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 :// Allie Oakley leaving WBQB  | Tuesday, October 31, 2006Allie Oakley, Creative Services Director for Mid Atlantic Networks' Hot AC "B101.5" WBQB and "NewsTalk1230" WFVA Fredericksburg, has accepted a position as the Sky Fox reporter with "Fox 5" WTTG Washington DC. Allie plans to continue part-time with B101.5 and NewsTalk1230 helping with production and community events.
CapSan Media launches new country music station duo | Tuesday, October 31, 2006  FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE... CapSan Media announced today at 12 noon it has launched the Outer Banks’ newest Country Music stations—Wilbur 92.3 FM and Orville 97.1 FM. The company is now simulcasting the greatest country hits of the 80’s and 90’s on both frequencies to maximize the reach of this unique and exciting country music presentation. Listeners will be treated to all time great songs from the biggest country music superstars in the business... (read more - VARTV Press Room)
| Tuesday, October 31, 2006After 21 years as a familiar voice in Richmond radio news, Leslie Taylor has exited Cox Radio Richmond. The group includes "K95" WKHK, "96.5 The Planet" WKLR, "Y101" WDYL and "Mix 103.7" WMXB. Taylor has been a one woman news shop there, since Cox Radio put together the group after deregulation. Taylor says she was told on Friday, September 30, after her morning drive news shift, that the News Director position had been “eliminated.” Taylor says she was “stunned” and “baffled” by the Cox decision, which came in a round of year end budget cutting. Cox part-time staffers are now reading news on the stations. Taylor says she is already in discussions to work “outside” the radio business.
| Tuesday, October 31, 2006Ted Hand, Assistant CE/RF Engineer at CBS O&O "The CW27" WGNT Portsmouth/Norfolk and former CE at WTKR (3/CBS) Norfolk and WAVY (10/NBC) Portsmouth/Norfolk, moves to the 26th market as the new Chief Engineer of Cox Television's "Eyewitness News 9" WSOC and Independent "Action 64" WAXN, both licensed to Charlotte NC. Hand has been in broadcasting for 28 years and is member of the national board of directors of the Society of Broadcast Engineers and has just been named to the SBE national executive committee.
 Several new classified ads have been posted on VARTV the past two weeks...
If your station/organization has any positions available (media oriented), get them on VARTV! You would be surprised who's reading..... (10/31/2006)
| Monday, October 30, 2006 Max Media "Water Country, 94.5" WCMS Hatteras began transmitting RDS info Friday afternoon (10/27), "thereby becoming the first and only station on the Outer Banks to do so. Watch for sister station Beach 104 (WCXL, 104.1) to be next, perhaps today? (Monday 10/30)." The RDS rollout came on the heels of the new WCMS imaging, debuting the "Right Choice" campaign. Operations Manager and morning man Steve Batton says, "It's a perfect marriage with 'Write It Down'," which of course has been a staple of WCMS for many years." Stay tuned for more...
| Saturday, October 28, 2006Big band is out. Español is in. Two AM radio stations in northeastern North Carolina changed to Spanish-speaking formats this week, with the hopes of reaching out to a growing but frequently overlooked community. The two stations, WCNC 1240 AM in Elizabeth City and WZBO 1260 AM in Edenton, will broadcast the nationally syndicated program "La GranD..." (read more - The Virginian-Pilot)
| Saturday, October 28, 2006There's a delay in the addition of WHSV our new Valley's Fox to the Dish Network. A ruling against the Dish Network in Florida put that move on hold. (read more - WHSV.com)
FM99’s Tommy & Rumble poke fun at politics; campaigning to be favorite AM show | Friday, October 27, 2006 (Chesapeake, VA) Virginia voters may not all agree on the candidates or the issues, but the one thing on which they see eye to eye: Everyone’s tired of negative advertisements and political attacks.FM99’s Tommy & Rumble are putting a “positive spin” on this election season. While campaigning to be Hampton Roads’ favorite morning show, they plan to win listeners the old fashioned way: Bribery. (read more - VARTV Press Room)
| Thursday, October 26, 2006WVJT, Inc. has completed its acquisition of radio stations WXCF-FM and WXCF-AM, licensed to Clifton Forge, VA from Impact Broadcasting, Inc. WVJT Inc. is headed by Todd Robinson. (read more - Media Services Group)
| Thursday, October 26, 2006... but you'll need a radio with an HD radio tuner to hear it. Clear Channel started testing WRXL-HD2 (102.1) Tuesday night, sometime after 6 p.m. The HD subchannel is running a Triple A format, using Clear Channel's stream "The Music Summit." WRXL is the first station in Richmond to broadcast an HD2 channel.
| Thursday, October 26, 2006Weekend Anchor/reporter Karen May and Meteorologist Kelli Durand have both exited New York Times' "Your NewsChannel 3" WTKR (CBS) Norfolk. May announced her exiting this past weekend on the air, after being with the station over four years. No word yet why Durand left the station or where both are headed next.
The nationally syndicated Bob & Sheri morning show is now being heard on CapSan Media's Soft AC "The Wind 97.1" WYND and temporary simulcast WZPR/92.3. Bob & Sheri was the morning show on WZPR before the format on the station was blown up Tuesday. They replace Hunt Thomas who hosted mornings on WYND. More to come..... (10/26/2006)
| Wednesday, October 25, 2006Clear Channel Urban "103Jamz" was the most listened to radio station (12+, All Persons, Mon-Sun 6a-Mid) in Hampton Roads this past Summer radio ratings period according to Arbitron. The ratings period covered June 29 thru September 20...
2. Max Media Country "97-3 The Eagle" WGH 3. Clear Channel Urban AC "105-3 Kiss FM" WKUS 4. Max Media Contemporary Inspirational "Star 94.1" WXEZ 5. Entercom Urban AC "95-7 R&B" WVKL 6. Max Media Classic Hits/AC "92-9 The Wave" WVBW 7. Saga Classic Rock "106.9 The Fox" WAFX 8. Entercom Rhythmic "Z104" WNVZ/104.5 9. Sinclair News/Talk WNIS/790 10. Sinclair Variety Hits "93-7 Bob FM" WPYA
| Wednesday, October 25, 2006 Radio One "KISS FM" simulcast WKJS/105.7//WKJM/99.3 was the most listened to radio station (12+, All Persons, Mon-Sun 6a-Mid) in the Richmond area this past Summer radio ratings period according to Arbitron. The ratings period covered June 29 thru September 20...
2. Clear Channel Soft AC "Lite 98" WTVR/98.1 3t. Clear Channel "NewsRadio 1140" WRVA Cox Radio Country "K95" WKHK/95.3 5. Clear Channel Urban "106-5 The Beat" WBTJ 6. Gospel "Praise 104.7" WPZZ 7. Radio One Urban "Power 92-1 Jamz" WCDX 8. Clear Channel CHR "Q94" WRVQ/94.5 9. Cox Radio Classic Rock "96-5 The Planet" WKLR 10. MainLine Variety Hits "98-9 Liberty" WWLB Middays (12+, All Persons)... WTVR, WKJS//WKJM, WRVA, WKHK, WBTJ and WCDX, WPZZ and WRVQ, WKLR, WWLB... Afternoons (12+, All Persons)... WKJS//WKJM, WTVR, WKHK, WBTJ, WRVA, WRVQ and WCDX, WPZZ, WWLB, WKLR... Nights (12+, All Persons)... WKJS//WKJM, WBTJ, WCDX, WTRV, WKHK, WRVA, WPZZ, WRVQ, WKLR, WRXL... (Persons 18-34 Mon-Sun 6a-Mid)... WBTJ and WCDX, WKJS//WKJM, WTVR and WRVQ, WRXL, WPZZ, WKHK, WWLB, WMXB... (Persons 25-54 Mon-Sun 6a-Mid)... WKJS//WKJM, WTVR, WPZZ and WKHK, WBTJ, WWLB, WKLR, WCDX, WRVA, WRVQ...
| Wednesday, October 25, 2006At 12:00 noon today, East Carolina Radio Group's WCNC/1240 Elizabeth City and WZBO/1260 Edenton blew up the Music Of Your Life/Adult Standards format, playing the Benny Goodman Orchestra's "Goodbye" as the last song. The simulcast is now the first 100% Spanish language station in NE NC, carrying Bustos Media's Regional Mexican "Gran D - La Mas Mexicana" format. The combo will be known as "1240 y 1260, Gran D." WCNC/WZBO's English language sports programming (Carolina Panthers, NC State football and basketball) was moved to Soft AC "Mix 96" WKJX/96.7 Elizabeth City October 1, while Sunday Gospel programming left WCNC/WZBO on October 15th. More details to come.
Entercom Norfolk names longtime (20+ years) Clear Channel Indianapolis VP/Market Manager Chris Wheat as it's new VP/Market Manager. He replaces Skip Schmidt who was fired yesterday. More to come..... (10/25/2006)
| Wednesday, October 25, 2006 Gray Television's WHSV (3/ABC) Harrisonburg welcomes new Weekend Anchor Mike McNeill. He arrives to TV3 from Bluestone's WCYB (5/NBC) Bristol VA where he was the weekend producer and photojournalist. McNeill has done many years in radio and also does voice-over work in his spare time. He starts with the station on Monday, October 30.WHSV is launching their new 5:30 p.m. newscast next Monday. Channel 3 will now have local news from 5-6:30 p.m. A new logo and graphics package will also kick-off.  WHSV begins to air on DISH Network tomorrow as the satellite TV provider welcomes in a brand new market to their carriage. DISH will carry TV3's programming (ABC) and the brand new "The Valley's FOX" (a digital subchannel of over-the-air WHSV-DT, 3-2). Also launching over-the-air tomorrow is "My Valley," an affiliate of MyNetworkTV. WHSV is trying to work out agreements with DISH and local cable providers to also carry that signal.
| Tuesday, October 24, 2006 CapSan Media appears to have blown up CHR "Power 92.3" WZPR Nags Head today and now is simulcasting sister Soft AC "The Wind 97.1" WYND Hatteras on the stick. CapSan Media agreed to acquire the entire Convergent Broadcasting NE North Carolina cluster (WZPR/92.3 Nags Head, WVOD/99.1 Manteo, WYND/97.1 Hatteras, WFMZ/104.9 Hertford) this past Spring; starting a LMA (local marketing agreement) to run the stations on April 3. More to come... Stay tuned.
Venerable country music DJ Joe Hoppel on battling beetles and beavers, his upcoming book, and life after WCMS | Tuesday, October 24, 2006"I don’t know if you know about Pine Bark Beetles," explained Joe Hoppel, "but they get under the bark of the pine tree, chunks of bark fall off, the tree dies, and they just move on to another tree. Evidently there’s no chemical that will get to them, so the only thing you can do is cut down the tree and haul them to the dump." (read more - Portfolio Weekly) Editor's Note: This is a great piece by Jeff Maisey. Too bad it wasn't longer. Not only do you get an inside (brief) look at Joe Hoppel but also a quick glimpse of what goes on behind the scenes in radio.
| Tuesday, October 24, 2006Entercom Norfolk (WPTE/94.9, WVKL/95.7, WWDE/101.3, WNVZ/104.5) General Manager Skip Schmidt has been fired. A false rumor said he was one step ahead of the "suits," by not showing up to work today where he would have been greeted by a handful of Entercom corporate executives. The cluster will announce a new GM tomorrow morning at 10:15. Still a developing story... Stay tuned!
| Tuesday, October 24, 2006FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE... The Federal Communications Commission today (10/23) received the official request for approval of the Bankruptcy Court sale of previously silent WBVA (AM-1450) Bayside/Virginia Beach and WVAB (AM-1550) Virginia Beach, Virginia from Trustee R. Clinton Stackhouse, Jr. to Nancy Epperson’s Chesapeake-Portsmouth Broadcasting Corp. for $775,000. The Court approved the sale in July. Chesapeake-Portsmouth owns WPMH AM-670 in Claremont and WTJZ AM-1270 in Newport News. Both are in the Norfolk/Virginia Beach, Virginia Metropolitan Area. The Media Broker who arranged the sale is Ray H. Rosenblum of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Chesapeake-Portsmouth is currently operating WVAB/WBVA under a temporary Local Marketing Agreement.
| Monday, October 23, 2006Pezo Coconuts, night jock at Red Zebra Broadcasting's (formerly owned by On Top Communications) Urban "Hot 102.1" WWHV Virginia Beach, has exited the station and is headed for Radio One's Urban "Hot 107.9" WHTA Hampton/Atlanta GA. We hear that Steve Hegwood, who programs sister station WKYS/93.9 Washington DC and formerly ran WWHV, had a hand in landing the "gig" for Pezo at WHTA. Coconuts was the original night jock for Hot 102.1, joining the station in February 2002 from South Carolina. In other station news, Mixer DJ E(lement) has also left Hot 102.1 to concentrate on managing "The Alley Nightclub" in Newport News. We hear the Urban format will not stay next summer when the Redskins games start airing on the station.
| Monday, October 23, 2006 Rich Minor, with CC CHR "Jammim JJS" (WJJS/106.1 Vinton/Roanoke//WJJX/101.7 Lynchburg), just got back from Los Angeles after being a contestant on Sony's nationally syndicated gameshow "Wheel of Fortune." Minor went through several auditions, was chosen to be a contestant and did the show; played the game this past Thursday. His appearance airs nationally Monday, December 4 and can be seen locally on WDBJ (7/CBS).
| Sunday, October 22, 2006Overnight personality Herkules has exited CBS Radio's Rhythmic WPGC/95.5 Morningside/Washington DC and we hear he's now with Radio One's Urban WKYS/93.9 Washington, being programmed by Steve Hegwood. Coincidence? Hegwood used to run Red Zebra Broadcasting's "Hot 102.1" WWHV Virginia Beach when he owned it as On Top Communications. Herk was the overnight jock but quickly leapt to weekday afternoons. And another source says Herk is working at DC-based BET on the Black College Tour and the net's Rap It Up program.
Sinclair Communications is putting the final touches on its brand spanking new website for Rhythmic Hot AC "Energy 106-1" WNRJ Poquoson/Norfolk at energy1061.com..... (10/22/2006)
| Sunday, October 22, 2006Twenty-eight plus year radio veteran Tom Parker is exiting Clear Channel Richmond and is headed north to Journal Broadcast Group's top-rated "NewsRadio 620" WTMJ Milwaukee WI. Parker is the current Program Director for "NewsRadio 1140" WRVA Richmond and is also the cluster's Director of AM & Network Operations. Parker arrived in Richmond just three years ago, leaving Atlanta where he spent two and a half years in a similar position at CC Atlanta’s WGST/640 and Georgia News Network. Parker exits Richmond in just over two weeks where WRVA is now doing the nationwide search thing for the next PD.
| Friday, October 20, 2006A Forest, Va., media company has agreed to buy four radio stations from Clear Channel Communications Inc. for an undisclosed sum. 3 Daughters Media Inc. says the transaction also includes a pair of translator, or low-power stations. 3 Daughters Media is acquiring WVGM-AM and WGMN-AM, which are located in the Virginia communities of Lynchburg and Roanoke, respectively. (read more - San Antonio Business Journal)
| Thursday, October 19, 2006 It was announced to staff today that Investigative/Reporter/Anchor Craig Civale, with Belo Corp's WVEC (13/ABC) Hampton/Norfolk, has been snatched up by sister flagship station WFAA (8/ABC) Dallas. WFAA's News Director Michael Valentine is no stranger to Civale or 13NEWS. He was WVEC's ND before leaving for WFAA in May 2005. Current Channel 13 ND Rich Lebenson said, "Craig will be missed at 13 News. He has done a tremendous job in the last 4½ years. Craig enterprise news coverage every day and has been responsible for breaking countless stories, including the Sheriff Waters' DUI and investigating the Portsmouth female firefighter pregnancy policy. He was on the top of his game during our Ernesto coverage, walking through waist deep flood waters to talk with victims of the storm." Civale will be with WVEC thru mid-December and will join the WFAA news team, as a general assignment reporter, in January for the station's 10 p.m. newscast.
| Thursday, October 19, 2006 ZGS Communications, a Hispanic-owned broadcasting company headquartered in Arlington, has agreed to acquire Tiger Eye Broadcasting's WKYV-LP/45 Keysville/Richmond. The amount is unknown. Channel 45 recently went silent while the station works on a new construction permit. Before going off air, they were carrying America's Store (an HSN subsidiary).ZGS currently owns and operates the largest group of Telemundo affiliated television stations in the country including "T64" WZDC Washington DC. With the growing Hispanic population in and around the capital city, will ZGS give Richmond viewers their first 24/7 Spanish television station? Stay tuned.
| Thursday, October 19, 2006Arbitron, the radio ratings firm, released its Summer 2006 listening figures for Fredericksburg yesterday. The ratings period covered June 29 thru September 20...
2. Mid Atlantic Network Hot AC WBQB/101.5 3. Howard University Urban AC WHUR/96.3 4t. Telemedia Oldies WGRQ/95.9 and sister Country WGRX/104.5 6. Free Lance-Star Alternative WYSK/99.3 10. Free Lance-Star Classic Rock WWUZ/96.9 11t. Mid Atlantic Network News/Talk WFVA/1230 21t. Piedmont Country WJMA/103.1 24t. Piedmont Variety Hits WOJL/105.5
A new classified ad has been posted on VARTV the today. The Star Radio Group is looking for a morning show co-host for WFLS/93.3 Fredericksburg. Click "Classified Ads" on the left navigation panel for the complete details.If your station/organization has any positions available (media oriented), get them on VARTV! You would be surprised who's reading..... (10/18/2006)
| Tuesday, October 17, 2006 Satellite provider, DISH Network, is adding Harrisonburg as a new market for it's LIL (locals-in-local). Starting Thursday October 26, DISH will carry Gray Television's WHSV (3/ABC) and "The Valley's FOX" (a digital subchannel of WHSV-DT, 3-2), Shenandoah Valley Educational Television Corp's WVPT (51/PBS) Staunton, Waterman's "NBC29" WVIR Charlottesville and an undetermined CBS affiliate (DC or distant) for DISH subscribers in the Harrisonburg TV market. More on WHSV's airing on DISH from WHSV.com.
| Monday, October 16, 2006 The FCC last week granted Cox Radio to move Alternative "Y101" WDYL/101.1 Chester to a new COL (community of license) -- Lakeside, move to a new frequency -- 100.9 and to increase its power/antenna height to 25kW and 328 feet (or any combination of). The new 100.9 Lakeside signal will be able to compete better with the other Richmond area stations, coverage-wise.There were several parties involved with this Proposal from Cox, some for it (WNNT/100.9, WKHI/107.5) and some against it (WLOU-LP/100.9 Williamsburg, WRBG-LP/107.9 Millsboro DE, and some others). For WDYL to move to 100.9/Lakeside, Real Media Inc's (was owned by Northern Neck and Tidewater Communications at the onset) "RiverCountry 100.9" WNNT Warsaw has agreed to move to 107.5, still as a Class A (up 6kW / 328ft). Great Scott Broadcasting's Variety Hits "107-5 Joe FM" WKHI Fruitland MD has agreed to downgrade from a Class B1 to a Class A and move to 107.7. Both stations will be compensated for the moves. All three stations, WDYL, WNNT and WKHI, will submit applications to the FCC within the next 90 days to reflect these new changes. The "Notice of Proposed Rule Making" can be found at FCC.gov.
| Monday, October 16, 2006J.J. "Hitman" McKay and Company hit the air this morning on The Island 96.5 WCTG/Chincoteague. Hitman left the station back in May for mornings at his old station Atlantic Radio Broadcasting's Modern Rock "X106.9" WRXS Ocean City. Rumors have it that they are now using Mancow Mueller's nationally syndicated "Mancow's Morning Madhouse" because it's free to affiliates for the first year.
| Saturday, October 14, 2006Entercom Rhythmic "Z104" WNVZ/104.5 Norfolk began transmitting HD radio at 2:30 in the afternoon yesterday, according to cluster Engineer Paul Campbell. The station is the first in the Entercom cluster (WPTE/94.9, WVKL/95.7, WWDE/101.3, WNVZ/104.5) to do so. There is no on-air date for WNVZ's HD2 channel in the very immediate future but when it goes live it will carry the All Comedy Network.
Radio One Urban "Power 92-1 Jamz" WCDX Mechanicsville/Richmond can now be heard in HD radio..... (10/12/2006)
Belo's WVEC (13/ABC) Hampton/Norfolk website at WVEC.com has a new 'do..... (10/12/2006)
| Thursday, October 12, 2006American University's NPR WAMU/88.5 Washington has begun airing Bluegrass Country on its third digital channel, WAMU-HD3; airing content currently available exclusively online via BluegrassCountry.org. General Manager Caryn Maths said, "Bluegrass music has been a vital part of WAMU-FM's past, and this new digital channel ensures its place in our future, as well." WAMU's main digital channel is a simulcast of the programming on analog WAMU with the HD2 channel doing Triple A -- Xponential Radio.
| Wednesday, October 11, 2006 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE... At 2:00 PM today Centennial Broadcasting, LLC. launched Central Virginia’s newest radio station. Simulcast on 101.5 WZZI Roanoke and 97.9 WZZU Lynchburg, "The Planet" begins broadcasting the largest library of rock music in the area, giving Central Virginia listeners a variety and depth of music not currently heard on existing stations while recognizing and celebrating the desires of the those listeners to hear a large number of songs without being over exposed to the same ones over and over again. (read more - VARTV Press Room)
 | Wednesday, October 11, 2006 Cavalier Telephone still plans to offer television service to Hampton Roads customers, but the process has taken longer than company officials anticipated. Cavalier, which sells phone and Internet service in this region, announced early this year that it would launch TV service in this region by the end of March. (read more - The Virginian-Pilot)
| Wednesday, October 11, 2006It was just announced this morning that Phil Robken is out as General Manager of Clear Channel Charlottesville. Steve Davis will now be the head of both the Harrisonburg (3 FMs/1 AM) and Charlottesville (3 FMs/2AMs) Clear Channel clusters with the business end of both also being combined.
Robust cable network well positioned to support future advanced offerings | Wednesday, October 11, 2006 Cox Communications today announced that it has increased the WebMail storage space available for all customers and completed dramatic speed increases in the majority of its markets. Cox plans to continue enhancing its service offerings through an improvement initiative currently underway. (read more - COX.com)
| Wednesday, October 11, 2006Centennial Broadcasting has announced, on air, that the Oldies format "BOB-FM" (97.9 WZZU Lynchburg//101.5 WZZI Vinton/Roanoke) will be replacing the Standards format on "106.9 The Lake" WLEQ Bedford (between Roanoke and Lynchburg) at 2 p.m. The Lake is also heard on a low-power translator 97.3 (W247AD) in Roanoke. Centennial picked up 106.9 from Cumulus Media just last summer and installed the Standards format on it. No word yet what will replace Oldies on 97.9 and 101.5.
| Monday, October 9, 2006The Popular Assembly Of New Horizons 3000 And His Successors Triple A WYOU-LP/100.9 Williamsburg PD John McClung has been nominated for a 2006 "New Music Weekly" award. The New Music Weekly magazine announced the nominees recently for the 2006 Awards to be held November 18 at the Avalon theater in Hollywood. McClung has been nominated for AC Program Director of the Year. More on the awards at NewMusicWeekly.com.
| Monday, October 9, 2006Clear Channel CHR "Q94" WRVQ/94.5 Richmond has hired a new night guy. The position’s been open since Davis left several months back. The new night slammer is Zack Daniels, most recently at Entercom Rhythmic "Z104" WNVZ/104.5 Norfolk. He’s going by the name “T-Bag,” starting Monday, October 16. Q94 PD Boomer told us, "Finally. At very long last, it thrills me to announce that the lengthy nationwide manhunt for the next night superstar on Q-94 has concluded with the arrival of Travis Bagwell (T-Bag). Ironically, we scoured the nation for the finest night talent and found him just down the street in Virginia Beach. T-Bag spent the last 6+ years with Entercom at Z-104 and actually did some part-time at Q-94 in 1999/2000 under the name “Griffin.” T-Bag is a native of the area and his arrival marks the placement of the final missing piece in the Q-94 on-air line-up, with his first show slated for Monday, October 16th, 7pm-12midnight. I’d like to take a moment to thank Dan “Jack Black” Turner for doing a fine job of filling-in at night while the search was ongoing."
| Monday, October 9, 2006Raycom Media's "CBS6" WTVR Richmond, in corporation with the League of Women Voters and Commonwealth Public Broadcasting's WCVE (23/CBS) Richmond, is sponsoring the final debate between George Allen and Jim Webb tonight at 8 p.m.. WTVR is producing the debate, which will be moderated by CBS anchor Russ Mitchell with WTVR's weekend anchor Ric Young and WCVE's May Lily-Lee as panelists. The debate is being offered to television and radio stations state-wide. In Richmond, the debate will be seen on WWBT (12/NBC), WTVR and WCVE. In Hampton Roads, WAVY (10/NBC), WTKR (3/CBS), WVEC (13/ABC) and WHRO (15/PBS). In Roanoke, WDBJ (7/CBS), WSET (13/ABC) and WBRA (15/PBS) and in Charlottesville/Harrisonburg on WHSV (3/ABC), WVIR (29/NBC), WVPT (51/PBS) and WVAW-LP (16/ABC).
Morning personalities Penny Wack of WFLS and Rich Creeger of WWUZ leave Fredericksburg airwaves | Saturday, October 7, 2006Two Fredericksburg morning radio personalities left local airwaves yesterday. Penny Wack ended a 13-year run at WYSK and WFLS and Rich Creeger of WWUZ ended a five-year stint. Wack co-hosted the WFLS morning show with Brian Strobel for the past six months. She started as a newswoman at WYSK and WFLS. (read more - Fredericksburg Free Lance-Star)
Hampton Roads steps back one notch, Richmond jumps one  | Friday, October 6, 2006Arbitron recently announced a new list of Metro Population estimates (12+ persons) for radio markets for the Fall 2006 to Summer 2007 ratings periods which started on Sept. 21...
| Friday, October 6, 2006The news department at Free Lance-Star Gropu's WFLS/93.3 Fredericksburg is once at full staff with the addition of Deirdre Blake. Blake began her broadcast career at WFLS News in 2001 as a part-time reporter. She then moved on to become the Virginia correspondent for Metro News and covering everything from the General Assembly to the Zacarias Moussaoui trial in Alexandria. Blake returns to WFLS "with a wealth of experience and a passion for covering news in the constantly growing and evolving Fredericksburg region."
| Thursday, October 5, 2006FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE... The CW Comedy Block Moves to Monday, Effective Oct. 9. “7th Heaven” and “Runaway” Head to Sunday Night on Oct. 15. Catch it all on CW 27, WGNT-TV. October 5, 2006 (Burbank, CA) – The CW is switching its Sunday and Monday nights of programming, effective October 9. On October 9, The CW’s comedy block of “Everybody Hates Chris,” “All of Us,” “Girlfriends” and new series “The Game” will move to Monday from 8:00-10:00PM. The CW will rebroadcast each comedy’s season premiere on Monday, October 9, with original episodes returning on Monday, October 16. Starting October 15, The CW’s new Sunday line-up will begin with an encore of the previous Wednesday’s “America’s Next Top Model” (7:00-8:00PM) followed by original episodes of “7th Heaven” (8:00-9:00PM) and freshman drama “Runaway” (9:00-10:00PM).
| Wednesday, October 4, 2006Entercom AC "2WD" WWDE/101.3 Hampton/Norfolk News Director/Morning Show Producer has resigned. Pulley with Ted Alexander hosted the station's morning show "The Breakfast Bunch" when Paul Richardson and then shortly after Dick Lamb exited who both jumped to Max Media's Classic Hits/AC "92-9 The Wave" WVBW Suffolk/Norfolk. Entercom abruptly canned The Breakfast Bunch on September 20 and the following day brought in the nationally syndicated "Wake Up With Whoopi" morning show from New York. Alexander exited but Pulley stayed on as News Director/Morning Show Producer. That didn't even last two weeks.
| Tuesday, October 3, 2006Entercom Rhythmic "Z104" WNVZ/104.5 Norfolk PD Michael Bryan announced this afternoon that middayer Nikki Lane has earned the promotion to Assistant Program Director at the station. Bryan said in an email to staffers, "Nikki started with us here 3 years ago last month and has been holding down Middays for the majority of that time. Her attention to detail and 'anything to win' attitude has not gone unnoticed. Since I got here in January, Nikki has proven time after time that I can absolutely count on her for everything under the sun."
| Tuesday, October 3, 2006 We reported back in early April of this year, that Hoffman Communications' Standards "EZ 100.5" WZEZ Goochland said it might not be able to stay on the air. According to their website at that time, "If you are a resident of Goochland County, we need your help to keep EZ 100.5 FM, WZEZ on the air. We are currently in the process of getting permission from Goochland County to build a new tower site on a wooded area on Route 250 just west of Route 522, the Gum Springs exit off of I-64. Without a conditional use permit from the county to build this new tower, WZEZ-FM will be forced off the air..."Good news for the station is that the County indeed gave the station permission for the new tower site. From the new tower location, WZEZ will be built with maximum Class A facilities (6kW/100 meters, or any combination of). The new antenna location is about 5.5 miles NNE of its current location.
| Tuesday, October 3, 2006Last week, Gray Television filed with the FCC for a "digital companion channel" to WAHU-CA (FOX/27) on UHF channel 40. When built, WAHU-LD (LD -- low power digital TV station) will carry the FOX network programming in HD for the Charlottesville area and will have the new network -- MyNetworkTV -- on one of WAHU-LD's subchannels. Scroll down to page 4 of this FCC document to see the digital station's coverage area.
| Monday, October 2, 2006 Media Services Group, a full service media, entertainment and communications brokerage firm, has listed Ion Media Network's (formerly Paxson Communications) WWPX/60 Martinsburg WV (Washington DC DMA), and simulcast partners WEPX/38 Greenville NC and WPXU/35 Jacksonville NC (Greenville-New Bern-Jacksonville NC DMA) for sale. The firm says that these stations are non-core television stations. WEPX//WPXU has a secondary affiliation with FOX's new MyNetworkTV. If the sale of these two stations go thru, we hear the stations will want to carry MNT as its primary network affiliation.
| Monday, October 2, 2006We get emails like this all the time. We just got a kick out of this one... "One word for your changes in the morning show, STUPID. Not only have I stopped listening, but everyone I know that listened has stopped." OK, who out there has the STUPID morning show.....
| Sunday, October 1, 2006Five days before the premiere of their new morning TV show, and Cheryl Miller and Bill Bevins looked like they've worked together for years. It was Wednesday, rehearsal day for "Virginia This Morning," WTVR's new talk show premiering at 10 a.m. Monday. (read more - Richmond Times-Dispatch)
| Saturday, September 30, 2006
| Thursday, September 27, 2006Long time Alternative "96X" WROX/96.1 Exmore/Norfolk air talent and Sinclair Communications FM Production Director, Nick Papageorgio, resigns to head to Studio Center in Virginia Beach as a Producer. This leaves an opening to fill ASAP. Forward resume and production samples to Jay West (jaywest "at" sinclairstations.com)
| Thursday, September 27, 2006 Longtime Free Lance-Star Radio "Classic Rock 96.9" WWUZ Bowling Green/Fredericksburg/Richmond morning host and Assistant PD Rich Creeger is leaving the station to take on mornings and APD duties at Citadel Communications Country "Red 102.3" WCAT Carlisle/Harrisburg PA. “The sweat equity that Rich has in this station is huge,” said Free Lance Star Radio OM Paul Johnson. “He’s a good friend and a great radio guy. We’ll miss him.” Meanwhile, the hunt for his replacement is on. Watch the help wanted section for details!
Sinclair Communication's Variety Hits "93-7 BOB FM" WPYA Chesapeake has thrown new paint on its website at 937bobfm.com..... (9/26/2006)
| Wednesday, September 26, 2006 The Charlottesville Radio Group has announced the hiring of Brad Savage as Program Director for the new 106.1 The Corner / WCNR radio. Savage has been serving as program director of WQKL in Ann Arbor, Michigan where he also hosts an air shift. Savage has also worked at stations in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Columbia, Missouri and Madison, Wisconsin. (read more - VARTV Press Room)
| Wednesday, September 26, 2006 Young Broadcasting's WRIC (8/ABC) Petersburg/Richmond recently hired Jason Guy, former contestant of the CBS reality TV show Big Brother. Guy appeared on Season Three and was the last house guest evicted before the winner was announced. Currently Guy is appearing on Good Morning Richmond as the station's traffic reporter, as well reporting for other WRIC newscasts. Guy comes to Richmond from Los Angeles where he worked on reality shows such as CBS's "Amazing Race, NBC's "The Biggest Loser," and the WB's "Beauty and the Geek." More on Guy at WRIC.com
| Wednesday, September 26, 2006Bill Duvall, the newly announced News Director for Gray Television's "TV3 Winchester" WHSV-DT (ABC) Harrisonburg, is blogging the station's progress on its new digs. Go to TV3Winchester.com for more.
| Tuesday, September 25, 2006 A judge dismissed charges Monday against a television reporter who was arrested while trying to cover a story about a possible bomb threat at MacArthur Center. Mike Mather, who works for WTKR NewsChannel 3, was charged with failing to obey a police officer (Aug.) 25. (read more - The Virginian-Pilot)
| Tuesday, September 25, 2006 The most intense 30 minutes on local radio begin with the tuneless yowls of a trumpet fashioned from ram's horn. They deliver both welcome and warning: Gather, ye believers. Flee, ye infidels. Right behind the horn comes Norfolk's Philip Glover, gruffly announcing a program "designed to expose the hidden works of darkness" and "make ready a people prepared for Yahweh." From there, all bets are off. (read more - The Virginian-Pilot)
| Monday, September 25, 2006Arbitron Inc announced today that effective with the release of the Fall 2006 survey reports, public and non-commercial radio stations will be eligible for reporting in the company’s local market ratings reports. (read more - Arbitron)
Roanoke College radio station WRKE-FM, "The Wreck," is slowly gaining fans | Monday, September 25, 2006There are almost 20 new shows on Roanoke College's WRKE-FM and more people are tuning in. Through its Web site, the student-run station is even gaining listeners from as far as Iraq and Washington state. It's been only a year since the station first went on air, but so far so good. Roanoke College's WRKE-FM 100.3, "The Wreck," had humble beginnings. (read more - The Roanoke Times)
| Monday, September 25, 2006Clear Channel Communications has agreed to sell Sports "The Game" WGMN/1240 Roanoke and its simulcast partner WVGM/1320/Lynchburg to Gary Burns' 3 Daughters Media Inc. Burns will pay $2.6M for the two Virginia stations, and will also pick-up Classic Country WNGA/97.3 South Pittsburg TN and Oldies WUUS/980 Rossville GA from Clear Channel.
HD programming being created from student perspective | Monday, September 25, 2006"Trial by fire." That's the way Dan Brazda describes the learning process under way for students in a small television production studio at Virginia Commonwealth University. Brazda is straight out of the fire himself, a recently relocated creative director for Fox/UPN television stations in Los Angeles. (read more - Richmond Times-Dispatch)
WAZT and the AZTV Network announce new ownership with sale of station group | Friday, September 22, 2006 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE... Jay Ahlemann, President and Managing Partner of JLA Media and Publications LLC, has purchased Channel 10, WAZT and the AZTV Network of television stations from Dr. Arthur Stamler of Ruarch Associates. The AZTV Network is comprised of six television stations in the Shenandoah Valley, including WAZT in Woodstock, WAZC in Luray, WAZF in Front Royal, WAZH in Harrisonburg, WAZM in Staunton/Waynesboro, and WAZW in Winchester. (read more - VARTV Press Room)
| Friday, September 22, 2006Max Media Hampton Roads Director of Programming and Operations John Shomby's long and exhausting search for a new middayer at Classic Hits/AC "92-9 The Wave" WVBW Suffolk/Norfolk is over. Starting Monday, September 25, Sharon Matthews (mornings on Davis Media's Triple A "92-3 The Tide" WTYD Williamsburg) will take over middays at 92-9 The Wave. Current Wave middayer Cindy Crawford moves over to middays at sister Rocker "100.5 MAX-FM" WXMM Norfolk. With this news here are the current on air line-ups at The Wave and MAX-FM:
| Friday, September 22, 2006 With the above announcement, Davis Media makes some changes to their on-air line-up at Triple A "92-3 The Tide" WTYD Williamsburg.
10a-3p -- Amy Miller 3p-7p -- "Donnie's Used Cars" with Donnie Moorehouse
Radio & Records Magazine to announce winner Friday morning at convention in Dallas | Thursday, September 21, 2006 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE... For the second consecutive year WXEZ Radio (Star 94.1 FM) Program Director and air personality Dale Murray has been nominated Gospel PD of the year by Radio & Records Magazine. His station has also been nominated Station of the Year by R&R for the second year in a row. As a former Navy broadcast journalist, Murray has worked in locations from Cuba to Capital Hill. (read more - VARTV Press Room)
| Thursday, September 21, 2006 Sinclair Communications blew up CHR "The Zone @ 106.1" WZNR today at 12:04 for Rhythmic Hot AC "Energy 106-1, Music That Makes You Move" WNRJ. The last song heard on The Zone was All American Rejects' "Move Along." Here's audio of the format flip (quite large at 3.4Mb).
| Wednesday, September 20, 2006 Sinclair Communications' CHR "The Zone @ 106.1" WZNR Poquoson/Norfolk has their hand on the format wheel and are ready to spin it... But to what? An on-air promo says "Energy 106.1." Plus the energy1061.com domain name has been taken out by a Sinclair staffer. We also hear the new 106.1 will have more "juice" in its future... Stay tuned... (9/20/2006)
| Wednesday, September 20, 2006Anna Marvuglio has been doing nights for Entercom Rhythmic "Z104" WNVZ/104.5 Norfolk for several weeks now since slammer Zack Daniels just mysteriously disappeared. Z104 PD Michael Bryan says she's earned the slot and it's hers permanently, effective immediately. Anna was previously with Sinclair Communications for five years moving up through promotions and then to nights on (soon to be defunct) CHR "The Zone @ 106.1" WZNR. Anna is heard weeknights 6 p.m. to midnight on Z104.
Alexander exits, Pulley to produce new syndicated show | Wednesday, September 20, 2006 The morning show on Entercom AC "2WD" WWDE/101.3 Hampton/Norfolk, The Breakfast Bunch (Ted Alexander and Jennifer Pulley), is out. 2WD will carry the "Wake Up With Whoopi" morning show starting tomorrow morning. Based at Clear Channel Dance "103-5 KTU" WKTU Lake Success/New York, Whoopi Goldberg and Paul "Cubby" Bryant, who started in radio in Hampton Roads, will air weekday mornings 5 a.m. to 9 a.m. More on Whoopi at 2WD.com.
| Wednesday, September 20, 2006 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE... ESPN Radio 1310 will continue to be the affiliate of ESPN Radio in the Hampton Roads area... Eric "Zero" Mastel, President of Max Media Radio Division, announced today that ESPN Radio 1310 has come to an agreement to be the exclusive affiliate of ESPN Radio for four more years. (read more - VARTV Press Room)Editor's Note: This is very good news for Max Media. It was heavily speculated that once ESPN Radio's contract with WGH expired on August 1, 2007, Washington Redskins' owned Red Zebra Broadcasting was going to go after the contract for its new acquired WWHV/102.1 Virginia Beach signal. Red Zebra has paired ESPN Radio and the Redskins games on its O&O's in Richmond (WXGI/950) and on "Triple X ESPN Radio" around DC (WXTR/730, WWXT/92.7, WWXX/94.3). The Redskins contract on Sinclair's WNIS/790 Norfolk expires at the end of this football season and will obviously shift to WWHV next year. What will WWHV run outside of football next season? FOX Sports? It's current Urban format? Stay tuned...
| Monday, September 18, 2006Belo's WVEC (13/ABC) Hampton/Norfolk President/GM Nick Nicholson has announced that John Dolive is the station's new Director of Technology. Dolive has already been commuting to Norfolk from a sister station in North Carolina every other week since early March when Peter Dennant exited the station. Nicholson told Channel 13 staff, "(Dolive) has been with Belo for the past nine years serving as the Director of Engineering for WCNC in Charlotte. Prior to joining Belo, John was VP Broadcast Operations and Engineering for KSAZ in Phoenix. Prior to his stop in the desert, John was Director of Engineering and Operations for the Gillett broadcast group which later became New World Television group. Dolive is a permanent fixture at WVEC on October 30.
Called Link and aimed at Virginia's 18-35s | Monday, September 18, 2006The phenomenon of the quick-read, free daily tabloid continues to build as more newspapers look for new ways to attract young readers. At first it was commuter papers in mass-transit towns, like the Washington Post's Express, but now the idea is trickling down to smaller markets and even suburban communities where the commuting is done via automobile, without a subway car in sight. The next one to come down the pipeline is Link, a free tab being launched in October by the Virginian-Pilot of Norfolk, Va., and aimed at 18-35s. (read more - Media Life)
Our deepest condolences go out to the family and friends of former radio broadcaster and sales manager of WLQM/Franklin Johnny Hart (Eustace) who passed away on Wednesday, September 13. Johnny was 68..... (9/18/2006)
| Monday, September 18, 2006FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE... A new, different radio station, 106.1 The Corner, has signed on the air in the Charlottesville market. 106.1 The Corner, WCNR is owned by Force Five Communications, LLC.Simultaneous with the sign-on, Force Five has agreed to sell WCNR to the Charlottesville Radio Group. As part of the agreement, Force Five and the Charlottesville Radio Group have entered into a Local Marketing Agreement whereby the Charlottesville Radio Group will, subject to the rules and regulations of the Federal Communications Commission and the terms of the Local Marketing Agreement, supply programming services to the station. (read more - VARTV Press Room)
Step show offers hope to children diagnosed with catastrophic diseases at St. Jude | Sunday, September 17, 2006 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE... HOPE; a four letter word, so simple yet complex. For children receiving treatment from the world’s largest pediatric facility, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, “hope” requires believing in research, trusting doctors and nurses and depending on the kindness of donors so that they may continue to breathe life. (read more - VARTV Press Room)
| Sunday, September 17, 2006In and around the sports scene in the Tidewater area, there is a tremendous passion for athletics, especially at the high school level. Players, coaches, announcers and fans come together weekly to share stories about Ronald Curry, Allen Iverson, and Michael Vick among the hundreds of other outstanding players that grew up in the Hampton Roads area. One of the more active participants in the high school scene is Newport News resident Greg Bicouvaris who works as the play-by-play announcer for football games and hosts a monthly interview show on NNPS-TV Channel 47, the home of Newport News Public Schools Digital Television Education Center. (read more - VirginiaPreps.com)
Our deepest condolences go out to former Metro Traffic Director of Operations/News Bureau Chief Frank Turner whose mother, Nancy Logan Doggett Turner, passed away on September 9 after battling cancer. She was 74..... (9/16/2006)
| Saturday, September 16, 2006Denis Reidy, in his 33rd year of broadcasting, is back on the air on Sinclair Communications' Variety Hits "93-7 BOB FM" WPYA Chesapeake. Reidy can be heard weekend nights from 7 p.m. to midnight. He isn't new to the frequency or to Hampton Roads listeners. Reidy was on Sinclair's now defunct Country "KICK FM" WKCK (93.7 and then 106.1) from '03-'04 but most notably was heard on now defunct Country WCMS/100.5 from 1989-2000.
| Friday, September 15, 2006 It didn't take long for Force 5 Communications to sign-on the new move-in signal in Charlottesville (licensed to Keswick) on 106.1. The station is now on the air with a Triple A format, calling themselves "106.1 The Corner" after The Corner at the University of Virginia with the new call letters -- WCNR.If you remember, last month on VARTV, we reported that Vox Communications blew up Adult/Variety Hits "Sam 95.5" WZXI Buffalo Gap/Harrisonburg and started a simulcast with 60s-70s Hits "Magic 106.3" WBOP Churchville/Staunton. Force 5 Communications had a LMA for Vox to run the 106.3 signal but that agreement ended Thursday, August 31 at midnight. The 106.3 signal went dark at that time and 95.5 now hosts the 60s-70s Hits format for Vox as "Magic 95.5" WBOP. Force 5 Communications just recently won FCC approval to move the COL (community of license) to Keswick (less than 10 miles east of Charlottesville) on 106.1. The new signal broadcasts from a tower five miles south of Charlottesville. We know that Force 5 will not keep the station. Saga had taken out the domain name of 1061thecorner.com back in mid-July. Saga will add WCNR to its newly created cluster last year in Charlottesville along with AC "Z95" WQMZ/95.1, Mainstream Rock "3WV" WWWV/97.5, "NewsTalk 1070" WINA and recent sign-on Progressive Talker WVAX/1450.
| Friday, September 15, 2006  FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE... International Hispanic recording stars come to Richmond’s Selecta Radio 1320 AM (Richmond’s original Spanish radio station), and LA “X” Equis 1480 AM. The “X” 1480AM,Selecta Radio 1320AM, and Hardee’s presents, “Gran Festival Musical”, September 24, 2006 at The SHOWPLACE, Mechanicsville. (read more - VARTV Press Room)
| Thursday, September 14, 2006 (LIN TV) WAVY-TV 10 (Portsmouth/Norfolk) military reporter Patty Culhane plans to leave the local NBC affiliate Oct. 6 and move to the Baltimore-Washington area. Culhane said she decided to move to be near her boyfriend, a photojournalist for Baltimore's FOX affiliate (Sinclair Broadcast Group's "FOX45" WBFF). The couple met in 2005 during a trip to the Middle East, one of several overseas assignments that Culhane has taken, she said. (read more - Daily Press)
TVBR speculates CBS could want WTKR to form duopoly with O&O WGNT | Thursday, September 14, 2006The New York Times Company may free up about a half billion in cash by selling off its TV station group, but it won't be booking much of a profit. According to BIAfn Media Access Pro data, the entire group was assembled from 1971 (Memphis) through 2005 (the 2nd Oklahoma City station) for a total of 429.8 million. (read more - TVBR)
Congratulations to "Big Country 105.3" WBNN Dillwyn/Charlottesville middayer Katie Lewis and her husband welcomed a new baby boy to their family on August 23. His name is Gavin Hunter Rogers and he weighed in at 7 pounds, 14 ounces and 22 inches long. Lewis already has a daughter, Grace. We hear mom and family are doing great. (9/14/2006)
| Thursday, September 14, 2006 Gray Television's "TV3" WHSV (ABC) Harrisonburg has announced that Megan Bennett is now doing the morning weather for the station permanently. She replaces Jay Webb. Bennett filled in for George Hirschmann Tuesday at 11, with anchors Bob Corso and Jamie Curott introducing her as the new morning meteorologist. Originally from Knoxville TN, Bennett has worked at McKinnon Broadcasting's KIII (3/ABC) Corpus Christi TX in their weather center, Gannett's WUSA (9/CBS) Washington DC and most recently with WMDT (47/ABC) Salisbury MD, according to her bio.
It's clearly Clear Channel all the way in Richmond | Thursday, September 14, 2006
After 2 decades of late gig, Carmichael learns show will not continue | Wednesday, September 13, 2006For DJ Kirby Carmichael, his midnight to 5:30 a.m. shift at WRVQ (94.5 FM) wasn't just a job -- it was a party. The party is over. During his Friday program on Q94, Carmichael was told that the station was getting rid of a live overnight show. (read more - Richmond Times-Dispatch)
| Wednesday, September 13, 2006Sinclair Broadcast Group, Inc announced that Bill Scaffide has been named General Manager for WTVZ-TV (WB/MyNetworkTV 33) in the Norfolk/Portsmouth/Newport News, Virginia area. The announcement was made by Steve Marks, Chief Operating Officer of Sinclair's television group. (read more - Sinclair Broadcast Group)
WTKR/Norfolk up for grabs | Tuesday, September 12, 2006The New York Times Company announced today that it would sell its nine television stations. The stations are all profitable, the company said, but it wants to focus on its print newspapers and digital properties. Last year the stations accounted for about 4 percent of the company’s total revenues. This year, the company said, it expects that the stations will have revenues of approximately $150 million and operating profit of about $33 million. (read more - The New York Times)
| Tuesday, September 12, 2006The Dr Phil show which moved from Belo's WVEC (13/ABC) Norfolk to CBS O&O CW27" WGNT Portsmouth/Norfolk debuted Monday with decent numbers, a 4.65 rating, 9 share. On Channel 13 the show was shown at 10 a.m. On WGNT it's on at 5 p.m. That first showing on Channel 27 came in third that hour behind the news on WVEC and LIN TV's WAVY (10/NBC) Portsmouth/Norfolk. WVEC is replacing Dr Phil weekday mornings at 10 with the new Rachael Ray strip. A new show debuted across the country on Monday -- Dr Keith Ablow. In Hampton Roads, New York Times' "Your NewsChannel 3" WTKR (CBS) Norfolk is carrying the show at 4 p.m., up against Oprah on WVEC... its first showing tanked. It managed just a 0.71/2 that hour, placing it in sixth place behind Oprah (WVEC/ABC), Judge Mathis (WGNT/CW), 9/11 news special (WAVY/NBC), 8 Simple Rules (WTVZ/MNT) and another new show Cristina's Court (WVBT/FOX). Seems like everything is back to "normal" with the nightly national newscasts in Hampton Roads. "ABC World News with Charles Gibson" (WVEC) got a 9.67/17 last night followed by "NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams" 6.59/12 (WAVY) and a distant third was "The CBS Evening News with Katie Couric" (WTKR) which mustered up a 3.04/5.
Our deepest condolences go out to Entercom Norfolk Creative Services Director Dan Reese, and his family and friends. Reese's father passed away this morning around 5 o'clock after a long battle with colon cancer and pneumonia. Reese's father was 82..... (9/12/2006)
| Friday, September 8, 2006Kirby Carmichael, a Richmond radio vet most recently doing overnights for Clear Channel CHR "Q94" WRVQ/94.5, was let go this morning. Carmichael was with WRVQ for almost 21 years. More details coming.....
| Friday, September 8, 2006 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE... A syndicated radio show covering Atlantic Coast Conference sports is now available to radio listeners in the Shenandoah Valley."ACC Nation" debuted on Harrisonburg's WHBG-1360AM on Sept. 2. The hour-long show, produced by the Staunton-based Q-Munications of Virginia, airs Saturdays on WHBG at 9 a.m. (read more - VARTV Press Room)
| Friday, September 8, 2006Young Broadcasting's "8News" WRIC (ABC) Petersburg/Richmond has made some personnel changes. A.J. Lagoe has been named weekend anchor, replacing Joanna Massie. It looks like Amy Lacey has moved from "Good Morning Richmond" to dayside reporter. The station has a new morning reporter, Kerri O'Brien. Over at Raycom Media's WTVR Richmond, the "CBS6" baby boom is finally complete. Anchor Lee Mahaffey gave birth to a boy Wednesday, Trent Christopher. Stephanie Rochon made the announcement on the 6 p.m. news. Mahaffey joins WTVR's Stephanie Rochon, Deborah Cox, and Shelby Brown, all of whom gave birth in the past four months.
| Thursday, September 7, 2006 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE... Telemedia Broadcasting, Inc. (WGRQ-FM, WGRX-FM) announces the addition of former Washington Redskins linebacker Andre Collins to “The Redskins Roundtable” beginning September 11.95.9 WGRQ is a proud affiliate of The Washington Redskins Radio Network, and in addition to games, produces and airs a daily Redskins news report and a weekly Redskins talk show. (read more - VARTV Press Room)
| Wednesday, September 6, 2006"The CBS Evening News With Katie Couric" debuted Tuesday with big numbers around the country with nearly as many viewers as her NBC and ABC rivals combined. CBS had 13.59 million viewers (9.1 rating/17 share) for her inaugural broadcast while "NBC Nightly News With Brian Williams" was second with 7.76 million viewers and "ABC World News With Charles Gibson" was a close third with 7.58 million viewers. Viewership in Hampton Roads was quite different. "ABC World News With Charles Gibson" on Belo's WVEC (13) was the top newscast with a 10.11 rating and 16 share. "The CBS Evening News With Katie Couric" on New York Times' "Your NewsChannel 3" WTKR fetched a 8.26 rating, 13 share while "NBC Nightly News With Brian Williams" on LIN TV's WAVY (10) did a 7.55/12. WTKR is "trying" to take advantage of the higher tune-in by having anchors Barbara Ciara and Pat Reynolds come back from a commercial break just before the national newscast starts. They "pimp" the station's upcoming shows that night and their 11 p.m. newscast. Looking at Tuesday night's Nielson Media ratings, it clearly didn't work. WTKR was fifth every half hour from 9 p.m. to 11 p.m. (fourth 8-9 p.m.) and got beat, badly, at 11 p.m. At that half hour, it was WAVY/NBC (9.58/18), WVEC/ABC (8.16/15), Seinfeld on WVBT/FOX (3.75/7), Bernie Mac on WGNT/CW (3.62/7), WTKR/CBS (3.2/6), and Friends on WTVZ/MNT (1.26/2).
| Tuesday, September 5, 2006Well, sort of. We hear Alix is now an Account Executive with Clear Channel "SportsRadio 910" WRNL Richmond. Alix was most recently with Gee Communication's Sports "ESPN Radio 950" WXGI Richmond as Station Manager until Red Zebra Broadcasting purchased the station this Spring.
| Tuesday, September 5, 2006CBS O&O "CW27" WGNT Portsmouth/Norfolk has announced the hiring of a new Controller/Business Manager, Suanne Armstrong. Armstrong, for the past 19 years, has been working at WTVZ/33 Norfolk "in a variety of roles including Assistant Business Manager, Business Manager/Controller and Regional Business Manager." Her broadcast resume includes working for TVX, Max Media, Encore Communications and Sinclair Communications (WNIS). She succeeds Bob Fraley.
| Tuesday, September 5, 2006Highland Springs Technical Center’s Radio Broadcasting & Journalism Program is looking for a few Radio Professionals from all areas of the industry to sit on an advisory council. You will be asked to attend a maximum of three meetings per year. Help led future broadcasters on the right trail. We need to form this group to help shape the curriculum of the class and to give advice to students on career choices. Email Bob Kaufman at rbkaufma (at) henrico.k12.va.us.
| Tuesday, September 5, 2006Entercom Norfolk night slammer and Imaging Director Zack Daniels at Rhythmic "Z104" WNVZ/104.5 is out. This was the second tour for Daniels at Z104. He previously did middays for the station from 2001 to early 2004. Z104 PD Michael Bryan told staffers simply "Zack Daniels is no longer employed by Entercom Norfolk. We wish him the best in the future." Anna, formerly nights at crosstown Sinclair Top 40 "The Zone @ 106.1" WZNR Poquoson/Norfolk, is currently holding down nights at the Z.
| Tuesday, September 5, 2006Because of a delay in equipment, WRLH's MyTV Richmond will not make its debut as a digital channel today. However, the TV service will be available on WRLH itself starting at 1 a.m. tomorrow. News Corp., which owns the Fox network, created MyNetwork TV for stations that lost programming with the WB and UPN merger. It's being launched with two hourlong telenovelas: "Desire" and "Fashion House," airing six nights a week. (read more - Richmond Times-Dispatch)
Several new classified ads have been posted on VARTV the past two weeks...
If your station/organization has any positions available (media oriented), get them on VARTV! You would be surprised who's reading..... (9/3/06)
| Sunday, September 3, 2006 In her long absence from the WAVY anchor desk, Alveta Ewell lost something like 40 pounds, shrinking from a size 14 to a size 4. In doing so, she fulfilled a promise made to her late mother, Dorothy Williams. “It was her wish that I lose weight, get healthy and stay healthy. After my mother passed away, I set out to grant her dying wish and lose weight,” said Ewell, who took (medical) leave from May until August. (read more - The Virginian-Pilot) Editor's note: In the above article, why Ewell was on medical leave was never mentioned. She told the Daily Press that she didn't want to talk it, simply stating it was personal.
| Friday, September 1, 2006Joe Widoff’s five-year tenure as president and chief executive officer of WHRO public television and radio ended on Friday with his resignation. WHRO said that Widoff was leaving to pursue other opportunities within public broadcasting. Those opportunities were not revealed. (read more - The Virginian-Pilot)
| Friday, September 1, 2006FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE... The 20th Anniversary of the "Tony Mercurio Show" on ESPN Radio 1310 (WGH-AM) will be on September 15, 2006. Mercurio, who has won 13 Sportscaster of the Year Awards, began his afternoon Sportstalk Show on September 15, 1986."Many thought that our show wouldn't last", noted Mercurio. (read more - VARTV Press Room)
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