THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, July 20, 1996 TAG: 9607200353
SECTION: BUSINESS PAGE: D1 EDITION: FINAL
LENGTH: 54 lines
June coal shipments through the port of Hampton Roads were down 2 percent compared to June 1995, but 1996 is still outpacing 1995. The region's three coal terminals dumped 4.6 million tons of coal into ships' holds last month - about 100,000 fewer tons than they did the previous June, according to the Hampton Roads Maritime Association. So far in 1996, the terminals have loaded 26.8 million tons of coal in waiting colliers, 4.7 percent more than they did in the first half of 1995. Both the region's largest terminal, Norfolk Southern Corp.'s Pier 6 at Lamberts Point in Norfolk, and its smallest, Pier IX Terminal Co. in Newport News, were up for the year. (Staff) Sinclair buys Richmond jazz radio station
Sinclair Communications Inc. of Norfolk said it has agreed to purchase a Richmond radio station, WSMJ-FM, for $600,000. The station, which plays light jazz, has been on the air about two weeks and will bring to four the number of radio stations in the Richmond area owned by Sinclair. Sinclair also owns WNIS-AM and WROX-FM in Hampton Roads, and is in the process of buying local stations WTAR-AM and WKOC-FM. It owns two other stations in the Austin, Texas, area as well. WSMJ, which is being acquired through a Sinclair unit called Old Dominion Broadcasting LLC, is currently owned by Barbara B. Benns of Washington, who has no other radio interests. (Staff) Shipyard workers strike in San Diego
Complaining of unfair labor practices, thousands of workers walked off the job at National Steel & Shipbuilding Co., the West Coast's largest shipbuilding company. The workers, who have been without a contract for nearly four years, promised to strike until a new agreement is reached. An estimated 2,700 employees didn't show up for work Thursday. At issue is whether the company will continue to have a ``closed shop'' - in which workers must join a union. The company wants to give the workers the option of voting for an ``open shop,'' in which a union represents the workers but individuals are not required to join it. (AP) Fox to start cable news channel
Fox television, jumping into the 24-hour news business, will launch its Fox News Channel on Oct. 7, a network executive said. The cable channel will feature more live news and produced programming than CNN or MSNBC, the joint venture of NBC News and Microsoft, Fox News Chairman Roger Ailes said. The channel has hired about 100 people, but also will rely on print and television journalists already employed by other units of Fox's parent company, Rupert Murdoch's News Corp., Ailes said. The network has studios in Washington and New York, and plans to open bureaus in London, Los Angeles and Chicago. (AP) by CNB