People & Personalities: Is Merchant On His Way Out Of HBO?

In Miami, Barry Jackson reports the Dolphins formally announced that WQAM-AM has regained the team’s radio rights through at least ’09, and Jimmy Cefalo will remain as play-by-play announcer. While it was not announced, former Dolphins announcer Jim Mandich “is expected to be the color analyst.” Joe Rose had served as the color commentator the past two years, when WAXY-AM had the radio rights. WQAM will also air “The Cam Cameron Show” weekly during the NFL season (MIAMI HERALD, 4/24).

RING THE BELL: In Philadelphia, Bernard Fernandez reports “all signs point” to HBO boxing analyst Larry Merchant being replaced by Max Kellerman on June 9 for the Miguel Cotto-Zab Judah bout. Merchant’s final two boxing broadcasts on the net figure to be Oscar De La Hoya-Floyd Mayweather Jr. on May 5 and Jermain Taylor-Cory Spinks on May 19 (PHILADELPHIA DAILY NEWS, 4/24).

ON SECOND THOUGHT: MINNESOTA MONITOR’s Paul Schmelzer reported Minneapolis Star Tribune writer Steve Aschburner “quickly regretted” his decision last month to take a voluntary buyout of his contract, and “within four days he told his editor he wanted to stay.” For the past six weeks, Aschburner has been “pleading with Star Tribune managers to let him [stay],” but the paper has “denied his request to rescind his buyout application, citing budget concerns” (MINNESOTAMONITOR.com, 4/22).