Friday, December 5, 2014

Entercom Names Tara Servatius and Vince Coakley to Morning Radio Posts on ‘WORD 106.3’ in Greenville.  At Entercom’s WYRD, Greenville, South Carolina “WORD 106.3,” new morning programming is announced that includes Tara Servatius hosting “The Tara Show” from 6:00 am to 10:00 am followed by Vince Coakley taking over the 10:00 am to 12:00 noon show.  The new programming begins on Monday, December 8.  Entercom Greenville VP and market manager Steve Sinicropi says, “We are energizing morning radio with the launch of these vibrant, live, and local talk shows.  Both Tara and Vince will deliver fresh, and thought-provoking commentary on the issues and news our community cares about most.  We are excited about fans joining in the on-air conversation on the only Upstate local news/talk station.”  Servatius was most recently with Cumulus Media’s WTMA, Charleston, South Carolina.  She also worked at Greater Media’s WBT-AM/FM, Charlotte.  Coakley – also a WBT-AM/FM, Charlotte alum – had been hosting a Sunday afternoon program on “WORD 106.3.”  Longtime WYRD personality Russ Cassell – host of the 8:00 am to 12:00 noon program – passed away in October, prompting changes in the morning lineup.

Tom Becka Exits NRG Media’s KOIL, Omaha.  Two and a half years after joining NRG Media’s KOIL, Omaha, Tom Becka announces his contract with the station has not been renewed.  Becka posted a podcast on his TomBecka.com site explaining his exit from the station.  He tells TALKERS it wasn’t too shocking as he’d suspected his deal was not going to be renewed.  As for KOIL, the station’s GM, Andy Ruback, tells the Omaha World-Herald they’ll announce permanent plans for the afternoon drive daypart in the near future.  In the interim, the station is airing TRN’s Sam Sorbo program.  Tom Becka can be reached at tbecka@hotmail.com.

Michael Smerconish Options Novel Talk to Warner Bros.  The novel published by SiriusXM personality Michael Smerconish about a talk radio host acting out a stereotypical neo-conservative philosophy on the air despite his own convictions in order to be successful,has been optioned to Warner Brothers to become a TV show.  Smerconish, who exited AM/FM radio for satellite after a career that included local radio on WPHT, Philadelphia and national syndication via Compass Media Networks, tells Politico that he’s excited about the opportunity.  “Like anyone who’s ever written a novel, as I wrote it I envisioned it on the screen.  Of course in most cases that doesn’t come to pass and now this looks like it will, and I couldn’t be more excited.  I think the story lends itself to TV beautifully.  In the world of ‘House of Cards’ and ‘Alpha House,’ I can definitely see ‘Talk’ on a television screen.”  Many talk radio practitioners bristle at the implication that conservative talk hosts don’t really believe what they portray on the radio, but just do it because they think that’s what the industry wants.  A number of talk professionals also took umbrage with Smerconish’s parting shots at the industry as he left AM/FM for satellite, specifically with his public statements accusing the business of requiring hosts to adhere to an ideologically driven style of talk radio instead of one that addresses issues from multiple perspectives.

Your New PD Gig: D.I.Y. with O.P.M.  In a column published today (12/5) in TALKERS, consultant Holland Cooke explains an opportunity that might be perfect for some sales-minded programmers looking to work independently on other people’s radio signals.  He’s talking about programming weekend content on a brokered basis.  He says, “Parlay your assets into Do It Yourself radio.  I’m not talking about podcasting-instead.  I’m talking about renting transmitter time.  All that many news/talk stations ask of weekend talent is pay-for-play, so consider pay-and-program.”  Read more from Holland Cooke here.

Beasley Drops Sports on FM in Tampa.  The FM sports talker that CBS RADIO brought to Tampa is gone – playing Christmas music until a new format debuts on January 5.  Among Those out with the change at WHFS-FM “98.7 The Fan” are sports talk personalities Anthony “Booger” McFarland, Marc Ryan, Kirk McEwen, Jesse Kage, and Justin Pawlowski.  Beasley is still operating WHFS-AM as a sports talker using CBS Sports Radio Network programming.

Odds & Sods.  A new podcast from Sports USA featuring former super agent Tom Reich will launch.  According to Sports USA president Bob Moore, “Tom and brother Sam Reich bring integrity, respect, experience and a fresh perspective to the podcast and will talk about past stories and current events in their lives and the world of sports.”…..The PAC 5 final game – the prep championship between St. John Bosco and Corona Centennial – will air on LAA 1 LLC-owned KLAA, Anaheim tomorrow (12/6) at 8:00 pm PT.  The Emmy-award winning broadcast team of Kevin Turner and Bill Cunerty will call the live play-by-play.  The game is being broadcast on the radio for the sixth year in a row on KLAA – home of the Los Angeles Angels and Anaheim Ducks.  Fox Sports’ Fred Salas will join the team for the broadcast handling sideline reports and postgame interviews.

Ferguson Aftermath Tops Talkers Ten^TM for Week of December 1-5.  The events that have followed the Ferguson grand jury’s decision not to indict officer Darren Wilson in the shooting death of Michael Brown – including Charles Barkley’s comments and whether to charge Brown’s stepfather Louis Head for inciting a riot – were the top stories on news/talk radio during the week.  Following at #2 was the NYC choke hold case tied with the police shooting death of 12-year-old Cleveland youth Tamir Rice.  At #3 was the amnesty issue followed by the 2016 presidential candidates at #4.  The Talkers Ten^TM is a weekly chart of the top stories and people discussed on news/talk radio during the week and is the result of ongoing research from TALKERS.  It is published every Friday at Talkers.com.  View this week’s entire chart here.

Thursday, December 4, 2014

Lars Larson and ‘FM News 101 KXL’ Stay Together.  Not that there were any expectations they wouldn’t, but Alpha Media and talk host Lars Larson announce the signing of a new long-term contract between the two.  Larson – one of the hardest-working people in talk radio – hosts the 12:00 noon to 3:00 pm local and regional show on KXL and 15 affiliates in the Oregon and Washington region.  Additionally, he hosts a 3:00 pm to 6:00 pm PT program that is distributed nationally by Compass Media Networks.  Alpha Media Portland CEO/president Bob Proffitt comments, “Lars is a Northwest and national talent in talk radio.  I’m delighted to have him on board to help deliver content through our many channels at Alpha that is unique, compelling and thought-provoking.  One of the many reasons Lars is so good, is an incredible work ethic I’ve witnessed over the past five years that is truly inspiring.”  Larson received help in negotiating his new deal from Fred Schreyer, formerly with Nike‘s sports management division.  Larson says Schreyer has represented such clients as: ESPN‘s Colin Cowherd, KXTG-AM, Portland’s  John Canzano, and NBA stars Lebron James and Kevin Durant.

Paranormal Talker Clyde Lewis Re-Ups with Alpha’s KXL, Portland.  The creator and host of “Ground Zero,” heard on Alpha Media-owned news/talker KXL, Portland “FM News 101” will remain with the station as he and the company sign an extension to that effect.  Clyde Lewis’ program is also syndicated nationally by Premiere Networks.  The program airs six nights per week from 7:00 pm to 12:00 midnight PT.  Alpha Media EVP of programming Scott Mahalick comments, “Clyde offers a 7th dimension perspective and is the most compelling story teller I’ve ever met in this business.  We’re happy to be at the epicenter of ‘Ground Zero’ in Portland and thrilled to continue our partnership with Clyde.  He is a talk radio badass!”

Legal Analysis: Glenn Beck Libel Case.  TALKERS legal editor Steven J.J. Weisman, in a story published today (12/4), writes about the recent court ruling on Glenn Beck’s request to dismiss Saudi student Abdulrahman Alharbi’s libel suit against him.  As TALKERS reported yesterday, Alharbi was initially questioned by police investigating the Boston Marathon bombing in 2013 but was quickly ruled out by police as being involved in the crime.  However, for several weeks after that, Beck used his program to accuse Alharbi of involvement in the bombing.  Beck’s attorneys argue that Alharbi was a limited-purpose public figure or an involuntary public figure by virtue of his being at the event and, however briefly, becoming part of the story surrounding the event by being investigated by authorities.  In today’s story, Weisman explains the legal definitions of the three types of public figures and what threshold must be crossed to commit actionable libel.  Read this important piece here.

CBS Sports Radio Network Announces 2015 Lineup.  TALKERS reported earlier this week that current KDKA-FM, Pittsburgh personality Gregg Giannotti was going to be joining the CBS Sports Radio Network and that is confirmed as director of programming Eric Spitz announces the network’s new lineup.  The new AM drive show will be hosted by Brian Jones (who moves down from the current evening “MoJo” program) and Giannotti.  Tiki Barber and Brandon Tierney move from AM drive to late morning (9:00 am to 12:00 noon ET).  Jim Rome and Doug Gottlieb remain in their respective afternoon slots but Damon “D.A.” Amendolara moves from overnights to host the 6:00 pm to 10:00 pm ET show.  Amy Lawrence is promoted from her weekend show to the daily overnight show (2:00 am to 6:00 am).  Off the daily schedule at the network with the changes are morning show co-host Dana Jacobson and evening show co-host Chris Moore.

Odds & Sods.  As TALKERS reported earlier this week, at CBS RADIO’s KDKA-FM “Sportsradio 93-7 The Fan,” evening host Colin Dunlap is being elevated to the station’s morning show beginning Friday, January 2.  He’ll partner with current morning hosts Josh Miller and Jim Colony…..San Antonio sports talker KZDC, San Antonio “ESPN San Antonio” is now simulcasting on translator K234CI at 94.5 FM.  The Alpha Media station’s PD, Greg Martin, says, “I am thrilled that Alpha Media recognizes the importance of its AM properties having a presence on the FM, exposing our brand to a large audience who rarely uses AM.”…..Comic and radio personality Jimmie “JJ” Walker will be sitting in for KMJ-AM/FM, Fresno midday personality Ray Appleton on December 17 and 18.  Walker hosted radio programs on news/talk stations during the 1990s – including on KKAR, Omaha; WHIO, Dayton; and WOAI, San Antonio…..At Premiere Networks, Tanya Juhasz is promoted to vice president, international business development.  The company reports that in her previous role as executive director, international business development, she worked to “ensure Premiere’s industry-leading properties are represented throughout the world, and thanks to her efforts, they can be heard in 47 countries from Canada to New Zealand to China.”…..Recently retired ABC News Radio White House correspondent Ann Compton is being inducted into the Illinois Broadcasters Association’s Hall of Fame.  The Winnetka, Illinois native worked more than 40 years with ABC News Radio before her September retirement.

Grand Jury Choke Hold Death Decision, Ferguson Aftermath, Amnesty Issue, 2016 Presidential Prospects, and Bill Cosby Rape Allegations Among Top News/Talk Stories Yesterday (12/3).  The grand jury decision not to indict a New York police officer in the choke-hold death of Eric Garner and the Justice Department’s decision to open a civil rights investigation; the ongoing aftermath of the Ferguson grand jury decision not to indict Darren Wilson in the shooting death of Michael Brown; the issue of amnesty for illegal aliens and President Obama’s executive order; the potential candidates for president in 2016; and the fallout from renewed allegations of rape against Bill Cosby were some of the most-talked-about stories on news/talk radio, according to ongoing research from TALKERS.

Wednesday, December 3, 2014

Larry Elder Missing from KABC, Los Angeles Website.  Rumors in Los Angeles are that Larry Elder has exited Cumulus Media’s KABC, Los Angeles where he’d been hosting the 3:00 pm to 6:00 pm program.  No confirmation from KABC or Cumulus officials yet but Elder’s information has been removed from the KABC website and his name is missing from the program lineup.  Elder returned to KABC in 2010 to host afternoon drive after a two-year absence.  He’d been a personality on the station previously from 1994 through 2008.

Judge Rules Against Glenn Beck in Libel Case.  Tuesday’s ruling from U.S. District Court Judge Patti Saris on Glenn Beck’s request to dismiss Saudi student Abdulrahman Alharbi’s libel suit against him has been denied and the case could move forward if not settled.  If you remember, Alharbi was initially questioned by police investigating the Boston Marathon bombing but was quickly ruled out by police as being involved in the crime.  However, for several weeks after that, Beck used his program to accuse Alharbi of potential involvement in the bombing.  Alharbi is suing for libel.  Beck’s attorneys argue that Alharbi was an involuntary public figure by virtue of his being at the event and, however briefly, becoming part of the story surrounding the event by being questioned.  But Judge Saris stated that simply going to a public event doesn’t make one a public figure and further that, even if Alharbi became an involuntary public figure during the time he was being investigated, that definition ended when he was cleared.  Whether Beck’s camp decides to settle or not may take time but Judge Saris believes Alharbi has a legitimate complaint.  She writes in her decision, “The facts alleged in Alharbi’s complaint easily permit an inference that the defendants were negligent as to the truthfulness of their reports after the authorities cleared his name.”

Sid Rosenberg and Lawrence Taylor to Host Show on WFAN, New York.  Former WFAN personality (and current WMEN, Fort Lauderdale “640 Sports” morning host) Sid Rosenberg and New York Giants great Lawrence “LT” Taylor will host a special sports talk show on CBS RADIO’s WFAN this Saturday afternoon (12/6).  News of the program was reported by the New York Daily news which says that Rosenberg and Taylor are working on a Florida radio project and that the idea was pitched to WFAN programmer Mark Chernoff who agreed to give the show an airing.  Taylor’s agent – Mark Lepselter – tells the paper that his client became interested in doing a radio show and that his failed attempt as an analyst with TNT 20 years ago was exactly that: 20 years ago.  Read the Daily News piece here.

Mike Florio to Take Over Midday Show on NBC Sports Radio.  Beginning Monday, January 5, NBC Sports Radio debuts a new three-hour football-focused program featuring host Mike Florio.  Florio is creator of ProFootballTalk on NBCSports.com and co-host of Pro Football Talk on NBCSN.  NBC Sports Group and Westwood One say the show “will feature Florio’s critically acclaimed NFL insight, all-encompassing coverage of the league with the most current news and analysis, and thought-provoking debate.  In addition, Florio will conduct interviews with a wide variety of NFL insiders, experts, players and coaches.”  NBC Sports Ventures SVP Rob Simmelkjaer adds, “We are excited to bring Mike’s unparalleled NFL insight to our NBC Sports Radio team.  The fan appetite for smart NFL talk is insatiable, and we are proud to bring them one of the most respected voices in the industry.”

Beasley Names Matt Smith to VP/Market Manager Post.  Promoted from his interim market manager position at Beasley Broadcast Group’s Philadelphia stations WXTU and WRDW, Matt Smith is upped to vice president and market manager for the company’s Wilmington, Delaware FM adult contemporary WJBR and three Philly AM properties – sports talk WTEL (formerly WIP-AM), religion WTMR, and ethnic WWDB.  Smith will report to Beasley Broadcast Group president Bruce Beasley.

Lessons Learned from Protests, Power Failures and Prolonged Snowfall.  Three recent emergency events in different parts of the country are timely examples of the need for station operators to have comprehensive plans to broadcast in these situations, says ABC Television Network director, business continuity Howard B. Price.  In a column published in TALKERS today (12/3), citing the unrest in Ferguson, the snow fall in Western New York and the major power outage in Detroit, Price writes, “If you wait for civil unrest to break out, wait until a blizzard is upon you, or wait until the lights go out before planning for and resourcing a response to these events, you have waited too long to make sure you can respond when your listeners and advertisers need you the most.  Delaying the implementation of a robust emergency action plan – and properly resourcing it – exposes you to the risk of being ill prepared to respond quickly, competently and meaningfully.  And a bad response – or worse, no response — may do irreparable damage to your reputation for reliability and service.”  Read Price’s comprehensive and important story here.

KMOX, St. Louis Talk Host Charlie Brennan Challenges Missouri Traffic Camera Laws.  The case of KMOX, St. Louis talk host Charlie Brennan is just one of three cases the Missouri Supreme Court heard earlier this week that are challenging the traffic camera citation policies in the state.  Here’s the background: Brennan was cited with unsafe supervision of a vehicle – not the moving violation of speeding – after his car was clocked going 11 mph over the speed limit.  He contested the ticket, insisting the city did not give him due process, violated state law, and could not demonstrate he was the driver.  Brennan won his case in two lower courts.  Now, the Missouri Supreme Court will issue a decision sometime in 2015 after hearing the three cases.  Brennan says, “I challenged the speed camera ticket on several grounds.  One of the big issues: the City of Moline Acres does not assess points, even though Missouri law requires such action for all moving violations.  Some of us suspect the city does not assess points because it can’t identify the driver of the car!”  Brennan is on vacation but says he’ll be back on Friday and his lawyers will appear on his show that day to talk about the matter that is irking many drivers across the country.

Odds & Sods.  Bakersfield news/talker KERN is now heard on the FM band as American General Media begins simulcasting the station on translator K241CI, Bakersfield at 96.1 FM.  AGM president Rogers Brandon comments, “The simulcast will allow KERN-AM and the excellent talent that we have on the station to be discovered by the vastly larger FM audience.”…..Ric Russo is named executive producer of the Bubba Radio Network – the syndication arm of the Bubba the Love Sponge program…..CRN Digital Talk Radio announces it is the new national radio home for Nancy Solari‘s radio program, “Living Full Out with Nancy Solari.”  The program makes its CRN debut on Sunday, December 7 at 5:00 PM Eastern.

Kicking Off the Holiday Giving Season at Emmis.  On Monday of this week, Emmis Communications chairman and CEO Jeff Smulyan (left) kicked off the holiday season at the Emmis headquarters in Indianapolis.  Smulyan is pictured here ringing the Salvation Army bell to initiate the Salvation Army Radiothon.  He was joined by Emmis COO/CFO Patrick Walsh (right).  This is the 20th year Emmis and news/talk WIBC, Indianapolis have hosted the Radiothon to support the work of the Salvation Army.

Ferguson Grand Jury Aftermath/Barkley Comments, Obama Amnesty Executive Order, 2016 Presidential Prospects, Extension of Tax Breaks, Sinking Oil Prices, and Bill Cosby Rape Allegations Among Top News/Talk Stories Yesterday (12/2).  The issues of police-African American relations and Charles Barkley’s comments in the aftermath of the Ferguson grand jury decision; the executive order by President Obama outlining a path to amnesty for illegal aliens; the potential candidates for president in 2016; the passing of legislation to extend tax breaks to millions of Americans; dropping oil prices and the effect on how much Americans are paying at the pump; and the fallout from the renewed rape allegations against Bill Cosby were some of the most-talked-about stories on news/talk radio yesterday, according to ongoing research from TALKERS.

Tuesday, December 2, 2014

KTRS, St. Louis Morning Host McGraw Milhaven Faults Google for Temporarily Terminating Show’s YouTube Account.  St. Louis morning personality McGraw Milhaven tells TALKERS magazine that, as far as he can tell since it’s hard to talk to an actual person at Google, complaints about his show’s video segments dealing with the Michael Brown slaying in Ferguson must have forced the hand of YouTube and it responded by closing the show’s account – at least temporarily since the videos in question have returned to the KTRS550TV account.  Milhaven says his show had some 1,700 videos on the site that he thought were gone forever.  He says, “We had a police officer on yesterday talking about this Ferguson story and they terminated our account.  Censored.  All of it.  Gone.  Taken down, and nothing from YouTube except an email saying we are not allowed to ever post again.”  Milhaven posted to his Facebook page a plea for help from fans since CH Holdings – owner of KTRS – is a family business without the resources to fight Google.  He wrote, in part, “We, at the McGraw Show on KTRS, admittedly have been sympathetic to the police officers’ story, but we have had all types of guests defending all sides to this very important story.  Our videos, which serve as a St. Louis archive over the last two years and have been used by the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, CNN, MSNBC, FOX News as well as hundreds of other media outlets, are now lost forever.  YouTube has arbitrarily decided they don’t like our current and past content and has cut off our voice.”  Google did not respond directly to requests for further clarification of the termination but, as stated at the beginning of this story, the videos are back online.

WIND, Chicago Morning Co-Host Amy Jacobson Loses Suit Against CBS.  Former television reporter Amy Jacobson was let go by NBC-owned WMAQ-TV, Chicago in 2007 after she was videoed poolside at the home of Craig Stebic – a man who was deemed a person of interest in the disappearance of his wife Lisa.  Competing WBBM-TV “CBS 2” caught her on video and broadcast it.  Jacobson then sued CBS for libel for $1 million claiming that she was not a public person at the time the video was taken since she was off duty and not in public.  Last year, a judge ruled that Jacobson’s team failed to show CBS fabricated unfavorable content about her, but Jacobson and her lawyer appealed.  Now, an Illinois Appeals Court has ruled against Jacobson.  Jacobson has been co-hosting the morning show on Salem-owned WIND, Chicago “AM 560 The Answer” since 2010.  Lisa Stebic has never been found and although Craig Stebic is still considered a person of interest, no charges have ever been filed against him.

PodcastOne to Distribute and Rep theCHIVE Show.  In a deal between Norm Pattiz-founded PodcastOne and “the world’s largest photo entertainment website and app theCHIVE,” the former will exclusively distribute, market and sell advertising for the new weekly podcast produced by theCHIVE.  The show – which will focus on theCHIVE’s “fresh, hot, funny and viral male-interest news, lifestyle and social content” – will be produced and hosted by theCHIVE editors John Resig and Bob Phillipp.  It will debut on January 22.  Pattiz comments, “This is the first of several upcoming announcements about PodcastOne merging editorial and audio media through partnerships with major digital brands.  We can’t think of a better partner than theCHIVE to kick off this effort.”

Cumulus Names Dave Milner SVP of West Coast Markets.  Moving from iHeartMedia’s Sacramento cluster where he was market president to Cumulus Media is Dave Milner who will serve as senior vice president for West Coast markets.  In this role, Milner will report directly to president and CEO Lew Dickey.  Milner comments, “I am extremely honored to have been given the opportunity to join Cumulus at the senior vice president level.  The company has been assembling top assets in order to provide the best multi-platform solutions and results for its clients, making this a tremendous time to join Cumulus.”

CBS RADIO-Beasley Swap Closes.  As expected, the assets swap between CBS RADIO and Beasley Broadcast Group, announced earlier this fall, closed yesterday (12/1).  Beasley takes ownership of: sports talk WIP-AM, Philadelphia; in the Tampa market it gets sports talk duo WHFS-AM and WHFS-FM, hip hop WLLD, country WQYK, classic hits WRBQ, and Spanish WYUU-FM; in the Charlotte market it acquires urban contemporary WBAV, sports talk duo WBCN-AM and WFNZ-AM, AC WKQC, CHR WNKS, hip hop WPEG, and country WSOC-FM.  In exchange, CBS RADIO takes ownership of five major market outlets including: hip hop WPOW, country WKIS and sports talk WQAM in Miami and Philadelphia outlets country WXTU, and hip hop WRDW.  As CBS RADIO notes, this is the first time it will operate radio stations in Miami where it already owns two television stations.

Rob Morris Named VP of Programming for CBS Miami.  With yesterday’s closing on the CBS RADIO-Beasley Broadcast Group station swap, CBS announces Rob Morris is named vice president, programming for the Miami stations – hip hop WPOW, country WKIS and sports talker WQAM.  Company SVP and market manager Joe Bell comments, “Today marks a new beginning for our cluster of stations in Miami and I’m thrilled to be working with Rob and the great management team at CBS RADIO.  We have built a solid foundation in the market with a history of community service and programming excellence.  We look forward to the extensive array of assets and expertise that CBS RADIO brings to our operations which will ultimately benefit the listener and our advertisers.”  Morris moves southeast from his most recent post as VP of programming for CBS in Tampa where he’s been since July after moving south from CBS’ Minneapolis station group.

KXL, Portland to Use Drones for News Coverage.  When news breaks in the Pacific Northwest, consumers of Alpha Media’s news/talk KXL-FM, Portland “FM NEWS 101” may get their coverage thanks to drone technology.  Alpha Media has entered into an exclusive partnership with Aerial Technology International to use drones for breaking news coverage.  Alpha Media EVP of programming Scott Mahalick says, “KXL continues to innovate by launching the world’s first radio news drone.  I’m proud to be working with such a visionary team of people leading the news/talk industry in America.”

Round Four of November PPM Data Released.  The fourth of four rounds of November 2014 PPM data from Nielsen Audio has been released for 12 markets including: Austin, Milwaukee, Indianapolis, Providence, Raleigh, Norfolk, Nashville, Greensboro, West Palm Beach, Jacksonville, Memphis, and Hartford.  The survey period was October 9 through November 5.  TALKERS magazine’s sister publication RadioInfo has all of the numbers from subscribing stations here.  In addition, managing editor Mike Kinosian presents his “Ten Takeaways” from this batch of ratings on the main page at RadioInfo.com here.

AdLarge Media Recruits Sherman to Head Up Affiliate Marketing.  Network radio pro Jessica Sherman is joining AdLarge Media to serve as senior director, affiliate marketing, signaling the company’s expansion into affiliate sales.  Sherman has worked at such network radio organizations as Westwood One, Dial Global, Bloomberg, Jones MediaAmerica, SW Networks, and MediaAmerica.  AdLarge Media co-founder and president Cathy Csukas says, “Doing a great job for our national advertisers, their agencies, and for our partners was our first priority when we launched AdLarge Media in 2010.  We have solidified that core competency, allowing us to extend our services to include affiliate marketing.  It’s a natural progression in our growth and our goal of providing our partners a full-service experience.”

Shuffle at KDKA-FM, Pittsburgh Predicted for January.  The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette is reporting that former Post-Gazette sports writer Colin Dunlap – currently hosting the 6:00 pm to 10:00 pm show on CBS RADIO’s sports talker “93.7 The Fan” – will move to morning drive host in January when Gregg Giannotti moves from the station to the CBS Sports Radio Network where he’ll host the morning show.

Odds & Sods.  A partnership between Yahoo News and SiriusXM will include the launch of “Yahoo News on POTUS,” – a live, weekly show on the POTUS channel dedicated to the Politics of the United States.  Yahoo News chief White House correspondent Olivier Knox will host the show that features “live interviews with national leaders in politics and public life as well as special guests tackling current events and more.”  The program will debut tomorrow (12/3) at 2:00 pm ET…..Radio sales pro David Bailin joins Sun Broadcast Group as vice president of sales.  Bailin most recently was VP of sales in the New York offices of Westwood One.  He’s also served with CBS RADIO, Emmis Communications, and Citadel Broadcasting/Impact Marketing Group…..Salem Radio Network president Greg Anderson and his wife Linda were honored by SRN/Dallas staff and management Monday night (12/1) at a surprise dinner at the LaCima Club in Las Colinas.  The evening was to recognize Anderson’s work over the years at SRN as his retirement from the company on December 31 approaches.

C. Crane Publishes New Catalogue for 2015.  One of the nation’s leading companies in the manufacturing and distribution of radios and radio-related devices, C. Crane Company, Inc., has published the latest in its annual series of catalogues detailing the firm’s brand-new offerings as well as the tried-and-true products for which it has achieved a stellar reputation.  The Fortuna, California-based company that has maintained a close working relationship with the radio industry for almost three decades, is also planning a physical move in 2015 to a larger location that will combine its warehouse and office storefront as a single facility.  C. Crane president Bob Crane tells TALKERS, “Our company has always been about the best reception and accurate, legible audio tailored for the human voice.  By focusing on what we do best we have established a brand and product line that continues to allow us to service the radio listening community.”  Set to arrive before Christmas is the new CC Skywave ($89.95) travel radio with AM, FM, shortwave, weather and aviation bands.  According to Crane, “Seldom, if ever, has a small, high-performance travel radio been combined with an intuitive layout.  You can listen to pilots while they land and perhaps find out why your plane is late.”  Another groundbreaking new device offered this year is the CC WiFi-2 internet radio that uses the TuneIn service which has extensive searchable listings and thousands of stored podcasts in a convenient desktop WiFi receiver that also comes with an FM radio built in and can be used as a Bluetooth® receiver.  Crane also states, “We feel our top of the line CC Radio-2E ($169.95) has the best reception and audio of any radio made today.  It comes with the standard AM and FM bands along with weather and 2-meter ham band for emergency situations.  The audio circuit is accurately tuned for the human voice and can now be adjusted for warm musical performance with enhanced bass.”  Pictured above is KFI, Los Angeles personality Tim Conway, Jr. trying out the CC Solar Observer ($54.95) specifically designed for emergency use.  It can be powered in four different ways including a crank and can charge many different USB type devices including cell phones. TALKERS publisher Michael Harrison remarks, “I am a longtime admirer of the C. Crane folks for both their ongoing support of the radio industry and their championing the cause of the radio medium as well.  I love their products but believe it or not, my favorite is the simple CC Pocket.  It is an elegant little device that picks up where the old Walkman product left off.  In an age of complicated gizmos that stand between the listener and instant audio gratification, it features ease of use, great reception, and sharp, well-defined audio.”  The CC Pocket (pictured at right) is a little jewel of an AM/FM/weather radio that can be listened-to on a built in speaker or the CC Buds that are tuned to the spoken word.  The $64.95 device has five easy-to-use, one-touch memory buttons for each band and stands upright for best audio.  Rubber coated sides help with the grip and it has a belt clip, display light, sleep timer, clock and alarm as well as battery and signal strength meters, FM stereo or mono switch.  It runs on two AA batteries.  Harrison says, “It would be a blessing for the radio industry if somehow 50 million or so of these things suddenly fell out of the sky and into the hands of consumers – after all, one of the primary problems facing AM and FM radio today is the increasing lack of plain ol’ radios out there in the world.”  Harrison jokingly adds, “Perhaps they would sell more if they contained an internet/cell phone chip.”  C. Crane can be reached via www.ccrane.com.

Ferguson Grand Jury Aftermath, Obama Amnesty Executive Order, Battle Against ISIS, ObamaCare Controversies, 2016 Presidential Prospects, Ray Rice Suspension Overturned, Bill Cosby Rape Allegations, and NFL Action Among Top News/Talk Stories Yesterday (12/1).  The issues of racism, crime and police action in minority communities in the wake of the Ferguson grand jury decision; President Obama’s executive order providing a plan for amnesty for illegal aliens; the ongoing battle against ISIS and the reported capture of the ISIS chief’s wife in Lebanon; simmering controversies over the implementation of the Affordable Care Act; the overturning of Ray Rice’s suspension from the NFL; the fallout from the renewed allegations of rape against Bill Cosby; and the weekend’s NFL action were some of the most-talked-about stories on news/talk radio yesterday, according to ongoing research from TALKERS.

Monday, December 1, 2014

Phil Hendrie Takes Legal Action to Protect Digital Platform Business.  Radio personality and TV actor Phil Hendrie is suing as-yet-unnamed defendants for what his legal camp says are attempts to disrupt his new digital audio service by spreading false information about the membership platform.  In the complaint, Hendrie says impersonators are using his name and other information to create social media accounts to spread false information about his business.  “These communications have been made in an effort to humiliate, threaten and intimidate Hendrie and with the specific intent of causing him emotional distress and damaging Hendrie’s commercial endeavors including, but not limited to, the disruption of and dissemination of false information regarding the Backstage Pass memberships offered through the Website.”  The complaint further alleges that some of the posts advised members to cancel their Backstage Pass memberships saying the site had been hacked.  Other posts said the accounts would be suspended.  Hendrie is asking for punitive and exemplary damages, as well as injunctive relief on claims the defendants misappropriated his name and likeness, internet impersonation in violation of California law, and intentional infliction of emotional distress.  Hendrie left the AM/FM radio business earlier this year to go internet only with his audio content.

Walt Perkins Exits WBZ-AM, Boston.  Thirteen-year WBZ-AM, Boston staffer Walt Perkins exits the CBS RADIO news and talk outlet where he’s been serving as morning sports anchor since market legend Gil Santos retired in 2009.  According to Chad Finn’s report in the Boston Globe, Perkins says the decision to depart was mutual and something he’d been thinking about since the morning drive clock had been adjusted and reduced the amount of time he was allotted for his sports reports.  He tells the paper, “I was given 70-90 seconds for my sportscasts.  In a market that supports two full-time sports talk stations, it was discouraging.  But that is the direction the station wanted to go in.”  WBZ-AM’s sister station is sports talker WBZ-FM “98.5 The Sports Hub.”

Round Three of November PPM Data Released.  The third of four rounds of November 2014 PPM data from Nielsen Audio has been released for 12 markets including: Portland, Charlotte, Pittsburgh, Sacramento, San Antonio, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Salt Lake City, Las Vegas, Kansas City, Orlando, and Columbus.  The survey period was October 9 through November 5.  TALKERS magazine’s sister publication RadioInfo has all of the numbers from subscribing stations here.  In addition, managing editor Mike Kinosian presents his “Ten Takeaways” from this batch of ratings on the main page at RadioInfo.com here.

Joe Madison Travels to Atlanta with AG Holder for Community Meeting.  Attorney General Eric Holder is traveling to Atlanta today for a 5:30 pm roundtable discussion with law enforcement, local officials, community leaders, student leaders, and faith leaders as part of an Interfaith Service and Community Forum at Ebenezer Baptist Church.  SiriusXM talk personality Joe Madison is traveling with Holder and will interview Holder on the return flight home from Atlanta this evening.  He’ll broadcast the discussion on Tuesday.  The Atlanta meeting comes on the heels of President Obama’s call to hold regional meetings focused on building trust between law enforcement and the communities they serve.

Two Radio Legends Pass.  St. Louis radio and TV personality Bob Hille died on Sunday at age 95.  Hille was one of the first radio announcers on KXOK, St. Louis when the station first went on the air in 1938.  He transitioned to television when KSDK-TV launched.  He worked both radio and television for a while and then stayed part of the TV station’s news staff until he retired in the 1980s…..Cleveland broadcaster Carl Reese died on November 26 at age 83 after a long illness.  Reese began his career in Cleveland on WTAM and its co-owned television station WNBK-TV.  During his career he worked the overnight show on WERE in the 1950s as well as pop radio giant WHK, WBBG, WRMR, and WCLV-AM.