Harford County (July 10, 2003) -- Is another big change about to take place with "The Eleven News Team"? We have it on very good authority that WBAL-TV (11) morning news co-anchor Sade Baderinwa is departing in August for The Big Apple. Sources say Sade has accepted a similar position with WABC-TV in New York. It's a big jump to the nation's number one TV market, but is Sade worthy? Here's my take on it. She has a pretty face, an exotic name, and can adequately read copy from a teleprompter. Otherwise, she's not qualified in Baltimore, much less New York. Nevertheless, the days of real journalists on TV are just about gone, with a few exceptions. It's a dog and pony show these days, with the slimmest and prettiest going to the head of the class. No knock on Sade. She's probably a lovely human being. But she's no journalist, and if any medium needs competent, educated and objective journalists delivering the news, it's TV. Television news shapes more opinions than radio, newspapers and magazines combined. Look for Stan Stovall to move into the morning news co-anchor role with Marilyn Getas when Sade departs. Stan's presence on a full-time basis won't hurt Channel 11 one bit.

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	Bel Air's WHFC-FM (91.1) goes 24/7 with New Age music overnight except Sundays, when classic radio shows will air from midnight to 7:00 am Monday morning. Remember, there's more to life than shock jocks, incendiary babble, endless commercials, and the same old songs over and over again.

The first budget-related programming casualty has struck at local public radio outlet WHFC-FM (91.1). "Watershed," a daily one-minute feature on the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries, disappears July 31. Other "at-risk" programs at the Harford Community College station include "Star Date," "The Car Show," "Worldwide Jazz," and "Jazz from Lincoln Center" hosted by Ed Bradley. And "The Ronnie Dove Show," due to return September 8 following summer hiatus, may be delayed indefinitely. WHFC raised just a little over $3,000 in its two-week spring fundraiser. By comparison, Washington's WPFW-FM, a small station airing talk and ethnic programming, received over $453,000 from its listeners this spring! Considering Harford County residents' per capita income versus Metro DC, that's still a huge difference.

Local hockey fans have been suffering from withdraw ever since the American Hockey League's Baltimore Bandits bolted town in 1997 to become the Cincinnati Mighty Ducks. But relief may be in sight. The Hershey Bears are looking for a Baltimore radio outlet to carry some or all of their games during the upcoming 2003-2004 season. The Bears, who moved into their new state-of-the-art Giant Center last season after 65 years at historic Hersheypark Arena, have a number of season ticket holders residing south of the Mason-Dixon line, including some as far away as Northern Virginia. Hershey officials believe having the games on a Baltimore radio station will improve on last season's record home attendance. So far, play-by-play announcer John Walton has had discussions with WWLG-AM (1370) and plans to talk with a few others. With any luck, Hershey Bears hockey games will resonate on the Baltimore airwaves beginning in October.

And in what could be called "The Case of the Revolving Weathermen," former WMAR-TV (2) weathercaster Collette Kennedy has turned up on WBAL-TV. Seems she's traded places with Justin Burk, who left WBAL for WMAR earlier this year. Still no word, however, on the professional fate of everyone's favorite, former WBFF-TV (45) weathercaster Lori Pinson. As far as we know, she's still in the area, no doubt looking for her next gig. Sinclair Broadcasting, parent firm of Channel 45, gets this year's booby prize for axing the popular Ms. Pinson, who did a great deal of community relations work in addition to her on-air duties. We've received a lot of email inquiries about Lori's whereabouts. As soon as we hear, we'll pass the information along.

Have a question or comment? Email me at gwhelton@yahoo.com.

GH