With a daily radio show on WTEM 980 AM and two nighttime sportscasts, FOX5 sports director Dave Feldman is quickly becoming Washington’s most popular sportscaster.
Tim Brant of ABC7 is a close second at this point but it seems that weatherman Doug Hill (who seems like a nice man) gets so much time on the 5, 6 and 11 p.m. newscasts that poor Tim has to take a deep breath and plow on as fast as possible.
Meanwhile, Feldman not only has more broadcast time on both the 10 and 11 p.m. FOX5 newscasts, but also has a five-day-a-week radio show (Feldman & Maloney, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on WTEM with co-host Carol Maloney of CSN), that gives listeners a chance to connect with him and leaves him as the favorite to be the heir apparent to NBC4’s George Michael, who left his regular broadcast gig in March.
» Feldman on his new show on WTEM: “First of all working with Carol is a real treat. She knows sports, and I really think that having a woman’s take on the sports issues of the day gives us a unique perspective that I think listeners enjoy. Doing a radio show Monday through Friday gives me a great chance to talk with not only the listeners but to some my old friends from ESPN like Brian Kenny and others who have added so much to the show.”
Doc hangs up his own shingle
Also of note is that very talented Rick “Doc” Walker has his own show from 9 to 11 a.m. on WTEM. I asked “Doc” about going solo after being part of the John Thompson Show for seven years.
“Management came to me and I thought that is was time to do my own show. If you are lucky enough to get a chance to do your own show you would be foolish not to take it. I will miss Al and Coach, but it was a perfect time for me to go out on my own,” Walker said.
The addition of the Walker and the Feldman & Maloney shows to WTEM’s already strong local lineup establishes Sports Talk 980 as one of the countries top sports talk radio stations.
Jim Williams is a seven-time Emmy Award-winning TV producer, director and writer. Check out his blog, Watch this! on www.examiner.com.
