When I spoke with Red Zebra Broadcasting CEO Bruce Gilbert, it had been less than 24 hours since the company had purchased SportsTalk 980 AM (WTEM) along with 570 AM (WTNT) and 1260 AM (WWRC). Gilbert was ready to start the process of organizing things as we spoke about the key issues facing Red Zebra with the addition of three more stations to company’s existing stable of broadcast outlets.

Examiner » Will you keep the sports staff at WTEM?

Gilbert » Absolutely. We have — in John Thompson, Doc Walker, Brian Mitchell, Steve Czaban, and Andy Polin — one of the best benches in broadcasting. Add to that group John Riggins and you have an all-star team of talent. When we bought the station, we could have said that we don’t want the sports staff — we just want the stations. It is done all the time, but we wanted the talent that WTEM has and we could not be happier to be adding them to the family.

Examiner » Will they keep their same sports shifts and will you keep both ESPN and FOX Sports Radio affiliations?

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Gilbert » We have contracts with both ESPN and FOX, so we will honor those agreements and decide what is the best fit for our stations in our group. We may keep them both and keep two sports talk radio stations going in the market. With regard to the sports lineup, that is something that we will be going over the next few weeks and I know we will be able to work things out so fans will be able to hear all our talent throughout the day.

Examiner » So you could run two sports talk stations?

Gilbert » Yes, we are considering that option. I mean Washington has room for two sports talk stations and we have both the talent and the programming to accommodate it so, yes, it is a very real possibility.

Examiner » Much has been made that Red Zebra wants to control message when comes to the Redskins. What do you say to those who feel that way?

Gilbert » We are in the broadcasting business and the business is controlled by ratings. Listeners want honesty and we have always sought to give it to them. We never have told John Riggins or anyone at Triple X ESPN what to say or not to say about the team. I can assure you that we will not tell anyone at WTEM what they can and can’t say about the Redskins, Dan Snyder or any other team in town. We will continue to run a creditable broadcasting company. What WTEM will have is access to the players, coaches and front office people and that will give them an advantage in the market place over all other radio stations when it comes to coverage, but we will not censor anything.

Examiner » How about the Wizards, Georgetown and other sports teams on WTEM?

Gilbert » We are very happy to have the Wizards on WTEM this coming season and we want to have as much play-by-play content as we can get. We are a sports station — not just the home of the Redskins. So, yes, we want offer the best in talk and play-by-play programming — period. That is our goal.

If Red Zebra does chose to have two sports talk radio stations, then either WTNT or WWRC would appear to be the likely candidate because of signal strength. The company will keep all of their existing Washington properties held under Triple X ESPN (730 AM, WXTR; 92.7 FM, WWXT; 94.3 FM, WWXX) as well as the four other stations that they have throughout Virginia.