On Frozen Blog

Category Archives: WTOP

What’s the Frequency, Kenneth?

By Gustafsson

Tuesday, August 12, 2008

With apologies to REM, it’s a question that might be on the minds of Capitals fans this summer. The Washington Capitals will be experiencing another Summer of Change as Bonneville International, the current broadcaster of Capitals games and related shows, has announced some shake-ups in the Washington airwaves. Bonneville is returning to known commodities after two failed experiments — Washington Post Radio and Talk Radio 3WT. Federal News Radio will be relayed on 820 and 1500 AM in addition to its normal frequency, 1050 AM. Top-rated WTOP will continue on 103.5 FM while adding a relay on its former frequency of 107.7 FM.

What does this mean for Capitals’ games, the post-game call in show, and Saturday Night Caps? From what we have heard from a radio insider, nothing for now. The 2008-2009 Capitals season will continue on 1500 AM, 820 AM and 107.7 FM. We were told that sports is important to the stations’ programming, especially during the night and weekends.

Though the radio contract runs for four years, one can’t be sure where the Capitals will call their radio home after the 2008-09 season. Bonneville has shuffled their formats and frequencies as frequently as the Islanders have changed coaches and GMs, if not more. Let’s hope Bonneville will continue to be a broadcast partner of the Capitals — I don’t think any of us want to rock the Red Zebra on the local sports radio conglomeration.

Filed in 3WT, Media, Radio, WTOP, WTWP, Washington Capitals| Permalink| Comments (6)

Washington Capital Frequencies - An Interview with Kurt Kehl

By OrderedChaos (Mike Rucki)

Thursday, September 6, 2007

Radio Tower

The Washington Capitals recently signed on with a new radio partner, Bonneville International Corporation, to broadcast all 82 games for the 2007-08 season. As a former DJ I was curious about the deal’s details, and how it benefits the team and Caps fans. So I recently spoke with the Kurt Kehl, the Capitals’ VP of Communications & CCO, about the new Caps radio show, the advertising arrangements, Internet broadcasts, and more.

Mike: Ted Leonsis has mentioned on his blog that the stronger radio signal was a key factor in the team’s decision to switch. What else made this deal so appealing to the team?

Kurt: Here were some of the other big factors:

Consistent outlet for games (minimal conflict with the Nationals)
Financial considerations and advertising opportunities
WTOP promotional opportunities
Promo spots & advertising inventory
WTOPnews.com banner advertisements all season long
Online streaming spots in addition to spots on 3WT and WTOP

Expanding to Baltimore was important to reach out to fans there. We were considering a Baltimore sister station. But [3WT] has an incredibly wide reach with its three stations; now we no longer need a separate station. Also, unlike WTEM, [3WT] has no overnight power reduction.

[Editor's note: WTEM operates with 50,000 watts during the day, but 5,000 watts at night. 1500 AM operates at 50,000 watts continuously.]

One problem with the old deal was surfing the dial to find a game when it was bumped to another frequency. Talk Radio 3WT broadcasts on 1500 AM (DC), 107.7 FM (Warrenton, VA), and 820 AM (Frederick, MD). Will the games be simulcast on all three frequencies?

Yes. And that holds true for the games as well as the Saturday show.

What can you tell our readers about the broadcasting arrangement? Is it a “rent the airtime, keep the ad revenue” deal for the team?

Yes — we buy time and maintain ad inventory — the key point in the agreement is ad inventory for sponsorship and revenue.

Is this a pretty standard agreement in the hockey radio world, and in the sporting world in general?

It’s not an uncommon arrangement — a lot of teams buy their airtime, unless they dominate a market like the New York Yankees or the Washington Redskins.

What varies is how much you pay, and what you get for what you pay. In that regard the Caps’ deal is unique as far as the excellent advertising and promotional opportunities provided.

The key thing for us was getting additional promotional inventory on WTOP. Bonneville offered us a generous package, including “spot banks” that we can use as we like — for example, to promote particular games or events more prominently than others.

We really focused on the promotional elements to reach out to more fans. We’re grateful for the hard-core fans that already listen to the games, but the promotional opportunities are critical to attracting new fans to the team — whether they come to games, listen on the radio, or watch on television.

The press release mentioned a “weekly one-hour Capitals magazine show on Saturday nights at 6 p.m.” Can you tell us more about the style of the show?

The show will be similar to Caps Center Ice Show, but now it’s 6 p.m. every Saturday throughout the season.

Who will host the show, and when is it slated to premiere?

We haven’t selected the host yet. The plan is to debut the show before the first game, but no official date has been announced.

Will the games and/or shows be streaming via the Internet?

Yes! We haven’t finalized exactly where they’ll be available, possibly washingtoncaps.com, but the broadcasts will be available online. We hope that the online broadcasts will provide out-of-town fans a way to follow the Caps from wherever they are.

Will the Saturday Night shows be available for download/podcast?

That’s definitely our intent, though exactly how we’ll distribute them is not yet set.

Has a name for the weekly show been selected? If not, may I suggest “Saturday Night Caps”, or SNC, since everything in DC requires an acronym or abbreviation…

I like your suggestion â€¦ maybe you should offer options on OFB and have fans write in â€¦

Thanks Kurt! You heard the man, folks: vote away, and feel free to add your own.

Filed in 3WT, Radio, Ted Leonsis, WTEM, WTOP, WTWP, Washington Capitals| Permalink| Comments (26)

New Radio Deal

By Gustafsson

Thursday, August 30, 2007

As first seen in Mike Vogel’s blog and later announced by the team, the Washington Capitals have left the hockey-hating SportsTalk980 and signed a deal with Bonneville International Corporation. The Caps will be heard on Talk Radio 3WT at 107.7 FM, 1500 AM, and 820 AM. Bonneville is the parent company of WTOP, which aired the Caps some years back. Old Radio

Bonneville has shuffled many stations and frequencies in the last three years with the latest to come this September. It was announced this week that Bonneville’s partnership with the Washington Post for Washington Post Radio, WTWP, will end on September 20th.

“The new station will feature local and syndicated talk shows to replace programming provided by The Post. WWWT, dubbed “Talk Radio 3WT,” will begin airing Sept. 20. WWWT will be simulcast on the same frequencies on which Washington Post Radio now airs: 1500 AM, 107.7 FM and 820 AM.”

The press release from the Washington Capitals states that the two-year deal will call for all 82 games to be broadcast, including pre- and postgame shows. The station will also air a weekly one-hour Capitals magazine show on Saturday nights at 6 p.m as well as cross promotions on sister station WTOP (103.5 FM and 103.9 FM).

“The addition of another premier professional sports franchise on our radio station makes us the leading provider of play-by-play sports in Washington on one of the most far-reaching signals in the area,” said Bonneville D.C. senior vice president Joel Oxley. “The combination of compelling talk during the day, and play-by-play sports at night and on the weekend delivers a powerful programming lineup for 3WT.”

“We are excited to partner with Bonneville and bring our games to such powerful signals,” Capitals chairman and majority owner Ted Leonsis said. “This agreement will allow Capitals fans throughout the region to hear our games, and the promotional elements will help us reach new fans as well.”

This is excellent news for Caps’ fans, as the 1500 frequency is a whopping 50,000 watts and can be heard at a considerable distance from Verizon Center, especially at night.

Don’t expect any tears to be shed from the so-called Sports Reporters.

Filed in 3WT, Radio, Steve Czaban, WTEM, WTOP, WTWP, Washington Capitals| Permalink| Comments (14)

10 Questions for the Dean of D.C. Hockey, Ron Weber

By pucksandbooks

Thursday, November 9, 2006

Part of what we want to do at OFB is remind people that there is a rich legacy to the Capitals’ organization and a sizable spirit for hockey in this region, and if you want to chronicle this you have to reach out to the people who laid the groundwork for it and ask them to share their stories. And today we begin our chronicle by sitting down with the Dean of D.C. Hockey, Ron Weber, a Washington Hall of Fame broadcast talent who for many veteran Caps’ fans was no less than their access point to pro hockey in D.C.

OFB was granted a great privilege this past Monday evening when, an hour before the Caps-Senators’ game at Verizon Center, we were invited to sit down with Mr. Weber and address any and all questions about his remarkable radio career and his general thoughts on pucks in D.C.

Today Mr. Weber and his wife, Mary Jane, reside in Montgomery County, Maryland, and attend every Caps’ home game. In the course of this memorable visit it became clear to us that while Mr. Weber is removed from a career in hockey by nearly 10 years, his love affair with both the Caps and hockey is as vibrant as ever. It’s virtually certain that we won’t again see the likes of his run behind a microphone at any rink or home field for a Washington professional sports team. Continue reading ›

Filed in Media, OFB Interviews, Radio, Ron Weber, WTOP, Washington Capitals, Washington Post| Permalink| Comments (34)

Axis of Media Evil

By pucksandbooks

Friday, October 6, 2006

Mr. Smith went to Washington to reform politics. Lodged in greater Washington, D.C., a barren outpost of hockey media silence thanks to the malicious disinterest of The Washington Post (henceforth referred to as The Compost), among others, I am venturing into cyberspace to broaden my hometown’s coverage of the planet’s greatest game, and especially of my mistress since my seventh birthday, the Washington Capitals. Thus the birth of On Frozen Blog. Welcome.