Times to launch syndicated radio show

The Washington Times will launch a syndicated radio show later this spring, dedicated to the newsroom’s investigative reporting and accountability journalism, Executive Editor John Solomon said Sunday.

The three-hour morning show will feature investigations by The Times, exclusive interviews with national newsmakers and discussions with reporters from The Times newsroom.

The move is part of an overhaul of The Times’ products started last year, including a redesign of the Web site and newspaper, as well as new online videos, podcasts and mobile updates.

“I think the goal here is to take what we’ve done so successfully in print and translate it to radio,” Mr. Solomon said. “The concept is that when you tune in in the morning, it’s not going to be yesterday’s news.”

Talk Radio Network, home to such nationally syndicated talkers as Laura Ingraham and Michael Savage, will carry the show.

“The Washington Times has made a very strong commitment to investigative reporting, building a journalistic team, headed bySolomon, that will be second to none,” said Talk Radio Network Chief Executive Officer Mark Masters. “We believe this unique journalistic team, combined with radio’s ability to give the time and context needed to flesh out breaking stories, will make for a powerful winning combination in talk radio. Like ‘60 Minutes’ once did for TV, this show can do for radio.”

The show will air live from 6 to 9 a.m. Mr. Solomon said he plans to announce a host for the show in about a month.

The Times has produced many “high-impact” investigative exposes, including a groundbreaking series on medical experimentations on war veterans by the Veterans Affairs Department and enterprise reporting about ethical conflicts involving administration nominees and members of Congress.

“Our distinctive news reporting is reaching millions of new consumers across this country, and we are pleased to be partnering with Mark and one of the best news talk radio companies in the world to help spread our enterprising journalism to the radio format,” said Thomas P. McDevitt, president and publisher of The Times.

“In a time of large economic and national security challenges, Americans will be able to get distinctive, authoritative news from one of America’s most influential newspapers delivered through an innovative radio show produced by the best in the business.”

Traffic to the Web site has increased 500 percent over the past 13 months, Mr. Solomon said.

The Times is planning to start providing hourly newscasts for radio listeners, as well, although it is uncertain how soon that will start.

“The newspaper has an incredible engine - every day, there’s two, three, four scoops in the paper,” Mr. Solomon said. “I think we have plenty of fuel in the tanks to make some scoops on the radio.”