|
  The Market Manager for Cumulus New River Valley (CHR WFNR/100.7, News/Talk WWBU/101.7, Rock WBRW/105.3, Country WPSK/107.1, Talk WFNR/710, and Sports WRAD/1460), Ron Gaylor, has exited. Starting today, Sarah Leftwich has taken over that position..... (4/30/2007)
 | Saturday, April 28, 2007  FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE... 100.5 Max-FM (WXMM-FM) is out to replenish the depleted shelves of the Food Bank of the Virginia Peninsula and the Food Bank of Southeastern Virginia with “Rockin’ and Racin’ for Hunger” on Saturday, April 28, 2007.100.5 Max-FM on-air personalities Zak Tyler, Cindy Crawford and Bug will hit the track at Motor World, 700 S. Birdneck Road, in Virginia Beach at 12 Noon... (read more - VARTV Press Room)
| Friday, April 27, 2007Rumors are being generated by no less than the mighty Wall Street Journal, which said on April 26 that Lincoln Financial Media parent Lincoln National Corp. is looking to hire advisors to help the company sell off its media arm -- all 18 radio stations (which are all in top-50 markets), three TV stations (which includes "NBC12" WWBT Richmond) and TV production company Lincoln Financial Sports. (read more - Radio & Records)
| Friday, April 27, 2007 Max Media of Hampton Roads is proud to announce our newest addition, WGH-FM/WXEZ-FM Promotion Director, Renee Fonner.Renee is a member of the Country Radio Broadcasters’ Board of Directors and is coming to us from KFKF and KMXV in Kansas City, where she was Marketing/Promotion Director for the past 3 years. (read more - VARTV Press Room)
| Friday, April 27, 2007 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE... Gray Television (Gray) has completed the acquisition of approximately two acres of property at 2307 Hydraulic Road in the city of Charlottesville. The closing on the property purchased from BHE, LLC was completed on Friday night April 20th.The purchase included a building of approximately 6500 square feet that will be renovated for administrative and sales staff. (read more - VARTV Press Room)
| Thursday, April 26, 2007More residents of Chesterfield County are a step closer to having choice for their cable television services, thanks to a unanimous vote by the county Board of Supervisors Wednesday night (April 25) authorizing Verizon to offer its fiber-optic-powered FiOS TV. (read more - Verizon)
| Wednesday, April 25, 2007FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE... ESPN Radio 950 WXGI congratulates Station Manager, Buck Albritton on his “extracurricular” accomplishment as First Prize winner in the Emhart Teknologies/NASA Tech Briefs “Create the Future” Design Contest. For the past five years, Emhart Teknologies has partnered with NASA Tech Briefs in challenging the engineering community through their “Create the Future” Design Contest. Entries were submitted from the United States and 40 other countries in the categories of everyday products, safety, transportation, and medical. (read more - VARTV Press Room)
Cox customers now enjoy automatic and free additional bursts of speed when downloading large files | Wednesday, April 25, 2007 Cox Communications announced today the widespread deployment of PowerBoost™, a new technology that gives customers an added burst of speed when downloading large files. This enhanced feature is available in Cox markets today.Customers who have Cox's Preferred or Premier High Speed Internet services now experience even greater speeds when downloading large files, thanks to the addition of PowerBoost™. (read more - Cox Communications)
| Wednesday, April 25, 2007Cox Communications is reaching out to international consumers in its northern Virginia market, offering a free digital tier of international channels, as well as a new international telephone-calling plan that it said offers per-minute rates lower than the competition's international access. (read more - Multichannel News)
| Wednesday, April 25, 2007 After three years as WTVR's news director, Rick Howard has resigned from the position, said Peter Maroney, the station's general manager.Several newscasts premiered while Howard was news director. But the past several quarterly ratings reports have put the station's news shows second or third... (read more - Richmond Times-Dispatch)
| Wednesday, April 25, 2007Some Chesterfield County residents can now choose Verizon Communications Inc. as their television provider. Chesterfield joins Henrico County and Richmond in the telecommunication company's bid to lure customers from Comcast and satellite TV providers. In Chesterfield, Verizon's FiOS TV service is available to 22,000 households... (read more - Richmond Times-Dispatch)
| Wednesday, April 25, 2007Les Smith's 22-year career at WAVY ended abruptly Tuesday afternoon when he resigned as the NBC affiliate's co-anchor of the 5:30, 6 and 11 p.m. newscasts. WAVY news director Kathy Hostetter said she will initiate a search for Smith's replacement. (read more - The Virginian-Pilot)
Local news players tested as horrific events unfold | Wednesday, April 25, 2007 April 16 was supposed to be a day like most others in the 68th-largest TV market in the country, Roanoke-Lynchburg, Va., which serves Blacksburg, home to Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University.Instead it became the day that a student, Cho Seung-Hui, fueled by an impossible-to-comprehend rage and armed with two legally purchased handguns... (read more - TV Week)
| Tuesday, April 24, 2007News anchor Les Smith has resigned from WAVY-TV, Channel 10, after 22 years at the station. WAVY News Director Kathy Hostetter said the station accepted Smith's resignation on Tuesday. She offered no additional information about his leaving. (read more - Daily Press)
Verizon will add three high-definition cable channels and give some Newport News TV lovers a choice | Tuesday, April 24, 2007A small segment of Newport News consumers have new competition for cable television service today as Verizon launches its FiOS TV in the area. The difficulty now for subscribers is in determining whether to switch from Cox Communications and choosing which type of package to order. (read more - Daily Press)
--Roanoke Island Festival Park --Special guest Danielle Peck | Tuesday, April 24, 2007 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE... CapSan Media country music radio stations Wilbur 92.3 and Orville 97.1 today announced another live concert at Roanoke Island Festival Park in downtown Manteo. Saturday, May 5th, T. Graham Brown and special guest Danielle Peck will perform live.T. Graham Brown became a country radio presence in the late 1980’s with hits like “Hell and High Water”, “Darlene”, and “I Wish That I Could Hurt That Way Again.” (read more - VARTV Press Room)
| Tuesday, April 24, 2007 Loooongtime LIN TV WAVY (10/NBC) Anchor Les Smith quit the station this afternoon after a meeting at 3:30 in the newsroom. His resignation comes two days before the all important May TV sweeps for TV stations across the country. According to his old bio WAVY.com (we saved the page about 30 minutes before it disappeared) says Smith joined WAVY in 1985, but quickly moved to the weekend anchor chair. In 1992, he joined the anchor team on "WAVY News 10 at Five," and in 1993 assumed his then current duties as 5:30 pm, 6:00 pm and 11:00 pm. co-anchor.
Richmond’s newest radio station for the Best Mix of the 80’s, 90’s and Today | Tuesday, April 24, 2007 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE... Cox Radio announced today the appointment of Fisher to Program Director of WMXB-FM Mix 103.7, Richmond, Virginia’s newest radio station for the Best Mix of the 80’s, 90’s and Today. His appointment is effective May 21, 2007.Fisher has more than 17 years of radio industry experience. (read more - VARTV Press Room)
| Tuesday, April 24, 2007The HBO series, "The Sopranos" has featured every dirty word in the book at least once, but Sunday's episode had two references we thought we'd never hear on the show. Fredericksburg and Culpeper. (read more - The Free Lance-Star)
| Tuesday, April 24, 2007 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE... WAVY News 10 claimed seven awards on Saturday from the Virginia Associated Press Broadcasters Awards competition including the top honor of “Outstanding News Operation of the Year”. “To be recognized by our peers as the ‘Outstanding News Operation’ speaks to the excellence of the WAVY news team and what we were able to accomplish in 2006,” said Kathy Hostetter, News Director. “We are grateful to the judges who recognize that.” (read more - VARTV Press Room)
| Monday, April 23, 2007  FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE... WBQB-FM (B101.5) & NewsTalk 1230 WFVA were honored at the annual Virginia Associated Press Broadcasters (VAPB) Awards Banquet held Saturday evening at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Richmond. WBQB-FM (B101.5) received one Superior Award – Best Documentary or In-depth story: 9/11, Five Years Stronger. NewsTalk 1230 WFVA received three Superior Awards – Spot News Coverage: Plane Down, Best Feature or Human Interest Story: Stand and Deliver and Best Effort by an Individual Reporter: Kathy Stewart. (read more - VARTV Press Room)
| Monday, April 23, 2007Some parts of Newport News have new competition for cable television service today as Verizon launches its new FiOS TV. There are 4,100 households in the first batch of residents who will now have an alternative to Cox Communications... (read more - Daily Press)
| Monday, April 23, 2007WFLS-FM's news team has been named the state's Outstanding News Operation of 2007 by the Virginia Associated Press Broadcasters. The award was one of several that the station received at the VAPB's annual awards dinner held last night in Richmond. (read more - The Free Lance-Star)
| Monday, April 23, 2007Raycom's "CBS6" WTVR Richmond has lost its News Director as Rick Howard exited the station this past Friday (4/20). Sources say Howard had no other alternative but to resign. Raycom suits came into town last week and "persuaded" Howard to resign. We hear he will return to his home state of Oregon. Howard was with CBS6 for three years.
| Monday, April 23, 2007One week after adjusting its music format from Soft AC to Hot AC, Cox Radio has placed "Fisher" to program "Mix 103-7" WMXB Richmond. He will replace the exited Tim Baldwin. Fisher is currently with Cox Radio's Rhythmic "Hot 98-1" WHZT Seneca/Greenville SC as the station's PD and afternoon personality. He starts at "Mix" Monday, May 21.
| Monday, April 23, 2007 Consumers in parts of Chesterfield County now have a choice of video providers as Verizon expands the availability of its amazing FiOS television service in the Richmond area.Chesterfield County residents join Henrico County and Richmond customers who already are signing up for FiOS TV, the only TV service delivered over the nation's most advanced fiber-optic network straight to consumers' homes. (read more - Verizon)
Congrats to East Carolina Radio Group News/Sports Director Sam Walker for being elected to the board of the North Carolina Associated Press Broadcast for 2007-2008. The election was held during the annual meeting of the AP Broadcasters at Elon University..... (4/23/2007)
| Monday, April 23, 2007Consumers in parts of Newport News now have a choice of video providers as Verizon introduces its amazing FiOS television service here.These residents join Virginia Beach, Richmond and Northern Virginia customers who already are signing up for FiOS TV, the only TV service delivered over the nation's most advance fiber-optic network straight to consumers' homes. (read more - Verizon)
| Monday, April 23, 2007 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE... General Manager Martin Snead has resigned as Station Manager of 102.1FM THE GAME, WXTG, effective this Tuesday.“After successfully launching 102.1 The Game, my own entrepreneurial desires surfaced. I am proud of what we have built so far at The Game.” Snead said. “With Bruce Gilbert now on board, the future continues to look bright for both 102.1 The Game and Red Zebra. I am very appreciative of the opportunity and experience that Red Zebra gave me, and I look forward to watching their future growth.” (read more - VARTV Press Room)
| Friday, April 20, 2007The Richmond Broadcaster’s Hall of Fame proudly celebrates its 15th anniversary this year. The 2007 Awards banquet will be held Tuesday, May 15 at 6:30pm at The Renaissance (107 W. Broad Street, Richmond). The group will announce the winners of this year’s Frank Soden Lifetime Achievement Awards, and “Richmond Broadcaster of the Year”. Tickets for the dinner are $30 apiece, and available in advance until May 1st from any Board member including Cheryl Miller (254-3643) , Bill Bevins, Adam Stubbs, Kirby Carmichael and Bill Drake.
| Friday, April 20, 2007Earlier in the day, we posted radio stations and clusters paying tribute to the victims of the Virginia Tech massacre. This was merely to acknowledge the stations/clusters that did. Nothing more. One cluster official saw it differently saying it was made into a "competitive thing and it wasn't." So with that comment, the piece was immediately pulled. If ANY station was offended, please accept my apology.
| Thursday, April 19, 2007Michele Diamond, Program Director for Sinclair Communications' Alternative "96X" WROX/96.1 Exmore/Norfolk, is out. She is the second longtime Sinclair-er (12+ years of service) to exit the cluster. Brea, middays/MD/APD at Adult/Variety Hits "93-7 BOB FM" WPYA, left last week. Jay Michaels, PD of sister Rhythmic Urban AC "Energy 106.1" WNRJ Poquoson/Norfolk, picks up additional duties as 96X's new PD. Michaels said in a press release, "Bob Sinclair has given me the opportunity to take one of the country's heritage Alternative stations to another level with programming and promotions. We have an excellent air staff and are poised to do great things." (4/19/2007)
| Thursday, April 19, 2007  According to the regionally syndicated morning show "Rick & Bubba" website, the duo has listed Main Line Broadcasting's "Country That Rocks, 93.1 The Wolf" WLFV Ettrick/Richmond as an affiliate. An announcement on AllAccess.com and Radio & Records' website yesterday (4/18) mentions new affiliates and stating "A RICHMOND affiliate will soon be announced." A Main Line official COMPLETELY denies it'll be with WLFV."Rick and Bubba" (Rick Burgess and Bill "Bubba" Bussey) are based at Cox Radio's "New Country 97.3" WNCB Gardendale/Birmingham AL. The duo is heard on nearly three dozen stations in the Southeast.
| Thursday, April 19, 2007The Fredericksburg Chamber of Commerce advertised nearly 70 years ago for someone to build the city's first radio station. Richard Lewis, a former radio station operator and radio engineer, and his wife, Marion, decided to move to Fredericksburg from California and start WFVA-AM using capital supplied by eight local businessmen. (read more - The Free Lance-Star)
| Tuesday, April 17, 2007CC Roanoke stations Rock WROV/96.3, Soft AC "Sunny 93.5" WSNV//WSNZ, CHR "Jammin'" WJJS/WJJX, Country "104.9 The Bull" WZBL, and Country WYYD/107.9 spent most of Monday with live coverage of the tragic Virginia Tech shootings. In addition to airing a lot of callers (with little or no music), each station simulcast a good deal of Media General's "NewsChannel 10" WSLS's ongoing coverage throughout the day. Sunny and The Bull both ran the special Mark Williams call-in special 6 p.m.-10 p.m. which was provided by Premiere... In Richmond, Clear Channel's FM stations (WRVQ/94.5, WTVR/98.1, WRXL/102.1, WBTJ/106.5) ran updates from News/Talk WRVA/1140 twice an hour. WRVA adjusted it's schedule, dropping out of Rush Limbaugh at 2 p.m. for live local coverage hosted by Mac Watson. The station also sent a reporter to Blacksburg for live coverage. Sean Hannity was off as WRVA went to the Mark Williams call-in special, followed by Coast to Coast's live coverage of the tragedy starting at 10 p.m. This morning, WRVA, CHR "Q94" WRVQ and "Lite 98" WTVR dedicated their morning shows to the shootings with Q94 and Lite 98 temporarily dropping all music to focus on the tragedy...
| Tuesday, April 17, 2007One of Virginia’s historic radio companies is on the verge of being sold. Mid Atlantic Network Inc., the parent company of Winchester’s WINC-FM (92.5, and WBQB/101.5, WFVA/1230, WINC/1400, WWRE/105.5//WWRT/104.9), is in late-stage discussions “to divest all six of its radio stations to a privately-held North Carolina company, Centennial Broadcasting II LLC,” for an undisclosed sum, according to a statement issued on Monday by the Winchester-based company. (read more - The Winchester Star)
| Monday, April 16, 2007A power failure in the Clear Channel radio building knocked its five stations off the air for about 30 minutes yesterday afternoon. Station management confirmed that WRVA (1140 AM), WRNL (910 AM), WRVQ (94.5-FM), WTVR (98.1-FM), WRXL (102.1-FM) and WBTJ (106.5-FM) were intermittently off the air in the 3 p.m. hour... (read more - Richmond Times-Dispatch)
We hear at 3 p.m. today, all six Clear Channel Richmond radio stations (WRVQ/94.5, WTVR/98.1, WRXL/102.1, WBTJ/106.5, WRNL/910, WRVA/1140) went off the air. Stay tuned..... (4/16/2007)
| Monday, April 16, 2007The radio station WOWI-FM (102.9), known as 103 JAMZ, is expected to announce on the air at 3 p.m. today why it suspended popular local deejay Big B. No explanation was given in the press release last week from Reggie Jordan, general manager of Clear Channel, which operates WOWI and several other local stations. (read more - Daily Press) Editor's note: Announced on air that the "press conference" has been cancelled because of the Virginia Tech killings this morning. Is this another possible radio stunt? Something smells wrong here... augh...
| Monday, April 16, 2007  Cox Radio is excited to announce the re-launch of our Richmond radio station Mix 103.7.Mix 103.7 …Now with The Best Mix of the 80’s, 90’s and Today! We are better, bolder, hipper and more fun! The new concept hit the airwaves this morning – Monday, April 16, 2007 at 6am with Black Eyed Peas song “Let’s Get it Started.” (read more - VARTV Press Room)
 | Monday, April 16, 2007NewsBlues.com is reporting that Bruce Kirk, the news director at Allbritton's WSET (13/ABC) Lynchburg/Roanoke has resigned. Kirk takes the vacant ND job at Fort Myers Broadcasting's WINK (11/CBS) Ft Myers FL. He has been with WSET for six years.
| Monday, April 16, 2007Cox Radio's "Mix 103-7" WMXB Richmond has dumped the "Soft & Contemporary" format it has been running for the past 25 months for Hot AC -- "The Best Mix of the 80s, 90s and Today." Before going Mix, the station was known as "B103" with the same format.The new "Mix 103-7" will be jockless for 30 days with no talk (but commercials) which includes the morning show. The "Jack and Jen in the Morning" show will return Monday, May 14.
 Clear Channel HD radio 80's Hits "The Cube" WRVQ-HD2/94.5-2 Richmond has been tweaked. It appears that the music library is larger and the station is no longer called "The Cube" but now goes by "My 80s." "My 80's" is locally programmed in Richmond..... (4/15/2007)
| Saturday, April 14, 2007The Virginia Racehorse Network is pleased to announce its launch of a live statewide radio show featuring the best of horse racing from across the nation and Virginia. Hosted by Nick Hahn and "Derby Bill" Watson, "Off to the Races" will premier its 10th season -- its first with a statewide audience -- on Saturday, April 14th. (read more - VARTV Press Room)
| Saturday, April 14, 2007Ted Jett moved to Harrisonburg in 1973 from Baltimore. Back then, Jett used to press his ear against a radio, straining to hear faint broadcasts of Orioles games. Jett, now 56, may have to go back to that approach. Comcast does not offer the Mid-Atlantic Sports Network, which carries the Orioles and Washington Nationals, to its Harrisonburg cable television customers. (read more - The Daily News Record)
HD versions of FOX35 Richmond and MyTVZ (WTVZ/33) Hampton Roads can be added to line-ups | Friday, April 13, 2007 Charter Communications and Sinclair Broadcast Group announced today (4/12) that they have reached a 3-year retransmission consent agreement, including high-definition programming. The agreement, which expires March 31, 2010, provides for the carriage of 28 television station signals in 19 markets owned or operated by Sinclair and servicing approximately 1.9 million unique subscribers. (read more - Sinclair Broadcast Group)
| Thursday, April 12, 2007 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE... Cathy Lewis will continue to host “Hear/Say with Cathy Lewis” on Hampton Roads public radio but will leave WTAR’s “The Cathy Lewis Show” on Friday, April 13, 2007. “When this opportunity came along last summer, I knew it was something I couldn’t pass up,” Lewis said. “But the realities of hosting two daily shows and leading the CIVIC Leadership Institute didn’t leave much time for my family or the volunteer work that’s important to me.” (read more - VARTV Press Room)
| Thursday, April 12, 2007Bruce Gilbert takes the reigns as CEO of Red Zebra Broadcasting (Washington Redskins owner's radio broadcast company) replacing Bennet Zier who resigned. Red Zebra has stations in Hampton Roads, Richmond and Northern Virginia... Martin Snead, the GM of "102.1 The Game" WXTG Virginia Beach, has resigned. His last day is Friday, April 20. As one of Zier's hires, he will have been with the station for just 11 weeks... (4/12/2007)
 Reggie Jordan, VP/GM of Clear Channel Radio Norfolk, announces an immediate suspension of Big B. Jordan says in a press release, "In the best interest of our listeners, we have removed Big B from the Boodah Brothers Morning Show on WOWI “103 JAMZ” until further notice. We are evaluating our options at this point and will share any final decisions by the company, when they are made." The same statement appears on the station's website (103jamz.com). BUT is this all for real? Stay tuned..... (4/12/2007)
| Thursday, April 12, 2007FROM CBS19 WCAV... We here at CBS19 are excited to announce the return of Beth Duffy to the local airwaves. Beth is a longtime fixture in Charlottesville television, and we are so thrilled that she has chosen CBS19 as the place to make her return. Beginning April 16, you’ll be able to catch Beth on CBS19 News at Noon and CBS19 News at 5 p.m. (read more - Charlottesville Newsplex)
 Weeknights and now middays are wide open on Sinclair Communications' Adult/Variety Hits "93-7 BOB FM" WPYA Chesapeake. Kristi Michaels gives up the 7 p.m.-12 midnight shift to focus on middays at sister Alternative "96X" WROX/96.1 Exmore/Norfolk. Middays/MD/APD and longtime Sinclair-er, Brea says, "I quit dis bitch" and has exited the building. We hear a new middayer will be announced soon..... (4/12/2007)
| Thursday, April 12, 2007 The April 22nd episode of HBO’s “The Sopranos” will feature another radio connection, the Star Radio Group’s Classic Rock station, WWUZ.“At last year’s NAB, GM John Moen made contact with a Sopranos producer,” said OM Paul Johnson. “They mentioned that in an upcoming episode, Tony and Paulie would be driving through Fredericksburg, Virginia, and they wanted radio station audio to help establish the location. (read more - VARTV Press Room)
| Thursday, April 12, 2007 Lincoln Financial Media's "NBC12" WWBT Richmond has picked up Andy Jenks as a new reporter from "NEWSChannel 2" WKTV (NBC) Utica NY. According to a farewell page at his old station's website (WKTV.com), Jenks was with that station for more than six years and almost four years anchoring the 5 p.m. newscast. Also on the farewell page in a video tribute to Jenks, is former WKTV Meteorologist Matt DiNardo, who now works for Young Broadcasting's "8NEWS" WRIC (ABC) Petersburg/Richmond. DiNardo said in the piece he looks forward to seeing him again here in Richmond, and competing against him in the TV news biz.
| Thursday, April 12, 2007WTVR is offering a different take on Jamestown's 400th anniversary this week -- a British take. The Richmond TV station has teamed up with the BBC for a reporter exchange. WTVR's Greg McQuade is in Kent, England, for the week doing reports for the BBC... (read more - Richmond Times-Dispatch)
Looks like Local TV's "Your NewsChannel 3" WTKR (CBS) interim News Director is no longer interim - Nancy Nydam is now the station's ND..... (4/11/2007)
| Wednesday, April 11, 2007The general manager of Hampton-based WLRT-AM 1490 says he will not drop Don Imus' popular syndicated morning talk show after controversial comments about black players on Rutgers University's women's basketball team. Last week, the day after Rutgers lost to Tennessee in the national championship game, Imus talked about the Rutgers players looking very rough. (read more - Daily Press)
Starting Monday, April 16th Mike Barnicle will be filling in for Don Imus on "Imus in the Morning." Barnicle will be joined by other contributors to the program as well as Chris Carlin with sports and Tracy Burgess with news updates. Barnicle will fill in through Friday, April 27..... (4/11/2007) Sinclair Communications morning personality Tony Macrini (WNIS/790 Norfolk) will be a guest tonight on Bill O'Reilly's "The O'Reilly Factor" seen on the FOX News Channel at 8 p.m. The discussion will circle around the so-called "sanctuary city policy" O'Reilly has accused the City of Virginia Beach of having..... (4/10/2007) Diana Lanclos, local urban radio rep and former Urban "Hot 102.1" WWHV Virginia Beach senior account executive, resigned from the station's new incarnation Sports "The Game" WXTG and will be joining Entercom Norfolk. She'll be an account executive for the cluster's Urban AC "95-7 R&B" WVKL Norfolk and Rhythmic "Z104" WNVZ/104.5 Norfolk..... (4/10/2007)
Veteran public broadcaster to assume WHRO leadership | Tuesday, April 10, 2007 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE... The Board of Directors of WHRO, public broadcasting for Hampton Roads, has announced that Bert Schmidt has accepted the position of President and Chief Executive Officer, according to Board Chair Dr. Elizabeth L. Young. Schmidt will join WHRO after five years as President and General Manager of WVPT in Harrisonburg, Virginia, which broadcasts in 29 counties, and on satellite services in Northern Virginia and in parts of Maryland, Pennsylvania and West Virginia. (read more - VARTV Press Room)
| Monday, April 9, 2007As the Operations Manager (Chuck Hall) of WLRT-1490 (Hampton), I want to express the station's deepest regrets for the inappropriate and uncharacteristic statements by Don Imus on his morning program of Wednesday, April 4. His comments - which have been replayed on radio and television, and documented in the print media - concerned the Rutgers University women's basketball team. The team had lost the previous night to Tennessee in the NCAA women's Division I championship game. (read more - VARTV Press Room)
Red Zebra Broadcasting's Sports "102.1FM The Game" WXTG Virginia Beach has a new PD/OM - Keith Bennett. He replaces the frequency's first and only PD, Parrish Brown who resigned. Brown's last day was Friday.Before "The Game," Bennett was the general market voice for Clear Channel Norfolk's four-station cluster and previously PD/afternoons with WLRT/1490 Hampton. He plans on keeping his radio affiliate relations biz, Surf Dog Media, going..... (4/9/2007) Program Director Jim Tice is gone from Cox Radio Country "K95" WKHK Colonial Heights/Richmond, replaced by Buddy Van Arsdale from Cumulus' Country WSM-FM Nashville. Arsdale's replacement at WSM-FM is Kevin King, who at one time was PD at K95 from 1999 until 2001 where he was replaced by... Jim Tice..... (4/9/2007):// Channel 13 Executive Producer to exit | Monday, April 9, 2007Belo's WVEC (13/ABC) Hampton/Norfolk News Director Rich Lebenson announced to staff with "(g)reat news for Kathleen Harrington, sad news for us." Harrington, the Executive Producer for 13NEWS, has accepted the News Director position at Smith Media's "FOX44" WFFF Burlington VT. That station will launch its startup news operation this Summer. Harrington's last day at Channel 13 is April 27.
| Monday, April 9, 2007FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE... The Radio Television News Director's Association (RTNDA) recently announced in Washington that Piedmont Communications' Country WJMA/103.1 Radio News has won the Region 12, 2007 Edward R. Murrow Small Market Newscast of the Year Award for its 5-pm newscast on October 11 of last year. One of the stories on that newscast was on a news conference earlier that afternoon at which Culpeper Police Lieutenant Patrick Coffey announced an arrest in a series of bomb threats from September 17 through October 5. Region 12 includes Virginia, Maryland, Delaware and the District of Columbia. Regional winners automatically become eligible for the national Edward R. Murrow Awards Competition which will be judged in early June.
| Sunday, April 8, 2007Herm Reavis called Roanoke radio station WRIS Feb. 23 and asked Linda Jenkins a trivia question. “Now, Linda,” he said in his best mellow, baritone radio voice, “do you know what today is?” “Yes, Mr. Reavis,” said Jenkins, the station’s office manager. “I have it down on my calendar.” (read more - The Roanoke Times)
| Saturday, April 7, 2007Scary moments Thursday night at the Channel 12 news station. Richmond police were called there because a woman barricaded herself inside her car and refused to leave. Sources tell CBS 6 she wanted to tell a story about rape and Iraq. (read more - WTVR.com)
Entercom's Modern AC "94.9 The Point" WPTE Virginia Beach says "Good-bye" at 7 a.m. Thursday morning. Good bye to what... Their old website? The station? (4/7/2007)
| Friday, April 6, 2007 EchoStar Communications Corporation and its DISH Network satellite TV service announced today the launch of the Mid-Atlantic Sports Network (MASN), the television home of the Washington Nationals and the Baltimore Orioles."Adding the Mid-Atlantic Sports Network to our existing Regional Sports Networks lineup gives Nationals and Orioles fans all the more reason to subscribe to DISH Network," said Eric Sahl, senior vice president of Programming for DISH Network. (read more - MASN)
Bonneville's Adult/Variety Hits "George 104" WXGG (104.1) Waldolf/Washington enters a LMA with Radio One. The station is off the air now but a new format is expected tonight. More at DCRTV.com..... (4/6/2007)
| Friday, April 6, 2007The FCC has recently granted two new AM radio stations in and around the VARTV area. The first is for South Boston. Linda Waller-Barton gets her second AMer for the town at 1400KHz. The new station will do a non-directional 1kW 24/7. Waller-Barton's other South Boston station is Black Gospel WSBV/1560. The second new AM station is in Pocomoke City MD. Bay Broadcasting gets it at 1070KHz, doing a directional 500 watts during the day and 250 watts at night. 1070 will put a listenable signal into the northern parts of Virginia's Eastern Shore from Bloxom on north... Deanna Smith has gone to court to take over her incapacitated father and late mother's Duffield Broadcasting, licensee of silent WDUF/1120 (1kW) Duffield near Kingsport TN. Smith told the Court that she was granted the option by her parents to buy the station for $1 if her 2001 loan of $22,500 to her mother and the station was not repaid, which she says it wasn't. Smith took the estate and her siblings to court to have an administrator appointed for the estate and order one of her father's Powers of Attorney used to sign off on the deal. WDUF has been officially silent since November 2006.
| Friday, April 6, 2007 Seth Williamson is a prominent radio personality WVTF Public Radio, both as Morning Classics host and Back to the Blue Ridge co-host. He is also the longest serving fulltime employee at WVTF, working for the radio station for over 25 years. Williamson started out as a part time community producer in 1981. Two years later his classical morning program went on the air and he has been dominating the airwaves ever since. (read more - Virginia Tech's Planet Blacksburg)
| Thursday, April 5, 2007FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE... Lifestyles: Voice of the Boomer Generation in Hampton Roads has officially launched its new web site -- www.lifestylesmag.net -- featuring content from our April issue of the print magazine as well as daily news updates and video clips. The cover story, Behind the Arts, is an in-depth look at the extraordinary efforts of Virginia Arts Festival Executive Director Rob Cross and Lynne Seagle of the Hope House Foundation, the non-profit organization that produces the semi-annual Stockley Gardens Arts Festival. Also look for articles on traveling to Croatia, Virginia wineries, and Nashville, viewpoint on diagnosing Alzheimer's disease, health and fitness, a profile on Karen Scherberger of Festevents, Virginia gardening, restaurant and wine reviews, a calendar of events, music previews on Kenny Rogers and Jim Newsom, and much more.
Our thoughts and prayers go out to Sinclair Communications' on-air personality/producer, Don Burke, who is in Chesapeake General's ICU after having suffered a heart attack. We hear he could be moved out of ICU tomorrow..... (4/5/2007)
| Thursday, April 5, 2007For everyone at "Your NewsChannel 3" WTKR (CBS) Norfolk, meet your new executives at Local TV LLC according to the company's website... 
| Thursday, April 5, 2007Lynchburg-based Liberty University is buying four more FM translators (low power repeaters) in Virginia and North Carolina. The seller is Positive Alternative Radio (PAR) and is unloading them for $60,000. The translators are in W290AU/105.9 Burlington NC, W231BJ/94.1 Fredericksburg, W287AR/105.3 Marion and W242BG/96.3 Winchester. All will rebroadcast Liberty's Christian Contemporary "Victory FM" WRVL/88.3 Lynchburg.
24/7 stream available on webpage and HD multicast channel | Thursday, April 5, 2007 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE... WHRO is pleased to announce the addition of a 24/7 stream of alternative and progressive music, now available on whro.org as well as on WHRV-FM’s HD multicast channel, WHRV-FM 89.5 – 2.The stream, known as radioNtenna, features Blues, Rock, and Americana, along with selected Jazz and Folk music in a continuous non-commercial, uninterrupted cycle. The music spans over 60 years of exceptional musicians and their contributions to our society. The music library is ten-times larger than the typical rotation of music on a commercial broadcast station, and larger than many streams offered on satellite radio. (read more - VARTV Press Room)
Our condolences to the family and friends of Devon Thornton (formerly with The Coast, The Point, StudioCenter and WNOR) who was found dead at her home late Saturday night. (4/5/2007)
| Thursday, April 5, 2007Baseball fans on the eastern shore of Delaware and Maryland will be able to watch the Baltimore Orioles and Washington Nationals games all season long, now that cable provider Mediacom Communications Corporation has agreed to immediately carry the Mid-Atlantic Sports Network to its coastal customers. Under the deal, Mediacom will also begin carrying MASN for its Eastern North Carolina customers beginning July 1. (read more - MASN)
| Tuesday, April 3, 2007Stephanie Thomas, morning drive personality on Max Media Contemporary Inspirational "Star 94.1" WXEZ Yorktown/Hampton Roads, is in her third month of a "very exciting awareness campaign" -- The PJ Deejay Project. Thomas has packed away all of her clothes for 365 days and is committed to only wearing PJ's "to help raise awareness for the need for more clothing options for people with limited disabilities and wheelchair users." Thomas is personally connected to this campaign because she was born with congenital defects of the hand and feet. Thomas says, "There are 54 million plus people with disabilities in our nation and 22 million people like me with a "non-severe" disability that could use great looking, easy to use clothing. It's amazing... there are clothing options for pets in the stores but not for people with disabilities." For more information go to WXEZ941.com.
| Tuesday, April 3, 2007Verizon has told the City of Newport News it hopes to start selling cable television service in the city by April 16. The city is still working with the company on terms and conditions, which might not be done until May. (read more - Daily Press)
| Tuesday, April 3, 2007Bob Pastorio loved to make people laugh. His own laugh was distinctive, a hearty chuckle that reverberated through the airwaves of radio station WSVA and invited listeners to join in the joke. On their show, "Middays," which aired for two hours twice a month, Pastorio and Jim Britt talked and joked with listeners about the world of food and whatever else inspired them. (read more - Staunton's The News Leader)
| Monday, April 2, 2007 WHAP/1340 is back on the air with, as one reader describes, as a hybrid Vintage Soul/R&B/Black Gospel format. The station is airing tape-delayed segments recorded from World Media Broadcasting Co's (headed up by Preston T Brown) WCLM/1450 in Highland Springs but it's not a simulcast. Another VARTV reader heard the station owner give "a lengthy motivational speech;" in how he "moved up the ranks to own a car dealership and a 'bankrupt radio station'."WHAP is being sold to PT Brown Broadcasting for $150,000 by MainQuad Communications. Back on June 1, 2006, Rick Brady's (formerly nights at The Star Radio Group's Country WFLS/93.3 Fredericksburg) Silver Dolphin Communications signed-on WHAP with a Traditional Country format and was hoping to acquire the station for $200,000. But just after six weeks the plug was pulled and had been quiet until the middle of last month.
| Monday, April 2, 2007Starting today, Main Line Broadcasting's "Oldies 107.3" WBBT//WARV (100.3) hands the 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. shift to Matt Nicholls and Tony Booth is now the station's full-time afternoon guy from 3-8 p.m. Booth mentioned the changes last night on his "Sunday Night Rock & Roll Hop" 1950s show, which he will continue to do... Eastern Shore Radio's Hot AC "103.3 The Shore" WESR Onley-Onancock VA announces some on-air changes. Felicity Stokes is gone but has been replaced on weekends by Steven Johnson on air. Lynn Thornes replaces Johnson in the sales department. Since meteorologist Jim Lawrence's contract wasn't renewed with LIN TV's WAVY (10/NBC) Portsmouth, WESR is using WAVY's Jeremy Wheeler for the station's weather reports. A station source also tells us that Eddie Williams is now 89 and still going strong!
| Monday, April 2, 2007 "It appears" that Cox Radio will jettison the "Soft & Contemporary" format heard on "The NEW Mix 103-7" WMXB Richmond for a Modern AC format beginning tomorrow morning at 6 a.m. "103.7 The Point" will "be playing the best of the 80's, 90's and today with less talk."In an email to Mix NETwork subscribers on Friday, the newsletter stated that the new "103-7 The Point" will be playing artists like Ace of Base, Queen, The B-52's, New Order, The Clash, Third Eye Blind, Depeche Mode, Eve 6, Pearl Jam, Finger Eleven, R.E.M., Gin Blossoms, Heart, Tears For Fears, Oasis and Joy Division..." Jack and Jen in the Morning will continue on the station weekdays at 6 a.m.. Interestingly, Richmond's Point will be getting Hampton Roads' Point web address of www.pointradio.com starting Friday. Currently, the web address for Entercom's Modern AC "94.9 The Point" WPTE redirects to a temporary URL. Is all this just an elaborate April Fools Day joke??? Stay tuned.....
| Monday, April 2, 2007Tribune Co. says it has accepted a buyout offer from real estate investor Sam Zell in a deal valued at $8.2 billion. At the same time, Tribune said it plans to sell the Chicago Cubs and the company's 25 percent interest in Comcast SportsNet Chicago after the conclusion of the 2007 baseball season. (read more - Daily Press)
| Monday, April 2, 2007 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE... WAVY-TV announces that it is the recipient of the 2007 RTNDA Edward R. Murrow Award in the category of Best News Series for its “Lebanon Evacuations” coverage.Photojournalist Aaron Kurtz and former Military Reporter Patty Culhane were the only local journalists to travel to Cyprus to bring viewers up-to-the-minute reports on Lebanon’s mass evacuation. The duo was in the Middle East for nine days with local military personnel. They reported back on their mission to help evacuate American citizens from war-torn Lebanon, and to provide humanitarian relief to those caught up in the conflict. (read more - VARTV Press Room)
Entercom Urban AC "95-7 R&B" WVKL Norfolk is now broadcasting in HD radio. The station is simulcasting it's analog signal on its HD1 stream. WVKL joins sister stations Modern AC "94.9 The Point" WPTE Virginia Beach and Rhythmic "Z104" WNVZ/104.5 Norfolk doing HD radio. Only AC "2WD" WWDE/101.3 Hampton hasn't gone digital in the radio cluster... yet..... (4/2/2007)
Some cable providers in SW Virginia are passing on MASN... | Saturday, March 31, 2007Baltimore Orioles fans in Southwest Virginia are used to watching their team on TV. But this season, many of them will strike out when they pick up their remote. In past seasons, most O's games were televised by Comcast SportsNet, with the rest syndicated to other channels, including WDRL and WDBJ Digital. (The Roanoke Times)
Uncle Johnny is set to do mornings for Vox Communications' Classic Country WSIG/96.9 Mt Jackson/Harrisonburg beginning Monday, April 9. Johnny was doing mornings for Clear Channel Oldies "Q105.1" WQJQ Kosciusko/Jackson MS since 2003..... (3/30/2007) Cox Radio Richmond (WKHK, WKLR, WDYL, WMXB) Operations Manager Tim Baldwin has left building. Actually, last week. All mentions of him have been wiped clean from Cox's Richmond websites..... (3/30/2007)
| Friday, March 30, 2007  FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE... CH4 Hampton Roads, WSKY-TV is proud to announce the scheduled broadcast of the Norfolk Tides season opener on Thursday April 05, 2007. The game will be held in Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Pennsylvania against the Scranton/W-B Yankees with a start time of 7:00pm.“We are very happy to have our first game as an Orioles affiliate appear on WSKY-TV” said Tides General Manager Dave Rosenfield. (read more - VARTV Press Room)
| Thursday, March 29, 2007FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE... The Radio-Television News Directors Association has announced that WFLS-FM in Fredericksburg and WJMA in Orange are regional winners of the 2007 regional winners of the Edward R. Murrow Awards for excellence in electronic journalism. WFLS-FM’s award comes in the category of News Documentary for the 30-minute program “Focus: Tech Fest” which was produced and hosted by Nancy Ball. The program dealt with the many ways that new technology is being used in Spotsylvania County school classrooms. It was broadcast October 29 of last year and can be heard online at www.wflsnews.com. (read more - VARTV Press Room)
| Thursday, March 29, 2007 An open casting call for The CW Network’s “America’s Next Top Model” will be held at The Gallery at Military Circle, 880 North Military Highway, Norfolk on Saturday, March 31, 2007 beginning at 1 PM. Casting is looking for females, ages 18 to 27, of diverse backgrounds, shapes, sizes and with a minimum height requirement of 5’7” tall. Each casting call, hundreds of young ladies from Hampton Roads vie for the opportunity to become America’s Next Top Model. (read more - VARTV Press Room)
| Thursday, March 29, 2007 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE... WVEC.COM receives the 2007 EDWARD R. MURROW REGIONAL AWARD for outstanding achievement in electronic journalism.“This recognition, for a second year in a row, reflects the continuing success of WVEC.COM,” said President and General Manager Nick Nicholson. “I’m excited that, in addition to providing the best broadcast news coverage for Hampton Roads via 13NEWS, our on-line power of WVEC.COM leads by example and this prestigious award reaffirms that direction,” Nicholson added. (read more - VARTV Press Room)
| Thursday, March 29, 2007FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE... The Baltimore Orioles-Washington Nationals exhibition game Friday, March 30, at Harbor Park in Norfolk, is sold out but it will be on radio in Hampton Roads. ESPN Radio 1310 will carry the Orioles-Nationals exhibition game commencing with a special "pregame show" at noon. The broadcast continues from Harbor Park with the Orioles broadcast team at 1:30. Game time is 2:05. This is the only radio broadcast of the sold out contest. ESPN Radio 1310 will also carry over 60 Baltimore Orioles games throughout the season.
| Thursday, March 29, 2007 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE... Richmond’s police force and surrounding counties are cutting down the crime. Now a crime-fighting show will be added to the arsenal. It’s a show similar to “America's Most Wanted”… CW Richmond will be home of “Crime Watch.” Starting in September, WUPV-TV 65 (CW Richmond) will air “Crime Watch” with Jon Burkett and Yuna Lee. The bi-weekly crime show is being endorsed by all law enforcement agencies including federal entities in the metro Richmond area. (read more - VARTV Press Room)
| Wednesday, March 28, 2007Max Media Classic Hits/AC "92-9 The Wave" WVBW Suffolk/Norfolk morning co-host Dick Lamb loss his wife Kathy early this morning due to complications from lung cancer. Funeral arrangements have been set for 11 a.m., Friday, March 30th at the Virginia Beach United Methodist Church on 19th St in Virginia Beach. The family has requested in lieu of flowers that donations be made to cancer research.
| Wednesday, March 28, 2007 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE... Red Zebra Broadcasting announces a partnership with The Washington National’s for the 2007-2008 season.102.1FM THE GAME will air a limited schedule of games that include Opening Day and “Baseball Sunday’s” so the Tidewater area can keep up to speed with local favorite Ryan Zimmerman. Zimmerman is expected to be a frequent guest on The Bram Weinstein and The John Castleberry shows as well. (read more - VARTV Press Room)
We have word that Liz Underwood, who spent over 50 years as the music librarian at WRNL-AM (and later WRXL-FM ) retiring in 1994, has passed away. She was 94..... (3/27/2007)
| Tuesday, March 27, 2007 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE... ESPN Radio 1310, Virginia’s first all-sports radio station, announced today that it has reached an agreement to carry over 60 Baltimore Orioles baseball games this season.Eric “Zero” Mastel, President of Max Media, owners of ESPN Radio 1310, made the announcement today. “We feel that this is a great opportunity to extend our relationship with the Norfolk Tides by carrying as many Orioles games as we can,” noted Mastel. (read more - VARTV Press Room)
| Monday, March 26, 2007Entercom Norfolk selects Tias Schuster as its new Program Director for Rhythmic "Z104" WNVZ/104.5 Norfolk. Schuster hails from sister CHR "98-5 KRZ" WKRZ Freeland/Wilkes Barre/Scranton PA where he held a similar position. Schuster replaces Michael Bryan who's headed for Clear Channel CHR "XL106-7" WXXL Tavares/Orlando FL. Bryan starts programming WXXL Monday, April 10 with Schuster starting at Z104 the following week.
More pics of the NBC12 chopper that crashed on Friday from the Lewes Fire Department..... (3/26/2007)
| Monday, March 26, 2007 Four people suffered minor injuries when a TV news helicopter crash-landed in a field late Friday afternoon near Rehoboth Beach.Delaware State Police Cpl. Jeffrey Oldham said the chopper crashed just after 4 p.m. in the Ridings of Rehoboth development off Beaver Dam Road. (read more - WBOC-TV 16)
| Sunday, March 25, 2007WSLS (Channel 10) has named Ros Runner its chief meteorologist, the station announced Friday in a press release. Beginning Monday, Runner will appear on the 5 p.m., 5:30 p.m., 6 p.m and 11 p.m. newscasts. He will accompany Johanna Calfee, who also recently joined the weather team. She had previously worked as a reporter and producer at the station. (read more - The Roanoke Times)
Natalie Cole, Stars of ’24,’ ‘Jackie Brown,’ among attendees at annual NABOB Communications Dinner | Sunday, March 25, 2007 On Friday evening The National Association of Black Owned Broadcasters (NABOB) presented WXEZ (Star 94.1 FM) Program Director and afternoon air personality Dale Murray with a Daimler Chrysler Fellowship. Other award recipients at the black tie event included veteran movie actress Pam Grier, Dennis Haysbert of Fox’s ’24’, Grammy winning gospel quartet Mighty Clouds of Joy and Legendary Jazz vocalist Jimmy Scott for their achievements within the entertainment industry. (read more - VARTV Press Room)
| Thursday, March 22, 2007FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE... Neal Boortz, nationally syndicated radio host and author, was in town on Tuesday evening, March 20, 2007, at the Barnes & Noble in Virginia Beach. A record crowd of enthusiastic fans greeted the man they call the “Mouth of the South”. Heard locally on powerhouse News/Talk station, AM790 WNIS, Neal Boortz signed his new book, “Somebody’s Gotta Say It,” for over two hours. (read more - VARTV Press Room)
| Thursday, March 22, 2007FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE... The Summer Camp Guide on WAVY.com is Hampton Roads’ number one source for online camp research. Since 2002, the Summer Camp Guide has become a mandatory destination for camp seekers. Parents are able to locate their child’s summer adventure with a click of a mouse. From 2005 to 2006, the page views for the Camp Guide increased by 59 percent and the visitors increased by 34 percent. (read more - VARTV Press Room)
| Thursday, March 22, 2007FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE... WAVY-TV announces that Derrick Rose has been named morning news reporter for WAVY News 10 Today which airs Monday through Friday mornings from 5am to 7am. Now Hampton Roads will wake up with WAVY and Derrick as he joins the #1 rated morning team of Kerri Furey, Don Roberts, Jon Cash and Chopper 10 Pilot John Massey. (read more - VARTV Press Room)
| Wednesday, March 21, 2007The FCC has granted Creative Educational Media Corp's (CEMC) religious "The Oasis Network" WYCS/91.5 Yorktown a license upgrade. The station received a CP (construction permit) to move from a Class B1 to a full Class B licensed facility. This approval ups WYCS' power from 20kW to 50kW but the station will employ a directional antenna to slightly protect first-adjacent channel WBKU/91.7 Ahoskie NC. Even though the antenna will move a bit further up the Peninsula, the new signal will reach further down I-64 and will pick up an additional 300,000+ persons. Click here for WYCS' current and proposed coverage areas.
Saga Communications' Classic Rock "106.9 The Fox" WAFX Suffolk/Norfolk loses their night personality as Alex Dahm gives up nights. Dahm, who will still on to do fill-in work, has been with WAFX just over four years and had a previous five years at Entercom's Modern AC '94.9 The Point' WPTE. Dahm replaced Jerry Hoyt who left in December 2002 for opportunities in Northern Virginia. More to come... (3/21/2007)
Catch Entercom Rhythmic "Z104" WNVZ/104.5 Norfolk mixer DJ BabeyDrew on Monday's Oprah. We hear BabeyDrew got "mad camera time" with artist Chris Brown performing..... (3/21/2007)
| Wednesday, March 21, 2007It sounded like a good idea. When Cox Communications made available four extra digital channels of coverage for the NCAA men's basketball tournament, fans were all but promised that they wouldn't miss a play, much less large chunks of their favorite team's game. Instead, frustrated Hampton Roads viewers were introduced to an entirely new kind of March Madness. (read more - The Virginian-Pilot)
| Wednesday, March 21, 2007 The Norfolk Tides announced today that Pete Michaud will be joining the Tides’ broadcast team for the 2007 season. Michaud will be working alongside Bob Socci to call the action on ESPN Radio 1310. Michaud served as the broadcaster for the Hampton Roads Admirals during their 11-year stint in the ECHL and has handled their play-by-play duties for each of their 7 seasons in the American Hockey League. (read more - Norfolk Tides)
Roanoke/Lynchburg makes Top 10 in Markets 51-100 | Tuesday, March 20, 2007 Continuing to take market share from wired cable, satellite TV services now serve slightly over a quarter of all US TV households. The analysis of Nielsen data is from the Television bureau of Advertising (TVB), which regularly uses the information to help local stations portray local cable spots as missing significant portions of the local audience. The cable industry has always dismissed that as irrelevant, since no spot on a local broadcast TV station reaches 100% of the local television audience either. (read more - TVBR.com)
| Monday, March 19, 2007FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE... Curtis Media Group has announced the appointment of Chris Roth as Program Director for the company’s next-generation, 60’s and 70’s Oldies station, Y-102.9 (WWMY-FM) in Raleigh. Roth joins the station from his current position at Cumulus Media’s Fayetteville, NC radio cluster where he’s been Senior Director of Programming since July, 2005. He’ll also anchor Y-102.9’s midday (10A-3P) airshift. (read more - VARTV Press Room)
| Saturday, March 17, 2007 The Virginia Beach City Council has approved a franchise agreement for Verizon Communications Inc. to sell television service to the city’s more than 160,000 households. The company began offering its Fios TV service in January to 37,000 customers in parts of about 20 Virginia Beach neighborhoods. (read more - The Virginian-Pilot)
Living Faith Ministries' WLFG-TV/68 and WLFG-DT/49 Grundy VA has requested from the FCC to shut off it's analog operations on channel 68 and strictly be a digital station on channel 49.The FCC says, "The Balanced Budget Act of 1997 directed the Commission to reallocate the 746-806 MHz band (encompassing broadcast channels 60-69) for public safety and commercial use. Accordingly, in 1998, the Commission designated Channels 60-62 and 65-67 for commercial use, and Channels 63, 64, 68 and 69 for the exclusive use of public safety. Until the end of the digital television transition, however, broadcasters are entitled to remain on these channels and be protected from harmful interference. In 2000, the Commission described how it would review, on a case-by-case basis, requests by incumbent broadcasters on channels 60-69 to voluntarily vacate their NTSC channels prior to the end of the DTV transition." WLFG serves the Bristol/Kingsport/Johnson City TV market..... (3/16/2007)
After on leave to Florida, Entercom Rhythmic "Z104" WNVZ/104.5 Norfolk Program Director Michael Bryan exits for the PD slot at Clear Channel CHR "XL106-7" WXXL Tavares/Orlando FL. Bryan starts his new gig on Monday, April 10..... (3/16/2007)
| Thursday, March 15, 2007 We're hearing that Raycom Media's "CBS6" WTVR Richmond has named Aaron Justus as its new weekend Justus hails from BlueStone TV's "NewsChannel 7" KRCR (ABC) Redding/Red Bluff/Chico CA. According to his bio at that station's website, Justis majored in meteorology at the University of Kansas. Upon graduation, he landed a job at Hearst-Argyle's KMBC (9/ABC) Kansas City as weather producer. His first on-air position was weekend meteorologist for the then Media General "NewsChannel 3" KIMT Mason City IA. Justis was with KIMT just over two years before moving to KRCR.
| Wednesday, March 14, 2007 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE... On Thursday, WRIR 97.3 Richmond Independent Radio boosts its broadcast range with brand new antennae that will beam its news, views, music and emergency information to thousands of new listeners.A crane arrives between 9 am and noon on March 15th to hoist our new broadcast antennae and mast 120 feet in the air onto the roof of the Richmond Redevelopment and Housing Authority’s Frederic A. Fay Towers (1202 North First Street). (read more - VARTV Press Room)
| Wednesday, March 14, 2007ATTENTION, Don Roberts, Kerri Furey and Jon Cash of “WAVY News 10 Today.” The gang in the rearview mirror – the “13 News Daybreak” crew of LaSalle Blanks, Janet Roach, Craig Moeller and Joe Flanagan – is gaining on you. And fast! Time was when WAVY’s lead in the early-morning Nielsens was wider than the Mississippi. Channel 10 pretty much had the early risers all locked up and ready to deliver to “Today” on NBC. No longer. (read more - The Virginian-Pilot) Editor's note: Click here for the stats on the last five rating periods...
| Wednesday, March 14, 2007FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE... WFLS’s Brian Strobel celebrates his 30th anniversary with the Fredericksburg country station. On March 17, 1977, Brian cracked the mic for his first day at WFLS. This week, he’ll crack it for the (approximately) 7,500th day. (read more - VARTV Press Room)
| Wednesday, March 14, 2007From WFLS: Now you can listen to WFLS News online anytime as they are added three times daily 8 a.m., noon and the new “6@6.” Just go to www.wfls.com/news and click on the latest newscast. Did someone tell you about something they heard in the news last week? These three daily newscasts are archived for two weeks.
| Wednesday, March 14, 2007Max Media Classic Hits/AC "92.9 The Wave" WVBW Suffolk/Norfolk morning host Dick Lamb of The Morning Wave has been tending to a family illness over the past couple of weeks. "Due to his commitment to his family, Mr. Lamb has taken intermittent absences from his show. He thanks his fans and listeners for their support during this difficult time and will remain on the air when possible."
| Wednesday, March 14, 2007A two-year, $2 million technology project came crashing to a halt early March 2 for independent station WSKY Chesapeake, Va., when high winds knocked down a digital television tower it was building. The collapse of the WSKY tower, located just south of the Virginia border in Camden County, N.C., occurred in winds of about 40 mph, says station President Glenn Holterhaus, as a line of storms that first wreaked havoc as tornados in Alabama and Georgia made its way to the Virginia coast. (read more - Broadcasting & Cable)
| Tuesday, March 13, 2007Clear Channel Norfolk announced today that DJ Law has been promoted to Program Director of Urban "103Jamz" WOWI/102.9 Norfolk. DJ Law has been with the station since 1992, starting on Saturday mornings with “Ya Mama’s Rapp Show” with MC Spice, he joined forces with Big B to form the Boodah Brothers "and has come a long way since: moving up to the top-rated morning drive slot and bringing his great ear for music and sense of community as the new Program Director," says a company source. Law replaces Eric Mychaels who exited as the station's PD a month ago... DJ Fountz is now the Music Director for WOWI. DJ Fountz got his start as a member of the ECSU (Elizabeth City State University) radio station WRVS/89.9 air staff (both as mixer and MC) before joining Hip-Hop "92.1 The Beat" WBHH as one half of “2 White Boyz and A Beat.” "He then jumped to afternoons on WOWI in October of 2004 shooting to #1 P18-34, and hasn’t looked back since," says the company source...
| Tuesday, March 13, 2007 Country Radio Broadcasters, Inc. introduces a brand new event entitled the "CRB Radio Outreach," which will be held at the Courtyard Marriott in Virginia Beach, Virginia on Friday April 20, 2007 from 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM.Topics' scheduled to be covered during the one day event include: On Air Talent, Program Management, Revenue & Sales, How To Make Your Station Sound Bigger, Labels and Networking. (read more - CRB)
| Tuesday, March 13, 2007FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE... The Department of Commerce's National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) has announced the final rule for the Digital-to-Analog Converter Box Coupon Program (coupon program) designed to help consumers continue receiving free, over-the-air television when full-power television stations cease analog broadcasting after February 17, 2009. (read more - NTIA)
| Tuesday, March 13, 2007The anchorman seemed uncharacteristically nervous. Thomas Roberts' voice shook slightly as he addressed his audience. But he pressed on because in some ways it was the most important story he'd ever tell. It's about him - and something no one else should have to endure. (read more - The Virginian-Pilot)
| Monday, March 12, 2007Liberty University has agreed to buy a Roanoke-based television station. The school’s board of trustees authorized the $6 million purchase of financially troubled WDRL-TV at the board’s annual meeting earlier this month. (read more - Lynchburg News & Advance)
| Saturday, March 10, 2007John Castleberry has stepped down from his job as Norfolk Tides radio broadcaster after nine years. His departure comes after the Tides' carrier, ESPN 1310, said it wasn't happy that Castleberry had begun also working for another station. In January, he began hosting an afternoon talk show on 102.1 FM The Game. (read more - The Virginian-Pilot)
| Friday, March 9, 2007Fear not, Comcast subscribers and Fox Richmond lovers. The local affiliate isn't going anywhere for the next four years. Comcast Corp. and Sinclair Broadcast Group Inc. said today they have reached an agreement for the cable company to air the local Fox affiliate and 36 other stations owned or operated by the broadcast company until March 1, 2011. Terms were not disclosed. (read more - Richmond Times-Dispatch)
The Popular Assembly Of New Horizons 3000 And His Successors' Triple A/Public Radio LPFM "Revolutionary Radio" at 100.9 Williamsburg changed it's call letters from WYOU-LP to WRRW-LP..... (3/9/2007)
| Friday, March 9, 2007 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE... Beginning Monday, March 12, 2007 at 6a, WBTJ-FM will launch the nationally syndicated Steve Harvey Morning Show. The Steve Harvey Morning Show-hosted by one of America's funniest and most popular comics lands in the Capitol City, Richmond, VA.The Steve Harvey Morning Show combines heart, humor, and great music with hot celebrities from the entertainment and sports worlds, and interviews with a variety of engaging guests. (read more - VARTV Press Room)
Cox Radio Richmond released Country "K95" WKHK/95.3 Colonial Heights/Richmond Program Director Jim Tice on Monday. Buddy Van Arsdale has been named as his replacement. Van Arsdale was the PD at Cumulus' Country "95.5 The Wolf" WSM Nashville for not even a year..... (3/8/2007)
| Thursday, March 8, 2007 For another year, ESPN's coverage of the men's ACC tournament will be presented in high definition.For local households with hi-def technology, however, don't get your hopes up. With the exception of one game, coverage by ESPN and ESPN2 is blacked out in Hampton Roads. The games will be shown locally, of course - on WTVZ - but not in HD. (read more - The Virginian-Pilot)
Public broadcaster wins Silver award for Television, bronze for radio productions | Wednesday, March 7, 2007 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE... WHRO, public television and radio for Hampton Roads, has received two “Telly” Awards for works produced by the broadcaster.A Silver “Telly” was awarded to WHRO TV for Civil War in Hampton Roads: 1861, the first of a proposed four-part series chronicling the politics, battles and aftermath of the Civil War in the Hampton Roads region. Produced by WHRO staffer Cynthia Pardy, Civil War in Hampton Roads: 1861 was first broadcast on WHRO TV15 in November of 2005. (read more - VARTV Press Room)
Cox Communications and WVEC – TV parent company BELO Corp. ink digital carriage deal | Wednesday, March 7, 2007Cox Communications and Belo Corp., the parent company of WVEC-TV (ABC), announced today that the companies have reached an agreement to offer Cox customers WVEC-TV in both analog and in high-definition. The analog channel for WVEC is found on Cox channel 13 and the high-definition signal will be available on Cox channel 713. (read more - Cox Communications)
:// Unfinished TV tower in N.C. toppled in high wind | Tuesday, March 6, 2007A television tower under construction in Camden County toppled during Friday's strong winds because concrete anchors were not large enough, according to the station's president. "Things that were supposed to stay in place didn't," said Glenn Holterhaus, president of Sky Television, parent company of WSKY-TV Channel 4. (read more - The Virginian-Pilot) Editor's note: Scroll down this page a bit for pictures...
| Monday, March 5, 2007Belo Corp., parent company of WVEC Television, Inc., and Cox Communications announced today they reached a retransmission-consent agreement that covers Belo television stations and local cable news channels in the Phoenix, Hampton/Norfolk, New Orleans, Tucson and Twin Falls, Idaho markets. The agreement covers the high-definition and analog signals, as well as locally produced content for video-on-demand, of the following stations: KTVK and KASW-TV in Phoenix; WVEC-TV in Hampton/Norfolk, WWL-TV and WUPL-TV in New Orleans; KMSB-TV and KTTU-TV in Tucson; and KTFT-TV in Twin Falls, Idaho. (read more - WVEC.com)
| Monday, March 5, 2007On the heels of the big announcement last Thursday when LIN TV, who locally owns WAVY (10/NBC) and WVBT (43/FOX), jointly announced with Cox Communications that its signals would be carried in high definition on Cox's Hampton Roads system, we're hearing an agreement with Belo's WVEC (13/ABC) is a done deal as of today. WVEC's digital signal will be carried on channel 713. More to come. Stay tuned.....
Gee Communications files papers with the FCC to increase the daytime power of WSVS/800 Crewe from 5kW to 10kW. Nighttime power would remain the same at 275 watts. The station's format is Classic Country..... (3/5/2007)
| Monday, March 5, 2007 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE... Davidson Media Group and RadioRichmond announce a very big and exciting change coming to WLEE 990. Beginning Monday March 5th, WLEE becomes WLEE ALL NEWS 990 with CNN Headline News! Says Director of Operations Tim Hurley, “We feel that our advertisers will be better served with this format, and we anticipate a great increase in listenership, with national and international news, local stories, sports, traffic and weather, and other life-style programming.” (read more - VARTV Press Room)
A video clip from WAVY (10/NBC) about the LIN TV stations being added to Cox Cable Hampton Roads..... (3/3/2007)
| Saturday, March 3, 2007Richmond radio will gain an all-news format Monday when WLEE (990 AM) switches formats and drops its Southern gospel sound. "All news is needed in the market. There's been a void," said Mike Mazursky, vice president of sales and marketing for Davidson Media Group Inc., owner of WLEE. (read more - Richmond Times-Dispatch)
Congratulations to my step-daughter who had a baby boy yesterday afternoon in Virginia Beach! Xavier Alan, who came into this world at 5:07 p.m. at 20 inches long and weighing a very healthy 8 pounds, 5 ounces, is doing very well with Mom and Dad. Congratulations, again, Jill! (Yes, this makes me a grandpa at 39-years old) (3/3/2007)
Local candidate makes the cut on CW27's hot new show | Friday, March 2, 2007Don’t cha wish your girlfriend was a Pussycat Doll? Some beautiful and talented singer/dancer will be, and she may be the girl next door from Virginia Beach! The Search is on as CW27 broadcasts the world premiere of Pussycat Dolls Present: The Search For The Next Doll. On Tuesday, March 6 at 9 PM. The battle begins for those who have earned their place to compete for a spot in one of the world’s most successful recording and performing groups. Thousands of hopefuls auditioned, but only nine finalists made it to the final competition. (read more - VARTV Press Room)
| Friday, March 2, 2007FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE... WAVY TV 10 and FOX 43 WVBT are pleased to announce exciting results from the just completed February 2007 Nielsen sweeps. WAVY is in its 15th year being number one in 6:00AM News and has now won at 11:00PM for 86 of the past 88 rating periods. In addition, WAVY was the only local station to show ratings growth over February of last year at the dinner hour, with increases of 15% in each of its evening newscasts from 5:00PM to 6:30PM. (read more - VARTV Press Room)
| Friday, March 2, 2007SKY Television's Independent "4 Hampton Roads" WSKY-DT Manteo NC suffered a major setback when the brand new tower for the signal collapsed this morning (6-7 a.m.) in high winds. The station was just weeks away from signing on the new digital station...   
| Friday, March 2, 2007FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE... WVEC-TV13 is the most watched station in Hampton Roads for local news, according to Nielsen Overnights for February 2007.More viewers are choosing to start their day with 13NEWS DAYBREAK. The 5:00-7:00 AM time period is up over last year; specifically, the 5:00 AM newscast jumped +13% and the competitive 6:00 AM news hour climbed +16%. 13NEWS AT NOON was once again the most watched mid-day newscast. (read more - VARTV Press Room)
| Friday, March 2, 2007One by one, the women sat down in a radio studio Tuesday morning and let the clippers shear every single hair off their heads. But, unlike Britney Spears, they weren't doing it because of a celebrity divorce or their fading pop fortunes or an impending stint in rehab. (read more - The Roanoke Times)
| Thursday, March 1, 2007Cox Communications reached an agreement today to carry the local NBC and FOX broadcast channels in high-definition. The channels will become available on Friday. (read more - Daily Press)... Cable television provider Cox Communications Inc. has reached an agreement with Lin TV Corp. to begin carrying the high-definition programs of the local NBC and Fox stations. Starting at 2 Friday, local NBC affiliate WAVY will appear in high definition on Cox channel 710 and local Fox affiliate WVBT will appear in high definition on channel 714. (read more - The Virginian-Pilot)
| Thursday, March 1, 2007Removed at the request of Nielsen Media...
WAVY (10/NBC) and WVBT (43/FOX) are included in agreement | Thursday, March 1, 2007LIN TV Corp. and Cox Communications today announced that the companies have reached an agreement for retransmission consent of broadcast stations in both analog and in high-definition. "We are pleased with the outcome of our negotiations," said Vincent L. Sadusky, president and chief executive officer of LIN TV Corp. (read more - Yahoo! Finance)
| Thursday, March 1, 2007Comcast customers in the Richmond area will continue to receive "American Idol" and other Fox programming until March 9. Comcast's contract to carry Fox Richmond, which is owned by Sinclair Broadcast Group Inc., was supposed to expire today but has been extended, according to a news report last night on WRLH, the local Fox affiliate. (read more - Richmond Times-Dispatch)
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