MASN, Red Zebra should make great partners

Jim Williams, The Examiner
Dec 22, 2006 3:00 AM (5 hrs ago)
Current rank: # 3 of 15,510 articles

BALTIMORE - Red Zebra and the Mid-Atlantic Sports Network have joined forces on a long-term deal that will have “The John Riggins Show” simulcast on Triple X ESPN Radio and MASN starting in February.

MASN was looking to expand its Washington, D.C., programming, which includes the Nationals and Georgetown University sports. The Baltimore-based regional sports network is attempting to strike a balance and cover the entire mid-Atlantic region. “The John Riggins Show,” which airs from 4 to 7 p.m. weekdays, will be the centerpiece of the new deal between the two locally owned media giants.

Riggins, the Redskins Hall of Famer, has a show that should appeal to people throughout the region. His guests are national in scope from both the sports and entertainment arenas. The show is much more than just Redskins.

As for “The Anita Marks Show” on Baltimore’s ESPN 1300-AM, which currently holds that spot on MASN, she’ll be part of the mix but there are some programming decisions to be made. Marks could go in the 3-to-5 p.m. shift and Riggins could do 5 to 7, but nothing is confirmed yet. Fans of both personalities, though, can rest assured that there will be plenty of each on MASN.

Red Zebra and MASN bring together two of the region’s most powerful sports owners, the Redskins’ Dan Snyder and the Orioles’ Peter Angelos. There will no doubt be a number of promotional opportunities to advance both locally owned companies. Fans should be the winner in this deal.

MASN’s radio relationships with ESPN 1300 in Baltimore and Triple X ESPN in Washington are bright moves and should give them access to fresh local programming for years to come.

Barring any last-minute snags, look for the Orioles to move to ESPN 1300-AM/WHFS-FM soon. That will give the O’s tons of cross-promotion with the two Charm City talkers booking plenty of time for players and front office staff.

Is it baseball season yet?

Jim Williams is a seven-time Emmy Award-winning TV producer, director and writer. E-mail him at jwilliamsexaminer@gmail.com.

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