http://www.nola.com/hornets/t-p/index.ssf?/base/sports-1/1084267774308360.xml Hornets, WTIX end radio deal after two years All games, weekly show to air on WODT for next three years Tuesday, May 11, 2004 By William Kalec Staff writer The New Orleans Hornets and WODT-1280 AM have inked a three-year broadcast deal that will provide the Clear Channel station its first flagship less than a year after switching from blues and jazz music to sports talk. With its current programming content comprised entirely of ESPN Radio and Sporting News Radio shows, WODT will carry every exhibition, regular season and playoff contest, along with a weekly radio show -- as of now, its only local program. For the first year of the contract, WRNO-99.5 FM (another Clear Channel station) will simulcast 66 percent of Hornets broadcasts with a 100,000-watt signal that reaches from Biloxi, Miss., to Baton Rouge. How many games are delegated to WRNO in subsequent years depends on the success of WODT. "The chain support was critical that Clear Channel was putting up," said Steve Martin, Hornets vice president of broadcast operations. "There are two (objectives) here. One is to elevate the profile of the Hornets radio broadcasts. The other is for our flagship to help us put some fans in the seats." WODT features the same 5,000-watt nightly signal as the Hornets previous home on WTIX-94.3 FM, meaning its broadcast radius includes Baton Rouge and Gulfport, Miss. As part of the agreement, though, Clear Channel will produce promotion activities via its seven local radio stations -- a luxury WTIX could not provide. "TIX's signal was fine," Martin said. "It's just that they were a stand-alone. What they are is all they could offer us. But we had a good two years with them. It was a good starting platform, and now it's time to move on." In August 2002, the Hornets reached terms with WTIX six weeks before the start of the exhibition season. Despite the limited window, the station developed programming around the games, most notably "Sports at Six on TIX," a one-hour program hosted by Hornets color analyst Gerry Vaillancourt. The program touched on a variety of topics, not just basketball. WODT operations manager Jim Owen said Vaillancourt and play-by-play announcer Bob Licht remain the radio voices of the Hornets. Also, the acquisition opens an avenue for WODT to produce local programs instead of relying on a schedule of nationally syndicated shows. Owen said the station is expected to announce a local host for a drive-time sports show in a couple weeks. "We had definite ideas for growth, and this was one of them," he said. "It helps fulfill the commitment we made to our advertisers and listeners to become a real sports station." Under WTIX's agreement, Hornets games also were carried on 16 radio affiliates (10 in Louisiana, six in Mississippi). Owen said he suspects those same stations will continue their commitment. The loss of the Hornets leaves WTIX with rights to broadcast the Zephyrs and Tulane athletics, both deals in their final seasons. "I don't know exactly where that is going to go," said Michael Costello, general manager of WTIX. "But, as far as the Hornets, we had a two-year deal, and it ended. Quite frankly, we were not that interested in renewing. The Hornets didn't fit as well as we would have liked with us. It's not like it's hard feelings. Their presentation of the game was as good as it gets. The question was whether it fit on an oldies radio station. "We play The Beatles and Fats Domino, you know. It just didn't fit." . . . . . . . William Kalec can be reached at [email protected] or (504) 826-3413. --

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