By Dave Hughes, DCRTV.com

There are rumblings CBS Radio in Baltimore might move Jeremy Conn from afternoons with Scott Garceau to mornings on sports talker WJZ-FM, 105.7 The Fan. According to sources, Conn would join new morning co-host Steve Davis, who is currently paired with morning man Ed Norris.

Some speculate Norris could be cut loose when his contract expires later this year. Former WNST host Bob Haney is being eyed as a possible new partner for Garceau, filling the seat of Anita Marks, whose contract was not renewed back in January.

Davis, former sports anchor for Channel 45/WBFF and WBAL radio, paired with Norris in early July to give mornings on 105.7 more of a sports feel.

Norris, a former Baltimore city top cop, frequently talks politics and other non-sports topics, and sources said CBS suits in Charm City and at the headquarters in New York City want more sports topics on the show.

Ken Wienman is gone from the 105.7 morning show and is being sent back to nights. Norris's producer and sidekick, Maynard Edwards, was given his pink slip in early June.

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MASN is seeing a 10 percent hike in ratings for the Baltimore Orioles. The birds on MASN rank 19th among MLB teams on regional sports networks, according to Sports Business Journal, which examines baseball ratings on regional sports networks across the nation.

"Baltimore is a good baseball town," said Examiner sports media writer Jim Williams. "The team has a core following," watching even when it’s not playing so great.

The Washington Nationals, also on MASN, placed 28th -- up 139 percent on MASN and MASN2. The Nationals have climbed out of the local TV cellar for the first time since the team moved to Washington in 2005, according to Sports Business Journal.

Most of the Nats’ ratings gains can be attributed to the emergence of rookie pitching phenom Stephen Strasburg, whose games are among MASN's highest rated.
Williams said while the Nats may not have the local "core following" of the Orioles, Strasburg is drawing a lot of new, "more casual" viewers to Nationals games.

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Ryan Mock is leaving his gig as the radio voice and director of media relations for the Hagerstown Suns minor league baseball team. Dave Vatz, the team's assistant director of media relations, will fill in this weekend, with Brian Holland taking over as the voice of the Suns on Monday. The Suns air on Hagerstown's WJEJ radio.

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Broadcasting & Cable reported ESPN plans to broadcast 13 college football games in stereoscopic 3D on its new ESPN 3D network this fall.

The 3D coverage, sponsored by Sony, will begin Sept. 6 (Labor Day) with Boise State facing Virginia Tech at FedEx Field, home of the Washington Redskins. ESPN-3D is carried by Comcast on channel 980.

Posted July 29, 2010