Shop amazon.com via these links, pay the regular low price, and support DCRTV too: Radios - TVs - Electronics - XM Gear - Top DVDs - Radio Books

Current Mailbag - Mailbag Archive Index - DCRTV Front Page - Support DCRTV DCRTV Mailbag - August 10 to August 14, 2007 Latest messages listed first..... \/ August 14 Messages \/ Good for Ted Leonsis in calling out Pollin and Czaban. The truth is that neither of these guys has much depth of sports knowledge or even, apparently, overall enthusiasm for the spectrum of pro sports. Whether or not they find it in their personal or business interests to talk more about sports like NHL hockey or MLS soccer, they shouldn't ridicule them. I almost never listen to those two anymore anyway. (Generally only when Nationals GM Jim Bowden comes on their show on Tuesdays.) They jumped the shark some time ago. Clear Channel needs to listen to what folks are saying. These guys are too annoying to listen to. Replace them. How about Scott Linn and Scott Jackson? In light of the dismal ratings pointed out by Mr. Leonsis, could they do any worse? It really is time for a change. (8/14/07) (RE:I am amazed at the venom Don and Mike spew towards just about every caller they take on the show now. If these two dislike their callers this much, may I suggest never going to the phones again? Or how about just closing up shop all together? The show pretty much sounds like nothing more than a hated chore for these two anyhow....) How about the venom towards John, Robb and Joe as well as towards many of the calls they make to various "newsmakers" and whoever still works at WJFK? I think Don has short-timers disease and wants to be gone so bad he is just calling it in. (8/14/07) re: "Ho-ly Cow! Phil Rizzuto's dead!" ...no, he was traded to the Angels. (8/14/07) (regarding a previous post) "You might hear along the web that "Russell Johnson" died. He was a theater and concert hall designer, not the Russell Johnson who played The Professor on "Gilligan's Island", so don't panic.) The best online source for checking up on who has checked out is Dead People Server. dpsinfo.com/dps (8/14/07) More from Caps majority/ Wizards minority owner Leonsis on his dissatisfaction with WTEM. He is one pissed off guy. Can't say I blame him. ted.aol.com - "Interesting Numbers - In a blog post the other day, I mentioned that I believed that DC United garnered a bigger audience than the Sports Reporters on 980 SportsTalk radio. The game in question had 47,000 plus people in attendance and DC United averaged about 19,000 in attendance for every game they play. There is research that shows I was correct and then some. In the drive time ratings period in the evening, The Sports Reporters were ranked in 16th place with about a 2.0 rating for a total of less than 8,900 people listening. In a week, about 62,000 people listen -- in total -- for 15 minutes to the Sports Reporters. This rating is focused on the key demographic that advertisers covet, all persons 25-54 years old. In the morning drive time period, the station gets less than a 1.0 rating which leaves it in 21st place (I don't think I can even get 21 stations on my car radio) with about 4,200 people listening. In the afternoon period, it is in 16th place with less than a 1.0 rating and less than 6,800 people listening. In some instances, the audience is so small that is doesn't register a rating. So with numbers like these, should the station and its personalities be making fun of any team's ratings or attendance? Can it afford to alienate any sports fans? Shouldn't it be embracing ALL fans and be trying to expand its served universe? And would you like to see mainstream media publish its daily and weekly and seasonal ratings and revenues for all fans to see in the same way that sports teams and public companies do for its stakeholders? That would show true transparency and be humbling, wouldn't it? And as an aside, some of our bloggers and my blog sometimes get more daily visitors than the best of their ratings. That puts it in perspective, doesn't it?" (8/14/07) Larry in Essex, you are one sick puppy. Dave/Crush on Mike and Don...you must have lost your sense of humour somewhere between puberty and old age. Dave is on top of most of what's going on in the DC/Baltimore industry and more often than not is right on target. As for covering the bores...he does what he has to do. I'd much rather read about some "incident" or the "hottie" (in jest I'm sure) thing he puts on the site just to make one smile. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if you have some "supressed homophobic issues". BOBB (8/14/07) I am amazed at the venom Don and Mike spew towards just about every caller they take on the show now. If these two dislike their callers this much, may I suggest never going to the phones again? Or how about just closing up shop all together? The show pretty much sounds like nothing more than a hated chore for these two anyhow.... (8/14/07) ("Station Brake - 8/14 - Another pointless hour of the tiring and balding Paul Farhi and his dippy little radio-TV Q&A at the arrogant and clueless DC Post at 1 PM on Tuesday.....") Wow, who pissed in your Wheaties, Dave? Usually you're willing to give Farhi the benefit of the doubt. I haven't seen anything in the news or mailbag sections...care to elaborate? Signed, Fferret (8/14/07) Dave's response: I think it speaks for itself..... Larry in Essex has sussed you out, Dave: Any time a man talks about another man, he HAS to "have a gay (homosexual) attraction" to that man. Everyone knows that! Of course, by Larry's definition, he has demonstrated a "gay (homosexual) attraction" to you. Oops! Now I've demonstrated a "gay (homosexual) attraction" to Larry in Essex. Damn it! Now I went and mentioned myself, demonstrating a "gay (homosexual) attraction" to myself! This is tricky stuff. Anyway, as everyone knows, if you discuss something, that means "you must have a near-sexual obsession" with it. That's why I never talk about Harden and Weaver anymore. Dave in Sterling (8/14/07) Horrible, heartbreaking news. As a big Yankee fan throughout my life, Phil Rizzuto was a big part of my life and THE broadcaster of and for the Yankees. He is what a sportscaster should be--a true fan of whatever team he or she represents. Phil was the biggest Yankee fan of all and you would hear it and feel it with every Phil Rizzuto line. My favorite Phil Rizzuto memory: I met him at Comiskey Park in Chicago while working in radio there. That was a special day for me when I shook his hand and he was so warm and friendly. A few months later I was on the air at WYNY in New York. One night the late Bill Epperheart was engineering my show and talking to one of WABC's engineers carrying the Yankee game. I told Bill to get a message to Phil Rizzuto that I who he met in Chicago was now working at WYNY and I say hello and Go Yankees and Go Phil. A few minutes later Phil Rizzuto was on the air at WABC, mentioning that Carol Mason from WYNY said Go Yankees, etc. It was so funny--the engineers at WABC did not know how to react. Bill E and I just were laughing and treasuring that moment, that once in a life time memory, especially from my favorite sports broadcaster--mentioning another network's sister station!! It's one of these special events that I while forever cherish in my mind and heart. Phil, Rizzuto, "The Scooter," what a big loss--he will be so sorely missed--He was loved, adored and appreciated by so many. May his memory be a blessing. Carol Mason (8/14/07) When I see WGAR, I think of top-40 radio on 1220 kHz. Kids, these days! (8/14/07) Dave's response: Larry Lujack and his "boogie checks"..... Dave, Serious question: Do you seriously have a gay (homosexual) attraction to Don and Mike? You fantasize on your site about them by constantly writing about them like they are in fact gods. Now you have Mike on your "Media Hottie" list. Even if this is in jest, I seriously think you must have a near-sexual obsession with the old fart, long-past-prime radio duo. Dave, will you be on suicide watch when Don retires in May '08? I really do wonder. Why not, if you didn't have this sexual fascination with the duo, do a lot more reports on David Burd and Victoria Jones, or some of the Spanish hosts on radio, or Whitney from DC 101? Or Elliot for that matter? I like your site but not the fantasizing about Don and Mike, that is frankly a little disturbing. Larry in Essex (8/14/07) Dave's response: Come on. I do a local radio news site. What do you want me to do? Not cover the prominent radio personalities! Frankly, I haven't done much on Don and Mike lately, much less any "fantasizing." The last news item was a month or so ago, exclusively reporting Don's planned local radio retirement date. Hey, a lot of people complain that I "over-cover" Washington Post Radio (Burd and Kornheiser). I will report on Whitney if there was some news about her, apart from her bad jokes on DC101. Sheesh. There are more than 50 radio stations in the DC-Baltimore region. It's simply impossible to listen to everyone on all of them and report what they do - firsthand. That's why we have the Mailbag (duh). Now, as for any "crush" I might have, it's definitely Buzz...... The JT and Steele show---well it would be a godsend if they got canned. The show is horrible! The ZBH numbers are in the tank-so I see a new show coming. But, who would work for Mitchie Scott? (8/14/07) (Regarding DCRTV's Boston page:) "Bianca de la Garza...appeared headed across the street to Channel 4/WBZ..." DCRTV Dave - I grew up in Brighton, Massachusetts. The only thing "across the street" from WBZ is a playground and the ("love that dirty water") Charles River. (8/14/07) Dave's response: I guess we should have used the term "cross-town." It was a figurative comment..... RE: "Tracey Metro was only a temporary hire in order to get things rolling when they had to" What kind of moronic manager made that decision? Why would you put someone on for less than a week after promoting a new service only to pull them and have the anchors try to become traffic reporters? Sounds to me like someone F'd up big time and is just trying to cover his or her butt. Just because it looks different doesn't mean it IS better and, no, I don't work for the other traffic service. (8/14/07) I can give 20 million reasons why Don Imus is the man! Fear his return all you haters! (8/14/07) More news coverage on the passing of Harry Shriver: The Baltimore Examiner's Michael Olesker calls Shriver :"the savior of AM radio" who left a "twinkle in the eye of thousands who remember AM radio when it still brought us the song instead of the political snarl, and aimed for the laugh instead of the endless lambasting." Olesker also recalls how Shriver pulled off the deal that brought the Orioles broadcast rights WFBR, taking them from rival WBAL, and how WFBR helped the club reach a youger audience. Not to mention that it was Shriver who brought in a fellow named Jon Miller to handle the radio broadcasts along with Tom Marr: www.examiner.com... Also, WJZ-TV's Ron Matz, a WFBR alum, recalls the life and times of the broadcast legend: wjz.com (8/14/07) I don't think you can lay any of the problems at CTG on the Hitman. Apparently he saw the writing on the wall a while back and headed back to the Purple Moose in OC. CTG was filling a void with being the only choice for Classic Rock on the lower shore which has a very broad Classic Rock demographic. They were apparently making some good headway, pulling listeners from WESR as evident from them (ESR) slipping completely from the ratings as well as moving slightly into the SAM area in Pocomoke. Now with KHW flipping to pure classic rock and CTG morphing into some unknown easy listening,jazz, put you to sleep format. Classic Rockers will be doing a lot of flipping themselves, flipping from 96.5 to 106.5. (8/14/07) Midway down this Ben Fong Torres penned column in San Fran Chronicle, yes that Ben Fong Torres formerly of Rolling Stone, mention is made that Cheap Channel stations in S.F. are going green in terms of their offices not their formats a growing trend or a cynical move to fool the sheep? tinyurl.com ......here's article from Raleigh News & Observer rock critic David Menconi, also contributes to No Depression mag, discussing the future of Live Nation sheds like Walnut Creek in Raleigh ... www.newsobserver.com ....I dwelled on Allman Brothers at Nissan Pavillion or folksinger Bill Staines(who?) at Reston Herndon folk club, then I think about the hell which is getting too and leaving Nissan and I'm headed to Herndon for tacos and a fine journeyman folksinger in Bill Staines ....thanks for info on Doug Llewelyn, my spelt check don't work that way, man that Billy Shatner doesn't turn down anything and now know of former CNNer Bella Shaw since I don't see her on infomercial's no more...... so i guess today's mention of channel 5 extending it's pseudo news entertainment( insert your own laser shot here) programming in evening does mean less Seinfeld and Simpsons come September, well at least you Shawn Yancy fans can play more of the head movement drinking game.....I kind of liked the A-L thing on WBIG last weekend, heard a number of songs no longer heard on the radio, even on the whfs like Globe, ah ha ha ha, but does cheap channel only hire dj's who flunked out of the Ted Baxter Broadcaster's School of Bismark, North Dakota?......Don and Mike are just too old tired queens at this point ain't they....management don't care about quality of content or ratings as long as they can keep finding suckers to advertise do they? (8/14/07) Very sad to hear about London and Warner. While it's not Michael J's fault, it sure sounds like he'll be VERY busy. He's also listed as doing middays for the country station in Cleveland www.wgar.com. Makes you wonder where else Clear Channel has him voice-tracking. Hope he has a solid contract. (8/14/07) Based on the nude-in-the-bathtub photo on her web site, I'd have to say Tracy Metro is the greatest traffic reporter who ever lived. I haven't actually seen or heard her doing traffic, but that's my feeling on the subject. Dave In Sterling (8/14/07) Ho-ly Cow! Phil Rizzuto's dead! (8/14/07) First thing I thought of when reading the news about Jim London: Didn't he host "America's Country" on WMZQ -- the program dedicated to "classic Country" of the 1960s and 70s (and maybe some 80s)? If he's gone, is the show gone, too? Probably. It was too good to last, even though it aired in the early hours of Saturday morning. Time to make way for another two hours of Jo Dee Messina and Kenny Chesney. Christian (8/14/07) Hi Dave, I congratulate you on how well you cover our local media.You have been a part of my daily internet read.I tell all of my students about dcrtv every chance I get. I understand that there is a segment on WASH-FM in your Plus section.On your Front Page,I did not see my name mentioned with the others.You may remember I did over-nights from April,1972-March,1983.I have been Student Advisor/Senior Instructor for the Columbia School of Broadcasting since April,1988.Prior to that,I worked for the Omega School of Communications in Chicago,as well as teaching Radio Production at Columbia College for two semesters,and one year as an Admissions Rep for the Columbia School of Broadcasting.At 64,I am alive and well.I just wanted to update you a little. Thank you,and keep up the good work, Jim Lashley (8/14/07) Dave's response: Thanks Jim! Good to hear from you..... I thought her name was Tracy Weitzman, not "Metro." (8/14/07) Memo to Chris Berry, GM, WMAL. Last night Mark Levin said Karl Rove didn't leak the name of Valerie Plame to Bob Novak. What Mr. Levin failed to state was according to lots of testimony, Mr. Rove did in fact divulge or confirm Plame's identity to columnist Robert Novak and Time magazine reporter Matthew Cooper. Please alert Mr. Levin of this misrepresentation of the facts or perceived misuse of fundamentals and have him correct it for the record on tonight's broadcast. On a personal note, Mr Berry, Why do I have to continually let you know when Mark Levin doesn't tell the truth on his radio program? Do you not read the newspapers so you are not aware that he gets things wrong all the time? Do you feel any type of responsibility for bad information presented as fact on your radio station? Also, now that Karl is leaving, has Mark, and the two Chris' been told who will be writing and faxing over the Republican Talking Points Memo to them every day? Perhaps after Karl leaves office his successor with modernize and send the Talking Points memo out via email, instead of fax. Wouldn't that be neat? (8/14/07) Does anyone know what is going on WZBH 93.5 The Beach in Georgetown, DE? The JT and Steele Show has been off for over a week, what happened to them? (8/14/07) You know, a while back when JOE FM came on the air, Hitman as promising some big changes on CTG. Maybe those changes were this--a all over the road format. It seems to me they are trying to duplicate Ocean 98 in OC. But, even Ocean 98 is going more towards the rock side of the fence. Wow, this market is a mess. CTG should flip to Oldies-since there is no decent Oldies coverage in that area, and Hitman--eat your own words. (8/14/07) What a damn shame about Jim London. He’s a class act and a truly nice guy. Upon returning (again) to 1801 Rockville Pike – he used a line that made me laugh out loud: “There are four radio stations in this building and I’ve worked for FIVE of them”. (8/14/07) Tracey Metro was only a temporary hire in order to get things rolling when they had to. New, more permanent talent will be forthcoming. -Traffic.com is a dynamic and exclusive traffic tool for 9 NEWS NOW covering Washington area traffic, and far surpasses the previous service as well as everyone else’s current traffic presentation, in almost every way. It was all about getting the very best presentation, and not about cost. And as for chopper coverage in this market, it’s somewhat overrated given the flight restrictions, but for 9 NEWS NOW, there will be ample opportunities to piggyback on other regional choppers on a dime when the story warrants it, which isn’t very often. (8/14/07) Re: WKHW 106.5 flip to Classic Rock format: Evidently, Mike Powell (WBEY,WKHW) has heard what a lot of other people have heard on the shore recently. And that is WCTG 96.5 out of Chincoteague has been going down hill fast. For a while, the classic rock format was strong on the island and surrounding areas with a decent signal. Throw in some blues artists like Albert Collins, John Lee Hooker, Stevie Ray and others every once in a while and 96.5 was, it seemed, on the right track. The addition of a new morning show host and the presence of their afternoon team added some much needed personality to the local radio scene. Unfortunately, and for whatever reason, the song mix has become hard to listen to. Sade on a "classic rock" station? Instrumentals? Songs from artists that no one's heard of? There hasn't been any mention of a "flip" regarding the CTG format but it appears that a gradual change is in the works. A change to what.....who knows. But it's not sounding good at all. The small listening area covered by both 106.5 and 96.5 will not support two stations of the same format and it seems a good bet that KHW got the jump on CTG at least for now. The only thing that CTG has that could save them is their "live" personalities in the morning and afternoon whereas KHW is completely canned. But if their direction in music continues, it will become apparent that CTG has a different idea of what the people of the lower Eastern Shore want to hear. For now, I have to agree with Doug from Atlantic. I too have found a new preset on my radio. Dave/Fruitland,MD (8/14/07) October 08 (Just curious, does anyone know if Washington and Baltiomre are going move to the PPM's like NY, Philly, and etc?) (8/14/07) Re Tracy Metro -- found HER website -- www.tracymetro.com. The reason she knows the roads in DC is that she grew up here. This is from her bio: "Well, I grew up in Washington, DC and at a very young age, I regularly sang and danced (wearing tons of sequins) for Presidents, International Dignitaries and Heads of State at The White House, Kennedy Center and National Theater. I was even a guest commentator on a Fox kids news show at the ripe age of 13. Then, I hosted my first television show (a local American Bandstand style show) at 16 years old. " Anyone have a clue about the show she's talking about? (8/14/07) Why doesn’t Clear Channel just set the computers at each station to Auto mode, and turn out the lights, and call it a day? (8/14/07) Dave's response: Why doesn't Clear Channel run all of its regional stations from Rockville. Pump out the same country music programming and DJs on DC's WMZQ and Baltimore's WPOC? Flip Baltimore's 104.3 into a relay of DC's Hot 99.5? Buy 98 Rock from Hearst and put DC101 on the Baltimore frequency? Cheap cheap cheap..... You might hear along the web that "Russell Johnson" died. He was a theater and concert hall designer, not the Russell Johnson who played The Professor on "Gilligan's Island", so don't panic. (8/14/07) Dave's response: Good to know that. I was just about ready to panic..... "Tracy Metro" works (ed) for Traffic(dot)com which is located in Wayne, Pennsylvania, a suburb of Philadelphia. This company has a full set of studios in the basement of the building it leases and uses green-screen technology to "localize" it's traffic reports to client markets." Don't know if Brad was hinting that maybe Ms Metro wasn't on site, but I can tell you she was. I heard she was there 'training' before Nicole O' Brien left and after she started, she walked through the weather shot one morning. That's hard to do from a basement in Philly. The lack of a chopper will only hurt 9 from a news standpoint. The traffic information will not suffer, you just won't see pictures of accidents, backups, etc. Jim London & Seth Warner being let go is a shock, but not a surprise. They've been at MZQ for a long time and probably make decent money. New MZQ & POC PD Meg Stevens probably wants her own people in place. Plus, CC is negotiating a new contract with AFTRA and getting their '08 budgets together. There could be more bloodletting. (8/14/07) I'm stunned about Seth and Jim getting the boot...but NOTHING stuns me anymore at CC... I'm sure they were making "too much money" by CC standards. (8/14/07) This was in Country Aircheck. More of a confirmation to the WPOC/ WMZQ thing. "Spin City: Clear Channel WPOC/Baltimore afternoon co-host Michael J will move Sept. 4 to an extended midday shift that will have him on-air from 9am to 4pm. Midday jock Bob Delmont moves to afternoons, joining current afternoon co-host Jen. Michael J is also adding middays at sister WMZQ/Washington, DC, with an on-air span of 10am to 4 pm. Exiting WMZQ are afternoon jock Seth Warner and middayer Jim London" (8/14/07) Just curious, does anyone know if Washington and Baltiomre are going move to the PPM's like NY, Philly, and etc? Just wondering because I haven't heard anything about it, but I thought that the PPM's were be going to be nationwide in all large markets. Chris in Hanover, PA. (8/14/07) Dave's response: By the end of next year, I'm told..... Fox 5 News Edge at 6"; "TMZ on TV at 6:30pm, beginning September 10th! (8/14/07) I do not know why WUSA messes with a good thing. The other traffic gal was a good fit, then they ruin it by getting rid of the company she worked for and hire traffic.com and had as someone nicely put it, the Cupie doll, which was pretty obvious that she did not fit from the first day (and I noticed some tension too). Maybe they need to hire the other lady back, even if it means she has to switch companies or just hire the other company back (plus the weekend crew where good too). (8/14/07) Dave's response: It's all about money. With Gannett, it's more money for upper management, less for talent and programming..... Hey Dave, why don't you use the new "FOX 5" logo? Also, if I get the same ratings as everyone else, FOX 5 NEWS EDGE at 11 sucks dust, even compared to 9 NEWS. (8/14/07) Dave's response: Oh, you mean the new Fox5 logo with Hillary Clinton on it? Ha ha ha..... Not TV or radio related, but this might be of interest. I imagine it was a bad coincidence but still... bad mojo. This makes the Baltimore Sun look really bad. I made a screencap of an Allstate ad that depicted a car going over a bridge... which ran directly above a story about the Minnesota bridge collapse. (8/14/07) /\ August 14 Messages /\ \/ August 13 Messages \/ Steve and Andy weren't on today. Several substitutes were. But when they return from vacation, I have no doubt that they will respond to Leonsis' comments with the same nastiness and sarcasm that they typically display. If they were SMART, they would get Leonsis on the phone, or better yet, have him in studio one day to discuss the matter. Now that would be pretty good radio. (8/13/07) Another sad day in Washington radio. Jim London and Seth Warner...let go from a Clear Channel station!! What a surprise. Two wonderful talents bitten by the CC bug. I wish them both good luck and better employers. RMD (8/13/07) Interestingly, on my way home this evening, WMZQ was playing a promo for a Kenny Chesney giveaway voiced by Jim London. Anyway, both Jim London and Seth Warner were fired once before by the WMZQ powers that be but were eventually brought back. Times and economies change, but the metro listener's habits do not -- There are those who still remember the days when Jim London and Mary Ball were the 2nd biggest morning team in the area. Still sad. LO (8/13/07) Jim Williams wrote in The Examiner: " It was a treat to hear Michaels do a brilliant job of play by play..." Larry Michael brilliant? Is he serious? (8/13/07) My heart goes out to Jim London and Seth Warner. Jim and I, especially, have been through a lot in this business--a lot of it working together at one time or another since 1981. I met Jim when I started at KIX in '81 and we've remained good friends since, working together at Oldies 100 as well. I met Seth at KIX, too; both truly good guys and great talents. Jim/Seth: Feel free to come over and do your demos. sean hall (8/13/07) I've always had respect for Chris Core and believed that he always attempted to provide his listeners with the truth when throwing a topic out for debate. Today I lost some of that respect. One of his topics was this woman who supposedly had labor pains and was on the way to the hospital when she was ticketed and then fined a thousand dollars in court. As expected it turned into a "bash the police" debate with several know-it-all's calling in to criticize the police and the judge. Hopefully Mr. Core has researchers or producers working for him who do a little bit of searching for the truth before the topic is put on the air. If he does have these kind of employees they failed. This woman has been on the tv news this weekend explaining how she did not tell the police officer that she was going to the hospital and didn't even tell the judge because she didn't understand the court procedures and things moved a little too fast for her. If this information had been presented at the beginning of the hour most listeners would have had a completely different view of this incident. I am beginning to suspect that in order to keep the listeners fired up that they pick a story out of the paper that morning and go with it. (8/13/07) What possible logic could there be in firing London and Warner? These are two of the greatest voices in DC radio and we were lucky enough to have them on the same station. I'm fortunate to get WPOC's signal but I pity those that are stuck with WMZQ. This is awful. Who can we voice our displeasure to? (8/13/07) re: "Jim London and Seth Warner get the boot." Well, if it means anything, neither guys are listed as DJ's on 'MZQ web site anymore. (8/13/07) "Tracy Metro" works (ed) for Traffic(dot)com which is located in Wayne, Pennsylvania, a suburb of Philadelphia. This company has a full set of studios in the basement of the building it leases and uses green-screen technology to "localize" it's traffic reports to client markets. The first couple of days this woman was on the air I tuned in to see if she managed to pronounce names or roads, locations and rivers correctly and didn't hear any major mistakes. Even still she spent most of her time parroting the speeds that were shown on the screen for various roads as a way of showing off the technology that the company uses rather than really informing commuters. Traffic in Philadelphia and most other cities is nothing like we have here and people want accurate, helpful information. Channel 9 has frequently tried to differentiate itself from the other stations' traffic reporting such as the experiment with the really horrible and ill-informed Monica Santani several years ago. I assume that management at WUSA has realized that the "big hair" look isn't going to work here and are prodding Traffic.com to come up with a more moderate reporter. By the way, and in Tracy's defense, one can argue that the portion of the beltway between St. Barnabas Road and the Wilson Bridge IS indeed part of the "southern portion of the beltway" even though it is in Maryland. Brad (8/13/07) Hey Dave, wait a minute. I agree that you should be included as a media hottie and I'm not just kissing the Blarney Stone or whatever. Merv Griffin, in my opinion, was one of the best talk show hosts. I loved his easy-going style and he was also so gracious to the up and coming performers that appeared on his show like Marlene Ricci (who was singing with Paul Anka in her early days). It was always fun when Merv had writer, Jack Douglas and his wife Reiko on the show. Talk about a comedic threesome. I may be opening up another food discussion on DCRTV, but I know many will remember Arthur Treacher's Fish and Chips. Also, had a chance to listen to the last half of Rusty Gibson's return to WEBR. Love the new time Rust Man and I always enjoy hearing the songs that many of the commercial stations do not play. Blessings. Joyce Conroy (WHFC) (8/13/07) Just for yuks I just googled tracy metro.. did you know about her bio.. like b and c movies etc? Don't see any traffic or news reporting Is metro picking the contract back up.. or will it still be trafficland? (8/13/07) It looks like the rumors/reports are correct -- both Jim London and Seth Warner are gone from WMZQ's website. Sadly, LO (8/13/07) Look...at the end of the day, both Alison Starling and Laura Evans are stunningly beautiful women, who also happen to be quite good at what they do. Any man (or woman, as the case may be) would be lucky to be with either of them. By contrast, both Tony Kornblower and Fatso O'Meara are shockingly repulsive men. No woman who could possibly be with any other man would willingly be with either of them based on looks alone. Fortunately for both Tony and Tubby, they are each able to command a ridiculous amount of coin to get out of bed in the morning and do what they do, which apparently counter-balances their repugnant physical features, at least to some small degree. And that is the difference between the Starling/Evans and Kornweiser/O'Meara match-ups. (8/13/07) The following was sent to Washington Post Radio. A copy was forwarded to DCRTV: Is there some reason why you keep playing a National's promo from last week? The last game with San Francisco was last Thursday night (not last night) and the team already has played the 3 games in Arizona (winning yesterday afternoon 7-6). There is no game tonight (contrary to your promo) and the team plays Philadelphia in a three game series at home starting tomorrow night. Here's the url for the team schedule (washington.nationals.mlb.com) you'd better keep it handy. (8/13/07) Tracey Metro ... why did they get rid of her? Maybe because she thought the southern section of the beltway was in Maryland? More info about here: www.imdb.com (8/13/07) John Thompson just asked with 5 minutes left in the show NAMED AFTER HIM..."who was this guy who got suspended the other night?" Al responded, "you mean Vince Young?" How could someone hosting a sports talk show, not know what happened in the local team's game??? That's terrible! not counting the fact that the NFL Network guy told us a million times "for those of you just joining us." I wonder if Steve and Andy respond to anything today...I doubt it. (8/13/07) Seems the Eastern Shore has a new classic rock station. WKHW 106.5 out of Pocomoke I believe. While it sounds like it might be some canned music service, they do have Mancow in the morning. The lower shore stations are gonna lose some listeners to them for sure. Filling a place where 98.5 couldnt reach. And what is up with 96.5 CTG? I thought they were gonna go the classic rock route? Heard Sade on there today in the mix. Can you say missed the boat? WESR has a strong signal, just cruddy programming too. Have a new preset now. - Doug, Atlantic (8/13/07) Ref: Harry S....just got the word on the passing of Harry, Sorry to hear the news and from me and the rest of the boys of summer at the former 100KHI in Ocean City, Md. you will be missed and we loved working with and for you and the great folks at Baltimore Radio Shows Inc. Damn did we have fun or what? JJ "Hitman" McKay (8/13/07) WKHW, 106.5 in Pocomoke City flipped format this morning adding Mancow's Morning Madness (Which is being dropped as a part of the sale of WRXS in Ocean City). The other 18 hours a day will be Classic Rock to fit in with Mancow. The station is under LMA to Bay Broadcasting owner of WBEY Bay Country 97.9. They also LMA WGOP 540am, and have a construction permit for a new am on 1070. (8/13/07) For Mel W., yes, you can hear WTOP-FM just fine at the Harry Nice Bridge. Another 10 miles or so, that's another matter. (8/13/07) Tracy Metro actually is her real name by marriage. She was the 'field correspondent' last year for an online reality show called "Gold Rush." If that doesn't qualify as "news experience," I give up. Yes, I'm being sarcastic. Metro seemed nice enough on air but her presentation just wasn't up to a major market newscast standard. If she's gone from WUSA/9, she won't be missed. On a completely side note, Baltimore area viewers looking for Fox shows tonight on WBFF/45 will have to stay up late or set recorders due to Ravens football. "So You Think You Can Dance" will be delayed there to 11 p.m., the "Hell's Kitchen" season finale will be delayed to a midnight start. Allow extra recording time in case of further football overruns. Everett W. (8/13/07) Wasn't Harry Shriver the PA announcer for Baltimore Colts.....maybe the last PA announcer they had at Memorial stadium. Conference Call was of the best radio news program on Baltimore Radio. Oh for the days of Competent competitive local news. John T. Henneman (8/13/07) Dave, I take the Metro from Vienna into DC everyday, and I noticed something while walking into the station last week that I couldn't believe: A Washington Post Newspaper Machine that accepts credit cards! It accepts Visa, MasterCard, and American Express. I can't imagine putting 35 cents on my AMEX!!!! Is the Post that desperate to sell newspapers? Keep up the great work! David (8/13/07) Dave's response: Maybe the New York Times should think about doing that since its weekday price is $1.25 - ouch! That Ch. 9 traffic bimbo was awful-- and NOT worthy of Market 8. If I'm Nicole O'Brian I'd be furious -- she was much better suited for that hour, that format, and that show. (8/13/07) Chris Matthews also disgustingly leered at the woman who did the "Girl Named Hill" video, despite an age difference of 30 years. He called her such credible journalistic terms as "adorable". I guess he's suffering from difficulties due to his Catholic commands not to spill the seed (ie: masturbate). (8/13/07) Ref: my recent (within the last week or so) post on proposed improvements to the EAS…Anyone? Buehler? Buehler? Genghis Cohen (8/13/07) If Imus goes to Citadel and winds up on WABC in the morning (either in the Fall or January) do you see him being simulcast to WMAL? (8/13/07) Dave's response: I can't see Citadel signing Imus for morning drive. Maybe another slot. WABC radio already has a popular morning show..... I wondered where “Tracy Metro” was this morning. I figured she was getting another perm for her already over-permed hair or going shopping at “Skanks-R-Us” for her next on-air outfit. (8/13/07) It's been a while (post July 4th blow-out week) since we've heard the musings, presentations and forecasts of the "Unsigned Corporate Suit." Please weigh-in with your latest observations on D.C area broadcast developments, oh great one. (8/13/07) I agree with Ted Leonsis 100%. Not only with his desire to see broader coverage of local sports on WTEM but with his puzzlement as to the thinking of people like Czaban and Pollin. Not covering a local sports team is bad enough, but why go out of your way to ridcule a sport and insult its fans? Why go out of your way to alienate people who may otherwise enjoy the show? In my opinion,Czaban and Pollin have good chemistry, Czaban has some talent and the Sports Reporters show can be entertaining. But I long ago stopped listening because I got annoyed at the pairs' constant insults at Caps fans and Nats fans, both of which I am. (8/13/07) Any word yet on a PD for WJFK? Been checking the site but didn't see anything as of yet. (8/13/07) Dave's response: Chris Kinard, former producer of the Junks, got the job back in March..... I really enjoyed watching Karl Rove being led away in handcuffs on Fox 5 News at 11 this morning. I hope he enjoys his stay at Club Gitmo. (8/13/07) Ted Leonsis is exactly right - and Dave, you should re-print what he wrote. As long as Pollin and Czaban are on every show, "The Sports Reporters" offers the narrowest possible take on everything but football and basketball. Their attitude seems to be there's something wrong with you if you like anything other than what they do. Too bad the show doesn't follow the formula of the far more respected "Sports Reporters" ESPN show. When the station first went on-air in '92, hockey got a much fairer shake than it does now. So did baseball. It's as if these two guys are dragging the station toward their own areas of interest, so as to avoid talking about anything else. Chris (8/13/07) A friend, John Henneman, wrote me this morning and asked how it feels to lose two x-bosses in one weekend. At some point, when people you know start dropping off, you get the hint that some things will never be the same. Harry Shriver was one of the nicest people in the business. I worked with him in the mid 60s, and in the mid 80s he hired me to program WFBR Talk Radio. We really made a run for it right up until the sale of the station. When Harry took me to my new office, there was a bottle of Vodka in the desk. I asked him about it, and he said, “Keep it, you’ll need it.” I have worked with some great people, but I’ll always look back at the times that I shared with Harry as some of the best. A quick word about Merv Griffin - - Merv was a really talented and creative guy. In 1967, he hired me as National Program Director to get a few of his stations through scheduled rating periods. In Binghamton, NY they were having the first rating in about four years. We beat the crap out of WNBF and were still #1 by a big margin, so Merv was real happy. There was one funny thing that happened. One of the DJs at the station (WENE - - no, I didn’t let the jocks pronounce the call letters) called him Marv every day on the air. He really hated that and told me to correct it. The DJ told me that he thought it was funny. After the book was over, Merv told me to tell him that Marv fired him. Otherwise, he had a great sense of humor. Ed Graham (8/13/07) Dave - "Matthews is married to longtime former Channel 7/WJLA news anchor Kathleen Matthews" I know I'm being picky, but does this mean that Kathleen Matthews has been a former anchor for a long time or that she's a former anchor that worked at Channel 7 for a long time? - R.L. Blake (8/13/07) Dave's response: The latter, I think..... Hey Dave...why am I not one of the radio "hotties"...you bastard! Carson (8/13/07) Dave's response: Don't worry, Carson! You'll be in a match-up we're planning in October. You'll be pitted against WTOP's Mark Plotkin..... Dave, Word on the street is that after one week Tracy Metro was given the heave-ho. I guess someone at Broadcast House got word that she was doing voice work on the latest TMNT movie www.imdb.com and really didn't have any news creds. (8/13/07) Teddy “AOL” is right on the money for taking Sports Talk 980 to task regarding the non coverage of the “Spice Girl’ husband. DC is an event town first and a sports town second. If key personalities are on vacation stations routinely drop important “live” coverage or worse yet go to the dreaded “Best of” mode. Triple X radio is the main offender with “Best OF” shows and one could argue there was never any “Best” to begin with! The 4 to 5 hours of Redskin pre game hype contains about an hour of relevant programming. Most of the programming is in the can long before it airs and it sounds like it...why any business would buy this programming is beyond me! (8/13/07) Don and Mike have reason to be pissed with the way Baltimore's radio community is treating them. WHFS will cut away today at 5pm (which means around 4:45 pm to get in the 15 consecutive minutes of commericals) to do a Ravens Gameday broadcast for tonight's pre-season game. Then at 6:30 they will cut away again to do the Orioles pre-game show for tonight's Orioles game against the Yankees. Funny, I thought 1300 AM was the sports channel. It's bad enough that they have the HFS call signal, but if I wanted to listen to sports radio, I'd tune in to the all sports channel. Then again, if I want to listen to coverage of the Ravens, I'd probably tune in TO THE STATION ACTUALLY COVERING THE GAME!!!! (WBAL). I listen to 105.7 in the afternoon to hear Don and Mike, not to hear sports for a game that isn't even on that channel! Guess I'll have to hit the internet stream to hear them. I'm a Ravens fan and an O's fan, but enough is enough, they are just games! G.K. (8/13/07) Here is info on Doug LLewelyn (note the double El at the beginning, not the middle; it's a Welsh name, like the Philadelphia suburb of LLanerch). He can be found at: www.heartbeatofamerica.tv... I always liked him on Channel 9; Max Robinson, Gordon Peterson, the theme from "Superman: the Musical", and Doug LLewelyn made a great foursome. -- Carl in Olney (8/13/07) So, tell me Bonneville, did it all work? Did you get your increased "penetration" in all of those buildings in DC with your FM signal. What do the numbers show, and at what cost? I see in the wake, two destroyed FM stations, one AM and even a ripple effect into public broadcasting. We now have the city's strongest AM signal being wasted on mildly informative talk-chatter. I have to chuckle now almost everytime I listen to the traffic broadcasts. A couple of weeks ago there were a number of major traffic problems down at the Harry Nice bridge, and Bob Marbourg was doing his usually thorough and professional job, explaining all of the options all of the alternative routes, and I couldn't help but thinking - "Can anyone stuck in that mess even hear you?" I had similar thoughts yesterday as the traffic reporter was discussing alternate routes for a problem on route 404 in Delaware on the way back from the beach and on I 95 up in Haroford county (where I know the signal cant be heard because I have tried). Why even bother? I'm sorry - you guys over there are just WRONG! AM is the place for news, talk and sports, FM is for music. - Mel W. - Columbia, Md. (8/13/07) Merv Griffin built a radio station empire in the 1960s and 1970s and began in Waterbury, with purchase in 1965 of WWCO 1240 (his very first station) and on Christmas Eve 1967 signed on WWCO-FM 104.1 (now WPHH) with a strong signal covering most of CT. His group included stations in Binghamton, NY, Atlantic City, NJ and Hartford CT, where his WPOP 1410 became the first all news station in CT in the mid 1970s. When WPOP made the switch to news from top 40, morning dj The Greasman lost his slot. Best, Michael Collins, broadcast historian for Connecticut Broadcasters Association (and formerly of AP) (8/13/07) I don't know, Chris. It sounds more like your friends' "morals clause" may have been a product of the employer that was allowed to be enforced by the Commonwealth of Virginia, than a state-sanctioned "code." I'm thinking along the lines as some states and DC that have laws that can change mutual contract agreements; like laws that nullify non-competes if the employee is fired. Some of my first radio jobs were in Virginia; World Famous WOHN in Herndon c. 1971 (when WJZW's Tom Grooms and I were the entire airstaff!), WPIK/WXRA in 1972, WEEL in 1973, and WEAM in 1974. None of those stations even hinted at any such thing although, WEAM DID have a very far-reaching corporate "code of conduct" that GM Harry Averill used like a sword! - Ed. Rodriguez (8/13/07) Dave, In response to Chris's letter in the mailbag...I've heard of and experienced weird stuff from Virginia radio but nothing that weird. I'm not denying that some Virginia radio stations have such restrictive morals codes...but as a native Virginian who got his radio career started in the Commonwealth, I can say that I never experienced any sort of morals code where I worked in Southwest Virginia (and one of the stations I worked for was even owned by a preacher). In fact, I was even playing in bands at the time (like I am now) meaning that I spent a lot of time in bars. I do agree with Chris that if I ever encountered such a morals code as a condition to work at a radio station (or any other employer for that matter), I'd have a WTF reaction...not to mention a "no thank you" to the job offer. Keith Thompson (8/13/07) Dave, Tonight RAVE-TV will be looking to win back to back Emmy's for the Pre Season coverage gets underway tonight on FOX45 and MASN2. Pre game starts at 6:30pm and the game at 7pm. RAVE-TV is the in house broadcasting arm of the Ravens who produce all the teams pre season telecasts and seven shows that will be seen on MASN this season. www.examiner.com... Meanwhile in Washington WBIG was a major winner for the fans who can now hear the games again. Also starting this week the pre season games will be seen on WUSA 9 and CSN. WUSA Sports Director Brett Haber will be joining the Redskins broadcast crew as the host and a in game reporter with local favorites and ESPN broadcasters Mike Patrick and Joe Theisman. WUSA 9 will have both pre and post game shows for the remaining three Skins pre season games. www.examiner.com... Cheers, Jim (8/13/07) NEWSFLASH... Craig Kilborn STILL ALIVE, but possibly still inebriated as well. At least that's what he promised when he left the Late Late Show. :-) (8/13/07) The SCTV skit that the poster was referring to was "The Merv Griffith(sic) Show," with Rick Moranis as a hybrid of Merv and Sheriff Andy Taylor... Eugene Levy as Floyd the Barber and John Candy as Otis. While there are beaucoups examples of great SCTV skits on YouTube, sadly, nobody has uploaded that one yet.(However, there are several clips of Moranis playing his "Gerry Todd" personna.) (8/13/07) I’d like to express my condolences to the family of Harry Shriver. He was a true broadcaster and a huge presence in Baltimore radio for four decades. Roddy Freeman (8/13/07) Want to audition be on-air? Can you read this cold and do it right? 1. The bandage was wound around the wound. 2. The farm was used to produce produce. 3. The dump was so full that it had to refuse more refuse. 4. We must polish the Polish furniture. 5. He could lead if he would get the lead out. 6. The soldier decided to desert his dessert in the desert. 7. Since there is no time like the present, he thought it was time to present the present. 8. A bass was painted on the head of the bass drum. 9. When shot at, the dove dove into the bushes. 10. I did not object to the object. 11. The insurance was invalid for the invalid. 12. There was a row among the oarsmen about how to row. 13. They were too close to the door to close it. 14. The buck does funny things when the does are present. 15. A seamstress and a sewer fell down into a sewer line. 16. To help with planting, the farmer taught his sow to sow. 17. The wind was too strong to wind the sail. 18. After a number of injections my jaw got number. 19. Upon seeing the tear in the painting I shed a tear. 20. I had to subject the subject to a series of tests. 21. How can I intimate this to my most intimate friend? You’re hired! Tom Gauger (8/13/07) Early on during my years in Los Angeles I worked with the first host of The Tonight Show, Steve Allen, on a number of projects and on several occasions we had to visit Merv Griffin's offices to get copies of one archval videotape or another from the days when both taped programs at the same TAV Theater just north of Sunset Blvd.. Merv was more than gracious. He was truly interested in what others were doing, naturally inquisitive, and very hospitable for someone so busy. I'm sure that's one reason he was such a great talk show host. Years later, for another project, I had to secure permission for the use of the Jeopardy theme used in the original 1960's version with Art Fleming. Mr. Griffin remembered the first visit I had made some 15 years earlier and asked if there was anything else I was working on he could assist with. He agreed on the spot to record material for a Sinatra 80th birthday special and record segments for a future edition of a syndicated show on big bands, lending us rare sound of the Freddie Martin orchestra. The only thing I ever (jokingly) faulted him for was "discovering" Ryan Seacrest. As Dave has already pointed out, Carson, Allen, Paar, Mike Douglas & Tom Snyder, all trailblazers in their own way, have passed into the night and I would add Joan Rivers & Ed McMahon and to the death watch pool as well as Dick Cavett. Just spent a great hour on YouTube watching Buddy Rich on Merv and Buddy Rich challenging Ed Shaunessy to a drum battle on Carson. I wonder of Merv's announcer/sidekick British actor Arthur Treacher will introduce Griffin to St. Peter the same way he brought him on stage?..."and now here's that dear boy Merrrrrvin now!" (8/13/07) /\ August 13 Messages /\ \/ August 12 Messages \/ So sorry to hear the news about the passing of Harry Shriver. The days of Mad Radio 13 WFBR were some of the finest in Baltimore with the great Johnny Walker and the Dutchman. I was so fortunate to have worked with Dutch during his tenure at WQSR in the late 80's. I love the stories he would tell especially the ones off mic. Dutch and his wife, Betty had a neat old dog named Sir Segue that they would bring to the studio during the Saturday night request show. Will miss you Harry and thanks for some of the best radio on the planet. BTW, would love to know where Dutch is working. Can't imagine him retiring. Another radio great that gave me lots of encouragement when it was most needed. Blessings. Joyce Conroy (WHFC) (8/12/07) Hi Dave, About 5:30PM on Friday, August 10th one of the best audio bloopers of local radio happened on TripleX ESPN Radio John Riggins Show. While discussing Tom Brady (NE Patriots QB) lifestyle and elaborate clothing, John refered to Brady as being TRANSSEXUAL. Obviously, he was corrected by his sidekick as a METROSEXUAL. All The Best, Dave Kremnitzer, Waldorf, MD (8/12/07) Wow...Joey Bishop is still alive...son of a gun!!! (8/12/07) Dave's response: Is he the only original Rat Pack-er still around? Sammy, Frank, Dean, Peter Lawford - all gone. Angie's still around, but she was more of an auxilliary member..... the passing of Merv reminds me of one of my favorite Seinfeld's when Kramer found the old Merv Griffin show set in the dump and put it in his apartment...and he played the theme song on a portable tape player....this episode also had an appearance by Wild Kingdom's Jim Fowler, who apparently grew up in the wilds of then Falls Church....speaking of Seinfeld are the numbnuts at the local Faux station going to cut back on airings of the brillant Seinfeld for more airings of the mediocre Everybody loves Raymond and the pewtrid King of Queens(except for Jerry Stiller) Patton who?, come September?...didn't Rick Moranis do a skit on SCTV imitating Merv...eeeewwwwww!....I'd think WaPo doesn't mention a lot of things cause it's competition or not in accordance with paper's agenda......the day apparently is approaching faster than I thought when newspaper's will probably dissappear, what will the future look like?...hey thanks for the Mike Wolfe update, I thought I spelt it wrong, I'd think the gentleman is in his 60's now? Still wear shirt's open to reveal chest hair? ....now is former channel 9er Doug Lewellyn living in retirement from his day's on the People's Court? Hey Judge Wapner, he's still alive ain't he but Rusty, he's long time passed (8/12/07) Dave's response: Yes! Those wonderful "SCTV" parodies of Merv with Rick Moranis. The best being an interview with Orson Welles (John Candy) and a tribute to space flicks. Including HAL, the computer from "2001," and the building of the "Close Encounters" mountain with Stove Top stuffing. Eeeeewwwwww, indeed..... Sadly, Merv, Johnny, et al, are all gone. Yet, Joey Bishop is still alive. JOHN IN STAFFORD (8/12/07) At the attached link, Majority Capitals Owner/Minority Wizards owner and former AOL guru Ted Leonsis takes WTEM to task, and specifically Czaban and Pollin, for their cynical, sarcastic and generally negative coverage of last week's sold out DC United match. Moreover, he raises the big picture of the ridiculously narrow scope of WTEM's sports coverage. Good for him. He'made the same points that are consistently made on this board. "Ted's Take - Sports Reporters on 980 Don't Get It" ted.aol.com (8/12/07) Plunk out the "Jeopardy" theme one last time on the old piano in the parlor... Merv Griffin dead today at 82. (8/12/07) Dave's response: Johnny Carson, Jack Paar, Tom Snyder, Mike Douglas, and now Merv Griffin. If I was Dick Cavett I'd be very nervous..... Well I vote for Mike Walter for male media hottie!! or Dave! (8/12/07) Dave's response: Oooooookay..... anyone else listening to XXX ESPN radio today? seems like at the top of every hour they've had an extra pot open and overlapped their spots w/ the top of the show. (8/12/07) Former TV-9 sportcaster Mike Wolfe was a Memphis radio talk show host several years ago. (8/12/07) Anybody else see Donnie Simpson's house profiled in a local home magazine? Not a bad spread at all. www.homeanddesign.com (8/12/07) Come on Dave..Obviously the choices for this week's "Media Hotties is a joke!!!..Can't you give us ladies better candidtates from which to choose ??. Why not Brian Bolter, Leon Harris, Todd McDermott or Tony Pann ?? (8/12/07) "WTOP's cycle, exclusive of the network newscast at the top of the hour, is three fifteen minute segments." That's simply not true. WTOP editors program a one hour cycle, with just a handful of stories (1-2 at most) running every half hour. Aside from those 1-2 repeated top stories, there are 8 fresh news sections per hour, 6 traffic and weather segments, 2 spots reports, 2 money reports, the CBS hourly and often the CBS upate a thw bottom of the hour plus features that are different in hour like Man About Town, Osgood, Dave Ross, commentary & analysis and a lot more. Jim (8/12/07) Triple X's Skins coverage a "snore" and a Snyder "mouthpiece"? Michael may be but Sheean and Weinstein are fairly critical of the home team when necessary. Not many on the local B&G beat seem to be more knowledgeable than those two although I would put Czaban and Walker from WTEM in that category. (8/12/07) ...."The Virginia residents who are complaining that they are the only ones who are eligible to get these large fines for dangerous driving either don't pay attention or don't read a newspaper. The reason that out-of-state residents are not subjected to these fines is because the way the state constitution is written. The fines are civil fines and the constitution says that only Virginia residents can be assessed a civil fine"........I could be wrong but I believe this goes to some other issues too besides dangerous driving. I often read the Winchester and Harrisonburg's newspapers and it seems even if cases of shoplifting, being drunk in public, getting into fights and so forth, those who did the crime but live in West Virginia do tend to get a slap on the wrist compared to those who live in Virginia when they did the same crime....Speaking of Virginia, back in the 1980's when I went to the Columbia School of Broadcasting in Bailey's Crossroads, I remember at least two instructors telling us that we should "avoid" trying to gain employment in radio or TV in Virginia. Of course someone asked why and they told us about some law on the books in Virginia where all employees who work in Virginia media must sign a "clause of good conduct" ( morals clause ) or otherwise they can't work. I didn't believe it then but today I am not so sure. A buddy of mine recently finally got his first full time gig in radio at a station ( yes in Virginia ) and he was required to sign on of those things. From what he was telling me, the contract was pretty direct giving him a list of things they are not allowed to do such things as having personal ads online, going to a bar or even visitng adult sites even AT HOME !!. The "morals clause' he had to sign at his station ( from what he was telling me ) even went as far as saying that unless it is on "official business" that he should avoild visiting so-called "liberal cities" such as San Francisco, Portland ( OR ), Columbus ( Ohio ), Denver, Atlanta, LA, Indianapolis, and BALTIMORE !! I guess all of those John Waters flicks over the years got that city on the list anyway my friend asked the GM why this list of places he should not visit? He was told that it was to "protect him and their radio station" and "to make the COmmonwealth happy". WTF???? And Virginia being where employment at any job is "at will" meaning one can be fired at anytime and the employer does NOT have to give a reason, makes me wonder why even bother with these types of contacts. BTW, I still dont believe Virginia requires ALL stations to do this but my friend's station is I believe a member of the Virginia Assoication of Broadcasters so I wonder if this is their idea? Either way its not only weird but, well crazy. Chris (8/12/07) Could someone confirm or deny, but some word is going around town that the great Harry Shriver might have passed away yesterday? -Michael Popovec (8/12/07) Isn't it a federal offense to refer to Mike and Tony as ''media hotties''? It should be. I just ate breakfast and now I can't get those 2 faces out of my head. How could you? Paul (8/12/07) RE: [ " I've also noticed that VA drivers are the ones that go 55 in a 65 and don't know how a turn signal operates. " ]........ And if you put mice in a maze, what happens? Yep, they get confused, go in wrong directions, slow down the other mice, forget to signal the other mice of where they are going, and some never even get out! That's Virginia's mixing bowl & crazy mix of HOV lanes/exits, & confusing interchanges that make no sense whatsoever. Thank you Maryland legislators for duplicating these types of monsters for Baltimore! By the way, you won't read about this or see anything on any of the local TV stations, but according to Skyscrapercity.com, engineers & city planners are already joking & nicknaming Baltimore's new monster, The Spaghetti Bowl! I can't wait! :-( (8/12/07) Is Michelle Rhee related to Jhoon Rhee or that's her last name by marriage? Does anyone know or care weht to channel 9 sport's reporter Mike Wolff? Wiki that my good fiend. So Theisman gets dropped from MNF cause the a-holes wanted to dumb down the broadcast even more. Hey Kornholio time for one or your patented pithy remarks. Hey funny funny stuff......does police chief Cathy Lanier and channel 7/8 reporter Pamela Brown go to the same hair colorist?....Virginia has the most inept government, come on DCRTV Dave we have witnessed for the last 35 year's the ineptness of the D.C. government and frankly I think the partay is continuing with the new mayor....weren't the politico who brought forth the wonderful idear of increasing the driver's fines in virginia, one local state delegate David Albo who i believe is an attorney who represents victims in traffic fine cases...has the don and mike show also started it's august recess?.....saw CSN reporter kelli johnson interviewing wonderful human being fred smoot the other night, good golly gosh seemed like they were having jolly old time....I didn't see hole interview did ms. johnson ask about the boat rental and what the strippers charged?....i'm more disdainful of The Globe than wbig, although the amateur dj.'s cheap channel hires is a drag man, no the cynicism of invoking the environment and the once glorious whfs in order to lure the sheep to the stationWTGB just sucks, and the playlist has gotten so tight that well you know, as tom gavin says, which reminds me i have a hard time finding that Monastery bread at grocery stores these days......driving by ye olde tank farm on Pickett road in toothless fairfax friday afternoon, saw about 50+ fire trucks and police vehicles...wha' happened didn't see nothing in the post? that's it for now...the ... guy (8/12/07) Dave's response: I must say that I am generally disappointed in The Globe. Back when it started in February, it had such potential. But CBS "We Don't Have A Clue About How To Run Rock" Radio, frankly, has just not carried through with it. They still (!) don't have a solid airstaff, they still (!) don't have a PD, they still (!) don't have a kick ass promotional campaign, and they exhibit an incredible lack of confidence in what they are - Triple A, alternative, progressive, classic - who knows. Yeah, 94.7 does play some cool tunes now and then, but it's an incredibly frustrating and maddening radio station to listen to because it sounds so fucking "lost." Gawd! Anyhoo, I'm finding my local rock radio listening divided about 30 percent to The Globe (and slowly declining), about 30 percent to DC101 (slowly rising), about 30 percent to 98 Rock, and about 10 percent to Big 100.3 (mainly to the hourly playing of ELO's "Evil Woman"). Ho hum..... /\ August 12 Messages /\ \/ August 11 Messages \/ hey, I was behind a car on I-66 tonight with the license plate JAYDUBS. Was it THE J Dubs??? (8/11/07) Dave - what a joke. Two, actually. Jim Williams, who probably still takes a check from Triple Snore, not mentioning the longer broadcasting, and longer superior WTEM Skins' pregame show. And the Triple Snore pregame suckfest with that windbag Michael and his friends. I was sampling both pregame products while out and about Saturday evening (thank God for Clear Channel and WBIG), and heard the 980 host throw to the reporter on site who gave the listeners the 'news' of Vince Young's absence. Several moments later, Snyder's mouthpieces broke it. Way to be timely. You'd think with that outfit being the 'official' - they'd have that story first. One has to wonder if Jim W. will play that up. Puhleeze (8/11/07) Ok , i have channel 7 on. They have the feed from the NFL Network. Is it comcast , or channel 7. The voice is not in sync with the feed. Maybe it is Comcast. (8/11/07) Dave's response: It looks like it's the interface between WJLA and the NFL Network..... The Virginia residents who are complaining that they are the only ones who are eligible to get these large fines for dangerous driving either don't pay attention or don't read a newspaper. The reason that out-of-state residents are not subjected to these fines is because the way the state constitution is written. The fines are civil fines and the constitution says that only Virginia residents can be assessed a civil fine. (8/11/07) Dave's response: Still, regardless of where one resides - Virginia, Maryland, or DC - if two people are convicted with the same traffic infraction in Virginia, they should pay the same fine. Either amend the state constitution or throw out this unequal and unfair application of justice. I have no problem with hiking the fines for dangerous driving, but they should apply to ALL drivers equally, regardless of where they reside..... Nick Charles (born Nicholas Nickeas on June 30, 1946) is an award-winning American sports sportscaster and journalist. He is a graduate of Columbia College in Chicago. Charles started his career as a sportscaster at the nightly sports desk of WICS, in Springfield, IL, where Fred Hickman his future co-anchor at CNN began his career. He worked at WTOP Radio and WRC-TV in Washington, D.C. as sports director. At WJZ-TV in Baltimore, Maryland, he won an AP award for investigative journalism Charles was the first sports anchor for CNN in 1980. He co-hosted CNN Sports Tonight with Fred Hickman (for which he won three CableACE Awards for best sports program), and later hosted his own program, Page One with Nick Charles until leaving the network in 2001. He hosted the Goodwill Games for Turner Broadcasting in 1986 in Moscow, 1990 in Seattle, 1994 in St. Petersburg, Russia and covered boxing for the Goodwill Games in New York City in 1998. Since 2001, Charles has been the host of Showtime's ShoBox: The New Generation. (Googled in three seconds, from en.wikipedia.org ) (8/11/07) Dave, You might enjoy checking out the current ‘BBC Pirate Radio Essex’ broadcast taking place 24/7 for the next couple of days, featuring DJs and music from the 60s UK offshore pirate radio era. They’ve stationed a ship w/studio in the North Sea especially for the event. Go to this URL- www.bbc.co.uk/essex and click on the listen button (note that you have to make sure to click on the ‘Pirate’ stream, since BBC Radio Essex is also continuing its normal broadcasts separately). They’ve even come up with some customized PAMS jingles for the occasion. One of the more famous DJs taking part, Johnnie Walker, a long-time BBC stalwart, who also did stints in the mid-late 70s at KSAN/SF and WHFS has now referred nostalgically, at least twice on air, to the brief period he spent at ‘HFS. Choked me up a bit, listening online at my current outpost in a hotel room in Equatorial Guinea! Cheers, Mark (8/11/07) Here's Cynthia Smith, yes, a nice person, technically very competent, and ABC's loss if they've let her go. (Gauger said: "Another loss is engineer Cynthia Smith, a woman who could carry a ton of broadcast equipment on the hottest day and not complain...") (8/11/07) The driver fees in Virginia are getting a lot of negative publicity but the media never mentions that they were enacted in lieu of a general tax increase. Frankly, such creativity in lieu of rotely raising taxes is to be encouraged. The problem is that the whole thing was inartfully done. That out of state drivers don't have to pay is a disasterous p.r. point and, if the early court decisions are to be believed, a fatal legal flaw as well. (8/11/07) As a former vendor to WTOP, I must remain anonymous and I apologize for that. John in Stafford has, however, hit the target with one shot. The key to stations like WTOP is a very fast recycling of a massive "cume" audience. Loosely using the formula created for New York's 1010/WINS in 1965, repeating basic information approximately three times hourly carries a listener through three quarter hours (enough to convert a "cume" listener to a multiple "quarter hour" listener) yet allows those joining the audience to ramp up to speed with what's happening. WINS chose 22 minutes because it was the average New Yorker's commuting time in 1965 (imagine that!). WTOP's cycle, exclusive of the network newscast at the top of the hour, is three fifteen minute segments with an infusion of commercials. That allows for the 60 second traffic and weather packages, sports updates, financial news, and a feature. What little is left is given over to news headlines. While ALL breaking news receives the highest priority, listening with an editorial ear, I agree with your assessment that they lean toward the local side and away from national/international news. To be fair, keep in mind that, as the National Capital region, a lot of our local news IS national news! That said, the whole "Glass Enclosed Nerve Center" joke had a shelf life of a week and it is pure self-indulgence for someone (perhaps Jim Farley or Joel Oxley?) to cling to it like grim death, several years after the joke's gone stale. Likewise, the credibility-busting Ledo Pizza sponsorship of their studio! The icing on the cake is the Parade of Roman Gladiators, complete with a fiddling Nero in the Programming Chariot, that precedes every traffic report, every ten minutes! That straw on the poor, proverbial camel's back, is what converted me from a "raving fan" of WTOP to a former/occasional listener! In fact, by a slight change in my commuting route, I RARELY need daily traffic information. I can get the weather from a variety of sources, but prefer to consult my laptop computer, so that I can interpret the trajectory and speed of storms myself. Sadly, podcasts, books on mp3 audio and mp3 music have plunged another coffin nail into the medium that I have loved and lived-for all my life! Is radio dead yet? Can the life support save it? Not with this current crop of idiots running the show. And, before you little Clear Channel sycophants chime "Go get a job running a station if you can do better!" please take note. Radio management, like baseball management, will almost always default to hiring someone from current, or immediately past, ranks. They will rarely gamble on an innovative thinker who redraws the playbook. So, the same fools hire the same fools to do the same mediocre job. To put that notion into perspective, one definition of insanity is something like, "doing the same thing over and over, expecting a different result." That's why radio sucks! As a final note; the top television executives are always chosen from programming and production ranks. The top radio executives are almost always chosen from sales. Televison is growing and flourishing by leaps and bounds. Radio is in a downward, hand- wringing spiral, and has been for several years! Go figure... Signed, Mercury... the Messenger God (8/11/07) For what its worth, part of the reason the Washington Post may not have mentioned that the games are broadcasted on WBIG is because the Redskins.com website does not even mention this. It still mentions the radio broadcasts being on Snyder's Triple X ESPN Radio. In the mean time, you have fun watching the game on TV or listening to the radio. I have tickets to the game here in Nashville, so I'll more than likely be watching the game at LP Field before heading up to the DC Area for a few days tomorrow for a visit :-) Oh, and Go Redskins! (8/11/07) Does anyone know (or care) whatever became of former WJZ & ESPN Sports Guy Nick Charles? Rusty Gibson (8/11/07) Dave's response: I've always loved him in those "Thin Man" movies..... More on the state of ABC Radio, as told to me by another ABCer. The recent spate of firings “reflects a shortfall in the News Division's balance sheet brought about by the Citadel deal. ABC Radio Network used to pay ABC News (a part of ABC-TV) an annual fee to produce radio newscasts and other "product" for the Radio Networks. Well, I'm told that the deal with Citadel specifies that ABC News will continue to produce radio product for Citadel/ABC for the next 10 years, but there's no mention of Citadel paying any fee. So the News Division will now be short several $M per year. And that's hitting them at the start of a Presidential election season.” Tom Gauger (8/11/07) Hey Dave! I know Haber takes a lot of flak here , and say what you will , but those new promos with him getting the yank from Frank Robinson are really funny! well done promo team! (8/11/07) Does anyone listen to HD radio? The uninterrupted oldies stream (an I-pod on shuffle) has disappeared from the WASH HD2 channel. It seems to have reappeared on the WBIG HD2 with a few staging elements. An HD consortium list of side channels in March indicated that WASH had an "adult standards" stream. Anyone ever hear it? Is this really a gussied up AM stereo mode? (8/11/07) (RE: Citadel-ABC Makes Engineering Cuts In DC") You may wish to confirm. I am pretty sure the ABC Radio News Networks Washington Bureau is still with ABC and was not included in properties such as WMAL, WABC and other O&Os sold to Citadel. Thanks. (8/11/07) Anyone know whatever happened to Joe Zanger? He won a media taco-eating contest at La Plata Grande in Calverton in the early 80's - he was with WASH at the time, I believe. (8/11/07) (snip) Who is this Gary Keeler they have doing poetry on WAMU just before 7AM every day. BAD !! He sounds like he's drunk or well on his way there. Wanders around, slurs his speech almost as bad as Bawb Edwards. Is this his replacement? (end snip) That's probably Garrison Keelior, who also hosts Prairie Home Companion on NPR. His poetry segments have been around on various public radio stations for quite a while, but I've never thought much of them either. And actually, come to think of it, the show has been slipping too. It used to be downright hilarious, but seems to have lost much of its edge. (8/11/07) WMAR reporter lifts story from blog without giving credit - insidecharmcity.com (8/11/07) "I've noticed cars in the left lane of I-95 passing everyone almost always have out of state plates. What a joke!" I've also noticed that VA drivers are the ones that go 55 in a 65 and don't know how a turn signal operates. (8/11/07) Me again.. the guy who wrote about how long it took me to get out of Hershey's parking lot after seeing the Police. Okay maybe a small percentage of the crowd was leaving Hershey park at the same time. However let me tell you also what SUCKED about seeing the show. The Police were EXCELLENT!! But Hershey only had 2 small mobile tents set up to buy alcohol. You had a choice of Corona or some bs made up "drink". Now I like Corona but where's the choices? And the worst part... they had printed up some little sign of a PC that read, "stop selling alcohol at 8:45pm". YES 8:45pm. The freakin' Police didn't go on till 9pm! Like I said.. I'll never go to another show at Hershey EVER AGAIN!!!!!!! (8/11/07) Check this out...the Associated Press in Baltimore, Washington and Virginia has announced it will not longer provide school and government closing information on snow days...something they have done for at least 50 years. New Bureau Chief for Baltimore/Washington David Wilkison is said to be responsible for this decision. Announcement was made on the wire on Friday. (8/11/07) I've listened to WTOP quite a bit, lately. Am I the only one who thinks that it's a lightweight news source, considering that it's a 24 hour news station? I don't hear much international news on there, inadequate to me, national news coverage, and way too much local news repeated ad nauseum. Other people might find it a good news source, considering its high ratings. I find it the least informative news source, considering other news sources I follow on a regular basis. JOHN IN STAFFORD (8/11/07) The Post didn't mention this for some inexplicable reason but the Redskins game will be on WBIG radio as well. Everett W. (8/11/07) Dave's response: Whoops, the Post just forgot to mention that the Skins are on a major rival to their Washington Post Radio. Imagine that! You just know, deep down in the bowels of that pompous paper an evil presence lurks..... How can we ever get our 140,000+ warfighters out of Iraq if we can’t get 30,000 out of Nissan Pavilion? (I don’t care about the 140,000 highly paid Bilgewater mercenaries that are there that nobody talks about---they can stay and earn their money fighting Al Qaeda and Eddie Qaeda and Joe Qaeda and all the other imaginary terra-ists that are keeping us there and bankrupting our country.) (8/11/07) The sequence of events covering the evolution of WTOP's (somewhat politically incorrect) predecessor can be found at the their web site www.wtopnews.com... Eddie Gallaher gets a history lesson from WTOP's VP in charge of engineering Clyde Hunt at www.youtube.com... And, as for the history of WINX's ownership by the Washington Post... you'll need stay tuned right here. (8/11/07) Steve Densmore has been with ABC for some 32 years and his firing is going to hurt the company quite a bit. Outside the company not many know that he has been the “glue” holding media pools together on overseas White House trips and on the distribution of audio within Washington. ABC cooperates with the other U-S radio networks in pooling facilities for fast-moving trips by the president. Steve’s organizational skills as frequent pool chairman are legendary. If you think about airport arrival setups, joint news briefings with the U-S and host country presidents, state dinner toasts and comments, tours of the host country whatever, second night dinner at the U-S embassy and airport departure ceremony… you had Steve Densmore in the middle of it. Additionally, all of the networks wanted feed points for their correspondents. Years ago Steve had counterparts at CBS, NBC, AP, UPI and Mutual and all would be on hand to handle setups at different parts of the trip. Now, many of these are gone or merged and no longer contribute to the pool. On another matter, ABC operates WAND, the Washington Area News Directors audio distribution system. (I may not the exact title correct) but basically, ABC facilities are at the White House, the Capitol building’s two main chambers and all of the hearing rooms, outdoor press locations, the Pentagon, State Department and a dozen other locations where officials stand in front of a microphone and talk. ABC provides this audio to subscribers and the switching setup for this on the 5th floor of ABC’s plant on DeSales Street is complex. In the past few years the switcher has been simplified so that non-engineer types can operate it, but things go wrong on occasion and I’m told there will no longer be engineering support on weekends. Another loss is engineer Cynthia Smith, a woman who could carry a ton of broadcast equipment on the hottest day and not complain… well, not complain any more than I was! And Jay Herrera - with ABC for about three months -relocated from Florida with wife and family. New home being built and almost completed. My source says “We are told that the ‘reasoning’ was financial, due to the economy and Citadels' purchase. My feeling is that they either don't know the demands of news or they just don't care about being competitive.” Senior Editor Mike Silverstein took a buyout and will leave soon. He’s another aggressive news hound who could smell a story from miles away. I am proud of my 30 years of ABC, both at WMAL and later with ABC News and I owe the latter part of my broadcast life to Dick Rosenbaum, the legendary former Bureau Chief for ABC Radio and Army colleague at the American Forces Network in Europe. It’s really heartbreaking to see what de-regulation has done to broadcasting. Tom Gauger (8/11/07) /\ August 11 Messages /\ \/ August 10 Messages \/ It seems that Virginia is getting a lot of well deserved criticism on the board today, from the stupid-assed politicians, the speeding laws that are harsher on Virginians than out of staters, to the horrible traffic at the mixing bowl and Nissan Pavillion. I agree with the critcism. I'm pretty fed up with Virginia, in general, and northern Virginia, in particular. I think this area has turned into a living hell. I'm fixing my house up to sell it and get the hell out of the state. I just hope that I can sell it in the current bad real estate market. I don't want to wait an extra year, or so, for it to turn around. Put it this way, I'd like to be out of here before Don & Mike leave the air. There's no connection, it's just that I can use them as a reference point. They want to leave, and so do I. JOHN IN STAFFORD (8/10/07) The 1927 Post story via dcmemories.com on the Mount Vernon Hills Klan radio station is fascinating and prompts additional questions. Was the station referenced indeed WJSV, or did Mr. Vance establish another station which eventually became 1460 leading to 1500? Did Vance and the Klan remain affiliated? If so, did the KKK ever actually operate the station through its publishing company or another entity? And when the station was eventually sold, did it go directly from Klan interests to CBS or a CBS-Post consortium, or was there another owner who later sold the station? It is hard to imagine a Klan-controlled entity selling a radio station directly to CBS, a company reorganized and run by Bill Paley, descendant of Russian Jewish immigrants. Jew Eugene Meyer, father of Katharine Graham and grandfather of Donald Graham bought the newspaper, but did Meyer own it when the Post Company became an owner of WJSV/WTOP? WINX-1340, a 250 watt station, was owned and may have been founded by the Post Company. Did the Post Company sell 1340 to get 1460 or 1500 or did some time elapse between the deals? (8/10/07) One of the truly sad things about radio is WBIG actually trying to sound excited that they play 3 WHOLE SONGS in a row. AND probably the same crappy old songs you heard yesterday at about the same time. Has it really come to this? THIS is the direction Clear Channel wants to take the station? How can one radio station be so completely brain dead? How can any DJ working there take pride in having to actually announce ''3 SONGS IN A ROW''? That's really just sad. Another sad thing is starting to be Don and Mike. I still listen every day but it's getting harder as time passes. It seems like after the first hour the whole show simply sinks. Part of it is those REALLY awful ''interviews'' with some guy who trained a monkey to type or some woman who eats mushrooms. Who ever comes up with those brilliant ideas should be forced to go work with Jack Diamond. I'm starting to turn my SIRIUS back on at 3 and listening to Bubba. Maybe Don shouldn't wait until May. Maybe it's time to go out while you're at least still middle of the road. IF you're not going to put much effort into the show and simply ride it out until May, what's the point? Paul (8/10/07) Dave's response: The summer of 2007 - there's no shortage of tired radio here in DC. Maybe it's the heat..... "If you speed in Virginia and have a Virginia drivers license, you'll pay thousands in fines. But if you have a Maryland (or other state) drivers license and do the same, you won't. Amazing stupidity - punish only the folks that can possibly vote for you....." I've noticed cars in the left lane of I-95 passing everyone almost always have out of state plates. What a joke! (8/10/07) What a cute television couple! Congratulations Todd Wallace (former WTTG, FOX 5 morning anchor) on your new job in Indianapolis. www.toddandtrisha.com. Personally, I think Todd and Lark sound better. (8/10/07) Getting out of the Virgin Music Fest in Baltimore city was actually not that bad for me. I did pick a parking spot very close to a main road and while traffic was slow, once I got on the highway (not too far from Pimlico), things were just fine. Never been to Nissan, however, my Patriot Center & various Mixing Bowl traffic experiences over the years made me change my mind about ever going back down that way ever again for a concert. It infuriates me that the State of Maryland (both Repubs & Dems, all idiots alike), are even considering expensive/confusing HOV/HOT lane/Mixing Bowl type interchanges for Baltimore like down in NoVA. Amazing how stupid politicians and the news media people that cover them can be not to blow this big fiasco out of the water. Makes me wish I were an investigative reporter. (8/10/07) Dave's response: If you want to be an investigative reporter, go be one. You don't need the blessings of the Baltimore Sun. If you want to witness stupidity of the first magnitude, go down to Richmond and catch a circus called the Virginia General Assembly. Probably the dumbest legislative body in the whole western world. If you speed in Virginia and have a Virginia drivers license, you'll pay thousands in fines. But if you have a Maryland (or other state) drivers license and do the same, you won't. Amazing stupidity - punish only the folks that can possibly vote for you..... To the guy that saw the Police in Hershey and said the traffic was worse than Nissan Pavilion: remember that in addition to the 30,000 they had in the stadium for the show, they also had thousands of people in Hershey Park that were leaving at the same time. I think the problem we all have with Nissan Pavilion is they've had how many years to address the traffic and parking out there and nothing ever seems to change. (8/10/07) Here is the reply that I received from MASN. Six days after I wrote to them about the first hour of last Friday night's game being dark. - "Thank you for contacting MASN. Television blackouts are periodically imposed upon all teams in Major League Baseball. They are beyond the control of the teams themselves. On Saturday night, the start of the Nationals’ game was briefly blacked out for about 15 percent of MASN’s subscriber audience. A miscommunication regarding blackout programming for Saturday night’s game caused some DC area cable subscribers to miss the first several innings of the game. Satellite customers were not affected, nor were any cable customers outside of the Washington, D.C. area. While this was an isolated incident --- and was in fact the first network error in MASN’s three year history of televising more than 430 Nationals baseball games -- it was unacceptable and we apologize for the inconvenience. We appreciate the feedback from Nationals fans, who allowed us to correct the mistake quickly. MASN will continue to hold ourselves to the standards of excellence that the Nationals and their fans deserve from their sports network. Thank you again for contacting MASN. Sincerely, Your friends at the Mid-Atlantic Sports Network" (8/10/07) The plot thickens... Here's a pic of Mike Hambrick from just last year.... Now we already know about Stormin Norm, anyone know if Rudy Miller or Ron Smith still have hair? Yeah, I've seen Ron's bio pic, but has anyone REALLY seen him lately? :-) (8/10/07) GK-It really is MASN in the club area at Camden. The hard to read graphics gives it away. And it's certainly not HD, but it is a clean SD picture. Nothing like what I see on DISH. BTW, I think CSN looks even worse on DISH. And we don't get CSN HD, either. I'm still waiting for my serious, non-canned reply from MASN on my call for an HD timetable to be made public...Howie (8/10/07) Back in the 80's Weasel interviewed Chris Difford and Glenn Tilbrook (Squeeze) live on the air and asked a question about why the lyrics were changed from "another nail IN my heart" to another nail FROM my heart." Chris and Glenn got very confused and then irritated and we never got a straight answer from the songwriting duo. For the record, last night at Wolf trap they sang "another nail FROM my heart." (8/10/07) Mark Kaye and Kris Gamble at Jacksonville's WAPE radio do TV www.youtube.com (8/10/07) Despite Thursday's discussion of WTOP's studio renovations, I completely forgot to note one important anniversary for the broadcaster. It was exactly 80 years ago this month that the Washington Post reported the impending arrival of what you might call WTOP's great-grandparent: DCMemories.com. The WJSV call letters had not yet been granted, but the article doesn't mince words about the new station's owner; the "KKK". (8/10/07) Dave said: "Court TV likely realized that there were very few cases in DC of interest to its viewers....." Hmm. Scooter Libby. DC Madam, Sen. Ted Stevens (R-Alaska), Gitmo detainees, Supreme Court presidential runoffs, $54M pantsuit, Rep. Jefferson (D-Lousiana), warrantless wiretaps, nah, nothing really of interest in there. Try again, Dave. OH, and Savannah happens to be a babe, FYI. (8/10/07) Dave's response: Hey, don't blame me. That was the opinion of FishbowlDC, from where we got the info..... I've got to say that I'm impressed with Mike's hairpiece! It looks EXACTLY like his own hair did when we both worked in Puerto Rico in the early seventies... unless... naw, he was MUCH too young to be wearing somebody else's hair then! Or, so it seemed. I mean... I still had MINE then! - Ed. Rodriguez (8/10/07) (Regarding "Battle Of The Media Hotties:) I wanted to tell you that you have the girl’s pictures in one order and the voting links and names in a different order on the bottom of the page. I originally looked at the first picture and quickly chose the first link on the bottom. I figured out later that the links were in reverse order. This probably explains the strange voting pattern. Food for thought for next time… (8/10/07) Dave's response: I did that on purpose. Since one candidate was listed first on the description part of the ballot, the other was listed first in the actual voting part of the ballot. It might help if you took the time to read before you click..... Howie responded to me writing: "It really isn't the Royals who set next year's timetable for HD; they are actually abandoning their own RSN and going back to FoxSportsNet (who already have HD)." The point is, the Orioles and Nationals will STILL be the only two teams in Major League Baseball that do not offer their fans an HD broadcast. In addition, when one is available via another network like ESPN, ESPN2, or Fox, they black it out! You're correct Howie, it is a minor point, looks like we're all out of luck. Also, I wouldn't be at all surprised if the "better streched SD picture" on the plasma screens at Camden Yards is actually the HD feeds from the visiting team's cameras! I worked for Angelos for two years as an usher, I wouldn't put it past him at all to pull such a trick on his "high end" customers. Maybe the Orioles/Nats should ditch their RSN as well...then again maybe the Orioles/Nats will play each other in next year's World Series (that's more of a possibility than the former). GK (8/10/07) Hi Dave, Frank Caliendo does a funny Jim Rome impression.. www.youtube.com (8/10/07) Word has it that Mike H has been wearing skullwarmers since his anchor days way back when. Indeed, catching some old news videos on numerous internet sites, you see a definite line where the weave stops and the anchorman begins. Those were good pieces too, which must have costs thousands over the years. (8/10/07) Re: I have given Jim Rome's show a chance for a month now, and here are my pros and cons....PROS....///// Agreed. I like Rome, but his show hasn't changed much in his absence from the Washington market. There is a constant "resetting" of topics, which essentially involves repeating ad infinitum the same jokes, poignant moments, or commentary made by Rome or his guests. There is a sense that if you were forced to listen to all three hours of his show, you would hear the same "takes" so many times you would feel like charging the radio to apply Heimlich maneuver just to move things along. I think Rome is in love with his own voice, and doesn't like sharing the air with anything but the most heavily screened phone calls. But he is a pro, and will likely improve on O'Reilly's lame ratings. (8/10/07) Speaking of radio several years ago, Famous 56 WFIL Philly,ran a contest shortly after their format change to "Pop Explosion" in '66. If you answered your telephone when they called..." I listen to WFIL", you won $5600.00 cold hard cash! (8/10/07) /\ August 10 Messages /\ Jump to the Mailbag Archive Index.....