July 2000 to December 2000

Latest items listed first.....

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December 29, 2000
Comcast And ABC/Disney Reach Agreement
Comcast reached an agreement on 12/29 that will allow the cable operator to continue to carry ABC/Disney networks including the ABC broadcast network as well as cable services such as ESPN, Lifetime, and the Disney Channel. While cable subscribers in the DC and Baltimore areas would not have lost ABC (since neither channels 7 and 2 are owned by ABC) they could have seen the loss of ABC/Disney-owned cable networks if a deal had not been reached by midnight on 12/31. While terms of the deal are confidential, it is probable that Comcast subscribers will see the Disney Channel moved from a premium service to basic cable (if it hasn't already), and will soon see the addition of Toon Disney, SoapNet, ESPN Classic, and/or ESPNews. Apart from Fairfax County, Comcast owns (or soon will) all the cable TV systems in the immediate DC and Baltimore areas.

December 28, 2000
WPWC Returns To The Airwaves
1480 AM, WPWC in Dumfries VA came back to life on 12/28 after almost a year off the air. The station has been heard airing a rather undermodulated relay of the Korean programming carried on Multicultural's 1460, WKDV in Manassas. WPWC used to program traditional country and we'd heard it was purchased by JMK Communications which also has reportedly purchased 1520 AM, WTRI in Brunswick MD.

December 23, 2000
Arbitron To Monitor Fredericksburg Radio
Radio ratings firm Arbitron announced in late December that it will make Fredericksburg a "nationally rated market" starting this spring. The Fredericksburg market will consist of Fredericksburg city along with Caroline, King George, Orange, Spotsylvania, and Stafford counties. With 221,000 people, Fredericksburg will rank at 162 out of the 283 markets Arbitron examines. Fredericksburg will join Norfolk-Virginia Beach, Richmond, Roanoke-Lynchburg, Winchester, Charlottesville, and Harrisonburg as Virginia markets Arbitron surveys.

December 23, 2000
Dr. Laura Demoted At 20
Dr. Laura Schlessigner's troubled TV show has received a demotion at DC's Channel 20. Starting 1/15, the syndicated talk program will be downgraded from its 1 PM slot to an overnight hour. Dr. Laura's show is often dead last in its time slot in the DC market and has been downgraded in many other cities. Dr. Laura been slammed for calling homosexuality "a biological error." Her radio show airs on WMAL and WCBM.

December 22, 2000
Radio Legend Eddie Gallaher Retires
Friday 12/22 was the last day for Eddie Gallaher (left) on nostalgic 1260 AM, WGAY. Gallaher, 85, a 53-year veteran of DC area radio and co-host of WGAY's morning show, has retired. Gallaher's decision to leave the airwaves signals the end of the nostalic "Music Of Your Life" format on 1260 AM. Owner Clear Channel will switch 1260 to talk in the new year. Gallaher, whose signature line is "It's nice to know so many nice people," hosted GAY's morning show with another DC radio vet, Bob Duckman (who has been off the air recovering from an October car accident). Gallaher joined 1260 (then WWDC-AM) in 1982. He started in 1947 on WTOP, and then moved to WASH before joining WWDC. Take a listen to Eddie's final on-air moments at DCRTV's Jingleland.

December 20, 2000
"Captain Chesapeake" Dies
George Lewis (left), who was kiddie show host "Captain Chesapeake" on Baltimore's Channel 45, WBFF, in the 1970s and 1980s, died of cancer on 12/18. He was 74. Mr. Lewis, who also played the station's scary movie "Ghost Host," retired from WBFF in 1991.

December 19, 2000
PGC Loses Big Tigger
WPGC (95.5 FM) loses its afternoon man Big Tigger (aka Darian Morgan) to Black Entertainment Television. Tigger has been dividing his time between the urban formatted radio station and the cable net for a few months, but come mid-January he'll move completely over to TV. BET is now owned by Viacom which owns Infinity Broadcasting which owns WPGC.

December 18, 2000
Quann Dies
Homer Quann, for almost five decades the farm and agricultural news director at Harrisonburg VA's WSVA (550 AM), died 12/15 from a "prolonged illness." Mr. Quann, 78, worked at the Shenandoah Valley news/talker for 45 years until his retirement in 1998.

December 18, 2000
TOP Adds Frederick Relay
12/18 was the launch date for all-news WTOP's relay on Frederick's 820 AM. The station, WXTR, had been broadcasting country music. TOP hopes to fill-in a coverage "hole" in the northern suburbs (Frederick, Loudoun, upper Montgomery) with 820 which joins 1500 AM from Wheaton and 107.7 FM from Warrenton.

December 15, 2000
Stern Signs New Deal
It comes as no surprise but Howard Stern announced on his 12/15 radio show that he signed a new five-year contract with his current employer Infinity/CBS/Viacom/etc. That means you'll continue to hear "the king of all media" on Infinity's WJFK in the DC/Baltimore area. Stern's current five-year deal ends at the end of the year and there was talk he was he might move elsewhere. While Howard wasn't talking, some industry insiders say the contract is worth $90 million, roughly 50 percent more than Stern's previous deal. Stern did say that he has "several big projects in the making" though.

December 15, 2000
Virgin Joins HFS
New rock alternative WHFS (99.1 FM) has hired Tim Virgin to be its new PM drive guy. He replaces Johnny Riggs who resigned from the Infinity station last summer under a cloud of controversy surrounding porn and drug possession charges. Virgin comes from NYC alternative rocker WXRK where he was a parttimer.

December 8, 2000
Somar Buys WMDM And WPTX
Somar Communications is buying country WMDM (97.7 FM) and talk/variety WPTX (1690 AM) in Lexington Park MD from Southern Maryland Broadcasting for $2.25 million. Somar also owns classic hits WSMD (98.3 FM), adult contemporary WKIK-AM (1560), and country WKIK-FM (102.9), all in southern Maryland. DCRTV reported rumors of this ownership change several weeks ago.

December 6, 2000
Rush Compressed On MAL
While Rush Limbaugh may be losing weight in real life, he is also losing "weight" on his radio show. Rush's DC station WMAL (630 AM) is using the Cashbox compression system on Rush's show (noon to 3 PM, weekdays). The technique literally removes momentary silent segments from a live (or taped) program so that more commercials and/or newsbreaks can be added without losing any original programming. MAL operations director John Butler confirms the station's use of compression: "We'll use any available technology to provide the best programming for our listeners," he told DCRTV. NYC's WABC, owned by ABC along with MAL, has also been using Cashbox on Rush's show. Rush has said on the air that he doesn't like being compressed.

December 4, 2000
Hill Debuts On 7
Doug Hill debuted on Channel 7 at 5:13 PM on 12/4 as its chief weatherman. He was last seen on Channel 9 in May. A clause in Hill's contract did not permit him to appear on 7's airwaves until after the November TV ratings "sweeps" were completed. Hill can also be heard doing weather reports on WTOP radio.

December 2, 2000
New Calls For 1330
DCRTV hears that 1330 AM in Havre De Grace has dropped is WASA calls for WJSS. The station was recently sold and is due to switch from its relay of nostagic WWLG 1360 AM in Baltimore to a religious gospel format. DCRTV also hears that Bill Parris's Radio Broadcast Communications is purchasing Ocean City news/talker WETT, 1590 AM. Parris used to own Rockville's WINX-AM (now WKDM) and Warrenton's WKCW and WINX-FM.

December 1, 2000
WRC Wins November Sweeps
The November TV ratings ("sweeps") have been released for the DC market and Channel 4's the big winner, while Channel 9's the big loser. WRC/4's news surged ahead of long-time favorite Oprah on 7 to win the 4 PM slot, while 9 saw its fortunes fall with its decision to dump news at 4 PM for Montel. WUSA/9 experienced big declines with its newscasts at 5:30 AM (down 50 percent from last year), 5 PM (down 36 percent), and at 11 PM (down 23 percent). More good news for 4 - its prime time programming was the most watched in the DC market, beating last year's winner WJLA/7. Good news for WTTG/5 in that its 10 PM newscast saw gains, and bad news for WDCA/20 in that its new Dr. Laura show attracted an average of only 9,000 viewers at 1 PM for last place.

December 1, 2000
Totenberg Back On Air After Mishap
NPR's DC-based political correspondent Nina Totenberg returned to the airwaves on 12/1 after almost being killed in a freak boating accident on her honeymoon in Caribbean. As luck would have it, she'd just married a trauma surgeon who saved her life.

December 1, 2000
Cox Moves HTS To Basic
On 12/1 Fairfax County's Cox Cable moved Home Team Sports from its "sports tier" to basic cable. Cox was the last cable system in the DC area to offer HTS as a premium, pay-extra channel. By the way, Cox will be unveiling its "cable-ready TV set friendly" single-cable service in Fairfax City in December, as well as new digital services. Cox plans to move a batch of its current non-digital channels like BET On Jazz, Golf Channel, International Channel, ESPNews, HBO Plus/Signature/Family, The Movie Channel, Showtime 2, and MoreMax onto digital, which will also feature a bunch of new premium multiplexes, 30+ pay-per-view channels, and other stuff like BBC America, SoapNet, Fox Sports World, and Game Show Network. No word yet on how long it will take to re-wire the whole county, but expect it to take a few years.

November 30, 2000
ZPG Pulls Plug On Internet Radio Station
Zero Population Growth on 11/30 has pulled the plug on its DC-based Zero 24-7 web radio station. So reports long-time DC area DJ Weasel (aka Jonathan Gilbert) who divided his time between the progressive rock, free-form web station and new rock alternative WHFS (99.1 FM). Weasel says that 12/1 is his last day at Zero 24-7, although there may still be some streaming of old shows via the station's website at www.zero24-7.org. "Internet radio may be the wave of the future but right now it is a very tough sell especially by a non-profit environmental organization that has no experience in broadcasting," says Weasel, who served as Zero 24-7's general manager, as well as its director of programming, production, and promotions. Weasel dates back (local radio-wise) to the free-form days of WHFS when it was on 102.3 in the 1970s and early 1980s.

November 28, 2000
7's Award Winning Photog Dies
Channel 7 news photographer Steve Affens, 52, died on 11/28 after suffering a heart attack while on vacation in the Cayman Islands. He was there with his wife, Patti, celebrating their 30th wedding anniversary. Mr. Affens, who joined then WMAL-TV in 1968, won the White House News Photographers' Association award for "Cameraman Of The Year" five times, as well as numerous Emmys. He was raised in Prince Georges County and graduated from the University Of Maryland. "For hundreds of thousands of people here in the Washington area, Steve Affens was an extraordinary window on our world, and his colleagues at our news station will never forget him," according to a statement on WJLA's website.

November 24, 2000
Channel 2 Looks For Religious Sponsors For Dr. Laura
Baltimore's Channel 2, WMAR, is appealing to local church groups to advertise on the Dr. Laura TV show. The Washington Blade newspaper reported on 11/24 that WMAR is offering a discount to religious organizations that choose to sponsor the controversial doc's show. Apparently, the station has even sent letters touting ad possibilities to churches which have large gay congregations. Dr. Laura maintains that homosexuality is abnormal and can be "cured." The Charm City ABC affiliate airs the show at 3 PM weekdays.

November 22, 2000
9 Makes Sports Changes
More tremors at Channel 9, this time in the sports department. Long-time weekend evening sports anchor Ken Mease is being replaced by Gerald Owens. Owens, a news reporter, had anchored 9's 5 AM weekday newscast prior to October. Mease moves to sports duties on the newly expanded weekend morning newscasts starting 12/16.

November 22, 2000
Duckman Released From Hospital
DC radio veteran Bob Duckman was released from Kernan Hospital in Baltimore on 11/22 after suffering neck injuries in a car accident six weeks before near his home in Anne Arundel County. He'll be spending the next month with therapy and rehab at home. Bob is half of the morning team on nostalgic WGAY (1260 AM) as well as the station's program director.

November 20, 2000
Doctor Wins Suit Against WJLA
A Fairfax County doctor has won a defamation suit against Channel 7, WJLA. On 11/20, Stephen Levin, a Vienna orthopedist, was awarded $2.5 million after a jury found that WJLA aired "defamatory statements (that) were false" about the doctor. Channel 7 produced a news report in November 1997 about the legitimacy of Levin's back pain treatment, which manipulated and stretched muscles near the pelvis. The station also featured an extensive print, radio, and TV promo campaign referring to Levin as the "Dirty Doc" and alleging that his exams involved "sexual assault." A WJLA lawyer said he hopes to have the verdict overturned on appeal.

November 17, 2000
Infinity Sells WBMD And WBGR
We heard on 11/17 that Infinity is selling two Baltimore AMers - WBMD (750) and WBGR (860) - to Expanse Communications for $5.4 million. Expanse is headed by Jeanell Hines, who's a 20-year veteran of Baltimore/DC area radio. Both stations have religious formats.

November 16, 2000
Mega Gets Funds
Silver Spring's Mega Communications is getting a $65 million infusion of funds from two big securities firms to help grow its Spanish language radio empire. So reports trade journal Radio And Records on 11/16. There was talk a few months ago that Mega's cash reserve was growing tight and the group might have to sell some stations, but Mega officials strongly denied that. With these new funds, look for Mega to add to its 20 stations in nine markets. In the DC area Mega owns WBZS, WPLC FM/AM, WKDL, and WKDM. Look for Mega to pick up properties in NYC, Miami, and LA.

November 14, 2000
Jacques Joins 9
Virg Jacques (right), a news anchor at Baltimore's Channel 11 WBAL, is moving to DC's Channel 9 WUSA. Jacques, who joined WBAL in 1993, was taken off the station's 5 PM newscast over the summer. Channel 9's new news director is Dave Roberts who used to be Channel 11's news director in the early 1990s before moving to Gannett's station in Atlanta. WUSA is also owned by Gannett. Meanwhile, 11 has hired Jeff Pegues from a Miami station to co-anchor its 5 PM newscast with Donna Hamilton. WUSA has also hired two new weekend weather guys - Keith Marler from Duluth and Howard Bernstein from Rochester/Oklahoma City. Also, Catherine Snyder takes the "number 2" senior executive news producer spot. Her dad is Jim Snyder, the man who built 9 into a news powerhouse in the 70s and 80s. Also, the new AM executive news producer is Susan Truitt, who's worked at 9 and 5.

November 14, 2000
Robert Trout Dies
Robert Trout, a broadcaster whose World War II radio reports held a nation spellbound, died on 11/14 in NYC at 91 of congestive heart failure. He got his start in 1931 as a handyman at WJSV in Mount Vernon Hills VA and soon became an on-air reporter. That station later moved to DC and became WTOP.

November 3, 2000
Viacom Buys DC's BET
Viacom made it official on 11/3 - it will indeed buy DC-based Black Entertainment Television, the African American-oriented cable TV network. Price tag - $2.5 billion. Viacom says BET will continue to be headquartered in DC and Robert Johnson will continue to be its head. DCRTV reported rumors of Viacom's plans on 10/30. Viacom owns CBS in addition to local TV channels 13/WJZ and 20/WDCA, as well as a batch of cable nets including MTV, Showtime, TNN, and Nickelodeon, along with a stake in Infinity Broadcasting which owns many DC/Baltimore area radio stations, not to mention the UPN broadcast network and Paramount movie studios. There has been talk that Viacom will use BET as an outlet for the black-oriented programming now carried on its UPN network in case UPN doesn't survive. Many of the most powerful UPN stations are owned by Chris Craft (like Baltimore's UPN 24), which Rupert Murdoch, who owns the competing Fox network, is buying.

October 28, 2000
1050 AM Becomes WPLC
As expected, Mega's 1050 AM in Silver Spring, now WPLC-AM (formerly WKDL), has flipped as of 10/28 to a simulcast of the Spanish adult contemporary "Amor" format which is also carried on 94.3, WPLC-FM in Warrenton VA. 1050 had been airing Mega's Mexican/Central American "Radio Capital" programming, which is now heard on 730 AM, WKDL (formerly WBZS) in Alexandria.

October 27, 2000
Former JMO's Kelly Demoted As PA Announcer By Skins
The Redskins on 10/27 replaced Bruce Kelly, former morning personality at WJMO (99.5 FM), as their main public address announcer at FedEx Field. Starting with the Skins/Titans Monday night game on 10/30 a variety of "local celebrities" will perform the public address duties. The Skins organization recently was fined by the National Football League for the antics of Kelly who incited too much crowd noise during the 10/1 Skins/Bucks game and for saying that Ravens fans "suck" during a 10/15 game between the DC and Baltimore teams. He is reportedly the first announcer in the history of the NFL to draw the league's wrath in the form of a fine. While Kelly will still handle some public address chores, he'll no longer be the main announcer. Kelly and WJMO parted company in late summer. He said he was leaving to tend to a case of skin cancer although some have speculated that his lowish ratings were also a cause for his departure.

October 25, 2000
Clear Channel Moves Studios
Clear Channel is making a few changes - studiowise. DC101 will be moving out of its Brookeville Road studios in Silver Spring and be co-located with CC's other DC area FMers (WJMO, WMZQ, WBIG, and WASH) at 1801 Rockville Pike in Rockville. WTEM, now located in a separate building in Rockville, will move over to Brookeville Road, where WGAY and WWRC already are. When the dust settles, all of CC's DC area FMers will be in Rockville and all of its DC area AMers will be in Silver Spring.

October 23, 2000
Duckman Improves After Car Accident
DC radio veteran Bob Duckman (left) is improving after a car accident on 10/12 in which he suffered neck injuries. Because of three broken vertebrae he'll be in traction for several weeks and could be back at work in 8 to 10 weeks. There is said to be no danger of paralysis. After leaving his Anne Arundel County home at 5 AM for the drive to work, Duckman was involved in a head-on collision with a stolen car. Following a foot chase, police arrested two men (both 21) who were in the stolen car. Duckman, 54, co-hosts (with Eddie Gallaher) the morning show on nostalgic WGAY (1260 AM) where he's also program director.

October 23, 2000
WNVC Goes Off Air For Tower Work
Public, internationally-formatted WNVC Channel 56 in Fairfax has gone off the air for a month starting 10/23 to do work on its tower in preparation for digital broadcasts. The station will continue to relay its signal via cable to several of the larger cable TV systems in the area. However, cable subscribers in Charles, Loudoun, and Prince William counties will lose WNVC's signal during this period, according to the station.

October 18, 2000
WHUR, WERQ Top Late Summer Arbitron Radio Ratings
WHUR is tops in DC, and WERQ is tops in Baltimore according to the summer Arbitron radio ratings, released 10/18. Big jumps for WJZW, DC101, WPLC, and WTOP, and big drops for WMAL, WARW, and WASH. In fact, WMAL's morning team of "Tim And Andy" plunged from 2nd to 11th place (while the news/talker slumped to 13th place overall). WJFK's afternoon team of "Don And Mike" took top honors in their time period. WKYS's Russ Parr and Olivia Fox won the morning drive battle among all listeners with TOP's news in close pursuit. Among the 25-54 demo, WRQX's Diamond/Weiss did well, as did WJFK's Howard Stern. Up in Baltimore, WXYV saw a big jump, while WBAL took a fall.

October 16, 2000
92.7 Goes Spanish
New 92.7 WBZS officially kicked-off its Spanish urban contemporary format on 10/16. Mega Communications fired up WBZS on 10/13 for test broadcasts. Mega had hoped to get 92.7 on the air by June, but delays in moving the Prince Frederick MD station's transmitter site closer to DC caused the start-up date to get pushed back. Mega cranked up its first area FMer, WPLC 94.3 in Warrenton VA, back in July.

October 11, 2000
Tower Company To Sue DC
As expected, American Tower Corporation appeared in federal court on 10/11 to sue the District Of Columbia for recently revoking a permit for a partially constructed communications tower at 41st and Wisconsin that might have been used by area TV stations for their digital TV broadcasts. Construction of the structure, which is 200 feet taller than the Washington Monument, began in early September. Originally DC's planning department had said that the tower plans fell within zoning regs and had recommended its approval. However, last week the construction permit was revoked. Citing height restrictions, area residents had called on DC Mayor Anthony Williams to find a way to stop the project which would be the tallest structure in the city if completed.

September 26, 2000
Shutt Named To 9's Top Weather Position, Howard Joins Weather Team
Despite all the news changes at 9 (below), DCRTV heard on 9/26 that Topper Shutt has been named chief meteorologist at WUSA, officially replacing Doug Hill, who defected to Channel 7 last May. (Hill's old Channel 9 contract prevents him from being seen on 7 until December.) There was talk that 9 had been looking for a new head weatherman. Also, Hillary Howard has been named weekday morning and noon weathercaster at 9. Howard had been a weekend news anchor and weekday news reporter at Channel 5 (she started there in 1989 as a weather person), but she parted company with WTTG during the summer of 1999. Recently, Howard has been doing some morning weather sub work at WUSA.

September 25, 2000
Channel 9 Cancels 4 PM Newscast, Makes Other Changes
Big changes at Channel 9 as the station officially surrenders the "top news" crown in the DC market to Channel 4. DCRTV learned on 9/25 that WUSA, whose newscasts once ruled the local TV news arena but lately have been stuck in 2nd and 3rd place, is dropping its 4 PM newscast as well as cutting a half hour off the end of its three-hour (4 PM to 7 PM) evening news block. Starting 10/16, Montel Williams' talk show will take over the 4 PM slot. 9's local news will go from 5 PM until 6:30 PM (instead of 7 PM), the CBS network news will air at 6:30 PM (instead of 7 PM), and game show "To Tell The Truth" will air at 7 PM. WUSA is moving evening anchors Mike Buchanan and Andrea Roane to its 5 AM to 7 AM news broadcast. Gordon Peterson and J.C. Hayward will anchor the 5 PM to 6 PM news block, with newcomer Gurvir Dhindsa co-anchoring the 6 PM and 11 PM newscasts with Peterson. Hayward will also anchor the noon news. Gerald Owens moves to weekend morning anchor with Jennifer Ryan. Bruce Johnson continues to do the weekend evening and 11 shows. The big losers, obviously, are Beverly Burke and Peggy Fox who will no longer anchor and will become reporters. However, WUSA will be adding an hour of news at 9 AM (while Channel 4 drops its 9 AM newscast for an extra hour of the "Today Show"). All this comes with the arrival of a new news director at Gannett's 9. NBC-owned Channel 4, WRC, which has been winning the TV news ratings battle lately, will continue with its 4 PM to 7 PM local news block.

September 25, 2000
WTOP Won't Carry Orioles Next Year
After 22 years, all-newser WTOP (1500 AM/107.7 FM) dumps the Orioles for next season and it looks like the struggling (winning-wise) Birds could be flying to all-sports WTEM (980 AM). The Orioles home team station in Baltimore will remain WBAL (1090 AM). TOP only carried O's games this season if they aired on weekends or on weekday evenings so as not to interfere with TOP's promise of "traffic and weather on the 8's."

September 22, 2000
Viacom Puts Channel 20 Up For Sale
It looks like Viacom is planning to sell or trade away DC's WDCA Channel 20. We hear that Viacom, which recently acquired CBS, wants to sell its non-CBS stations (WDCA is a UPN station) in markets where it doesn't already own the CBS station. Because of FCC ownership cap rules, it is advantageous for a single owner to own more than one TV station in a market. In the DC market, Gannett (not CBS) owns the CBS affiliate (WUSA Channel 9). So, WDCA (which was owned by Paramount which got gobbled up by Viacom) as well as stations in places like Norfolk, Atlanta, Houston, and Seattle, are up for sale - or more likely, trade. It looks like a likely bidder for 20 could be Rupert Murdoch, owner of the Fox network which owns DC's Channel 5, WTTG. Fox could pair 5 and 20 in DC. And Murdoch could even sell Baltimore's Channel 24 WUTB (a UPN affiliate), which he recently acquired, to Viacom/CBS to pair with Charm City's CBS-owned WJZ, Channel 13.

September 22, 2000
TOP To Add 820 AM
DCRTV learned on 9/22 that DC's all-news station, WTOP, will be adding a new AM frequency, creating a "trimulcast," starting in December on 820 AM in Frederick. TOP owner Bonneville owns 820 WXTR and currently programs classic country on the station. With the addition of 820, TOP says it will be able to cover a hole in its coverage area including the Frederick and upper Montgomery county areas, as well as eastern Loudoun County. WXTR has a 4,300-watt signal during the day and 430-watts at night. TOP's main 50,000-watt AM frequency at 1500 is highly directional and does not put out a lot of wattage to the west and southwest of its Wheaton transmitter site, particularly at night. Several years ago TOP started an FM relay from Warrenton, first on 94.3, then on 107.7, to improve the station's coverage in Virginia. Earlier this year, TOP also kicked off "WTOP 2," an internet only audio stream which focuses on the activities of the federal government.

September 19, 2000
Katz Leaves RQX
DCRTV reported earlier in September that Lou Katz (right) had left WRQX, but now we hear in the 9/19 Post that he resigned after he and his station conducted unsuccessful negotiations on a new contract. Apparently RQX operations director Steve Kosbau had offered a new contract to replace a previous five-year deal, but Katz said he wanted to do other jobs (not revealed) at the station in addition to his afternoon shift. Katz has yet to land a gig at any other area station.

September 18, 2000
Lewin Joins BAL Radio
Former Orioles announcer Josh Lewin will return to Baltimore's WBAL (1090 AM) for a nightly two-hour sports talk show to run during the baseball off-season. Lewin left Baltimore a while back to join the Detroit Tigers broadcasting team and will do his show from the Motor City.

September 15, 2000
WASA Is Sold
WASA (1330 AM) in Havre De Grace MD has been purchased by the Interdenominational Ministerial Alliance, a coalition of predominantly African-American ministers, and will drop its relay of Baltimore's nostalgic music WWLG (1360 AM) in early October in favor of a gospel based religious format. Mangione Enterprises, which owns WWLG as well as Baltimore talker WCBM (680 AM), recently sold WASA, which is located northeast of Baltimore in Harford County. The religious alliance group is creating the People's Broadcast Network and will have stations in Louisiana and Texas, in addition to WASA.

September 12, 2000
JHU GM Bolts
Baltimore's WJHU (88.1 FM) has lost its general manager Ray Dilley. He went on vacation in August and never came back, so reports the 9/13 Baltimore Sun. Dilley is credited with turning the Johns Hopkins University owned station from a money losing operation into one that is financially solvent, as well as putting increased emphasis on its news operations.

September 12, 2000
9's News Director Leaves
DCRTV learned on 9/12 that Paul Irvin, news director at Gannett-owned WUSA, Channel 9, has left. His replacement is Dave Roberts who comes from Gannett's WXIA-TV in Atlanta. Before coming to Atlanta in 1996, Roberts was the news director of Baltimore's WBAL-TV for four years. Irvin had been at 9 for about a year and a half while the station's newscasts have generally maintained a hold on second place in the DC market, behind Channel 4's. An article in the 9/13 Washington Post says that Irvin was shown the door and quotes WUSA top anchor Gordon Peterson as saying that he "didn't perform in the way the general manager wanted him to perform".

September 11, 2000
WNST Returns To Sports
Baltimore/Towson's WNST (1570 AM) has returned to an all-sports format starting 9/11. The station had been broadcasting religious talk under the Catholic Family Radio banner, but earlier this year CFR went belly up and put its stations up for sale. The station will now air local sports talk programming during the mornings and afternoons including "Nasty" Nestor Aparicio (left) from 2 PM to 6 PM, as well as One On One Sports net programming on evenings and weekends. "Nasty" had been heard on biz talker WBIS (1190 AM). WNST was a sports talker before its sale to CFR. Aparicio says that he and a bunch of his sports buddies are buying the station.

September 10, 2000
Comcast And Fox Settle HTS Dispute
Comcast and Fox have settled a legal dispute over the sale of Home Team Sports. Viacom/CBS announced its was selling HTS, the mid-Atlantic sports network, to Comcast in early summer. But Fox, which was a part owner of HTS with CBS, had filed a suit to stop the sale. However, a deal was announced in early September in which Comcast will trade the Midwest Sports Channel (which it acquired from CBS along with HTS) to Fox. With that deal, Fox will drop its suit against Comcast's purchase of HTS. Fox, claiming it did not receive the "same consideration" from Viacom/CBS, had been angered that Comcast had apparently agreed to add some Viacom-owned networks to its DC area cable line-ups as part of the deal to buy HTS. Meanwhile, Comcast is indeed adding a batch of Viacom networks - MTV2, MTV Spanish, MTV Xtreme, VH1 Classic, VH1 Soul, VH1 Country, as well as a variety of Nickelodeon and Sundance Channel multiplexes - (along with Encore and Discovery multiplexes including BBC America) to its local digital cable system services (Alexandria and Reston) this month. Look for a name change for HTS by early 2001.

August 30, 2000
WACA Sold
Wheaton Spanish station WACA, 1540 AM, has been sold. The seller - Entravision. The buyer - the station's general manager Alejandro Carrasco, who owns AC Communications. The price - $2.5 million. Carrasco has been operating the station under a local marketing agreement for the past three years.

August 29, 2000
Hagerstown's 104.7 Goes Country
104.7 FM, formerly WWMD, in Hagerstown MD is now WAYZ. The WWMD calls are now on 101.5 FM, formerly WAYZ, in Chambersburg PA. 104.7 started simulcasting 101.5's country format on 8/29. When it was WWMD, 104.7 was one of the last remaining old-fashioned easy listening stations. The switch was expected after the station was sold earlier this summer. The new owners had announced plans to put country on 104.7 and move the easy listening (or another format) to another station they own on 101.5. The 104.7 signal makes it to the DC area; the Pennsylvania 101.5 signal does not. DCRTV does hear that Hagerstown's 1240 AM, WJEJ, (which was co-owned with the old WWMD) may continue with the easy listening format, but the closest its signal gets to the DC area is Frederick.

August 27, 2000
Haber Leaves 5 For NYC
Channel 5 sports anchor Brett Haber (left) will be doing the 11 PM sportscast at NYC's WCBS-TV when he makes the move to the Big Apple in September. In addition to his late news sports anchor chores for WCBS-TV, Haber will be doing assignments for CBS Sports. A WTTG source says NY native Haber calls it his "dream job." Meanwhile, Channel 5 has signed Dave Feldman from ESPN as a sports anchor and reporter. DCRTV broke the news about Haber's move in early August. Former Channel 9 sports anchor Warner Wolf will continue to do WCBS-TV's 6 PM sportscast. Wolf worked at 9 in the 1970s, left for NYC, and returned to 9 in the early 1990s after the death of Glenn Brenner. After a few years he left again for NYC and was replaced by Ken Broo, who was later replaced by Jess Atkinson. Wolf can also be heard on Don Imus's morning radio show which is carried on WTEM (980 AM).

August 27, 2000
Hill Installs Doppler Radar For 7
If you've seen former Channel 9 weatherman Doug Hill (right) walking through the fields near Bowie lately you may have thought it was your imagination. But it wasn't. DCRTV hears that Hill, who'll be joining Channel 7's on-air staff in December, is busy installing state of the art Doppler weather radar in the Prince Georges County suburb. WJLA has promised a big upgrade in its weather department, and Hill, who said adios to 9 last May, seems to be intent on delivering.

August 26, 2000
Stern's TV Show Returns To DC Market
Howard Stern's broadcast TV show returns to the DC market courtesy of Channel 20, WDCA. "The Howard Stern Radio Show" will now be seen on Saturdays starting on 9/2 at 11 PM. Channel 20 was recently acquired by CBS (which is owned by Viacom) and CBS's Eyemark syndicates the show. The King Of All Media's show has been missing from the DC market since last year when it was axed by Channel 50, WBDC (after moving the show to the wee hours of the morning), for failing to generate ratings and advertisers. The Stern TV show is also carried on Baltimore's WJZ, Channel 13, a CBS-owned station, each Saturday at 11:30 PM. In addition, Stern (left) has a nightly cable TV show on Entertainment Television along with his morning radio show on WJFK (106.7 FM/1300 AM).

August 25, 2000
Simulcast Of WKCW Ends On 1460
The Asian programming now heard on WKDV, 1460 AM in Manassas, is brokered, or paid, programming. If time is not sold on the station, it will carry a simulcast of traditional country WKCW, 1420 AM, in Warrenton, which WKDV had been relaying most of the summer. WKDV kicked off the Asian programming (either Korean or Chinese) on 8/25. WKDV was purchased by Multicultural Broadcasting in the early summer along with Arlington's WZHF, 1390 AM, (which has a separate Chinese talk/music format) and WKCW, a long-time country station.

August 22, 2000
Kelly Says Goodbye To WJMO
Bruce Kelly, morning man on "Jammin' Oldies" WJMO (99.5 FM), has said goodbye to his station, effective 8/24. Kelly will undergo surgery for skin cancer and that the prognosis is excellent for a full recovery. Kelly told AA: "I hate to seem like a copycat of my good friend and Arizona buddy Senator John McCain, but this has been unfolding for a few weeks now. And this is my priority - to get well." Despite Kelly's recent health woes, there has been talk in recent weeks that changes were coming to 99.5 to help stop its ratings slide, particularly with its ownership changing from AMFM to Clear Channel.

August 20, 2000
5 Says Goodbye To Binswanger
Channel 5 says farewell to Fox Morning News anchor Josh Binswanger (left) after station management decided that his new job as co-host of The History Channel's new "This Week In History" show conflicts with his duties at WTTG. His last day at 5 was 8/23. "We're really sorry to see him go, but we know this is a great opportunity for him and wish him the best of luck," WTTG news director Katherine Green told the Post. But, she added, "he's moving into an arena that is viewed as a competitive environment with news. We felt that he would have to do one thing or the other."

August 16, 2000
Segal To Be Syndicated?
DCRTV hears that DC101 morning man Elliot Segal is close to signing a syndication deal with rocker WWDC's new owner Clear Channel. The word is that Segal's show may also be heard in other mid-Atlantic markets, on Clear Channel stations in Roanoke, Martinsburg, Baltimore (classic rocker WOCT?), Richmond, and Virginia Beach. Washington Post radio columnist Frank Ahrens says that Segal is building a house in Montgomery County so it looks like previous rumors of his return to NYC (he came from Big Apple contemporary hit outlet Z-100 last year) are unfounded.

August 16, 2000
Mega Renames 92.7 WBZS
Mega Communications has changed the calls on 92.7 FM (formerly WMJS) in Prince Frederick MD to WBZS-FM and plans to start simulcasting the Spanish dance/urban format from Alexandria's 730 (WBZS-AM) on 92.7 by late August or early September, Mega head Alfredo Alonso tells DCRTV on 8/14. The new transmitter site for 92.7 is in Sunderland MD, about 10 miles closer to DC than the previous MJS transmitter was. Alonso says that the recent bout of stormy weather has delayed work on the new transmitter site. Originally, he hoped to start his second area Spanish FMer earlier this summer (Mega's first area FMer, WPLC 94.3 in Warrenton VA, started broadcasting in early July). Alonso also confirms that 1600 AM in Rockville is now WKDM. The former WNNY calls have been moved to Mega's new Spanish all-news NYC station (formerly WKDM). Alonso adds that Mega has made no decision about the future of 1600 - it may continue to broadcast Radio Unica, it may become a simulcast of 92.7, or Mega might sell it. Meanwhile, a published rumor that Silver Spring-based Mega is on the verge of being purchased by an Anglo concern is being flatly denied by Mega officials. Inside Radio, a radio industry publication, speculated on 8/15 that Mega was up for sale. However, Mega chief Alfredo Alonso tells DCRTV that there is absolutely no truth to the rumor. The 8/16 New York Post says that "Mega is shopping its 20 stations for $50 million after vainly trying cost-cutting and refinancing. Spanish programming, according to Inside Radio, isn't generating enough revenue to keep Mega in the black".

August 14, 2000
Batchelder Dies
Johnny Batchelder, an announcer and reporter who once worked at Channel 7 (then WMAL-TV) as well as WMAL radio, among other area stations, died of a stroke on 8/14 in Florida at age 83.

August 11, 2000
HFS DJ Johnny Riggs Resigns
WHFS PM drive DJ Johnny Riggs (left) submitted his resignation on 8/10 to the alternative rocker, 99.1's general manager Phil Zachary confirmed to DCRTV. The station aired a formal announcement about Riggs' departure on 8/11. In a statement posted at www.whfs.com, Riggs says: "Rather than be a radio pariah, and subject the station to further jokes and insults, I've decided to move on." Riggs pleaded guilty on 8/8 to possession of child pornography and was suspended by Infinity-owned station. Zachary tells DCRTV that he's upset that "a certain DC station" (obviously competing rocker DC101 and its morning man Elliot Segal) has "seen fit to crucify (Riggs) with blatent lies." Riggs, 38, was charged in late 1999 after police searched his Ellicott City home. The search of Riggs's home came after the Customs Service provided information that he might have been trying to buy anabolic steroids over the internet. According to Howard County court documents, police found small quantities of heroin, cocaine and marijuana, along with computer pornography. In exchange for his guilty plea to the porn charge, prosecutors agreed to dismiss three drug possession charges if Riggs completes a treatment program. Zachary said that station management learned only recently about the charges against Riggs. Assistant program director Bob Waugh takes over the 2 PM to 6 PM shift.

August 4, 2000
Joyner Moves From HUR To MMJ
Staring 8/28, Tom Joyner (right) will have a new radio home in DC and it will be Radio One's adult urban contemporary outlet WMMJ (102.3 FM). Joyner has been heard on Howard University's adult urban WHUR (96.3 FM). Joyner, who does his show from Dallas, is one of the top rated morning personalities in the DC area. Joyner had been on 96.3 five years. Joyner admits that he's sorry to be leaving HUR. He has issued a statement: "WHUR has been more than an affiliate of 'The Tom Joyner Morning Show.' They have been a flagship station of our morning show. They are owned by Howard University, and everyone knows how I feel about supporting black colleges. With the state of the radio industry, it is harder and harder for independent operators to succeed. WHUR has defied these odds and I feel privileged to have contributed to their success. Our partnership with WHUR has been a valued one and I will miss being part of their family." Joyner's deal with Radio One puts him on its stations in Boston and Houston, too.

July 28, 2000
Don And Mike Censored On NYC Station
WJFK's "Don And Mike" claim that their show is being censored on New York's hot talker WNEW-FM by, of all people, their former JFK program director Jeremy Coleman, who now holds that post at the NYC station. The edict recently went out that no anti-Howard Stern talk was to be allowed on WNEW, which Infinity/CBS owns along with Howard's NYC station, WXRK. Apparently the 106.7/JFK (which is also owned by Infinity/CBS) duo, who are actually Mike O'Meara and Mike Sorce (right), mentioned Stern during the first hour of their 7/28 afternoon show which is supposed to air on WNEW via tape delay the same evening. That hour of programming was not aired on WNEW and, according to the New York Post, D&M left a "very peppered message" on Coleman's answering machine.

July 24, 2000
Fox Sues To Stop HTS Sale
Fox Sports Net, which owns a minority stake in Home Team Sports, filed suit in late July to block the sale of the mid-Atlantic regional sports network to Comcast. MultiChannel News reports that a suit filed by FSN's holding company seeks to stop Viacom from completing the sale of its majority stake in HTS to Comcast. FSN, which owns about one-third of Bethesda-based HTS, claims that its so-called "tag-along" rights were violated when Viacom agreed to sell its stake in HTS to Comcast. The suit alleges that Comcast is compensating Viacom by agreeing to increase distribution for Viacom-owned cable networks and that the value of such noncash "consideration" is about $155 million. Yet, the suit maintains that Fox offered Viacom $250 million for its majority stake in HTS alone and it was turned down.

July 24, 2000
Non-Commercial GTS Launches Ad Campaign
Non-commercial religious outlet WGTS (91.9 FM) has embarked on a promotional campaign that includes ads on major TV stations including one that aired at 6:45 AM 7/25 on Channel 9. You don't often see TV ads for non-commercial radio stations. According to John Konrad, general manager of the Takoma Park station, the ad campaign started in April with the religious Dove Awards and the airing of a Jesus movie on 9. He says a donor gave the station funds specifically for the ads on Channel 9. The GTS promo campaign will escalate when the Columbia Union College-owned station moves its transmitter to a tower in Northern Virginia and increases its power by the end of the year. Check out the GTS promo at DCRTV's Jingleland.

July 24, 2000
Fire Strikes FMers In Rockville
A fire on the evening of 7/24 forced the evacuation of the Rockville studio facilities of AMFM's WBIG, WJMO, WMZQ, and WASH. A rooftop fire of undetermined origin, producing brown smoke, caused the fire department to evacuate 1801 Rockville Pike at 6:10 PM forcing all four FMers to be put into automated mode for half an hour to 45 minutes as most of the stations' personnel waited outside the building on the street below. Luckily, says WBIG's Steven Ray, the fire department was located right around the corner and was there within seconds after the smoke was first spotted. WBIG's Goldie returned to the studio to resume his shift at 6:53 PM.

July 23, 2000
Henderson Dies
DJ Douglas "Jocko" Henderson died 7/15 in Philadelphia at age 82 (although some reports had him in his 70s). A Baltimore native, Mr. Henderson started his career at Charm City's WSID (1010 AM) in 1952 developing a very distinctive jive-talking, rhyming patter to the then new rhythm 'n blues music he played. A year later he left for Philadelphia's WDAS-AM, and in the late 50s launched "Jocko's Rocketship" at NYC's WLIB and eventually worked at a number of other Big Apple radio and TV stations, including a number of recent appearances on NYC oldies WCBS-FM`s "Radio Greats Weekends." Mr. Henderson's son, Doug, does overnights at Philadelphia adult urban contemporary outlet WDAS-FM.

July 23, 2000
Creasy Dies
Gene Creasy, who in the 1960s was the program director of Baltimore's WITH and WCAO, died on 7/17 in Richmond at 72. He'd been suffering from cancer. "He was one of the guys who took Elvis mainstream, and...he was the voice of Firestone," Z104's Sean Sellers told the Richmond Times Dispatch. Sellers worked with Mr. Creasy at WLCQ in Clarksville VA during the early 1980s. "When I met him, I was in awe. He had this booming deep voice. I always thought of him as a cross between Clark Gable and John Wayne," Sellers added.

July 23, 2000
No Changes Predicted In AMFM/Clear Channel Merger
Bennett Zier (right), executive VP for AMFM's eight DC area stations (WWDC, WBIG, WASH, WMZQ, WJMO, WWRC, WTEM, and WGAY), tells the Montgomery Business Gazette in a July interview that Clear Channel probably won't change the formats (or have any layoffs) at any local stations when it merges with AMFM in the near future. He tells the Gazette that AMFM's DC area stations are consistently ranked by Arbitron as some of the most popular in the Washington market.

July 22, 2000
Taylor Leaves WARW
Sarah Taylor, general manager at WARW (94.7 FM), has left the classic rocker. Phil Zachary, general manager at alternative rocker WHFS (99.1 FM), will now also take on the WARW duties. So reports All Access radio industry news. Both stations are owned by Infinity/CBS. WARW's ratings have been slowly rising of late, while WHFS's have been in a long, slow slump.

July 21, 2000
WZHF Looks For Brokered Programming
Multicultural Broadcasting President Arthur Liu tells the VOA's "Communications World" program in mid-July that the Chinese language programming on his requently acquired WZHF (1390 AM) in Arlington is being relayed from NYC just to fill space for unsold blocks of time. Liu said he hopes to soon sell 1390's airtime for a wide range of ethnic programming which could include Vietnamese, Korean, Spanish, Chinese, and more.

July 16, 2000
Basham Dies
Christie Basham, who had a 40-year network news career including service as an executive producer for news and public affairs at WETA, Channel 26, died of cancer 7/16 at her home in DC. She was 68. Mrs. Basham started her career in the 1950s at the Washington Star newspaper. During the next three decades, she handled production and other administrative duties for the Washington news bureaus of NBC and CBS.

July 13, 2000
Former DC101 Personality Sean Donahue Dies
Former DC101/98 Rock personality Sean Donahue (left), son of the late rock radio pioneer Tom Donahue, died in a single vehicle accident near Great Falls, Montana on 7/8. He'd worked in the DC/Baltimore area in the 1980s and moved out to "Big Sky" country in the early 1990s, where he worked at several radio stations, including five years at KMMS, "The Moose." A memorial service for Sean was held on 7/13.

July 12, 2000
Bassett Dies
Bob Bassett, 71, who hosted jazz and big band programs in the 1980s at Arlington's WEAM (1390 AM) and Baltimore's WITH (1230 AM) and whose signature song was "Stardust," died 7/6 at his home in Columbia, the Washington Post reported 7/13. He had amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. According to the Post, Mr. Bassett attempted to play a different version of "Stardust" every day on his radio program. He also helped the Smithsonian Institution produce big band-type records and was one of the masters of ceremonies of the Kennedy Center's Kool Jazz Festival. He retired from broadcasting in 1988.

July 12, 2000
WJHU Wants To Start News Department
Baltimore public station WJHU (88.1 FM) is seeking $500,000 to fund a local news department. The Baltimore Sun reports 7/12 that the Johns Hopkins University-owned station hopes to supplement its airings of NPR staples "Morning Edition" and "All Things Considered" with detailed local news stories, following a model set by other public stations like DC's WAMU.

July 11, 2000
Comcast Buys Home Team Sports
Comcast is buying Home Team Sports. The Philadelphia-based cable company is purchasing the mid-Atlantic regional sports cable/satellite network for $300 million as part of a deal that also involves the acquisition of two mid-western cable sports nets. Comcast will soon own all (except Fairfax County) of the cable systems in the immediate DC area. Another suitor for HTS was said to be Fox Sports Net, which already had a minority ownership stake in network. CBS, following its merger with Viacom, had announced that it wanted to sell its majority interest in HTS. Comcast already runs the Comcast Sports Net, which serves the Philadelphia area. Also, HTS will continue to carry Fox Sports Net programming. There was talk that Comcast would drop the FSN shows including a planned 11 PM local sports report. The ownership transfer won't take place until late this year.

July 10, 2000
XM Opens New DC Facility
XM Satellite Radio on 7/10 opened a 150,000 square-foot headquarters facility in northeast DC, including a digital radio broadcast facility that is said to be both the largest in the US and the first end-to-end digital radio complex ever built. The facility, also a programming center, features more than 80 inter-connected audio studios including a two-story 2,300 square-foot performance studio.

July 10, 2000
Imus Back At Work
Three weeks after falling off a horse and suffering extensive injuries, Don Imus returned to hosting his morning show on 7/10. He does the program from his New Mexico ranch, where his mishap occurred. Imus is heard locally on WTEM (980 AM). Imus said he almost died twice in the hospital.

July 8, 2000
Channel 4's News Seen On 66
We hear that NBC 4's local 11 PM newscast is showing up on Pax's WPXW/66 at 11:30 PM, starting on Saturday, 7/8. NBC owns a stake in the family-oriented Pax network and has been running some programs on Pax on a delayed basis. Speaking of Channel 4/WRC, is the Peacock net station in DC running prime time infomercials these days? A half-hour Ronco "show" appeared in the key 7 PM slot on Saturday. If 66 is going to look more like 4, then is 4 going to look more like 66?.

July 7, 2000
WZHF Goes Chinese
Multicultural started its Chinese (Mandarin and Cantonese) format on Arlington's WZHF, 1390 AM as of 7/7. Multicultural recently acquired the station from Mega which moved the previous Spanish adult contemporary format to 94.3 FM.

July 6, 2000
WKDV Goes Country
1460 AM, WKDV in Manassas has started relaying the traditional country sounds of Warrenton's 1420 WKCW. Both stations are now owned by Multicultural Broadcasting. 1460 had been broadcasting a Spanish language music format under its previous owner, Mega Broadcasting. Also, Multicultural has started a Chinese format on Arlington's AM 1390, WZHF. 1390, another Mega to Multicultural swap, had been broadcasting a Spanish love songs format which recently moved to Mega's 1600 AM, WNNY in Rockville, partly replacing Radio Unica. The "Amor" format can also be heard on Mega's 94.3 FM out of Warrenton.

July 6, 2000
New Calls For 64
Low power DC area Telemundo affiliate, WZGS-LP, Channel 64, is now WZDC-LP.

July 6, 2000
WERQ Staffer Murdered
All Access radio industry news reported 6/27 that WERQ (92.3 FM) Promotions Assistant Larry Hines was found murdered early on the morning of 6/24. Hines left a Baltimore nightclub and was later found shot to death in a vacant home. Police suspect that Hines may have been the victim of a botched robbery, All Access adds.

July 6, 2000
Adelphia Adds More Local Cable Systems
While Comcast may be busy building a "cluster" of cable TV systems in the immediate DC and Baltimore areas, Adelphia is busy creating one northwest and southwest of the DC/Baltimore metroplex. Adelphia announced in late June that it will acquire cable systems serving Orange and Culpeper VA from AT&T (formerly TCI). In early June, Adelphia announced that it will buy GS Communications, a Frederick MD-based publishing/media firm that owns cable TV systems serving 155,000 subscribers in Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, and Pennsylvania. Adelphia also owns the Loudoun County cable system, along with other Virginia cable systems serving a total of 700,000 subscribers.

July 5, 2000
Hill Off Until December
When we earlier reported that you won't see Doug Hill doing the weather on Channel 7 until this fall we were right, well, kind of. DCRTV has heard that the popular weatherman, whose last day on Channel 9 was May 31, has a non-compete clause in his contract which forbids him to be on the air on another area TV station until the end of the November ratings sweeps. Which means Doug won't show up on 7 until the very late fall, like around Thanksgiving or later. Fall doesn't technically end until around December 21.

July 1, 2000
WPLC Goes Spanish
Mega Broadcasting started its Spanish love songs, "Amor," format on Warrenton's WPLC, 94.3 FM on 7/1. The Amor format had been also heard on 1390 AM in Arlington, but can now be heard part-time on 1600 AM in Rockville. Until 6/30, WPLC had broadcast an English modern adult contemporary format.

July 1, 2000
WINX Calls Retired
It's official, the legendary WINX call letters, which have been in use at some frequency in the DC area for many decades, are now retired. 1600 AM in Rockville is now WNNY. (Are the calls being "parked" for future use at a new Mega station in NYC?) Mega received the new calls from the FCC on 6/16. Does this change mean Mega is planning to apply for new calls on some of its other stations like 92.7, 94.3, 730 or 1050?

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