The Orlando Sentinel from Orlando, Florida • Page 104

Urn Ri ark Samansky returns to air at WHTQ Orlando radio personality Mark Samansky returned to Orlando's airwaves at 3 p.m. Thursday on classic rock station 96.5 FM (WHTQ), the one-time arch rival of his former station 100.3 FM (WDIZ). Primed and ready to go, Samansky early this week was in noons to the 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. slot.

WHTQ program director J.T. Stevens said Samansky will be to the station what chocolate chips are to sugar cookies. "The ingredient he's going to be bringing is going to bring the station to life," he said. George Crossley moves to AM with 2-hour show Early this month, George Crossley disappeared from 95.3 FM (WTLN) after almost a decade at that radio pulpit. The issue-oriented Christian broadcaster traded his stereo RADIO WAVES Charlotte, N.C., to learn about NASCAR, guns and wily country humor from John Boy and Billy, the syndicated Samansky may have felt unappreciated at WDIZ, but the station with which he had been affiliated for more than a decade sure seemed to be worried about what he might do to them on another local station.

You have to wonder what the fuss was all about. WDIZ now is primarily a modern rock station, and the classic stuff being played on WHTQ is likely considered moldy by the standards of WDIZ's young audience. And Samansky, for all his irrepressible wit, will be free to crack jokes for only seven or eight minutes an hour. But so it goes in our litigious society. Samansky, 44, quit WDIZ in April and was immediately offered a position at WHTQ.

He was constrained then by a contract that prohibited him from working at a competing station for a year. WHTQ was willing to fight for Samansky, and WDIZ was going to have to prove in court that Samansky's move to WHTQ would cause it irreparable harm. Two weeks ago, the two sides reached a settlement out of court. WHTQ general manager Mark Warlaumont spot for two hours on sister station 1520 A (WTLN), and despite the lesser signal strength, that could unn1 iin Via. CATHERINE HINMAN said he could not discuss the terms of that agreement.

Nonetheless, the two stations were haggling up until the 11th hour this week over such picayune details as whether WHTQ could play self-promos for Samansky's afternoon show in the morning. WDIZ all along has been most concerned that Samanasky not go on in the prime-time morning slot. Gambling on the timely resolution of this dispute, WHTQ aired promotional spots for Samansky all week and repositioned its other air personalities to make room for him. Bob Rose will move from after- Samansky airs on WHTQ. Last week, WHTQ sent him on a familiarization tour of the Jacksonville Jaguars' home, turf.

The new NFL franchise team's games will air on WHTQ this fall. "I feel like I'm a part of a radio station again," Samansky said. "It's just a great feeling to be where' you're appreciated, where your talents are recognized and they want to use them." Crossley ing a very "wooi'j good deal for talk radio fans. Crossley's Central Florida Forum now airs from 4 to 6 p.m. weekdays, instead of 4 to 5 expand and so that the FM could offer music in the afternoons.

Although admittedly some people who formerly could hear the show can't now, there are just as many folks perhaps listening to the show for the first time. "I think it's balancing out nicely," Crossley said. "From my point of view, it gives us a chance to talk to people who we haven't talked to before." Orlando stations score in 'Billboard' awards Nominations for Billboard Airplay Monitor's annual radio awards are out, and once again Orlando stations had a good showing in the medium-market categories. At adult contemporary station 105.1 FM (WOMX), David Israel was nominated for program director of the year and Scott McKenzie and Erica Lee for personalities of the year. Morning yuk-meisters Doc Holliday and Johnny Magic were nominated from Top 40 station 106.7 FM (WXXL).

Program director Duff Lindsay and music director Cedric Hollywood were nominated from urban station 101.9 FM (WJHM). At Spanish station 1030 AM (WONQ), Jorge Mier was nominated for his three roles as program director, music director and on-air personality. On July 4, Lakeland's soft adult contemporary station 94.1 FM (WEZY) became the Tampa Bay area's new smooth jazz station and but a distant memory for Central Floridians who once picked up the signal well. Its call letters are now WSJT. Pax-son Communications, which bought the station some time ago, built a new tower triple the size of the old one near the border of Polk and Hillsborough counties.

The station is now positioned to appeal to Tampa's upscale baby boomer audience a la 103.1 FM (WLOQ) in Central Florida. The Hit List, a syndicated weekly countdown show out of New York, will debut Saturday on 106.7 FM (WXXL) from 7 to 10 a.m. The host is the ever-hip Elvis Duran. Longtime Orlando disc jockey John Summers last month took an evening post at the Dallas oldies station 98.7 FM (KLUV). Summers steered listeners through afternoon drive at 98.9 FM (WMMO) from 1990 until 1993 and until last month worked evenings on 105.9 FM (WOCL).

vowrow ORLANDO STREET CRAFT FESTIVAL JULY 22 $23 SAT. 10 AM -10 PM SUN. 10AM-SPM p.m., expanding its availability for the first time to many homeward bound Central Flo-ridians who have never had an opportunity to listen to his show. Crossley, an affable, outspoken Baptist from Deltona, is that rare Christian broadcaster who has been able to entice an audience beyond the hard-core Christian community. His TV show on WTGL-Channel 52 airs at 9 p.m.

Mondays and Wednesdays. Although he occasionally touches on biblical topics, Crossley mostly lives in the world of politics and social issues. Since Clive Thomas and Peter Rocchio lost their forums earlier this year in a format change at 540 AM (WWZN), serious conversation on local topics is rare on the radio airwaves. Crossley's point of view is usually conservative, certainly, but he's not rude to people who disagree with him, and he's not necessarily predictable. He has been a vocal opponent of Florida's cash-seizure laws, which allows law enforcement officers to confiscate money from anyone presumed to be a drug dealer.

On Wednesdays, the Central Florida Forum host is Dwight Bain, who devotes his program to Christian counseling. WTLN station manager Janice Willis said she moved Central Florida Forum to the AM station, so that, the show could Located in Dovnrom Orlando on Church Street Over 100 LOCAL NATIONAL CRAFTSMEN FREE ADMISSION FBKmrnniFamiai call (S3) AH AMERICA CRAFT EHDEAVOX Thoughts about what you hear on Central Florida radio? Write to Radio Waves, The Orlando Sentinel, MP-I2, 633 N. Orange Fla. i i ,4 Vmi" 'j 8 Si I G'-'j i ii i 'i ii i i.