bringing my weekend radio dial to life; Johnny Holiday - A pro from day one; Ed Walker - Thanks Ed for helping us remember that radio was once America's primary entertainment source, from music to comedy to drama. Worse: 1500 a.m. becoming WTWP because I can't get TOP at 103.5 fm. The very worst of that was during Nationals baseball season. Not only was there baseball during the evening but again right up to 5 a.m. I used to tune into the news on WTOP at that early hour. Instead of hearing about what was happening in the news, I heard the final innings of a ballgame. If WTWP is there because there is always more to the story, why spend so much time airing baseball? The Howard Stern Show - Howard's self-indulgence, everything is "I-Me-I-Me-I-Me." Don and Mike - Their disappearance was just plain disappointing and a "dis" to their fans. Best - Fox 5 Morning News, when they are having some fun! I know they have to cover the serious news, but the show is much more enjoyable when Tony Perkins is out and doing someone's job, Holly Morris is doing her segments, Willie Waffle is reviewing movies or Allison gets to interact with people as they win a new car. Also, Tony Kornheiser's inevitable return to local radio since he BOMBED on Monday Night Football. Worst - NBC4 firing everybody who dared to grow old. Losing lots of experience and viewers there! And, all of those court shows on TV. How many times do I have to see someone trying to get back some money after the girlfriend/boyfriend dumps them? Was it a loan? Was it a gift? Do we care? BEST: Lisa Baden; WTOP traffic reports on the 8s around the clock; Michelle Bash back on WMAL; WORST: WMAL/Chris Core moved to mornings; NEWS4 Team split; HOT99.5 DJ split; Celeste Clark death; 100.3 conversion to classic rock; Best: Mickey & Amelia Worst: O'Malley giving PJ the $83K raise. What's does she have on him anyway!!!???? Best: Don & Mike on the air until 2010, the Republicans (especially Bobby Ehrlich, Michael Steele and George Allen) getting their asses kicked in the November election, Clear Channel’s downfall, Baltimore Ravens in the playoffs, University of Maryland Women’s Basketball team winning the National Championship, George Mason in the NCAA Men’s Final Four, Marc Clarke receiving a 3 year radio contract from WERQ for the “Big Phat Morning Show”, Wizards Basketball, Redskins losing season, You Tube, James Brown leaving FOX for CBS, NBC’s Football Night in America, Tracy Neale, “Late Show with David Letterman” HBO’s “The Wire”, PTI and Borat. Worst: Channel 4 firing Susan Kidd and Arch Campbell, NFL Network Thursday Night Football, Orioles and Nationals Baseball, Ravens Football radio broadcast on WBAL Radio, Dan Snyder, Peter Angelos, the present occupants of 1600 Pennsylvania Ave, Michael Richards, Mel Gibson, “CBS Evening News with Katie Couric” (I hate the “free speech” segment because it is not really free speech…what a fucking joke!) ESPN’s Monday Night Football, phony local newscasters (take your pick), more T.O. drama, losing James Brown, Ed Bradley, Steve Irwin, Ruth Brown, Gerald Levert, President Ford, 3,000 U.S. soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan, Stupid people on this website who don’t leave their names when they send rebuttals or don’t use spell check. Reggie from Clinton BEST: David Burd, Dave Adler. WORSE: Staff cuts at Channel 4, especially Susan Kidd; SOMAR's canning of T-Bone and Heather on 98.3 Star; WTOP's frequency switch. Best: Sirius Radio Worst: NBC budget cuts, Terestrial radio. I can't remember the last time that I've listened to it!! Happy New Year everyone!! Chip Best: Glenn Beck…period. Worst: People who post massive rants that no one reads. Best: Steve Rouse, Bob Worthington, Johnny Dark, Ken Merson, Loo Katz, Dave Durian, Bruce Elliott, Chris Core, Alison Starling, Doug McElway, Gordon Peterson, Stan Stovall, Don Scott, Doug Hill, Gerry Sandusky, the news on WBAL AM/TV, WJLA, WTOP [especially now on 103.5], Fox News, the new look of WTTG, the bankruptcy of Air America, Dan Snyder replacing Espanol with sports talk on 92.7/94.3/730, The Ravens on WBAL and WIYY, WBAL bumping Rush Limbaugh for more local talk, WCBM adding Rush, The Nationals on 1500AM/107.7FM, MASN for finally taking Comcast down a peg. Worst: JACK-FM, Infinity/CBS Radio, tyrannical Comcast, the ax working overtime at Clear Channel and NBC, Katie Couric, Al Franken, Barbara Harrison, Marty Bass, Todd McDermott, WUSA, WJZ, Stan Saunders, the Washington Post, the Baltimore Sun, The death of Oldies 100, WWLG becoming femtalk WVIE, the possible end of WGMS, Greedy Petey Angelos for not wanting to share WBAL, Washington Post Radio, WRBS, WAVA-FM, and WFSI using powerful FM signals and all other religious and time-brokered stations Happy 2007 to all Worse: Faux Baltimore news from WTTG on WUTB's My24 -- because Baltimore was clamoring for DC centric news. WUSA's rebranding as Nine News Now. Four years after dropping the "Eyewitness News" brand because "nobody cares about the name" they changed their mind... however, this new name is ridiculous. Rather than sounding urgent as the goal, it sounds like begging... watch Nine News, Now! Plus, they managed to destroy a good graphics package with new opens, and replaced a nice custom cut of the Enforcer music theme (made specifically for WUSA) for a far inferior, gaudier cut that grates on my nerves. General Electric's NBCU 2.0. Few companies have indiscriminately budget-cut their way to prosperity -- especially in an industry where success and failure is as random as it is in entertainment. Notice how ABC and CBS are surging, and it isn't on the back of a line-up of game shows. Continuing with the GE budget cuts, as they affect WRC, much of the audience that watches News4 do so because they've come to accept the newscasters as part of the family. While I don't think the loss of Susan Kidd, Arch Campbell IJ Hudson and George Michaels will kill WRC as similar losses did to WUSA, Channel 4 has just tossed away a bit of their ratings lead. Here's hoping the savings is worth the revenue loss. Fox 5 News redesign. Ugh!!! Fox 5 News The Edge. Double Ugh... the worse of WUSA type branding with the worse of Fox Attitude! WDCA -- Fox has effectively destroyed the once great independent station and turned it into a pale shadow of WTTG... while WTTG raids it for the remaining good shows. MyNetworkTV. The Fox replacement for UPN managed to be worse than UPN could ever aspire to be. Best:WJLA largely by default, they've become the newscast to watch.WDCW. Congratulations to becoming the go to "independent" station in DC. (The CW isn't quite a network in my mind yet... neither were UPN or the WB.) The WB's last night... classy way of closing a network. The CW -- finally, proof that if you removed all the crap from UPN and the WB, you'd only have enough programming for *one* network. Best People: Andrea Roane, and Kim Martucci are a joy to watch in the morning. Kudos to Tony Pann for bringing a bit of his Weather Talk radio to WUSA in the form of the question and answer segment on Saturday mornings. Kudos to Doug Hill, Gordon Peterson, Maureen Bunyan for being just classy. WJLA for the great send off for Kathleen Matthews -- and to Kathleen Matthews as well. Kudos and good luck to Susan Kidd, Arch Campbell.. may their futures be bright. Jim Vance is still a grade A newscaster. Derek McGinty has suaveness. Happy New Year's everyone. Best: Michael Baisden on WHUR . Afternoon drive time has never had so much excitement, provocative and educational talk. Worst:The repetive music on all stations-- come on guys PLEASE play a better variety of songs BEST RADIO NEWS HIRE: Jim Asendio as WAMU news director. BEST TV NEWS HIRE: The batch of new, very talented Fox5 WTTG street reporters. Best: Bonneville for putting the great WTOP sound on a signal fit for the early 21st century. Pity it’s from the tower that WMAL-TV proved for 25 years was a terrible site for TV, which is almost as fragile as FM radio. (The only TV site in D.C. that was worse was 5321 1st Place N.E)… XM Radio! Its codec seems almost as good as a .WAV file. Plus, they have creativity! Admittedly that creativity is concentrated. But, it’s there. For how long is a good question…I’d really like to see XM get someone in like “Shotgun” Tom Kelly or Dave Randall to do the 60’s channel. Especially in PM Drive… Senator Arlen Spector for calling to task the NFL Network, ESPN, and other sports networks regarding the ever escalating costs o! f “enhanced or extended basic” Cable TV because of the sheer greed of sports programming. (If a Cable system actually dropped ESPN and didn’t get a significant rate of complaints or lost customers, that would send a message more powerful than any congressional mandate could…Local media website is easy: DCRTV! Worst: Bonneville for slowly castrating WGMS into the mere shell that it is today as it writhes in its death throes pending the Red Zebra purchase. Maybe RKO General lacked candor and was perhaps unfit to be an FCC licensee. But, without any doubt whatsoever, RKO was more fit to be a Broadcaster than any of the media companies we have today… Dan Snyder for buying 104.1/103.9 from Bonneville (tied with Bonneville for selling them in the first place). Dan will do unto sports radio what he has done to the NFL, given his stewardship of the Redskins. That may be a good thi! ng, in D.C., at least! As a native Washingtonian (Born in the ol d Sibley Hospital on North Capitol Street), I can honestly say that Washington is not, and never will be, a “sports town”. Sure, when Satan is wearing a parka (the ‘Skins are winning), everyone is a Redskins fan from Friday thru Monday or Tuesday. At best, that is. But, under normal circumstances, people here just don’t care about sports! Ditto hockey, baseball, and basketball. Sports radio has not and will not make money in D.C. Remember that this is the area where a C-SPAN outage is a major crisis for a Cable TV system! Dan Snyder has been unable to buy a championship team with the Redskins. And, he never will! No team owner has ever been able to do that. Not even George Steinbrenner’s New York Yankees can do that on a consistent basis. Championship teams are made up of teammates with character. Character is built from the top down. Whether you liked him or loathed him, J! ack Kent Cooke reached heights of character that Dan Snyder never shall. It is one thing to reap reward from risk. It’s another to reap reward from hard work. That is something Dan Snyder has yet to do, but must if he is to own an organization that is respected. Respect is something lacking towards the Redskins, Red Zebra, Six Flags, etc. Why? Because that internal self-respect that is so important in earning the respect of others is absent… MASN. Nothing more needs to be said. If Congress were to wake up and have real ethics reform, both the MLB and the NFL would lose their anti-trust exemptions. That would mean the Nationals would have control of their TV destiny, instead of on a 15th rate network that has no plans to go HD … The NFL Network (and the NFL) for forcing down the throats of cable and satellite subscribers yet higher costs for “Expanded Basic”. This is as bad ! as what ESPN and Fox Sports pulled several years ago. The cable companies know that not everyone is a sports fan. But, the rising cost of sports programming is being borne by all customers. The result is that either Congress or the FCC is going to shove “ala Carte” channel selection down everyone’s throats. It’ll raise the costs of service to everyone without any improvement. In fact, it’ll be the opposite. Buying Cable or Satellite TV will become incredibly complex! Plus, there will be the loss of “niche” networks. Imagine having to “opt-in” for hundreds of channels. While that’ll likely euthanisze numerous channels for which it’s long overdue, it’ll likely also kill off really good niche services, alas. It’ll also cut into the profits of the sports networks as they’re not going to be able to charge the ad rates they did before. They kust won’t habe the “potential audience” numbers to sell. However, I will also go out ! on a limb and predict the future of some pro sports TV carriage. Within five to ten years, expect the NFL to have a two-tier system for TV. Tier I will allow teams to fully own rights to their home games, to sell as they see fit and keep the $ for themselves. Tier II teams would negotiate a “group contract” for games and split the proceeds equally. There would be no inter-mingling of money between tiers. The NFL will have it first with other pro sports following… The Cable and Satellite TV companies for the collective absence of cojones in not being able to say “No” to carriage rates and terns that would be illegal as extortion in other industries. That holds for the local off-airs and cable networks… Washington Post Radio! Another case of “media company” vs. “broadcaster”. Bonneville has Schottenheimered what was once a great radio property, WTOP. What Bonneville ! should’ve done was kept 1500 as WTOP, put WTOP-FM on 103.5, put WGMS on the 103.9/104.1 pair, and WaPo Radio (Sounds like a hot breakfast cereal sponsoring kids serials in the 1930’s, doesn’t it?) on 107.7 and 820. Woe be unto Council of the Twelve Apostles (AKA Bonneville’s Board of Directors (Ever notice that the Council of the Twelve is always made up of a majority of U.S. citizens? Otherwise, Bonneville would be disqualified as an FCC licensee!) for ruining what was once a great broadcast institution. The LDS church treasury and the Washington community would be better served by selling the license to whomever wants 1500 with a really f---ed-up pattern and sell the current site off as a mall or townhouses… XM’s Terry Young. I’m sure he’s a nice guy. But, his time is long past. Please find another career. He reminds me of the DJ balladeer Harry Chapin was talking about in “W-O-L-D”. His drop-ins are pervasive, intrusive, insulti! ng, and infantile at best. While my hat is off to him for his Friday tributes to the great Top- 40 stations of the past, he should stick to playing airchecks as his imitations are poor at best and often a sick joke. As a veteran RKO engineer, I found his “re-creation” of KHJ extremely offensive. To paraphrase a long-ago VP candidate, “I was a Boss Jock. I also worked for RKO General. And, you sir, sound like neither”… The bloodletting of WRC-48’s news department. I’m really surprised and disappointed. This is something a media company like Gannett would do, not The National Broadcasting Company. But, then again, it is just “NBC, Inc.” nowadays, isn’t it? The only beneficary of this will be the least deserving media mogul in the market, Joe Albritton. WJLA-39 will continue to stock its air with some of the best talent in the market. Both Jim Vance and Doreen Gentzle! r will retire one day and who will take over??? WWPX-DT for perh aps the most imaginative dual-city legal ID I’ve ever seen: Martinsburg/Washington for their channel 12 digital signal (Anyone besides me remember when WETA tried to shoehorn an experimental channel 12 onto the WDCA candlelabra to “test innovative experimental directional antennas”? Talk about slick gerrymandering!)… Virginia for putting a state tax on satellite radio and TV. Talk about a socialist luxury tax! But, then again, who said Republicans were champions of a free marketplace or free enterprise? To be fair and balanced in this, the pinheads in Richmond should start taxing broadcasters licensed in other states and claim signal coverage in Virginia for the ad revenues they receive from Virginia businesses or from out-of-state companies that do business in Virginia. Otherwise, the satellite tax is a monetary penalty for Virginians who choose satellite TV or radio, and is obviou! sly at the behest of the terrestrial broadcasters who refuse to compete with quality and wish to make satellite as economically unattractive a proposition as possible… While on Virginia politics, let’s not forget the so-called “PEG” channel carriage that local jurisdictions force Cable TV companies to carry. (And, often provide all the equipment for and even paid staff in many cases!) Again, this is extortion of the worst kind. It is equivalent to Virginia localities requiring Ford to provide all government vehicles for free in exchange for the privlege of selling vehicles in Virginia… Verizon FiOS. It should be called a “FiOSCO” because that is what it has the probability of becoming. Even Wall Street sees it coming. After being soured on Adelphia and Charter in the Cable TV/Broadband world, Verizon needs to show significant positive cash flow from FiOS really quick or Verizon! s stock will tumble still further. Verizon deserves a further dishonorable mention for the “shotgun franchises” it has forced upon localities under threat of court action or legislative preemption. In many cases, Verizon’s franchise is much less restrictive than that of the incumbent Cable TV franchisee. Why are Verizon’s rates so much lower than that of the incumbent Cable TV franchisee? Simple economics: They have lower costs! Verizon’s franchises do not have the “fully wired” and customer service commitments that has been required of previous Cable TV franchises! Verizon has refused to pay the bucks for things like wiring all government facilities with broadband telecommunications for free and providing service and support for gratis, as has been the case with Cable TV. In addition, Verizon is not providing the free programming to schools as has been the case with Cable TV for ages. In other words, Verizon has done their homework and! looked at where Cable TV’s costs can be reduced or eliminated and refused to accept those costs, preferring to threaten litigation or legislation on localities that refuse to accept their business model. Combine that business model with predatory pricing intended to skim the highest billing disaffected Cable subscribers, and you have a plan that will work. All Verizon has to do is be willing to absorb losses until the build-out is complete, and then look out! They’ll likely put most greedy Cable operator in history to shame! And, they’ll justify the increase with “Unforeseen Network Construction and Operating Expenses”! I just hope that the incumbent Cable TV franchisees have the cojones to punitively sue jurisdictions where a :competitor” has been awarded a franchise that gives the newcomer an unfair competitive advantage…WMAL –What an absolutely pitiful radio station it h! as become. At its best. It’s a “hi in/lo out” repeater for WABC. Imagine if it had a real PD, real “personality” announcers, and a standards/MoR format as in the days of old –but put on 107.3, it would kick everybody else’s ass across the parking lot! But, with the emasculation that resulted in the firing of Michael Graham (like him or hate him, WMAL’s firing of him due to sponsor pressure should’ve resulted in all ABC licenses being designated for hearing if not revocation) I’ve lost all hope in WMAL ever being a real radio station ever again. Unfortunately, Citadel is no better. The way they treat their people causes the serfs of ancient times to have pity on them. I hold no hope whatsoever for a future for this once giant of D.C. radio…Outsourcing in both Broadcasting and Cable! This is eventually going to come back and haunt both. Nobody knows your audience or customers like your local people do. They are -er, were- your employees! . They know –er,knew- your community. Outsourcing, be it in programming, engineering, etc., could come back to bite you really badly! Outsourcing to contractors could result in long-term costs no-one wants to think about. But, should if the long-haul to them is more than next week! Best - Broadminded on XM 155. Shari Elliker, Chistine Eads and Molly Dedham are funny, profane, and additively listenable. Shari never really got to be herself on HFS or with Don and Mike - here she shines, as do all the girls on a show that's been described as a cross between Sex and the City and the Three Stooges. It's one of XM's best shows. David Burd for finally getting his due on Washington Post Radio and on WTOP. Dave Johnson and Steve Kolby broadcasting radio play by play from Verizon Center. Arch Campbell - beating cancer and rebounding from NBC to Channel 7. Chip Franklin on WBAL. John Riggins, still a funny funny man on both Redskins Report and XXXESPN. Johnny Riggs and Neci for keeping HFS slightly HFS in Baltimore. Frank Hanrahan returning to Washington sports radio. Frank Herzog for his anchor work on WTOP, and rebounding from one of the most unjust firings ever. Worst - NBC firing Arch, George, Wally and Susan. I use only first names, because they have become almost like family to the viewers of WRC, and letting them go was a HUGE betrayal of the loyalty this broadcast has enjoyed from viewers for over two decades. HUGE BETRAYAL. Speaking of huge betrayal, Larry Michael has lost many loyal listeners from Redskin Radio broadcasts. Bad signal, bad team, really bad play by play announcer. Et tu Dan? With apologies to Sonny and Sam, who as always, remain Sonny and Sammish. 99.5 dropping the Mark K morning show. The years old Telecom Bill, for remaining the Neutron Bomb that wiped out the people in radio and left the buildings standing, and the new version, which threatens an open Internet. BEST - XM Radio, especially Terry Young's Friday 60's radio station salutes, Ron Riley on WLS, the big 8 - CKLW, and the Washington DC salute to WEAM, WPGC and Oldies 100 with Johnny Dark, Fred Fisher and Dave Adler live in studio. WORST - NBC-UNIVERSAL for taking News 4 apart. Dave in Fairfax Here's my best and worst for 2006. BEST: Dave Johnson continues to shine as the voice of the Washington Wizards on radio. Dave shares his passion for the Wizards and his job to fans with his outstanding coverage of the team. Dave did an fantastic job covering the 2006 World Cup in Germany this summer too! WTOP continues to be the radio station to listen to for local news, weather, sports and traffic. Mark Plotkin is a must listen to for his local political coverage. Johnny Holliday and his coverage of the Terps is absolutely awesome! Glenn Harris on Sports Talk on News Channel 8. Glenn's an institution should be on five days a week! WJLA is the one to watch for sports. The entire sports department at Channel 7, with Tim Brant, Greg Toland, along with sports director Ross McCallum and sports producer Terry Cornwell. Way to go Terry for all the great work you're doing on ESPN! Tony Kornheiser on Monday Night Football. Wild Wes Johnson for the awesome job he does with television and radio commercials and being the Washington Capitals announcer at the Verizon Center. Wes, you make Bill Shatner proud! Phil Wood, whatever station he's on. Phil knows baseball and has a great band too! Andy Ockershausen and his entire team at Comcast Sportsnet have great local edge coverage to sports. Additional kudos go out to Comcast Sportsnet producer Larry Duvall and the work he does behind the scenes to build an outstanding product. WRNR 103.1 FM in Annapolis reminds you every day of what WHFS "USED" to be. RNR rocks! Kojo on WAMU continues to rule the waves with his local coverage and issues that other stations might not cover. WORST: NBC Universal for blowing up a great staff at NBC 4. How low can NBC go? Does NBC want to have WRC go in the tank deeper than lowly cellar dwellers, WUSA? The migration from NBC 4 to WJLA continues and will ultimately make Channel 7 number one. Dan Snyder and Red Zebra's Triple X ESPN 'Redskins' Radio. Snyder can't run the Redskins and apparently can't run his radio network either. Bad idea, bad coverage and terrible product, both with the team on the field and on the air. Snyder should pay back all the companies that bought ad time this year! Dan Snyder has Jack Kent Cooke rolling in his grave! The Junkies continue to offer the absolute worst in radio. Washington is supposed to have the most educated population in the country, but if you listen to the inane Junkies, you want to run your car off the road, head on into a jersey wall. The Junkies have pictures of their bosses screwing sheep! They're "BAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHD!" And lastly, and everyone knows it, the Washington, DC area STILL doesn't have a decent sports station to listen to. In 2007, the lament continues. Pat Malone, Marketing Director, SportsFanMagazine.com BEST: Sirius Radio, WFMD's Christmas Cash for Kids, WMAL 20 minute commercial-free blocks (although the traffic report typically has a commercial, Ned on Bubba the Love Sponge. WORST: WFMD on the weekends (HIRE SOME BOARD OPS WHO PAY ATTENTION!!!), Don and Mike, and Sean Hannity. Best: Not radio. Worst: All Radio. Radio sucks. It's corporate, fat, white boy driven radio,with a glut of lousy foreign language stations( Spanish) ( and that kind of programming is the pits) and I'm never going to listen to terrestial radio again. XM sucks, and Sirius is only slightly better. HD radio will go the way of Quad stereo, and pet rocks, or sound just as stupid as all the main signals. Until the artists remain in charge of the programming on ALL STATIONS, then radio will always suck. TO ALL THE OTHER POSTS, WHO THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU'RE KIDDING?! Best: David Burd and company (Island Man and Manbait et al.)—especially early on Sat. mornings, Willie Waffle movie reviews on David’s show, Grandy and Andy, Ed Walker and old-time radio on Sunday nights, Rob Bamberger and jazz on Saturday nights, Ron Smith Worst: Demise of Z104—my daughter is still complaining about that one—it was a carpool fav—hit the “#4 button” twice!!, imminent demise of WGMS (is the “#4 button twice” just an unlucky combo??) I won’t go into personalities because it’s a New Year coming and if you can’t say something nice . . . Best: 1) WTOP on a good day; "glass enclosed nerve center" is cheesy, but it seems to be a reminder to the inmates not to take themselves too seriously. The move to FM made sense, but 103.5 is not the biggest stick in town and that makes for spotty reception out in the deep suburban boonies where 107.7 is loud and clear. The market is bigger than the signal, and I hope Bonneville will address this. 2) The internet, for bringing programming that the corporate suits insist we're not interested in listening to over the airwaves. Worst: 1) Dan Snyder. Nothing to add to others' comments.2) WTWP is an abysmal failure. Hoping that CC sells 100.3 to Bonneville, which moves classical to 100.3, sells 104.1 and 103.9 to Snyder, and puts WTOP back on 107.7 in lieu of tepid Posties. 3) The corporate takeovers that have squeezed out niche formats that might be modestly profitable in a major metro, notably alternative, jazz and classical. It's just like cable TV -- 57 channels and nothing on. It sure looks like radio is on the verge of becoming a victim of bean-counter assisted suicide. --CJ in Spotsylvania BALTIMORE RADIO’S BEST in 2006: Music Radio - Fran Lane (LITE FM), Ken Merson (formerly of LITE FM), Sarah Fleischer (98 ROCK), Tim Watts (MAGIC 95.9, Greg Valentine (MIX 1065) and Randy Dennis (SMOOTH JAZZ 104.3). News/Talk Radio - Dave Durian (WBAL) and Ron Smith. Management - Jim Dolan (formerly of WPOC), Ed Kiernan (WBAL/98 ROCK) and Dave Hill (98 ROCK). BALTIMORE RADIO’S WORST in 2006: Music Radio – Steve Rouse and Diane Lynn (LITE FM), Mickey and Amelia (98 ROCK), Greg Carpenter (LITE FM), Bob Delmont (WPOC), Michael J. Fox (WPOC), The entire MIX Morning Show staff (MIX 1065) and Fast Jimi (MIX 1065). Talk Radio – Chip Franklin (WBAL), Bruce Elliott (WBAL), Ed Norris (WHFS), Anita Marx (ESPN 1300) Jon Boesche & Troy Johnson (WHFS) and everyone at WCBM. Management - Bob Phillips (CBS Baltmore), Dave LaBrozzi (CBS Baltimore), The Mangione Family (WCBM/WVIE). Best: Sports guys Dave Johnson, Glenn Consor, and Johnny Holliday. Lisa Nurnberger, Brian Naylor, and Kojo Nnamdi of WAMU; Rebecca Roberts of WETA, Mike Tidwell of WPFW, Mark Cohen of the Coffee House on regional cable Worst: Dan Snyder and his radio acquistions, Channel 4 for letting Arch go. /GM of DC Best: Elliott in the morning Worst: WMZQ for not being a true country music station,of all the music that is played on that station,only about 10 percent might be called true country.They also should get over the Dixie Chick thing. Grandaddyjohn Best: XM Satellite Radio - specifically Big Tracks, Top Tracks, Bluesville (with Tony Maddog Colter, doin' it "doggie style"!), Deep Tracks (also with Tony Maddog - love you Tony!), Lucy, all the Christmas channels, traffic channel - a huge help to me as a commuter, Bone Yard, Flight 26; WBIG new format; John Ballard; 98 Rock; Cerphe on WARW; TMC movie channel. Worst: Jack Diamond; the absence of Kirk and Mark on 98 Rock; Josh Spiegel on 98 Rock, he has no personality, and they call him a Radio Personality?; Z104 gone with the wind; Shelby on WARW; Weasel on WARW...that voice. BEST: Nats on the radio; Charlie Slowes and Dave Jaegler; hearing "BANG ZOOM go the fireworks...another curly W is in the books!!"; Jim London on WMZQ; Jim London's "America's Music" on WMZQ; pretty much everything about WTOP; Mike Moss (the best reason to listen to WTWP); the hopeful salvation of WGMS; Doug Hill on WTOP (cracks me up!); Jessica Cash back on country radio WORST: Don & Mike (and all their little radio clones...hate them all); Dan Snyder doing to radio what he did to the Redskins; WRC screwing with the best news team ever; Tom Paciorek; Deena Blake on WMZQ; Howard Stern Best: Morning show with Dave Durian; Alan Walden and his Walden Ponderings ( Yesterday was the last one ever according to Alan); Ron Smith and his very entertaining and informative talk show on WBAL; XM Radio. especially Frank's Place XM73; Ron Matz and his People are Talking segment on the Morning News on WJZ; Alan Colmes on Fox News Talk on Satellite Radio (Either XM or Serius) Worst: The demise or expected demise of WGMS; the firing of Jerry Coleman on WBAL, probably the best morning sports reporter the station ever had; Terrestrial radio in general, what a general bore!; Bruce Elliott and his blanket endorsements of anything President Bush and Robert Ehrlich favors;. Chip Franklin who to me is very annoying; Happy New year to DCRTV Still the best site on the World Wide Web!! Marshall E. Feldman BEST: XM Satellite radio. Without it I can only listen to one station. WTOP. XM is a godsend for music lovers. BEST Executive. Jim Farley. BEST anchor. Brian Bolter. BEST Reporters. Pat Collins and Paul Wagner. No one in town comes close to doing what they can do when it comes to enterprising a story or obtaining new info on a breaking story. WORST: NBC UNI for taking apart Newsfour. They've sucked the heart and soul out of it. Best: O&A, Ron & Fez, John Riggins Show (even though it's on a lame Snyder station) Worst: Don & Mike (LAME), Howard Stern (BORING), The Junkies (Back to public access tv you dolts), NBC4 firing George Michael, Daniel Snyder not being content with destroying the Redskins, decides to destroy D.C. area radio, and lastly, a previous poster claiming WTOP is "compelling" - WTF? Best: Jim London on WMZQ, Cerphe and Weasel on WARW, Jim and Doreen on news 4 at 6, Shaw and Diane on WTOP's drive home, Ed Rodriguez on KEY-103, The sports anchors on WTOP- Dave Johnson, Byron Kerr, Craig Heist, Jonathan Warner and George Wallace-, Pat Collins, Jim Handley and Wendy Rieger on news 4. Lisa Baden and Bob Marbourg traffic reports, Ballard in the Morning on Big100.3, Dean Lane's "Nightside" on WTOP, America's Music (hosted by Jim London) on WMZQ. Worst: Don and Mike, Redskin radio broadcast, Daniel Snyder's attempt to get in to radio. Jack Diamond, channel 7 news, NBC FOR PINKSLIPING ARCH CAMPBELL, SUSAN KIDD, GEORGE MICHAEL AND OTHERS. THEY SHOULD BE ASHAMED OF THEMSELVES. BEST: RADIO: WTOP NEWS: Fox 5 anytime, all people LOVE THEM! WORST: 99.5 and Kane in the AM. I can not listen to the station at all now. BRING BACK MARK and KRIS, Channel 4 for the firings amd Jack Diamond CW in Reston BEST: Dave Durian. Bill Vanko, Leonard Roberts, & John Patti, for upholding the tradition of WBAL news. Tom Davis & Phil Wood. Peter Schmuck. Gregory Kane. Johnny Holliday. Don Scott. Ron Smith. Dave Hovel. Tim Williams and John Collins, for managing to give a weather forecast in a calm, soft tone of voice, without all the histrionics of most of the rest in town. Father Joe on WPOC Sun. Morning. George Noory. WTMD. WHFC. The GE SupeRadio. DCRTV Dave. Rusty Gibson, Joyce Conroy, Ed Jones, Mild Max, Mike in Fairfax and the rest of the mailbaggers that can post topics on things other than the "Big 3" WORST: Marty Bass, Anita Marks, Nestor Aparacio. CAN YOU SIMPLY TALK IN A NORMAL CONVERSATIONAL TONE AND NOT YELL AT US. Chip Franklin. Bruce Elliott and his phony laugh. Scott Wykopf (sp?) and Keith Mills and their forced "Professional Radio Guy" voices. The Buzz, The Junkies, Chris Matthews, and everyone else who thinks that it's entertaining to interrupt, yell, and all talk at the same time on their programs. Whatever ever happened to civil discourse? The commercial/ad fest that calls itself a morning show in WNST. Keith Thompson gone from WXCY. Kellye Lynn not anchoring the Noon News. "Breaking News". Maynard. Damon Yaffee. Joe Angel. Sonny and Frank...I liked them as players, enjoyed them in the past, but now they sound like 2 old guys in a nursing home. Or maybe Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau. Gerry Sandusky doing Ravens' play-by-play. Great guy, good sportscaster, outstanding Sports Talk host, but something is just lacking. In game sponsor plugs. All D&M/O&A/Stern mailbag posts. Enough Already ! MASN. CBS-Radio:Baltimore. "Classic Rock". 24/7 Christmas Music. "Snow in the forecast....." Happy New Year ! Doug in Bel Air Best of 2006 to Jim Vance for a successfully negotiating his contract with WRC. Worst of 2006 to WRC for letting the talented on air people go to pay for Mr. Vance’s contract. Best: Eastern Shore - JJ "Hitman" McKay on 96.5CTG, Skip Dixon on Ocean 98.1 Worst: Eastern Shore - Jack Gillen on 101 point dumb fm WQMR, worst talk show ever, I mean ever ! Best: Lisa Baden, there is no one better. Worst: I don't know, I don't listen to anyone else. JohnnyuinHanover,Pa. Best: The one and only Johnny Holliday, Pete Medhurst and Jonathan Warner on the sports side. WTOP for news with Bruce Allen being steady, Dave Brown for interesting not "typical" interviews and Lisa Baden for having fun despite all the critics. Greaseman still doing something creative. Brother Jay on KYS for being everywhere. James Bartel adding some today to so much yesterday. Chris Core's being a glimmer of hope in a sea of doom. Radio One for having Parr and Joynor Worst: BIG for not knowing what oldies are. 94.7 for just not knowing what they are. Stern going into the sky, a loss for regular radio. Radio people attacking other radio people when everyone should unite and be glad they have a job and worry others don't. Ken/Silver Spring BEST: Dave Durian, Russ Parr, Mindy Basara and Stan Stovall. WORST: Weekend morning news on WBAL and WJZ...they just repeat the same old news over and over again every ten minutes. Gives me incentive to get out of bed and do something else besides watch television. Ed Norris, Chip Franklin and Bruce Elliott - nothing but opinions that are not even remotely based on fact. Mimi, Baltimore Best: Without a doubt WTOP for radio...and WJLA for television (I enjoy getting my day started with Alison...what a babe (hope she gets the evening slot that Kathleen left)....and Doug). I also really like Doug Hill, Brian and Adam on the weather side. Worst: Dan Snyder wanting WGMS...it would be a great shame to see this piece of DC history go away. WRC channel for for all the lay-offs. It will be a shame to see Susan, I.J. and George leave....I hope WJLA will pick some of them up. Jeff Embry, K3OQ Best: WPFW's evening jazz programming-- quirky, independent radio at its best. WJLA's Alison Starling-- what a beauty! WTOP for being a constant fix to us news junkies. Worst: WTOP's Dave Brown and his staccato delivery. WTOP's Diane Kepley trying to be chatty with Doug Hill during his afternoon weather segments. WGMS for their sampler approach to classical music. Andrew (Kensington, MD) BEST: WTOP by far! The traffic report is crucial for DC area listeners. I love being able to tune in at any time and find out what I need to know about what's happening around here and in the world. WORST: All the firings at NBC4. What in the world were they thinking when they did this??? Arch Campbell had been with them for 30 years; it wouldn't have hurt them to at least show HIM some loyalty for the great job he's always done. Other firings have irritated me as well. May have to switch my allegiance to another station. AW, Falls Church Best, WMAR's morning show with Dory, Costello and Berk. Only lack of promotion keeps them behind overrated BAL and JZ. Shorts skirts at 45 will soon wear out! Dan Patrick, Greg Carpenter and Steve Rouse on radio. Worst: Anita Marks on radio...weekend tv news on all the stations... Happy Holidays David in Owings Mills Best of 2006: Steve Rouse returning to the airwaves on a FT basis, The Ravens switching over to 1090 and 98 Rock, the best Ravens season in their history, WBOC adding Fox so we could see additional NFL games here on the shore, more radio stations offering "streaming audio", MASN being added to Comcast cable subscribers, WTNT in Rockville airing Ravens games(bet Danny isnt happy about that), Ravens games can be heard clearly at FED EX field as I have been told Worst: 101.9 and 97.1 playing the same old Christmas songs over and over, WTOP switching from 1500 AM to 103.5(poor signal here on the shore, WaPo radio is boring, makes NPR news sound great, Dan Snyder's Redskins network in the DC area, but hardly heard around FED EX field, 100.3 going to tired old classic rock, Ridgely,Maryland still has the worst Christmas lights, Orioles again have a losing season for almost a decade now, WGMS may be gone soon. B. in Denton, MD BEST: Rush Limbaugh November 8th through today. Penn Jillette. The Ed Norris Show. WTMD. Don and Mike when they’re funny. And some public radio stuff… WYPR: lefty and semi-nutter Marc Steiner, “The Signal,” “The News Roundup” now that Anthony McCarthy’s back, “Cellar Notes,” “Morning Edition” and often WYPR’s new “Maryland Morning” show. WAMU: Diane Rehm (of course), “Metro Connection,” Rob Bamberger’s fantastic “Hot Jazz Saturday Night,” and Dick Spottswood’s “Obsolete Music Show.” WETA: “The Intersection”. WORST: Don and Mike when they’re not funny… and having to slog through the eternal commercials to find out whether today’s a good day or a BAD one (or a friggin’ repeat). Rush Limbaugh from January through November 7th. The potential loss of WGMS. WETA’s repetitive programming – please please please go back to mostly classical. All things WTWP. And WAMU’s axing of “Talk of the Nation,” airing of that awful “To The Point” show, and all its damn commercials (I’m sorry, “underwriting”). Best: XM Satellite Radio, the best electronic investment I've ever made. Opie & Anthony, they aren't for everyone, but they are the best show on radio (If you're familiar with " The Baby Bird ", you are an O & A fan). Ron & Fez, the second best show on radio. WBAL and WBFF, the two best news sources in Baltimore from Stan Stovall and Mindy Basara in the mornings, Jeff Barndt and Jennifer Gilbert in the evenings, and Rod Daniels and Marianne Bannister at night ( more Marianne than Rod, who always has problems with his voice), Mark Viviano and Scott Garceau, the only respectable things about WJZ and WMAL, respectively. Bob Haynie and Rob Long who carry WNST. Worst: WMAR and WJZ, the worst TV stations in Baltimore. Memo to WJZ: Al and Jerry are long gone, you cannot create chemistry, either it's there or it's not. Vic Carter, Denise Koch, Kai Jackson and Sally Thorner aren't working and Jessica Kartalija is not the next big thing. As for WMAR, keep Garceau and Norm Lewis, get rid of all your anchors (especially Jamie Costello) and start over (Karen Parks of WBFF would be a good place to start), Marty Bass, who does he have pictures of? WNST, for firing Terry Ford and Jeremy Conn, I happened to like both of them as well as Drew Forrester and thanks to Nestor, I have no reason to listen to terrestrial radio anymore. Anita Marks, not because she doesn't know sports (she does), but because her show stinks. Damon Yaffe, just because he's Damon Yaffe. Who does HE have pictures of? And when he and Marty Bass are on my TV at the same time, what have I done to deserve that? Kate Amara, the female Marty Bass. The Baltimore Examiner, which was supposed to be the alternative to the Sun, but believe it or not, it's even worse. Happy Holidays, David from Owings Mills Best: Despite having no real competition, WTOP continues to do a commendable job of keeping news, weather sports and traffic updated and available with the mere push of a button. Worst: Without a doubt, those TV channels that air movies. You see a face you can't place with a name. So, you keep watching hoping your gnawing curiosity will be satisfied at the end of the movie when the credits are rolled. However, at the end the credits are pushed the side and reduced to the size of a tick. What is this, an eye exam? The minimized credits allow the channel to run one of their idiotic in-house promos. There is no decent way to explain how pee-ohed I get when this happens. Marty Madden, Prince Frederick Best: Wtop for News with a lineup of pros from Richard and Bruce on the weekdays to Dave Brown, Evan Haney and Veronica Robinson on the weekends. David Bird anytime. WMMJ for music and having a morning show plugged into the community. Elliot for being the only saving grace for DC 101. Kelly Knight when she's on 94.7. Lisa Baden for making nothing into something. James Bartel for not making Classical Music and mornings "stuffy".Adrian and Andrew Mitchell for proving their are talented husbunds and wives in radio. Worst: 94.7 especially Shelby and Max for proving their aren't talented husbund and wives in radio. WMAL with an "agenda", Daniel Snyder for thinking money can make good radio. DC 101 for going through P.D after P.D and NOTHING except mornings.Bennett Zier for making people think he knows something. Post Radio for being as bland as the paper the newspaper is written on. Clear Channel for proving buy it and they won't come. Hilary Howard anytime. Jim "genius" Farley for leading by intimidation. Herb/Bethesda Best: Elliot on DC101. Local, topical (I could do without the cackling at times, but a small annoyance overall) and hilarious at times. Diane Stupar (has a great wit, is the perfect foil for Elliot and is clearly the social conscience of the show. John Ballard (not in your face funny, but comes up with great one liner’s and astute observations). Jim Vance on Channel 4 (he has faced down his personal demons over the years and remains one of the class acts on DC television). Worst: Stevens and Medley (as God is my witness, how these hacks remain on the air is beyond me. They must have pictures of Infinity management with farm animals-sorry about that visual folks). The treatment of John Ballard by Clear Channel (first he gets bumped from DC101 to WBIG and will most likely get shafted again if Danny Boy takes over the station. All the Don & Mike blather over this past year (I am sorry that Mr. Sorce lost his wife last year-nobody deserves such a thing to happen. I have tried to listen to the show at times over the years and, sorry, I just don’t get it). The Junkies on WJFK (what is worse than listening to TWO people-D&M- talking over each other) FOUR people talking over each other. If they stuck to sports, they would be easier to take). Tim in Stafford Urban Radio Round-up Best: Long time pros showing young cats how to stay in the game: Donnie Simpson - WPGC, Russ Parr-WKYS and the lone Marc Clarke - WERQ. Steve Harvey show in DC choosing to add go-go to its music to reflect its DC market - a syndicated show trying to have local aspects. WPGC - Jay Stevens - for continuously showing stations across the country how to get it right. WERQ for having one of the hottest female line-ups in the area - beautiful women morning to night. WPGC and WERQ for holding true to the sexy talk and music format. LaDawn Black (WERQ) for being young in the game but maximizing her exposure in radio and possibly taking her Baltimore appeal national. Worst: Syndication taking away local shows - what happened to WHUR? Baisden being forced down our throats in Baltimore. Most of us knew already that the show aired in DC no need mess with Magic in Baltimore. The loss of Troy on WERQ's morning show and resurfacing on WHFS in a painful talk format (let him have the show alone or better yet just pair him with Ed Norris). DC radio not snapping up Olivia Foxx and bringing her home right away to add some spice to morning radio. BEST: Broadminded on XM Radio's 155. It's edgy, real and hilarious: everything that terrestrial radio has lost. Shari, Kristine and Molly rock! I'm also addicted to "World Have Your Say" from the bbc--best int'l dialogue on radio. Oh...and dcrtv's coverage of local media. WORST: The dulling of terrestrial radio in dc. The FCC needs to get their act together and break up these radio conglomerates that eat up stations and turn them into the culinary equivalent of a happy meal -- all grease, no substance. Yours truly, A loyal dcrtv reader in NoVa. Best Radio: having David Burd back on the weekends, now on WTWP. Worst Radio: Losing John Batchelor on WMAL. Keep looking for him to come back, will follow him anywhere. WORST FIRST: TV...Barbara Harrison is so bad. Releasing Arch and Wally....worst layoffs. Haber is full of himself... Radio...CC is the WORST broadcast company...BZ was one of the worst people in radio management EVER...That's SAYING a LOT! AM 730 is the worst sports station ever. WORST NIGHTMARE... BEST: Has to go to the Channel 9 morning crew....the only downer is Nicole O'Brien....she is getting better....maybe Kim will rub off on her. This group, Mike, Andrea, Kim and Nicole is the best morning TV team EVER in DC! They do everything well. Andrea and Kim carry Nicole and Mike. For Radio, the best is Elliot in the Morning. Diane makes this show. She balances a sophomoric Elliot with an intelligent news cast. For sports, Zier left the best talent for WTEM! Scott Linn and Steve Czaban are a great morning show and could expand outside of sports to be a top syndicated drive time team! Radio One is the best broadcast company...good decisions, fair pay and policies! A bright light in the radio community! Radio the way corporate radio should be! Nicest guy in radio...Kenny King! Best Radio Salesman...Jack Murray. "The AQH Listener" Best: Steve Rouse returning to radio full time; Steve Rouse & Diane Lyn in the Morning; 101.9's Flashback Weekends; The Mix 106.5 Morning Show; Greg Valentine; XM & Sirius Satellite Radio; Don & Mike dissappearing for 2 Months (Shame it isn't forever);The Junkies being replaced by K&M on WHFS; Elliot in the Morning; 92.1 The Wave; 102.7's 80's based Playlist; Jack-FM's ratings dropping to a 2.3; 1470 WTTR; Ed Norris; Ballard; Lisa Berrigan. Worst: 102.7 Jack-FM; 100.3 flipping formats; The Junkies; Don & Mike; Dave LaBrozzi, Bob Phillips & CBS Radio Baltimore; Clear Channel; 1300AM; 1370 flipping to talk; Greg Carpenter; WLIF's 10 songs over and over Christmas; Mickey & Amelia; Mix 106.5 for becoming like every other Top 40 Station; Anita Marks; Marty Bass; 100.7 & 100.3 for playing the same 100 songs over and over. Best Radio: Don and Mike, though WTOP is good. Best Television News: WRC Best Sportscaster: Dave Johnson. Best Weather: Doug Hill. Best anchor Derek McGinity (tv). Best Reporter: Julie Carey. Hottest anchor Tracy Neal Worst Radio: Anything Snyder owns. Worst Sports: Brett Haber, was better on radio. Worst Anchor: Todd McDermott doesn't seem sincere. Worst Reporter: Pat Collins, now he needs to retire. Worst weather-Topper-that fake smile, Worst anything-NBC4 advertising for people looking for jobs at the same time Susan Kidd and Arch Campbell leave Best: Mix 106.5 for trying to be more like a Top 40 station. Worst: Mix 106.5 for continuing to play old slow songs, having a lame morning show, and keeping the soccer mom Mix name. Best: WTOP on 103.5FM. Now I can hear it in my apartment, at the office and even in the praking garage. WETA plan to return to classical music. Doug Hill. TOP calling it "The glass-enclosed nerve center." It probably doesn't mean a damn thing but it sure gets people talking about a news station. Tom Sherwood. Bob Marbourg & Lisa Baden. Worst: Channel 4 doing exactly what Channel 9 did last year in gertting rid of too many good people. Red Zebra's anemic signals. Wash Post for seeming NOT to care about their radio partnership. They don't seem to give it any help at all in the newspaper. Clear Channel DC. WJFK. Best Radio: WTOP without question. Best Television News: WRC, but with the latest changes I'm leaning more toward ABC7. Best Sportscaster: Dave Johnson. Best Weather: Doug Hill. Best Anchor: Dimitri Sotis (radio) Jim Vance (tv). Best Reporter: Mark Segraves (radio) Tom Sherwood (tv). Hottest (tv only): move over Wendy hello Ms. Starling. Worst Radio: c'mon Satelitte, I want to love you, but your traffic and weather sucks and I can't live without it in this city. WMAL -- what happened? turn out the lights... somebody. Worst Sports: Brett Haber, ugh on and off-air. Worst Anchor: Bob hairdo on Channel nine and the perennial Will Thomas on FOX (guy gives me the creeps). Worst Reporter: Tony Dorsey. BEST: Don & Mike; Penn Jillette (Experimental in the right dose... 1 hour); Mark Levin (Knows he bats clean-up and does his best to not repeat everything you've heard since 6am); Not having to listen to Stern complain that the whole world is against him; Not having to listen to Stern talk about what a nightmare his life is; Knowing that the only place I have to listen to someone say, "(Burp) What's in the news, Robin?" is on the Penn Jillette show. WORST: Weekend radio; Don & Mike's Johnny Carson-like vacations - R.L. Blake BEST: WTOP for its solid news coverage, which didn't change a bit after moving its main signal to 103.5. Having Nationals baseball on 1500 AM with its 50,000-watt signal and 107.7 FM -- now add some good baseball-related programming for '07, Bonneville. WPFW's jazz programming and its weekend stuff, especially Andrea Bray and her Saturday "old school" soul show. Rob Bamberger's "Hot Jazz Saturday Night" on WAMU, and its "Big Broadcast" with Ed Walker on Sunday. Johnny Holliday and his great broadcast work for the U. of Maryland. AM 1300 in Baltimore for airing Terrapin women's basketball. XM satellite radio, a wonderful mix of channels that's usually more interesting than what's on the AM or FM dials. WORST: Losing Tony Kornheiser to "Monday Night Football." WTWP programming other than the Nationals; if Bonneville officials want to learn how to do a talk station in this town, get them tapes of WRC circa 1981. WBIG abandoning oldies for "classic rock," although it only means you now hear "Daniel" three times a day instead of "Summer In The City." (Big 100 was hardly CBS-FM in its prime.) Lack of a Washington outlet for Maryland women's basketball (Debbie Yow missed the boat by not getting the games on WTWP). Howard Stern "King of All Media" fans vs. Opie & Anthony "always win in the end" fans -- enough already from both sides! The absence of standards and other "niche" formats from local radio. -- Vincent in Triangle Best: XM Radio, WRNR , The Ed Schultz Show, Clear Channel being broken up, Former WZBH jock Zack Daniels getting married, Caps Alex Ovetchkin, and lastly, when I am in the Philly area I love Fox 29's Dorothy Krysiuk doing Traffic. Worst: WMDT-TV Salisbury, Anything Daniel Snyder touches, XM for only having 1 hour of The Ed Schultz Show, the Comcast/MASN fight ANDY Best: WTOP radio. I wake up to it. I listen at work. l listen on the way home. I'd be lost without it. But who is this Judy Tob at the editor's desk? and is the glass-enclosed nerve center really glass-enclosed? Doug Hill on WTOP and on ABC7. Bob Marbourg for providing unmatched traffic reporting. Worst: NBC4 for their blowout. WMAL... I can't even listen anymore. I'm never sure what I'm going to hear, but I know I won't like it. Don and Mike if they're still on the air. I think they've gotten worse or I've just grown out of them. The best-dcrtv.com - With all the "comings and goings" how else would we keep track of when dcrtv personalities are leaving and the reasons why they leave. The worst-the Channel 4 WRC TV "firings." I particularly will miss I J Hudson with his digital edge. Thanks, Bill Best: Hands down, WTOP, the only over-the-air radio station I really need anymore. Informative, compelling, with an on-air lineup of interesting people presenting the news I need to know. Little wonder they're deservedly sitting at the top of the ratings heap in Washington, despite what all the nitpickers and naysayers have to say. Also, kudos to the move to 103.5,even tho it meant moving WGMS to 104.1/103.9. A good interim move until Bonneville can fnd a big 50 kw FM where TOP deserves to be (105.1? One can only hope...) Runner up, WJZW/Smooth Jazz 105.9. Consistent, plays an excellent selection of tunes in its genre, with friendly, informative, and relatable announcers who keep me listening when the music stops. Hope the rumors wafting in from Jennifer St. of changes in '07 prove groundless. On the boob tube, Channel 4 is still hands down the team to beat, but that may not be the case in '07 as NBC chases short-term gain and guts one of the best news operations in D.C. News Channel 8 is improving, but still needs to ditch the stupid infomercials in critical dayparts when they could be gradually building long-term loyal viewers by "being there" when big news happens, a television equivalent of WTOP. Worst: Any post on DCRTV about Don & Mike & Opie & Anthony & Howard & Stern & Rush & Sean & Hannity & Greaseman &...well, you get the idea. I just hate it when fans/detractors of these jocks clog up the Mailbag with their bleatings about all these marginal/non-talents gets a pimple, or something equally catastrophic (giggle). This is the Internet; isn't there some other place these people can go to spout off about radio people I care nothing about???? Also, to WMAL; they're trying oh, so hard to be radio's verson of Fox News Channel, they're forgetting the value of doing solid news reporting, which is what made the station's name in the '70s and '80s. And the possible sale of WGMS to Red Zebra/Snyder; I'm glad to hear that this really lame transaction may now be ending up on the scrap heap. Let RZ put one of the lame, under-performing CC FM formats out of its misery. Can you say "Double X ESPN Radio, 100.3 FM and 730 AM"? And while we're on the subject of Red Zebra, if there's a "dubious distinction" award for worst NFL pla-by-play, it needs to go to Redskins exec Larry Michaels. This fellow is the worst. As has been documented by others on this board, he seems to have something against saying the score on a fairly regular basis, so fans who just tuned in can get caught up. He sure does a good job of all those stupid advertising/promotional announcements that have made Redskins broadcasts so cluttered and unlistenable. Getting "Triple X" on a better frequency will be useless unless they find someone better to pair with Sonny and Sam. I do so miss Frank Herzog. I refuse to listen to the Redskins play-by-play, and as long as Michaels is the main play-by-play man, you can count me as a disgruntled female Redskins fan who won't tune in to a game unless I can see it on TV, otherwise they might as well not be playing that day. Finally, the gutting of WRC-TV/NBC4. Nothing more to say about that. [stepping gingerly off the soapbox in 3" black patent heels and a black leather miniskirt], - Call me "Legs" Worst: Opie & Anthony's return to local radio; the Don and Mike 2 month sabbatical; the Junkies jealous crying fit about Ron and Fez; Pete Rosenerg; hell...WJFK as a whole; Red Zebra and the zero football coverage accessibility; DC101 for always being in commercial when I scanned by; the non-event that the HFSTival has become; hell again...terrestrial radio as a whole; NBC 4's moronic decisions to ax George, I.J, Wally, Susan and Arch; the revamping of local Fox 5 News; The Edge - ugh! Best: Sirius and XM radio - either or both is a great investment; Stern, for finding his funny again and for the positive attention he gave satellite radio; Ron and Fez, for putting on the best radio show on any format, on any radio station; Don and Mike for most of the summer seemed to remind me of what had been with them; the Hideout's brief return to WJFK, and the hope that they may be back for more in 2007; Jim Vance, for always showing class; Count Gore De Vol for his proliferation of October; Arch Campbell for his Halloween interview segment with Count Gore De Vol; and Channel 7 for wisely finding room for Arch From Charles on Delmarva...Here is the Best/Worst 2006 BEST: Murph returning to 93.5 The Beach (WZBH) for weekends and making everyone wonder if he is going to do mornings again in 2007; Shawn McHugh taking over as PD for The Beach and cleaning up a really bad mess, Rex and Smitty in the Morning for all of their Public Service work, (and they do sound Major Market at times) Nasty Little Julie leaving The Beach after many years as midday host, she sounded extremely disinterested at the end, Chris Steele seems to be on his game when it comes to music in the afternoon; 96 Rock (WOSC) putting Cowboy on in the morning in the time slot he belongs and putting Don and Mike back in the afternoon in the time slot they belong; 96 Rock for playing considerably less commercials than the The Beach and playing basically the same music with better jocks, David Lee doing the station voice and being the FM home of the Redskins on Delmarva; Ocean 98 (WOCM) for finally hiring a real PD in Skip Dixxon and having LIVE jocks all of the time and playing requests; X-106.9 (WRXS) for putting on Mancow in the Morning and continuing to do an Alternative format on a really weak signal and being the FM home of the Ravens on Delmarva; WBOC-TV putting a FOX TV affiliate on down here; WMDT-TV putting a Noon newscast on finally and doing a 10 O'clock news on CW 3, for doing more real news stories than WBOC; Magic 98.9 (WSBY) for beating OC-104 (WOCQ) at it's game for a while and for playing true R and B music with Tom Joyner in the morning, afternoons with Bill Baker, and nights with Ron Banks and Mitch Craig doing the voice-overs; OC-104 for having LIVE jocks and for still being the only station people turn to for hip hop music in the area, Wookie staying strong for almost 20 years now. also love Pat Garrett doing the voice-overs; Cat Country 97.5/105.9 (WICO/WXJN) for beating Froggy 99.9 (WWFG) in the last ratings book and for putting Mike Cheney in the afternoon permanently as he is still one of the top jocks in the market; KISS 105.5 (WDKZ) for getting rid of Julian at night and replacing him with Kramer; Big 98.5 (WGBG) for still being the only real source for true Classic Rock in the area and for putting 103.5 on as a simulcast for their weak shoreline signal; The B 101.7/95.3 (WZEB/WKDB) for having a solid mix of 80s, 90s, and today during the week, adding Karen to the morning show, and all 80's weekends, Backtraxx and their Voice-guy is awesome; Talk Radio 101.1 (WQMR) for being the only FM talk station that covers the Eastern Shore of Maryland and being the home of Westwood One NFL games and Maryland Terrapins Football and Basketball; Clear Channel for bringing in WBOC-TV to do Weather and News updates on all stations, and for putting a Nostalgic type format on in Timeless 1470; Great Scott for using the Weather Channel to do weather updates on all stations; Clear Channel for having to sell it's entire cluster of stations on Delmarva in 2007 with supposedly a few of the stations having to be sold off separately!...TOP JOCKS: 92.1 The Wave (WLBW)- Randy Scott; 93.5 The Beach- Rexx and Smitty, Murph, Chris Steele; 96 Rock- Cowboy, Roxi, and Rich Drake; 96.5 WCTG JJ "Hitman" Mckay; Cat Country- Mike Cheney, EJ Foxx, Brian K Hall; Ocean 98- Skip Dixxon; BIG- Sam Chase and Alice Cooper; Magic 98.9- Tom Joyner, Bill Baker "The Rumpshaker," and Ron Banks; Froggy 99.9- Sandra Lee and Bob Delmont; Talk Radio 101.1's Imus in the Morning and Bill O'reilly; The B 101.7/95.3- Karen, Mike Bradley and Chris Duff; OC-104- Wookie, Jessica, Dee-lite, Tenacious D; 104.7 Q105 (WQHQ)- Murphy, Sam and Jodi, Sandi Alexander, Greg Fentress; KISS-FM- Roxi, Magic Mike, and Kramer; X-106.9- Krazy Eddie, Tyler; WBOC-TV- Steve Hammond, Jason Newton, Dennis Ketterer, Paul Butler, Jimmy Hoppa; WMDT-TV- Kenny Beck WORST: 96 Rock having Don and Mike on in the morning for most of the year, for NOT pairing Cowboy up with Murph and putting the duo on in the morning instantly, for allowing Cowboy to leave after only doing mornings for only one book and letting speculation arise that he is going back to mornings at 93.5 The Beach with Murph, and for planning to put Whiskey back in the morning in 2007 without Cowboy (something that they already did from 2004-2005 and didn't have much success with), for once again changing the whole landscape of the station, enough is enough; 93.5 The Beach for firing LP at night and having a weak voice-over guy; Ocean 98 for still not having a defined format and putting supposed local celebrities (in their mind only) to do weekend shifts, and what is up with their voiceover people?; The B for doing All 80's weekends every weekend, what exactly is your format?; X-106.9 for putting Hitman on in the morning then abruptly firing him, letting Stacie leave, for playing so much local music, no one cares!; The Wave for keeping Kemosabi Joe in the morning and having no night time personality; KISS-FM for playing too much older music and not playing the hits enough and being slow on adding new music, also for putting Fletch on in the morning, he doesn't fit the format (sounds good in other formats, not Top 40), neither does Uncle Buck who is on from time to time; Sportstalk 960 WTGM for not carrying the Orioles or doing much local content; Q-105 for letting Joel Scott leave as PD and afternoon host and playing the same stale music over and over; 107.5 Joe-FM for going on the air and saying they play everything when all they play is a weird consolidated playlist of Lite Rock, Classic Rock, and some of today's music, firing the PD after only a few months, using the old WZBH voice-over guy, not really having any direction at all; WMDT-TV for still looking like a high school TV station after all these years and for having Stacy Sakai as lead anchor at 11pm and for having Chuck Raftery as Morning Show Anchor; WBOC-TV for letting Steve Summers leave as lead anchor and replacing him with Alice Bavis, for their lack of hard news at times and way too many fluff stories, for losing the edge they always had and losing many talented reporters THE BEST: HOWARD STERN, SIRUS SATELLITE RADIO, BUBBA THE LOVE SPONGE, SCOTT FERRALL SHOW, NEW YORK YANKEES. THE WORST: DON AND MIKE WHAT LOSERS THEY ARE I HOPE THEY NEVER GAIN BACK THE RATINGS THEY KEPT CRYING ABOUT WANTING, JIM ROME FOR NOT GOING TO SIRIUS SATELLITE, FCC FOR ALL THE CRAP THEY FORCE DOWN OUR THROAT AND STUFF THEY THINK WE NEED NOT SEE, WHTK 1280 ROCHESTER NY, BRAD DAVIES, WROC TV 8 ROCHESTER NY. ANONMYOUS The Best: WTOP for being the only radio station that I need to listen to. (XM listener) The Worst: Triple X for basically taking the Redskins off the air for a complete season. Charlie / Springfield Best: The hint of a rumor that WETA may take the classical mantle back up. DC101 -- a good station in spite of their station management and parent company -- they have a talented staff who genuinely seem to care about their audience, again in spite of the corporate bs. Dan Snyder wading into the broadcast pool -- how long until he buys his own TV station? DCRTV -- always a great source for info. Worst: The loss of Wally Bruckner, Arch Campbell, IJ Hudson. Channel 4 seems to be taking a path to hell. WJFK -- it’s just gross. Dan Snyder wading into the broadcast pool -- the team sucks and he can't always control the message or the hard questions. Z104 going buh-bye. Happy New Year....LO Best: Finally, finally, finally replacing Mark Brunell with Jason Campbell as Redskins quarterback. Seemed so obvious (maybe I am the only one). What took sooooooooo long? Coaching again blew the playoffs, with the now routine losing season. Worst: Replacing a #1 newscaster, sportscaster, and entertainment reporter. WRC what are you thinking of in firing Susan Kidd, George Michael, and Arch Campbell? It makes no sense! Kidd, Michael, and Campbell reward WRC with the highest advertising rates in town for their newscasts and segments making WRC #1 in ratings, yet WRC rewards their efforts with a boot to the rear end. Restructuring NBC financially should “Exclude #1 programs and segments”. ABC’s newscast will now be #1 for the remainder of the decade. Kirk Tanter Best: Sirius ("Underground Garage", "Alt Nation", "Octane", "First Wave", "Spectrum", and "Buzzsaw"), WRNR in Annapolis for remaining different, WTOP for news with some character, DC101 for being fun radio, and the slow rise of internet radio. Worst: Stern for becoming Imus, O&A for lack of originality, HD Radio for lack of programming, The 3 area classic rockers for being boring and playing the same 80 songs from an infinately long list of music, WHFS for being a mess, 98 Rock for adding football, WJZ-TV not checking facts before reporting, CNN for becomming Fox News and Fox Newschannel for making news 24 hours of "Inside Eddition". Best; Sirius Satellite Radio, try it for two weeks you'll never go back, much better than XM. The free and open content is fresh air in our uptight, pc controlled mainstream media. Worst; All terrestrial radio, they bow to the fcc. Go ahead, play another commercial while you're at it Scott, Prince William, VA DCRTV Best and Worst 2006 First the Worst… • NBC4’s (or is that NBC4/2.0’s) unkindest cut – With the loss of Arch Campbell, Susan Kidd, I.J. Hudson, etc., etc., WRC is purging some of the most familiar (and WRC reads “old”) talents from its news operation. Many I remember since my college days (Remember the late-night “Arch Campbell Show” that would air on weekends after “Saturday Night Live” and “SCTV.” I’d mention George Michael but I have a separate line for him..... • “Broadcast” Television’s Demise? - I guess at some point all of the entrenched stations must change for survival. With the advent of digital cable, IPTV, TiVo, Apple’s IPod and iTV (upcoming), the SlingMedia box, and YouTube, broadcasters (including NBC4) were forced to realize they must keep up with the times or die (figuratively) under a new paradigm. Hopefully, those victims of the fallout will be able to start new chapters of their careers or new ventures altogether (with the advent of the TV/web push-technologies previously described)..... • George Michael – I have given the King of D.C. Sports a hard time over the years in that as I grew older (and weaned on networks from ESPN1 to ESPNinfinitum), I did grow tired of his broadcast. However, I must humbly admit that George managed to survive and maintained his frontrunner status longer that most would admit could have been done. I also must tip my hat to his own gift/sacrifice to others but more on that in the Best column. Sorry to see you go George, News4 Sports and Washington (even though you’ll remain in a capacity to ‘host’ Redskins’ shows and – hopefully, Full Court Press - a longtime favorite of mine) won’t be the same without you...... • “Redskins” Media and Associated Fallout – What a wonderful sacrifice, one must make to be an “official” reporter or broadcaster of the Redskins – report no bad news on the team (other than the losses and not making the playoffs this season), make Mr. Snyder and Coach Gibbs look as good as possible, and negate any thoughts of being “objective” journalistically. We can list the casualties here (most recently Steve Czaban on CSN, Andy Pollin and Czaban on 980, and to an extent John Riggins has been slightly emasculated on TripleXESPN but not totally). As much as 980 would get on my nerves with the Redskins angst, at least they offered a different view. Not that we have two competing sports radio entities, let’s hope that smart people can take full advantage of this rivalry, as 980 has already done in calling itself “Home of the Redskins’ Fans.”..... • The rising cost of television – Free (network-affiliated) TV stinks mostly and we’re forced to watch better offerings on cable, IPTV, FiOS, or whatever you’re flavor is. Unfortunately, this has led some jurisdictions (such as Prince George’s and Montgomery County) to become pay-TV monopolies for Comcast (but hope may be on the horizon, see Best under “Verizon to the Rescue [?]”)..... • OrioleTV A.K.A. MASN – Well, we finally have a competitor to CSN. It has some good strategic affiliations to counter CSN’s Wizards, Capitals, Redskins and ACC coverage (MASN has the Big East, Georgetown, Ravens, Orioles/Nationals) but unfortunately, it looks at lot like Home Team Sports before Comcast purchased it. Right now, I prefer CSN because at least they commit some of their resources to regional sports news (and a one hour nightly commitment at that) and I still have some concerns that MASN is mostly (90%?) owned by Peter Angelos and his Oriole-killers in Baltimore. Also, it’s a shame in the Ravens move to MASN (as the “official” cable network) brought the loss of the intrepid Sage Steele as a beat reporter for the Ravens. No more fun could be had watching Brian (Soooper Genius) E. Coyote Billick squirm as Steele questioned him over the Ravens middling performances prior to the addition of Air McNair (now, Ozzie Newsome – heeee’s the Super Ge! nius! Cleveland, how’s that Phil Savage as GM deal working out?)..... • Technology and the Aging Process – I don’t have a problem necessarily with how technology improves or makes some things in my life easier but I am having some concerns that the days of the compact disc and digital video disc are numbered and I’ll be forced to download music, television, or various viral and/or intrusive hacking software onto my computer, phone, or iPod/MP3 device. Holding a CD or DVD or having a collection of them (while materialistic, mind you) still gives me, in my early-40’s, a measure of satisfaction. But the times, they are-a chaaangin.’..... • A Creative, Genius Killer App or Niche Format for HDRadio – Hello, broadcasters! You now have four to six CD-standard multicasting channels on FM and “FM sound on AM.” Yet, you have yet to come up with any real-uses for this technology (other than those few niche formats such as classical, jazz, liberal [read NPR] talk, big band, and folk that can’t bring home the bacon for the annual financial report). I can ramble a few off right now – Sports radio niche channels (Wizards Radio, Caps Radio, Redskins Radio, Soccer radio [English and Espanol] subscription affiliations with sports leagues), R&B (Hip-hop channel, Neo-Soul channel, contemporary gospel channel, etc.), News stations (News channel, newsmakers channel – see WTWP, 24-hour local traffic and weather – or is that where the datacasting, we keep hearing about comes in). I’m sure there is a new thinker out there who can come up with some ideas (there are probably already a few on Internet Radio! already, but they are too smart and too principled to work under a corporate-commercialized entity)..... • Print Journalism’s decline/Online Journalism’s rise – As an avid reader of both USA Today and the Washington Post, the Internet is a blessing and a curse. Until news organizations/companies figure out they will survive under the new paradigm, we’ll continue to see the effects (layoffs/defections/decline in content, space, and quality/rise in use of subscription or fee-based access for “exclusive” or all online content)..... • I Miss TK! – ESPN’s gain is our loss. Tony Kornheiser (radio version) is (not always, but at times) annoying, angry, occasionally self-indulgent, vindictive, and to some degree narcissistic – but he is still the funniest and best thing on D.C. radio, period. Just wondering where Tony will end up when his ESPN MNF stint is over and both TripleXESPN and WTEM come calling (and Tony K. having loyalties to both --- Ahhhh! The drama!)..... • I also miss… J.C. Hayward’s smiling and welcoming visage on 9News, XM’s Neo-Soul Station (The Flow – I miss that a lot), Ed Bradley (the cool 60 Minute Man), King George, and the ease of finding an old TV favorite (be that show or cartoon) on broadcast or standard cable TV..... • Would like to see less of or revamped…G4TV, other than X-Play with its sarcastic hosts, I liked it better when it was TechTV and it actually talked about Technology and not just videogames and bar-guy-related (Man Show, Banzai, etc.) programming. Digital TV multicasts – so far, WETA seems to understand that content is king (and you need to find/develop it). Horse racing on television (digital cable). Comcast cable/Internet bill at $100! The FCC fining system (if you’re going to apply fines for violations of broadcast (not cable) network standards, apply them fairly – and not just for select circumstances ‘wardrobe malfunctions’). Howard Stern..... • Goodbye Erols/RCN? – With RCN/Starpower/Erol’s possibly going to sale in the future, I am lamenting having another surname for my e-mail address and the final death of an old icons (remember when Erol’s was Blockbuster?). I still pay for dial up (as an emergency precaution). Whoever buys RCN, please increase the WebMail capacity to 1 GB or more please?.... • FCC Caution – Companies are petitioning the FCC for more media ownership conglomerations, but has the current climate brought better service/diversity/competition/prices or will it guarantee corporate hoo-hah and less objectivity (see Clear Channel, Red Zebra, GE/NBCU, NewsCorp-FOX/MyNet, Viacom/CBS/UPN+WB=CW)?..... • Frank Herzog on WTOP – Not that I mind Frank on TOP, he does a great job as he has over many years. But one wonders, how much is really bottled up or bubbling under concerning how the Snyder/Redskins booted him unceremoniously after so many years as the Voice of Washington Football and why we never (or at least I never) hear his opinion about how the Redskins are going under their current administrations. And Now, the Best….. • XM Radio – Although I am also wary of my quarterly deposit into the satellite radio coffers, I am very satisfied with XM’s programming (although the fact that the offerings keep changing quite frequently gives me some concern). I hope the eclectic choices of music and programming continue (even though as part of the deal, my nine-year-old son requires I take a daily dose of Radio Disney via XM). Again, I am still upset over the loss of The Flow, but I like the diversity of gospel music on “The Spirit,” “Hear Starbucks,” etc., and the fact that a black talk station, “The Power,” actually exists on satellite radio as well as on Cathy Hughes’ outlets..... • Google News – can get enough of my news’ Jones satisfied even with this site and I don’t do RSS feeds -- yet..... • Washington Post and USA Today – online and print with good reporting and vast resources. Honorable mention to the Gazette Newspapers and Washingtonian for keepin’ it local and relevant weekly and City Paper for keeping it real (not so the Post’s Express or Mr. MLS’ Examiner daily rags)..... • TripleXESPN’s Advent and SportsTalk 980’s New Life – Ironically, the best thing for sports radio in years was Dan Snyder. His creation of Red Zebra/TripleXESPN has brought new life and an emphasized-local slant for WTEM. The additions of former Redskin Brian Mitchell, Steve Czaban’s Fox National Radio show, and the move of John Thompson (and an angrier Doc Walker than I remember from past Redskin years) to evenings has been a joy to listen to! While I switch back and forth on occasion, I am a also an occasional ESPN Radio listener on XM, I am waiting for the next big shoe to drop from Snyder’s (being the addition of Tony K and/or James – NFL Today - Brown) camp..... • George Michael – It’s not everyday that you see someone who is still at their prime step aside and say that they will take a blow for others (read “NBC4’s Unkindest Cut,” above). In this Christmas season, a true sacrifice and gift. Maybe, this in turn will be a blessing and gift for Mr. Michael as well (reduced stress, stronger health – since his horse-riding accident of many months ago, and maybe a new venture or outlet for his sports or old-school D.J. experience). God Be with You, George, in your “part-time” retirement!..... • Quite Frankly with Stephen A. Smith – Yeah, he’s loud and bombastic, sometimes a little over dramatic but considering the number of talking heads on the sports television landscape, it’s nice to have a black perspective. Also, he’s one of the few sports celebrities/broadcasters since Howard Cosell who seems to have recaptured the love-him-or-hate-him responses. Also, one of many outgrowths from the local George Michael TV sports discussion tree (Kornheiser, Wilbon, Riggins, B-Mitch)..... • Channel 7/NewsChannel 8 – In Rosslyn, there’s a behemoth growing – and it looks a lot like the old Channel 9 News (Bunyan, Petersen, and Hill). The only news broadcaster with the resources committed for local news (guess that idea of more local news on the digital TV multicasts are dead/forgotten)..... • CSN – Kudos and cheers for giving us more than 5 minutes of sports each evening (I’m talking to you 4, 5, 7, and 9 – I’ll excuse NewsChannel 8 because Glenn Harris is still there and still a D.C. Institution and personable too since we met him at a failed swim meet this summer) and keeping that commitment (although I am still mystified why Scott Hanson – now on NFL Network -- was let go – wouldn’t be surprised to see him on MASN, soon, after the statutes of limitations or his travels are over). Also, thanks for bringing back Jill Sorenson (who with more time for her anchoring has vastly improved from her days with King George)..... • FiOS to the Rescue (?) – A competitor has finally arrived to challenge the Comcast dominance (at least here in suburban Maryland as of the Council votes in November). Question? Does this mean there’ll be cage match for D.C.-are cable/pay-TV dominance? Where would this event be held? Comcast or Verizon Center)? Haaaaaaaa! Got ya’!..... • James Brown resuscitating “the NFL Today” - obviously the travel cross-country mattered (also as a fellow sleep apnea sufferer, I can understand the importance of getting a good, restful sleep – and flying across the USA every weeks for one-quarter of the year doesn’t exactly suffice) and his move to CBS helped invigorate their NFL pre-game show. Here’s hoping there’ll finally be a local outlet (‘TEM?, TripleX? Comcast?) for his classy style and deep resources/contacts to the sporting powers..... • HDTV – Finally broke down and got with the HDTV. Hopefully, will enjoy many more sporting and televised events under the new standard..... • Best Broadcast Sports, now with the King stepping down (from top to bottom) – Tim Brant, Dave Feldman, whoever replaces George at NBC4, and Brett Haber (sorry, never liked your smarmy guy doing sports routine). Comcast SportsNet is in its own “best” category via the pay-TV end..... • Best Weather – Bob Ryan, Sue Palka (reminds me of the block parent/Mom that would watch all of kids in the community and make sure they go to school safely), Doug Hill, and Topper Shutt (actually this list is fairly close, so Topper don’t get bugged that your last on this list). Honorable mention for XM’s 24-hour Traffic and Weather, Domenica Davis (WBAL – this is probably sexist but she’s nice to look at on weekday mornings), and WTOP’s Traffic and Weather every 10 minutes..... • Best News – NBC 2.0 (even with George leaving but we’ll see how the new chemistry takes – after the new Sports anchor is hired, won’t we?), WJLA, WUSA, NC8, WTTG (the 11:00 p.m. “Edge” sounds and seems too FoxNews/Murdoch-esque to me)..... • Best Morning News – (in descending order) WTTG/Fox Morning News (all local, and Lark McCarthy don’t leave), NewsChannel 8 (Ron Riley reminds me of a shorter but neighborly Willard Scott), WJLA (like Allison Starling), WUSA (Andrea Roane been on for years and classy but I miss ol’ curmudgeonly and grungy Mike Buchanan as her morning compatriot), and NBC4-2.0..... • The Death of Clear Channel – With the radio behemoth going private and selling some stations will there be some diversity of ownership in Washington’s radio ownership landscape?..... • Best D.C. Radio – (just my own personal list from the stations I listen to most) WHUR, WTOP/WTWP, Majic102.3, WEAA’s Jazz (Baltimore), WTEM, TripleXESPN..... • Would like to see more of... ESPNU added to Comcast (selfish reason, I attended a MEAC school in Hampton, Va., and the athletic conference gave ESPNU the broadcast rights); Boomerang (not on Prince George’s Comcast either -- can’t find Hanna Barbera cartoons and series unless I bye a DVD); Friday Night Lights on ESPN, so those of who appreciate good TV can watch, and Battlestar Galactica (which I never remember to see, so I guess at some point, I’ll have to splurge and buy the DVDs). XM vs. Sirius (seriously, when somebody in broadcasting figures out this HDRadio thing in my estimation, you guys better be ready with a hybrid XM/Sirius alternative and the motherload of sports programming – NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, College Conferences, etc.). A Michael Wilbon radio show. More growth for the Yahoos, Google/YouTubes and development new broadcasting and first-person news video..... • And finally, of course, DCRTV, and Happy Holidays and Blessings to you all. Best: XM Satellite Radio, WUSA's Kim Martucci, Bob Edwards Show on XM Worst: Dan Snyder and the demise of classical music on DC's local radio stations Best: Ron and Fez, XM, O&A, Don & Mike, The Ed Norris Show, Johnny Riggs (someone hire him after HFS drops the music), Stash, Mark Viviano, Amber Theoharis, Ravens Wired, the surviving staff of CBS Baltimore (hang in there HE will be gone soon) and Johnny Holiday (the best there is and ever will be) Worst: Bob Philips and Dave LaBrozzi, Anita "the princess" Marks, Baltimore Gameday "Uncensored" on HFS a shell of what it could have been (thank the 1st two names above for that POS broadcast) JACK FM and Bob Philips again (yes hes is that bad, go away Bob you have no idea of how to run a radio station, randomly firing people is not the way) Best: XM Satellite Radio -- so much great music to choose from; I particularly like Phlash Phelps of the 60's, Matt the Cat on the 50's, Earle Bailey on Deep Tracks. Love XM's Bluesville too. Worst: Joe Krebs on NBC4 early morning news. He needs more decorum in reporting ... when he reports on a horrific murder he sounds the same as if he were announcing the winner of the National Spelling Bee. BEST: John Maynard's local television coverage in The Washington Post. Mr. Maynard single-handedly keeps the spirit of Captain Airwaves alive over at 1150 15th St. NW. He does a good job, and he deserves credit for it. WORST: NBC 2.0 CB in DC Best: Sirius Satellite Radio (For "Howard", "The Who Channel" and "CBC Radio 1"), Allison Starling Worst: WJFK, Lisa Baden, Opie & Anthony, The Redskins. BEST: David Burd on Washington Post Radio. Talk can be done with a sense of humor and he's the only angry white man who can do it (are you reading this WMAL?). BEST: Fox 5 Traffic graphics. BEST: Bohannon at night. WORST: Don and Mike are over. And this "long vacation" is ridiculous. WJFK used to be a contender. WORST: WTOP and it's voice over about "From the glass-enclosed nerve center". I keep wondering what other material is available? Plywood? WORST: Hype. Stop with all the exclamation points to get me to listen or watch. WORST: I am so sick of All Things Rachael Ray. BEST: News4 except for Barbara and Joe in the morning. Lisa Baden on WTOP - YOWSAH! WORST: Barbara and Joe in the morning. Don & Mike in yet another contract dispute-children, please. Replace them with ROn and Fez. MW in Springfield Best- Junkies, Surf on 94.7 puts together the best lineups and blends. NPR Sunday mornings cause the sound of a banjo on fire is better than bells ringing during David Burd's crap. Worst - Washington Post radio weekend morning shows, afternoon show, mid-day shows. Hyena boy and his merry band of second hand smoke, Larry "I got one more sponsor for ya" Michaels. Was Betts last 100 yard game brought to us by Larry's bank account? Being hung over during a Skins game. BEST: News4. Period. Namely, Jim Handly & Pat Lawson Muse - the best anchors and anchor team in the market (possibly the next Jim & Doreen?). Honorable mention: Tracey Neale, Lark McCarthy, Joe Krebs, Andrea Roane, Brian Bolter, Shawn Yancy and Elliot Francis. Reporters: Sam Ford, Pat Collins, Shannon Bream, Tracy Wilkins and Jan Fox. "The Intersection" on WETA - brilliant! Maxie Jackson. Surprisingly, Steve Harvey on WHUR. WAMU's Kojo. George Michael's graceful bow. WEAA on Sundays. Arbitron finally recognizing the power of public radio and NPR. WORST: The axing of Susan Kidd - who's anchored a #1 newscast for nearly 20 years - instead of BARBARA HARRISON who consistently has trouble remembering the date/time!! (although she does seems like a nice person). WETA's board of directors. WUSA's website. WP's Marc Fisher. Baltimore news. LH in PG Best - Sports Reporters (Steve Czaban&Andy Pollin)-WTEM; Chris Core, the dean of Washington radio hosts-WMAL; John Riggins-XXXESPN radio, Glenn Beck-WTNT, Jerry Klein's "Mark all Muslims in the US" spoof that some callers disgustingly supported-WMAL, merger of WB and UPN, HD DirecTiVo. Oh, and DCRTV. :) Worst - whispered station ID's at XXXESPN, XXXESPN's awful signal coverage, WMAL's decision to go even FURTHER away from local programming, WMAL firing Michael Graham, Laura Ingraham (WTNT) AND Stephanie Miller (WWRC), WTNT tape delaying Glenn Beck in favor of Laura Ingraham, Red Zebra in general for creating a vertical monopoly on Redskins in DC: Snyder owns the Skins AND the station, I can't believe anything they report about the Redskins now. Larry Michael for replacing Frank Herzog with...himself! (I know it was in 2005, but it's still the worst). Death of Z104. No Tony Kornheiser on the radio or at the Post. Jeff in Fairfax Best: Ron Smith on BAL, Junkies in the Morning on HFS, M&A on afternoons on WIYY, Ravens on a bigger signal 98/1090 Worst: Anita Marks on 1300 (Miami hack who doesn’t know crap about Baltimore sports), M&A moving to AMs where their format doesn’t fit (although what choice did they have), Kirk and Mark going to HFS (they have sucked since Lopez died), HFS giving up on the Junkies, Maynard on Ed Norris. Frank in Middle River Best: XM, one of the finest investments I've ever made. Radio as you remember it. WMAL, irrespective of what others might say. Grandy and Andy, AM Coast to Coast. WGMS XMAS programming. Worst: NPR. The demise of WGMS. The dearth of classical or standards in the DC area. WJFK. The Washington Post and its' crappy radio station. Smarmy David Bird. Air America. Best and Worst of 2006: Starting with the BEST: If there wasn't a day I didn't listen to something on Sirius Sattelite Radio, I was sleeping. Also, I like XM's Soundtracks channel. Channel 7 is becoming the class of local news. The hope on the horizon, pending today's (12/20/06) FCC decision on cable franchising, that finally the long, national nightmare of the cable monopoly are coming to an end, and that we'll finally have some competition in that department. The Digital Video Recorder, when it works, is the best. And George Michael...finally steps down. Which means the end of canned crowd reactions, crop shots, and that ugly 1984 "Sports Machine" Logo superimposed over OSG's. NBC ain't paying for that crap anymore. WTOP's move to FM. Jim Williams' colums in The Examiner--becuase apparently we have to go to the paper with the worst distribution to get the best Sports Media coverage. MASN showing old Orioles games. Now that the lovefest is over, time for the festivius... The WORST: Define worst...Fox 5's whoosh-bang graphic package, anyone? Channel 9: So many "improvements", and yet still the cheese of the news outlets. Both sports radio outlets--No Live Sports (except for select Orioles and Wizards games) and No Good Signal 980 and Triple I-Still-Can't-Hear-This-Damn-Station X--suck. AM 1260--what good is an alternative to right-wing radio if YOU CAN'T HEAR IT in over 3/4ths of the metro area? The decision to turn WBIG into a CLASSIC ROCK STATION, then trying to say that it isn't a classic rock station? Hilarious. Enjoy the 127th playing of "Take It on the Run" and "Levon" this week. Kiss-FM 93.9: the most unlistenable Urban/Adult Station in the area. Corporate playlists: because having to hear the same song duplicated over three different stations in two cities is really, really stupid. WHUR's decision to can the Tony Richards morning show for Steve Harvey, and then gag them for two weeks while listeners are left wondering why, only to turn around and have Richards in a "correspondent" role--pure crap. WETA-FM should be called WETZzzzzz.... I still haven't found a reason to tune in Washington Post Radio yet, and I suspect I never will. Speaking of which, The Washington Post's refusal to cover local media stories--ever--is a real pain in the ass. CBS' Free-FM outlet: after a year of declining audience, revenue, 24 minutes of commericals per hour, and plain bumbling around with programming; how does anyone running this outfit still have a job as of this morning? Ed Norris' tagline at the end of his show: "There are people out there, and they're trying to kill us!" Thank you, Captain Obvious. BTW, those people are: the friendly folks at McDonald's, et al., and their collective marketing arms, the drivers on their handheld phones doing 87 in the left--no, center left--no, right lane of the Beltway, and the banks and credit system. And that's aside from the terrorists and thugs he appears to be talking about. Fox News--aside from the obvious--for even concocting the idea that America wanted to see another microsecond of Orenthal James Simpson. Jack-FM: still playing what THEY want. My iPod--plays what I want. Difference: my iPod is better, I can always change the music, or the headphones, and I don't feel like the City of Baltimore is suffering my repetitive selection of four genres of pop/rock music because I wanted a younger audience. I win. Air America--ambition without works (or sustainable talent with strong affiliates) is dead. Can we put out a death watch on WMAR? Can someone finally get WJZ in line and plop the CBS graphic/music mandate on that station anytime in the next century? Like, tomorrow? And BET, for: NOT airing live coverage of the Rosa Parks services, and AIRING Lil' Kim's "Countdown to Lockdown" reality show. Nice priorities, BET. Finally...for my lifetime disachievement award...when I drive down to Geico in Bethesda, I always pass by the ABC Radio studios on Jenifer Street...I look over at WMAL and wonder what might have been, what used to be, and what is. Then I flip them the bird, tune back to Sirius, and I am at peace. Best: Chris Core on WMAL, Laura Ingraham, Steve Harvey Morning Show, Jerry Klein (the only liberal - and maybe best host - on WMAL), Tracey Tiernan mornings on WRBS, Chip Franklin, Bruce Elliot on WBAL Worst: Hands down worst is Air America - thoroughly unlistenable, Tom Joyner, Don and Mike, Janet Parshall on WAVA, Don Kroah on WAVA, Chris Plante, Sean Hannity WORST : WBAL/ 98 ROCK SCREWING UP THEIR AM SHOW!!! - 1ST BY LETTING JERRY COLEMAN GO TO DC, AND THEN ( LOL) BRINGING A TV WEEKEND FOOF- THE UN-FUNNY, UNENTERTAINING KEITH PILLS - HAVE NOT LISTENDED SINCE, CHEAP, BALD ED KIERNAN - WAY TO GO :) . M @ A IN AM'S - AWFUL!!!!!! WPOC'S TREATMENT OF EMPLOYEES, ANYTHING ON 1300AM AND WNST - 2 NON SPORTS STATIONS . AND WMAR TV NEWS BEST : AMBER THEORHARRIS LOOKS ( NOT TALENT, BECAUSE IT LACKS - SAME WITH ANITA MARKS) NO MORE BALTIMORE EXAMINERS ON MY DRIVEWAY. CHIP FRANKLIN Best Morning Show: Phlash Phelps on XM's 60's on 6. Phlash is energetic, quick-witted, spontaneous, and just downright fun (or "phun"). His interaction with the callers is always humorous and informative. His show makes the Beltway commute less hectic and certainly more pleasant. Gloria in Gaithersburg Best: Sabine Ehrenfeld (the Overstock.com model). Two Christmases later, she's still a honey. I would cheerfully drag my sorry ass through 1,000 yards of hot coals and broken glass just to kiss the lugnuts on the truck that takes her undies to the laundromat. Worst: New AM tower proposals for Red Zebra and Birach. Dan has a chance, but why bother when he has the WGMS signal now? And Birach should just shutter WDMV, donate the land under the tower site to the Moonies, apologize for being a maroon and go back to Michigan. BEST: Hands down, Stephanie Miller, M-F, 9-NOON on 1260, closely followed by that redhead from Fargo, Ed Shultz. Also, Michael Feldman's "Whaddya Know?" and "Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me!" on WAMU 88.5 (Who wouldn't want Carl Kassel's voice on their home answering machine?). Locally, Chris Core and Jerry Klein...a hat tip to both for attempting to bring some form of balance back to WMAL...Let's hope they are successful in 2007. WORST LOCAL: Fred Grandy...Gopher should just pack it in and start doing autograph signings at county fairs and car shows to supplement his social security. WORST SYNDICATED: It's a tie between Sean Hannity and Bill O'Liely...both are so in love with their own egos that they have totally lost any connection to reality, and actually believe in their hardened hearts that blatent prevarication, deception, distortion and fabrication are totally justified so long as it serves their current agenda. ABSOLUTE WORST: Chris Plante. So bad it makes me wonder if anyone but his alter-ego/cheerleader Silvie and the wing-nuttiest of 'MAL followers (you know...the same listeners who want to tattoo all muslims and herd them into enternment camps so they can be shipped out of the Country) can actually stomache his drivel. I would rather listen to a three-hour-long MP3 of a dentist drilling a root canal on Fran Drescher than hear another one of Plante's loony opinions delivered in that smug and self-righteous lilting tone. Plante is so bad it almost makes me wonder if WMAL could bring back Michael Graham.....and I emphasize the word "almost" here. Do us all a favor, Chris...get the tin foil inside your cap re-lined....those pesky voices must be coming through again. Jeff in (Insert your own snippy comment here) Bowie Best: Howard Stern is the King. WTOP/WTWP-POST RADIO David Burd..the Best show heard in Washington just happens to be a weekend show. When are they ever going to wake up and put this funny-irreverant guy on weekdays? DC 101's Elliot in the Morning-when he's not laughing like a girlee man. Mike without Don....on JFK. Mike can really do a show on his own without the cry-baby. Doug Hill weather on WTOP and 7. Gordon and Mo on 7. Lou Katz on WASH when they're not in Christman mode. Worst: Jack Diamond and that 50's d.j. voice he uses. Andy Parks and his 60's d.j. voice and dumb red-neck act...back in the plane for him. Glenn Beck show; how did this fat white guy ever get a show? Don Imus and his constant shilling for his kid's cancer camp and those gawd awful products he pimps for money. Chirs Core and every sponsor he ever shilled for. Brooke Stevens for getting back into the radio biz. Laura Ingram show.....what a self puffed-up right wing bitch. She should go camping with Ann Coulter and get lost. Best: The Junkies in the Mornings, Mickey and Amelia, EITM(Too many morning choices), The Ravens moving to 98 Rock's signal, Stash and Stephanie together on 98 Rock, George Michael moving on(No more Slo-Mo Highlights Please), WBAL Worst: 106.7's inconsistent format, 106.7's Signal, Don and Mike(before, during, and after their break), Anita Marks replacing Chad Dukes on 1300 AM(How about somebody who knows local sports for what is billed as a local sports show), Giving up on the Junkies in Baltimore, Kirk & Mark thinking they are bigger than 98 Rock, Mickey and Amelia moving to mornings(they were slotted better in the afternoons), Redskins signal from Red Zebra, Traffic reports from DC stations not considering Baltimore commuters Best: The BW2006 picture. Ho, Ho, Ho! Santa was good to me! Worst: The BW2006 black logo with the yellow lettering which is poorly placed on that picture Best: 97-7 The Rocket in St. Mary’s County, MD as well as www.pandora.com and www.xmradio.com for my streaming pleasure. This way I get my rock at work and my eclectic mix of tunes from Pandora and X-Country (Texas Music/Americana/Roots) via the stream and in my truck. Honorable mentions go to WRNR, WNRN, and WTMD for providing interesting radio in an otherwise bleak corporate radio landscape. Worst: The end of WGMS, the continual de-valuation of humanity in corporate media as well as other sectors of corporate America in search of a bare bones bottom line with profit maximization. Oh, I almost forgot Don and Mike and the amount of democrats at the State House in Annapolis. Dean Best: WAGE and WTRI for their local content and programming and (at WTRI) great music; Charlie Slowes and Dave Jaegler providing play-by-play of Nationals baseball; the "Here and There" program on XM Radio's 60's Channel, which takes a particular week during the 1960's and does a countdown of the top 10 songs on the U.S. and British charts - it's interesting to compare the two on any given week; MLB on XM; George Michael for deciding to leave rather than cost lesser paid people their jobs at Channel 4; Red Zebra for providing an alternative to that train wreck known as WTEM; DirecTV for carrying MASN from the very beginning (since 2005) and without any increase in their subscription rate; this web site; Ed Walker; Bob Marbourg; Gordon Peterson; Doug Hill; Wendy Reiger; Dave McConnell; Bob Edwards on XM; my Dad on NPR. Worst: Comcast for not carrying MASN for most of this past Nationals season and then increasing their subscription rates once they did; the minimalist and rather cursory discussions of Nationals baseball on the local sports talkers; the personnel bloodbath at WRC (tell those bean-counters at GE to go take a log walk off a short pier); Larry Michael - does he have pictures of somebody with a goat because I don't see how he remains as play-by-play guy for the 'Skins; the outdated transmitter signal patterns for the area in light of the population growth west of town; any station with the JACK format; WTEM; Clear Channel, Bonneville, and all the other broadcasting conglomerates that have taken the soul out of the industry, resulting in one helluva dumbed-down product. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year everybody! Joe Kasell Best: Don and Mike, The Junkies, Chip Franklin/The Buzz on WBAL, The great Dave Durian on WBAL, Johnny Riggs on HFS, Ed Norris, Big O and Dukes podcasts. Worst: Maynard on The Ed Norris Show,106.7 WJFK's signal, Maynard on The Ed Norris Show, Mickey and Amelia on 98Rock, Maynard on The Ed Norris Show, Elliot in the morning, Maynard on The Ed Norris Show, Liz Drabick on The Ed Norris Show, Maynard on The Ed Norris Show. BEST: Elliot in the Morning, I am finding the show listenable, witty, funny, and you can't beat Diane impersonating Britney. WASH-FM Christmas month. O&A on "free" radio; Again, I find silly shows listenable. KM(L), I miss Lopez, without him, there was and there is no show(literally). El Zol going up the ratings, good shows compared to NY and Miami markets. Junkies, I think they are funny. I find myself switching between Elliot and the junks. WORST: D&M and their "forced" vacation, I think they will be taking a permanent vacation from my radio dial. I don't want to listen why they were used and abused when they comeback, as well as cursing DCRTV and another radio web blog for the criticism. The hot morning mess show "ooooh, we were fired" stunt. Guys, you two were fired, that's what employers do unfortunately, get over it. Best: Real fans cheering/booing during video sports highlights on TV or radio. Worst: Fake fan noise when WRC-TV, Ch. 4, in DC shows sports highlights. Boooooooooooo! Best: Stephen Colbert at the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner, Ed Norris and Maynard, Kirk and Mark leaving 98 Rock because it sucks, Ron Smith (smartest conservative on radio), Chip Franklin and the Buzz, WBAL canning Rush Limbaugh, Keith Mills, Peter Schmuck, Josh Spiegel, Dan Rodricks, Orioles protest, Katie Couric's ratings bombing, WTMD, WRNR, WEAA weekend programming, The World Cup!, Winter Olympics, Terps Football, City Paper best of Baltimore, Joe Angel Worst: The Junkies, Penn Jillette, Liz Drabick on the Ed Norris show, Don and Mike thinking that anyone actually gives a crap about their show, WUSA, Redskins Radio, My Network TV and the CW, The loss of Ed Bradley, Michael Olesker, Todd McDermott, WMAL (they should take a lesson from WBAL and have more local programming), Michael Steele, George "Macaca" Allen, Free FM, WCBM, WJFK, Mickey and Amellia BEST: Delilah coming to WASH-FM. Glenn Beck for being the best talk show host out there. WGMS getting its booster in Bethesda (I wonder if Red Zebra will build it?). WTOP for providing first-class news for the DC area. WUSA for having (pretty good) local news coverage in high-def, and the best overall weather department in the area. Doug Hill's the best meteorologist in the area, but Topper Shutt and Tony Pann are right there on his coattails. Gordon Peterson at WJLA for being the best evening news anchor in DC. He should be doing the 5 PM newscast as well. The rise of Dan Hellie and Lindsay Czarniak at WRC. The gentlemanly class of George Michael in rejecting the WRC offer that would keep him in yet decimate his longtime staff. Salem apparently not taking a large offer from Dan Snyder for WAVA. 98 Rock for having a better rock playlist (I'll know if it gets DC101-esque tired over time, though). 102.7 Jack FM for becoming my new favorite DC area station (even though it's l icensed to Baltimore), with their surprising playlist. And last, and certainly not least, thanks to DCRTV for being the go-to for the fastest and best coverage of local media dealings. Here's to a continued success of the site. WORST: Still no 99.1 HFS. Still no Sonny, Sam, and Frank. Glenn Beck is still on a weakish AMer (570), and is now tape-delayed opposite Rush Limbaugh. WETA-FM apparently still hasn't realized that classical music is its destiny, not NPR news-talk. WARW and now WBIG still usually play the same, tired playlist. No more Z104. WMUC not realizing that 98.3 is a possible frequency for their station, and not responding to offers to help find a new frequency. The Merson Person being let go from 101.9 Lite FM. The lay-off of Wally Bruckner and the realization that George Michael will also be (mostly) lost from WRC very soon. Leon Harris at WJLA for being the worst evening news anchor in DC (though I have a feeling he can get better). I've never mentioned this before, but I fear that Don Geronimo might be losing his mind. I hope he can get it together before it's too late. 107.9 WFSI is a waste of frequency, and Dan Snyder should have bought that station (not the WGMS duo), and converted it into a commercial license for his XXX programming. Still no David Burd doing weekday mornings at WTWP. Speaking of The Washington Post, they're being almost numb about their relationship with Bonneville and their radio stations on two powerful signals, not hyping their arrangement in super-boldface type, and even mis-listing airtimes of certain shows in their paper. Why would they be doing this? More Post truth: no matter how good a writer you may be, if you live in LA, you should not be reporting about DC area TV. Otherwise, all you'll talk about is national network TV events and that's, what, one-third of all the happenings in local media at most? ..... And last, but certainly not least, the continued action of radio executives r efusing to allow long-term radio hosts to have a civilized and proper (this includes calls from their listeners) on-air farewell to their listeners, for whatever reason. The worst of them all was formerly no. 3 12+ rated Real DC Morning Show at 96.3. One man, the general manager of WHUR, Jim Watkins, announced one day, out of the blue, that a syndicated morning show would be replacing the popular morning show in about two weeks. But those two weeks would NOT have Herman, Tony or T.C. on the air, no siree. To add insult to injury, he placed a gag order about the whole thing on all station staff, telling them to refer all the media's questions to Watkins himself. But he knew he wouldn't be talking to anybody. It's what's called unethical manipulation. With power comes responsibility, and this means being fair and ethical in business dealings. So where are they now? Herman's still doing the Daily Drum. Tony was rehired to be the equivalent of a pawn for Steve Harvey's show. Whe re's T.C.? Other similar firings include The Hot Morning Mess from Hot 99.5 and Glenn Hollis from WASH-FM. Maybe one would say that these decisions were "just business". Do these bosses consider the term "Business Ethics" an oxymoron? Sincerely, Mike in Kensington Best: The OLD Channel 9...all of the ones "NOW" are awful....except Tracey Neale....they should start all over again, with Tracey as the centerpiece.....anybody any good at Channel 9 is now working across town.....The folks at Channel 4 who will stay...easy to see how they are dominating the ratings....stability is (was) a wonderful thing...Lindsay Czarniak is the best....hope she lands George's spot upon his "retirement"....Sonny, George, John, Michael and any of the subs on the Sat Nite Redskin Report, they are clearly the best....keep 'em intact, the staff at Channel 7 (Channel 9...check this out...they beat you with your own staff that you ran off.....poetic justice?) Worst: All the current (with exception noted above) on camera staph (Note the spelling, they really are an infection of bad)....Larry Michael...is anyone anywhere any worse....what a hack...the only way he could get that job was to be in charge of the radio station....oh yeah, he was...look at them now......Please get "Toad McDermutt" some noe plastic hair...it really does shimmer in the new HD Lighting.....and then there is the ultimate greaseball Brett...couldn't hack it on ESPN, Channel 5, or even on radio, which his face is made for, so, naturally he ends up on Channel 9.....the alumnae from that wonderful old line-up must be in shock.....last, but not least, the Shameful Bandwagon Hopping done by all the media in the DC Market with GMU....ignored for years by print and broadcast as well, but they get to the regionals and the Final 4, and magically they get discovered by all the folks who ignored them forever.....they handled the success of the program better than the media handled them..... Keep us posted on all the success the JMU Grads (and YES, there are a whole lot of them, including DCR DAVE) are having in the market......they do us all proud back here in the Shenandoah Valley..... MERRY CHRISTMAS & HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!! Chip Best: Don Geronimo & Mike O’Meara Worst: Don Geronimo & Mike O’Meara’s egos Joshua M. Maus BEST: Commerical Free Music on SIRIUS with a dedicated DC/Balt Traffic & Weather Station, Fox Sports Weekend on WTEM WORST: Don & Mike & WJFK, The death of classical music, WRC talent loss. Best: Don and Mike Worse: The idiot at 105.7 who is replacing the junkies with KMS. BEST:Elliott in the morning,and Lindsay Czarniak Worst:don & mike,and that coming from a 20+years listener.Fron now on I will try to tell as many people each day not to listen to them if they return!JERKS,JERKS,JERKS!!! grandaddyjohn BEST: Rich Chvotkin's play-by-play of Georgetown University Basketball, Rick "Doc" Walker on WTEM, 102.7 JACK-FM playlist, Larry Michael on Redskins Radio. WORST: Letting go of the veterans on Channel 4, No Oldies 100.3, no pro boxing coverage in the Beltway area from the mainstream media. Gary "Digital" Williams, Fightnews.com BEST: Mark, Kris and Teapot Tim during morning drive time on 99.5---I actually CHOSE to drive some mornings just because I knew I would start the day laughing. Rediscovering XM after they were let go. WORST: 99.5’s decision to let Mark and Kris go…. Hearing the new guy give away money to get people to listen. BEST:Elliott in the morning,and Lindsay Czarniak Worst:don & mike,and that coming from a 20+years listener.Fron now on I will try to tell as many people each day not to listen to them if they return!JERKS,JERKS,JERKS!!! BEST: Doug Hill, Lindsay Czarniak, Gilbert Arenas dropping 60 on the Lakers, WTOP, end of the Cryptkeeper's slo-mo and "Sports Machine" graphics, DCRTV Dave, Andrea Roane, Jim&Doreen, GMU's incredible Final 4 run, WGMS (which will not be on the 2007 list, sadly), still having baseball in DC. WORST: Danny Boy Snyder (GRAND PRIZE WINNER) - a winning season for Dan is not a won-lost record but how much money he made off Redksin fans, Mark Brunell, greedy NBC/Universal Suits, WJFK, Triple X signals, Babbles Harrison, endless "corrections" in the Post that should have never gotten by most newspaper editors, My Network TV, Fox 5 "The Edge" delaying MAD-TV on Saturday, "rotating Concentration trilon logos" on FOX News and Fox 5, animated promotions on most channels during episode content, Comcast, ABC--7 pre-empting prime-time programming for 10-th rate movies, local news specials, and the like. Best: XM's 50's on 5 Moments to Remember On Saturday's 9 to11. Great to hear those pop standards again. Opie and Anthony on XM 202 proving you can do both Satellite and over the air radio. The daily walk over has become a must listen event. The Radio and TV Museum of Bowie MD for its continued effort to preserve and interpret broadcast history. Ed Walker's Recollections-WAMU. Sunday is Dragnet and Gunsmoke night. Worst: All things Dan Snyder. How many sports/talk stations do we need? Don and Mike and WJFK in general. Howard Stern and Sirius. Right wing talk shows. Peter D. Eldridge Best: Howard Stern Worst: Don and Mike Jim Abraham BEST- WAS Z104 WORST- IS 107.3 Jack Diamond show The Best: DCRTV, Thanks Dave. 103.1 WRNR is one of the best stations I've ever heard. 89.7 WTMD. WTOP 103.5, I do listen to it more now that it is on FM. 97.7 The Rocket and Star 98.3 in St. Mary's County... Finally some good music in the county. Bluegrass on 88.5 WAMU. EL Zol 99.1 es bueno! The worst: Big 100.3..what happened? 90.9 WETA..Check out 90.9 The Bridge in Warrensburg, Mo...that is what you should be. Happy Holidays, Kevin in Annapolis WORST: The demise of UPN & The WB (both of which merged to become the CW); MyNetworkTV; NBC4's aging set (they are finally getting rid of it); ABC7 constantly pre-empting network programming for old, miserable movies; 9 News Now; MASN; Triple X ESPN Radio; Mix 107.3 (The Worst Mix of... Everything); WINC-FM's tight playlist on the weekends; Comca