DCRTV Washington Radio And TV Podcast

Uncle Johnny is a legend in DC radio.In the 1980s, he hosted nights at Q107 (WRQX).On this episode, Uncle Johnny talks about working nights at Q107 for four or five years and tells the story of getting rehired after leaving for a brief period.We also walk through his career and figure out how he jumped from a few small market radio stations to Washington, DC.We also talk about how he got the name Uncle Johnny and why he decided to transition to doing mornings.More from DCRTV:DCRTV.comNewsletter signup: https://dcrtv.com/newsletterFollow DCRTV on FacebookSupport DCRTV on PatreonBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/dcrtv-washington-radio-and-tv-podcast--6152954/support.

In 1996, a new Top 40 station launched in Washington.Z104 was upbeat and fun and did very well in the ratings for many years. Mathew Blades worked nights at the station for its first four years and later returned as its last morning host.On this episode of the DCRTV Podcast, Mathew talks about what made Z104 such a great radio station and why it eventually failed.Mathew also shares how he got fired twice from the radio station and learned the station was getting ready to flip formats from a listener calling the request line.More from DCRTV:DCRTV.comNewsletter signup: https://dcrtv.com/newsletterFollow DCRTV on FacebookBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/dcrtv-washington-radio-and-tv-podcast--6152954/support.

Chris Core was on Washington radio for 44 years, including over 20 years co-hosting the Trumbull and Core show on WMAL.On this episode of the DCRTV Podcast, Chris talks about how he got hired at WMAL and ended up hosting afternoons with Bill Trumbull.We discuss how he teamed up with Brooke Stevens after Bill retired and why that partnership ended.Chris also talks about why he got fired from WMAL and how he ended up at WTOP.More from DCRTV:DCRTV.comNewsletter signup: https://dcrtv.com/newsletterFollow DCRTV on FacebookBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/dcrtv-washington-radio-and-tv-podcast--6152954/support.

The world was very different in 1991; there was no internet, no smartphones, and if you wanted local news, you had to wait for a live newscast from channels 4, 5, 7, or 9 or read it the next day in The Washington Post.Allbritton Communications, which owned Channel 7 (WJLA) at the time, saw an opportunity for a hyper-local 24/7 all-news TV Station, and NewsChannel 8 was born.Wayne Lynch was hired as the station's first News Director and was tasked with building out the television station's programming.On this episode, Wayne takes us behind the scenes in the early days of News Channel 8.We talk about the founding of the station, some of the anchors and reporters who worked for Wayne, the concept of zoned news - where they aired different newscasts in DC, Virginia, and Maryland, and what led to the ultimate downfall of the station.More from DCRTV:DCRTV.comNewsletter signup: https://dcrtv.com/newsletterFollow DCRTV on FacebookBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/dcrtv-washington-radio-and-tv-podcast--6152954/support.

There was a unique period of radio from the 1930s to the 1950s called network radio, where shows similar to TV shows aired on radio stations.Since 1964, WAMU has aired reruns of these shows on their show called The Big Broadcast.On this episode, show host Murray Horwitz and producer Jill Ahrold Bailey discuss the show's history, including the history of former hosts John Hickman and Ed Walker.We discuss how Murray and Jill find the episodes' recordings, some of the ads that seem silly by today's standards, and how they deal with content that could be offensive to today's audience.Murray also shares how he keeps the show fresh and relevant and how the audience has shifted from listeners re-listening to shows they grew up with to listeners hearing them for the first time.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/dcrtv-washington-radio-and-tv-podcast--6152954/support.

Ernie takes us back to the founding of DC101 in the 1970's. Some of the topics we cover on this episode are:Why, in the early years of the radio station, they played Top 40 music during morning drive and AOR the rest of the day.We talk about some of the radio stations DC101 was competing with.Ernie tells us the secret to DC101's 50-year history of having so many legendary morning shows (Elliott, Greaseman, Howard Stern, and Johnny Holliday).We also talk about how Howard Stern was first teamed with Robin Quivers at DC101 in the 1980s, but was almost teamed up with someone else..We also talk about Ernie's radio career. More from DCRTV:DCRTV.comFollow DCRTV on FacebookBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/dcrtv-washington-radio-and-tv-podcast--6152954/support.

In the 1970's, 80's and 90's, there was a great CHR radio station in Frederick called Z104.Kemosabi Joe was the Program Director and did mornings in the 1970s and 1980s.On this episode, we discuss how Joe made a small radio station sound so big.Some of the topics we cover during this episode:The secret that made Z104 such a great radio stationWhy Joe liked to recycle DJ names, somebody would leave, and he would give the new person the old person's name.How Z104 was a launching ground for new DJ's, and a temporary home when someone in DC or Baltimore would lose their job.Christmas Cash For Kids - A fundraiser that Z104 did every year for 20 years.We also talk about the jingles Z104 used.Where Joe went after Z104, and what he's doing today.

WTOP's Senior VP/General Manager Joel Oxley takes us behind the scenes of WTOP's move from 1500 AM to 103.5 FM in 2008.In 2008, FM was mainly used for music programming, and news, talk, and sports formats were on AM.Around the country, FM stations did not have many spoken-word formats at that time.On this episode, Joel takes us behind the scenes on the steps he took to convince the station ownership that moving to a full market FM signal, would be a good moveHe also talks about some of the risks they faced, such as the possibility that the AM audience might not move to FM and that the extra revenue the station may generate from the move might not be enough to make up for the revenue they were going to lose by killing off the classical format that was on 103.5.We also talk about why the first two new formats they tried on 1500 AM after the move didn't work. More from DCRTV:DCRTV.comFollow DCRTV on Facebook

Steve Allan was the Program Director who launched Oldies 100 (WBIG) when Colfax Communications bought the radio station in 1993.On this episode, Steve talks about the other formats they considered and why they decided on Oldies.Steve shares his strategy to beat direct competitor Extra 104 (WXTR), how he hired the original airstaff before the station's launch, and how they kept the new format a secret with two other radio stations in the building.Word eventually leaked to DCRTV and The Washington Post.Steve shares how he orchestrated a false story leak that the station would flip to a Country format, a strategic move to keep the actual format change under wraps.He also shares the backstory of hiring his morning team, Jim London and Mary Ball from WMZQ, and how he hired Loo Katz from Mix 107.3 (WRQX) when he was PD of WASH.More from DCRTV:DCRTV.comFollow DCRTV on Facebook

David Sproul retired from WMAL & WRQX in 2014 after 41 years with the radio stations.On this episode, David shares inside stories about what was happening behind the scenes at the radio stations.Our conversation covers a range of fascinating topics, including the old NABET union, in which DJs weren't allowed to hit a record button or run their own board.We also talk about the technical intricacies of the WRQX-EMF transition, the surprising news of the WMAL tower sale, and the subsequent challenges of moving WMAL to the new tower location.We also talk about what was involved with getting 105.9 integrated into the cluster when ABC bought WJZW.

On this episode of the DCRTV Podcast, Joe Thomas shares his story of buying WTON in Staunton.We discuss his being fired from his previous radio station when they found out he was buying the radio station.We also discuss how he found out WTON was for sale, how he raised the money for the purchase, and his plan to use local programming.

Back in the days of AM radio, WOOK was a legendary urban radio station. The station had huge ratings and a loyal local following.In the 1970s, the station was involved in an illegal gambling scheme, and it ended up losing its AM license.Undeterred by the loss of its AM license, Bill Parris at United Broadcasting seized on the opportunity to move the format to United Broadcasting's FM frequency when the AM signed off.In the following years, WOOK enjoyed even better ratings as FM began to take off in Washington.However, at some point, the station lost its way and became one of the area's lowest-rated stations.On this episode, Mike Burke, a fifteen-year veteran of the station, guides us through the changes the station implemented in its quest to reclaim its glory days.We also speculate on what the station could have done differently to rise back to the top.More from DCRTV:Radio & TV News: dcrtv.comFollow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/dcrtv/

On this episode of the DCRTV Podcast, Dan Lane sits down with the legendary Albie Dee, as he recounts his remarkable journey from doing overnights in Hartford to becoming a powerhouse personality, with a 40 share, at WPGC.Albie landed at WPGC, as the station was changing from a failed AC format, to Rhythmic CHRAfter 10 years at WPGC he was ready for a new challenge, and that led him to doing mornings in Baltimore.After a year in Baltimore, he returned to Washington, embarking on another decade-long tenure, this time at 99.5, where he helped launch Jammin' Oldies and later Hot 99.5.Since then he's worked at several stations in the Washington/Baltimore area and even spent 3 years as the PD at OC 104 in Salisbury.On this episode, we talk about the inside story of each of his career moves, and Albie talks about how to survive in one market for so long.More from DCRTV:DCRTV.comFollow DCRTV on Facebook

The DCRTV Podcast features interviews with current and former Washington and Baltimore radio and TV personalities, sharing what happens behind the scenes at local stations.The first episode features Washington radio legend, Loo Katz.Loo hosted mornings on WASH-FM for 14 years. Before that, he spent 10 years in afternoons at Mix 107.3, he did middays at WAVA, plus stops at a bunch of other local stations.On this episode, Loo talks about the epic 1980's Top 40 battle between Q107, WAVA, and B106.Loo shares the story on the famous WAVA reverb, and why he got fired from the station.We also talk about why Q107 gave up on the Top 40 fight, and the technical problems they had launching Mix 107.3.Loo also shares the backstory of how he ended up hosting afternoon drive on Mix 107.3.We also talk about how he crossed the street to WASH-FM, and he takes us behind the scenes on how he picked his co-hosts Lori Brooks, and later Chilli Amar.More from DCRTV:DCRTV.comFollow DCRTV on Facebook