“Word around the Post newsroom is that listener ratings are so low that the newspaper will close down its radio operation this fall at the end of the Washington Nationals baseball season.”
That’s according to writer Harry Jaffe on the Web site of Washingtonian magazine. He also quotes Jim Farley, head of news and programming for Washington Post Radio and WTOP, both owned by Bonneville, as saying no hard decisions have been made.
WTWP is heard at 1500 AM and 107.7 FM.
“Bonneville hoped that Post reporters could provide scintillating radio commentary, which is why the radio company decided to pay the Post to provide content,” Jaffe wrote. “But most Post reporters couldn’t perform. They might be good reporters, but many lack the gift of gab … The few who can tell good radio stories are all over NPR and MSNBC.” He thinks it is likely the station will eventually transition to syndicated radio talk.
