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DCRTV Washington Radio And TV Podcast: Daily Summaries Delivered
by Dan Lane
On the DCRTV Podcast, Dan Lane interviews current and former Washington and Baltimore radio and TV personalities about their successes, failures, and hard-earned lessons.You'll get a breakdown of what happens behind the scenes at local radio and TV Stations.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/dcrtv-washington-radio-and-tv-podcast--6152954/support.
Latest Episodes
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- 1 weeks ago48 min
Can Radio Turn Itself Around? Former CBS Radio CEO Dan Mason Weighs In (Ep 28)
What happened to radio, and what will it take to win listeners back? Former CBS Radio President and CEO Dan Mason joins the DCRTV podcast for a candid conversation about the business, its biggest personalities, and its future.Dan explains what’s driving layoffs across major radio companies, why advertising dollars have shrunk, and why radio struggles to connect with younger listeners. Drawing on his experience with K-LOVE, he discusses what’s behind its success and what other broadcasters can learn from it. We also examine whether CBS News Radio could have been saved.Dan takes us behind the scenes of Don Imus’s firing and explains why he believes Don Geronimo’s dismissal from WBIG was unfair and his comments were taken out of context. He also reflects on CBS Radio’s efforts to rebuild after Howard Stern’s departure, where the company’s thinking went wrong, and what he would have done differently.Along the way, Dan recalls his pay as WPGC’s program director in 1978, reflects on what made Scott Shannon a great DJ and PD, and shares the skills and instincts that make a great Program Director. Mentioned On The Podcast:FearlessTranscript of Howard Stern ranting on Dan MasonMore 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.
- Aug 8, 202647 min
Behind The Scenes Of CBS News Radio With Christopher Cruise, Sam Litzinger, And Peter Maer (Ep 27)
On this episode of the DCRTV Podcast, Christopher Cruise, the last anchor heard on CBS News Radio before the network signed off, joins Dan Lane as co-host. Former CBS News Radio anchor Sam Litzinger and former White House correspondent Peter Maer are the guests.They look back at the history of CBS News Radio, the people who made the network special, and the current effort to preserve its historic audio archive. The conversation also examines the staffing cuts and business decisions that contributed to the network’s slow decline, whether it was obvious near the end that a shutdown was coming, and the broader cuts that have reshaped the radio news business over several decades.The group also discusses ABC News Radio’s use of prerecorded newscasts during the overnight hours, some of the challenges facing that network, and whether ABC News Radio can avoid the same fate. They also offer advice on whether journalism remains a good career choice for young people today and make their predictions about the future of network radio news.Mentioned On The Podcast:Chasing The Story By Peter MaerA Century Of Sound By Sam LitzingerMore 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.
- Jun 1, 202622 min
WGTS Hits #3 in DC Radio Ratings. Here’s How They Did It With Rob Conway (Ep 26)
WGTS is one of the most fascinating success stories in Washington radio. It’s a 23,000 watt non-commercial station, yet in the latest Nielsen ratings it pulled a 5.7 share, landing in the number three spot behind only WTOP and WAMU.So how does a Christian music station compete with some of the biggest brands in radio?On this episode, Rob Conway takes us behind the scenes at WGTS to break down the station’s secret sauce. Rob explains what WGTS is doing differently than many other stations in the market, including investing heavily in audience research, keeping live and local DJs on the air from 5 a.m. until midnight, and building a strong connection with listeners both on-air and in the community.We also talk about the history of the station, including the transition from classical music to contemporary Christian music in 1997, and how that decision completely changed the trajectory of the station.We dive into how WGTS raises money without commercials, who they see as their real competition in the DC market, and why the station has been able to grow while so many other radio stations are struggling.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.
- Apr 23, 20261h 1m
Behind The Scenes Of HFS in the 90's With Bill Glasser & Wes Johnson (Ep 24)
On this episode of the DCRTV Podcast, former HFS morning host Wes Johnson and Creative Director Bill Glasser take you inside what was really going on as the station evolved from its free-form roots into a modern rock powerhouse.They describe it as a civil war inside the building, with longtime free-form DJs clashing with a new wave of talent and a very different philosophy about what the station should be.They also talk about the risks they were willing to take. Even something like the HFStival, which now feels legendary, started as a massive gamble that could have easily backfired. Bill walks through how the idea came together and why it wasn’t some obvious win at the time.At the same time, they talk about the signal at 99.1… and why limitations that would become a bigger issue later didn’t seem to hold them back.A big part of the conversation centers on attitude. HFS wasn’t just playing different music, it was positioning itself against everything else on the dial. That anti-establishment mindset didn’t just define the station, it influenced the audience in a way that’s hard to replicate today.Bill also shares the story behind one of the most memorable radio campaigns ever, WTOP's “Your favorite radio station doesn’t play songs.”And then there’s what happened after. Wes talks about his role today as the PA announcer for the Washington Capitals, while Bill gets into a completely different chapter… including how he helped bring Howard Stern to Richmond and Norfolk, the behind-the-scenes dealmaking with Stern’s agent, and the controversy that followed, which ended with a grocery chain spending millions to keep Stern off the air.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.
- Mar 24, 202631 min
Dan Mason – Former CBS Radio CEO Tells The Inside Stories Of DC Radio (Ep 23)
Few people have had a bigger influence on Washington radio than Dan Mason. Mason arrived in DC in the late 1970’s to program WPGC, helping shape the station during one of the most competitive eras in the market.He would eventually rise to become CEO of CBS Radio, overseeing stations across the country, including several major signals in the Washington market.On this episode, Mason takes us behind the scenes of some of the biggest moments in DC radio history. He explains how WPGC found the money to hire Donnie Simpson away from WKYS, why Elliott and Woodside didn’t have contracts that could have prevented them from jumping to Q107, and how the decision was made to move WPGC toward a CHR Rhythmic direction.Mason also dives into the corporate side of the business, including the factors that led to the end of WHFS, the strategy behind launching the all-news format on 99.1, whether CBS Radio ever considered putting that format on 94.7 or 95.5, the challenges with the 99.1 signal, and the real reason the all-news experiment ultimately shut down.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.
- Feb 17, 202650 min
Why All News WNEW Couldn't Beat WTOP With Chas Henry (Ep 22)
In 2012, CBS Radio made a bold move in Washington: launch an all-news station at 99.1 FM (WNEW) to go head-to-head with market powerhouse WTOP. The station had veteran talent, strong management, the full backing of CBS, and a solid on-air product. On paper, it looked like a real fight.But the ratings never followed.On this episode of the DCRTV Podcast, former midday anchor Chas Henry pulls back the curtain on what really happened.We dive into the limitations of the 99.1 signal, the ambitious signal improvement plan CBS Radio had in the works, and why that plan ultimately got scrapped.Chas shares behind the scenes stories of the technical hurdles the station faced, the promotional limitations put on them from corporate and the last ditch efforts to save the format.We also talk about the move to bring traffic icon Lisa Baden from WTOP to WNEW, the corporate promotional restrictions that may have held the station back.More from Chas:BookMore 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.
- Jan 13, 202657 min
The Inside Story of WHFS’s Rise, Peak, and Collapse With Weasel (Ep 21)
Weasel spent 33 years behind the mic at the legendary WHFS, and in this episode of the DCRTV Podcast, he takes us inside one of the most influential radio stations in DC history. We talk about how Weasel got his start in radio and landed at HFS, then dig into the station’s two very different eras: the early freeform rock days and the later alternative rock years.Weasel explains what freeform really meant, including whether DJs truly had the freedom to play whatever they wanted. The conversation also covers the backstory of the station starting on 102.3, Jake Einstein eventually selling that frequency and moving the station to 99.1.We also dive into the origins of the HFStival, how it started as a small event, and how it eventually grew to a large event selling out RFK Stadium multiple years.Weasel explains that the HFStival became a huge money-maker for the radio station and unintentionally contributed to HFS’s eventual downfall.Finally, Weasel shares what it was like being moved from full-time to part-time at HFS and his transition to 94.7 WARW.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.
- Oct 12, 20251h 4m
WMAL Turns 100: Tom Gauger, David Sproul & Tom Bresnahan Look Back (Ep 20)
On October 12, 1925, WMAL signed on the air for the very first time. One hundred years later, we celebrate the station’s remarkable history with three longtime fixtures: Midday host Tom Gauger, Chief Engineer David Sproul, and General Manager Tom Bresnahan.In this special anniversary episode, they share what WMAL sounded like in its earliest days, the revolt that led to hiring Harden and Weaver, and how the foundation was laid for the station to become one of Washington’s great radio institutions. We revisit the personalities who defined WMAL through the decades, John Lyon, Trumbull and Core, Felix Grant, Bill Mayhugh, Ken Beatrice, and of course, Harden and Weaver.You’ll hear the inside story of the FCC fine that Harden and Weaver received, the impact of Rush Limbaugh’s arrival on the lineup, how the station changed after Jackson Weaver’s passing, and the big move from AM to FM .It’s a lively and fascinating look back at a station that has been part of Washington life for a century.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.
About DCRTV Washington Radio And TV Podcast
On the DCRTV Podcast, Dan Lane interviews current and former Washington and Baltimore radio and TV personalities about their successes, failures, and hard-earned lessons.You'll get a breakdown of what happens behind the scenes at local radio and TV Stations.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/dcrtv-washington-radio-and-tv-podcast--6152954/support.
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