Episodios

  • The History Of Frederick's Z104 (WZYQ) With Kemosabi Joe (Ep 8)

    The History Of Frederick's Z104 (WZYQ) With Kemosabi Joe (Ep 8)
    Aug 20 2024
    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 station

    Why 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.
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    29 m
  • The Inside Story Of WTOP Moving From AM To FM With Joel Oxley (Ep 7)

    The Inside Story Of WTOP Moving From AM To FM With Joel Oxley (Ep 7)
    Jul 30 2024
    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 move

    He 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.

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    24 m
  • The Launch Of A New Radio Station - WBIG "Oldies 100" With Steve Allan (Ep 6)

    The Launch Of A New Radio Station - WBIG "Oldies 100" With Steve Allan (Ep 6)
    Jul 10 2024
    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.

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    28 m
  • Behind The Scenes Of WMAL & Mix 107.3 With David Sproul (Ep 5)

    Behind The Scenes Of WMAL & Mix 107.3 With David Sproul (Ep 5)
    Jun 17 2024
    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.

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    28 m
  • How Joe Thomas Bought WTON in Staunton (Ep 4)

    How Joe Thomas Bought WTON in Staunton (Ep 4)
    Jun 4 2024
    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 talk about how he found out WTON was for sale, how he raised the money for the purchase, and his plan to use local programming.

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    19 m
  • Why A Radio Station Failed – The Rise And Fall Of WOOK With Mike Burke (Ep 3)

    Why A Radio Station Failed – The Rise And Fall Of WOOK With Mike Burke (Ep 3)
    May 29 2024
    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.

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    37 m
  • From Overnights In Hartford To A 40 Share At WPGC With Albie Dee (Ep 2)

    From Overnights In Hartford To A 40 Share At WPGC With Albie Dee (Ep 2)
    May 1 2024
    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 CHR

    After 10 years at WPGC, he was ready for a new challenge, which led him to work 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.

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    32 m
  • The Epic 1980’s Washington Radio Battle Between WAVA And Q107 With Loo Katz (Ep 1)

    The Epic 1980’s Washington Radio Battle Between WAVA And Q107 With Loo Katz (Ep 1)
    Apr 17 2024
    The DCRTV Podcast interviews 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 other local stations.

    On this episode, Loo Katz shares unique insights about the epic 1980’s Top 40 battle between Q107, WAVA, and B106.

    Loo shares the story of 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.

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    45 m