Debbie Gibson

WKAZ News Department  (1975-1980)

Hi, Rick,

I cannot believe your web site! So cool! I stumbled across it while looking for something else, and had to nose around.

I'm Debbie Gibson; or at least, I was before I got married!   I was on the air from late 1975 until early 1980 at WKAZ, when I left to get married and moved away to Maryland. Radio jobs are hard to find and don't pay that well, so as you can see from my signature, I decided to pursue a different line of work.

Regarding your time line: Jane Drain left the station just as I joined, in 1975. She went into TV news, and I have no idea where she is now. Darrell Daniels left, I think, in 1977 or 1978. He was news director before me, and I was news staff under him when he was there. Dave Cohen was way before me; I think he was the news director previous to Darrell. I maybe met him once, briefly; I never worked with him.

I started as a new anchor and later (I forget which year; maybe 1978?) became the News Director, such as it was, for WKAZ and WQBE. Staff who worked under me were Mark Davis (now a talk show host in Texas; see link below) and Mark "The Roose" Russo, who now lives in the Carolinas, I think, and became a real estate agent. He worked for Mutual Radio for a while, I believe.

Also there was a woman, Pat (?) -- I'll remember her name, I'm sure. Just can't pull it out now. She wasn't there for very long. After I left, the station hired Darrell back at some point; don't remember exactly when. Also, they hired a woman named Kerry Wray. I don't know how long she was there.

Mark Davis link: http://www.wbap.com/showdj.asp?DJID=1397

I still have a couple of old air checks; every once in a while, I haul them out and listen to them.

I'll be glad to fill in some more blanks for you, if I can; I can remember some of the air staff, but don't always, after so many years, remember exactly what years they were there. I do have an old WKAZ Hits record album with pictures; I can snap digital pics for you and send them, if you like. 

Gotta get back to work now ... the tax memos are calling.

Deborah G. Kosnett, CPA  (Debbie Gibson)
Washington, DC