Redskins' Snyder Seeks To Buy Sports Station WTEM-AM, Two Others

Snyder Nearing Deal To Acquire Three DC-Area Radio Stations

Redskins Owner Daniel Snyder is "moving closer to an agreement to buy [DC] sports-talk station WTEM-AM and two other AM stations," according to Paul Farhi of the WASHINGTON POST. Purchasing WTEM would give Snyder's radio station group, Red Zebra Broadcasting, a "much better signal for Redskins games and Redskins-related programming," as well as a "lock on the sports radio market" in the DC market. The three stations Red Zebra currently owns, known as Triple X ESPN Radio, are "so weak their broadcasts can't be heard without interference in many parts of the area." Adding WTEM would "improve Red Zebra's signal problems, but wouldn't solve them entirely," as the station "reduces power at night, making it hard to hear in parts of Northern Virginia." WTEM for several years in the '90s was the Redskins' flagship station, before Snyder purchased the team (WASHINGTON POST, 5/30). Sources said that if the contract is signed, it will "have to be a lease agreement in the short term, until the big Clear Channel corporate buyout is completed." Sources added that Snyder would "have to move ESPN sports radio programming" to WTEM, which currently airs a mix of local and Fox Sports national programming (DCRTV.com, 5/29).