Snyder Hopes WTEM Buy Will Boost Radio Network

Washington Redskins owner Daniel Snyder hopes to double the ratings of his Red Zebra radio network with the $24.5 million purchase of WTEM (980) and two other AM stations from Clear Channel Communications, his executives said in an interview this week, the first time they have spoken about the deal. "This is about improving our reach," said Mark Shapiro, Snyder's protege and chairman of the board of Red Zebra Broadcasting, the holding company for Snyder's radio network. "The endgame is about improving our ratings." Snyder is purchasing WTEM from Clear Channel Communications, along with WTNT (570) and WWRC (1260). WTEM is the dominant sports talk station in the Washington region, with 180,000 listeners per week and a 1.3 percent market share. The purchase gives Snyder control of six stations in the region, all of which will carry Redskins games starting this summer.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/06/11/AR200806...
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