On The Air
by Laura Nachman
Bucks County Courier Times
December 23, 2005
www.bradyresidence.com/channelsurfing.html

New York City Dan Schwartzman grew up listening to Sports Talk 950/WPEN’s Jody McDonald when McDonald worked for WFAN.

Soon, he’ll be competing against Jody Mac when he becomes the new co-host of “Philly Sports Live” weeknights from 4-7 p.m. on ESPN 920.

“I have a passion for sports and expressing my opinions,” said Schwartzman, 27, a graduate of Ohio University. “When I was 11 years old, I started listening to sports talk radio and got hooked.”

Schwartzman will co-host with John Mozes beginning Jan. 3. He comes from ESPN 1450 in Atlantic City. He also did sports-talk in Huntsville, Ala., coincidentally the same market where new NBC10 sports reporter Jade McCarthy hails.

Though growing up a New York Yankees, Rangers, Jets, and Knicks fan, Schwartzman has one personal connection to the Phillies. One of his best friends from college, Kim Myers, is the wife of Phillies pitcher Brett Myers.

Meanwhile, the person whom Schwartzman replaced, Tripp Rogers, landed a full-time job on ESPN 1050 in New York City as the weekday morning sports anchor from 6-10.

Historical hire

Jamie Apody of the CBS affiliate in El Paso, Texas, will be the first female sportscaster in 6ABC history. She will join Gary Papa and fellow newcomer Keith Russell on the sports staff.

Apody is a Los Angeles native who graduated from UCLA and got her start at KNBC in L.A. She is the second female sportscaster to arrive in Philadelphia in a month, following NBC10 sports reporter Jade McCarthy.

Last year at this time the Channel 6 sports department was Papa, Phil Andrews, Scott Palmer and Jack Brayboy. Today only Papa remains. Andrews is at Comcast SportsNet, Palmer a consultant with the Phillies, and Brayboy a sports producer in North Carolina.

The broadcast stations are still light years behind Comcast SportsNet, which has featured Leslie Gudel and Dei Lynam on its team since its inception in 1997.

Sad ending

As “Dandy” Don Meredith said, “Turn off the lights, the party’s over.”

For ABC’s “Monday Night Football,” the party’s been over for a month. The season finale features another probable blowout, as the New England Patriots will play the New York Jets. That follows last week’s game: Baltimore 48, Green Bay 3, which followed Atlanta 36, New Orleans 17, which followed Seattle 42, Eagles 0.

Ratings game

CBS is faring better with its AFC package this season. Probably because of the undefeated (until last week) season of Indianapolis, CBS enjoys a slight lead over Fox in football ratings so far this season.

And the winner is …

Jamie Yannacone, a freelance writer and events manager from Media, won the “700 Level Sports Fanatics” contest on Sports Talk 950/WPEN. He will co-host the evening show with Matt Fine and Jim Bachman for the next three months.

E-mail: lauranachman@verizon.net