Tag: "ABC Radio"

Wednesday, November 16, 2011

It’s a Jungle Out There.  Tight money, a stressed-out population and aging listeners are creating burgeoning sales opportunities for talk media in financial services, crime control, medical and health services industries.  Even as traditionally strong radio advertising categories such as restaurants, retailers and auto dealers are becoming a tougher sell than they used to be, smart and aggressive sales departments are re-evaluating their sales targets.  Although the mantra in talk is “lower the demos” – the truth is the older folks have a significant percentage of the money and they are the ones listening to talk radio.  Rather than apologize for this handy little fact, perhaps talk account executives should be trumpeting it loudly.  Read more here.

Phil Boyce Out at TRN.  After a three-year stint as president of programming at Talk Radio Network, Phil Boyce has announced his departure effective immediately.  Boyce released the following statement to TRN employees:  “I want to wish every member of the TRN family best wishes. I have enjoyed my three years getting to know and work with all of you.  This is a great team and I know more success is forthcoming.  Wherever I go you will always be in my heart and I am sure we will stay in touch.”  Boyce joined TRN in November of 2008 after a 14-year run programming WABC in New York where he also served as VP of newstalk programming for Citadel and ABC Radio.  In that capacity he established himself as a major national news/talk radio programming force playing a significant role in the careers of a number of top talents including Sean Hannity and Mark Levin.   Prior to that Boyce programmed WJR in Detroit.  Boyce tells TALKERS, “I hope to announce my future adventure shortly.  In the meantime I want to spend a little time on that ‘secret island’ Jack Swanson recommended to me.”  The island to which Boyce refers is the geographical euphemism to which the former KGO, San Francisco operations manager joked he was headed upon recently departing his long-held position at that heritage station.  Boyce can be reached at philboyce1022@gmail.com.

Jake Russell to Head Up Davis Media’s Wilmington, North Carolina Cluster.  Tom Davis’ Davis Media, LLC is the buyer for Sea-Comm Media’s Wilmington, North Carolina cluster of four stations: news/talk simulcast WNTB-FM/WLTT-FM plus three music FM outlets.  Davis brings aboard former Take on the Day, LLC exec Jake Russell to become what he calls “our local owner-operator” for the cluster.  Davis also owns two music FMs in Williamsburg, Virginia and has built a strong internet presence he cross-promotes with the radio stations combining for a media company philosophy that he calls “Hometown Driver.”  Davis says the Williamsburg operation has been very successful and he believes the Wilmington stations will be the perfect radio cluster to drive his local media company model.  The FM news/talk simulcast features local morning drive host Chad Adams plus syndicated Dial Global hosts Neal Boortz and Clark Howard, Premiere Networks’ Sean Hannity, Cumulus Media’s Mark Levin, and Talk Radio Network’s Rusty Humphries.  Davis Media begins operating the stations under an LMA prior to closing.

Neil Larrimore Exits KMBZ, Kansas City.  Program director Neil Larrimore leaves his position at Entercom’s news/talk KMBZ, Kansas City – a job he’s held for the past eight years.  Prior to joining KMBZ, Larrimore served as APD at Cox Media’s WHIO, Dayton.

Las Vegas Talk Host Alan Stock to Debut TV Show.  KDWN, Las Vegas mid-morning talk host Alan Stock tells TALKERS he’ll begin a daily interview program on local cable channel Vegas TV (channel 14) beginning January 17.  More details to come as the program gets closer to launch but Stock compliments employer Beasley Broadcasting for allowing him to work in another medium that will help him to build on and promote his daily radio program at KDWN.

2012 Presidential Race, ‘OWS’ Eviction, Obama Australian Trip, Iran Nukes Among Top News/Talk Stories Yestereday (11/15).  The GOP candidates for president in 2012, the case of the eviction of the ‘Occupy Wall Street’ protestors, President Obama’s trip to Australia and his plan to expand the U.S. military presence there, and Iran’s nuclear weapon ambitions were some of the most-talked-about stories on news/talk radio yesterday, according to ongoing research from TALKERS.