Tag: "Bloomberg"
Thursday, April 27, 2017
2017 NAB Show: So WHAT IS ‘The M.E.T. Effect?’ Media consultant Holland Cooke files this report from Las Vegas where he’s covering the 2017 NAB Show for TALKERS magazine. The M.E.T. effect comes from the merger of “media,” “entertainment,” and “technology,” and Cooke writes up his notes from sessions that focused on that coming together as it applies to radio professionals. Read his piece here to see what experts are saying about putting content online, the use of smartphone video, and more.
Sean Hannity’s ‘Renaissance’ Detailed in Bloomberg Feature Piece. Cable news and talk radio superstar Sean Hannity is the subject of a feature story by Felix Gillette, published by Bloomberg, that paints a picture of
the Fox News Channel and Premiere Networks personality as a man who’s “experiencing a renaissance.” That quote comes from University of Pennsylvania media historian Brian Rosenwald. He says of Hannity at Fox, “It’s his network now.” The comments come in the context of the recent departures of Roger Ailes, Megyn Kelly, Greta Van Susteren, and Bill O’Reilly from Fox. While the story provides a history of Hannity’s rise from an unpaid talk show gig on college station KCSB-FM, Santa Barbara, in the present, it portrays him as a media talent at the top of his game in terms of opportunity at the “new” Fox News Channel. TALKERS magazine publisher Michael Harrison is also quoted in the piece saying, “Hannity is more important than he’s ever been in his career. He’s neck and neck with Rush Limbaugh at the top of the talk radio mountain.” Read the Bloomberg story here.
WMAY, Springfield Welcomes Ray Lytle Back to the Airwaves. Longtime Springfield, Illinois radio
personality Ray Lytle returns to Mid-West Family Broadcasting’s news/talk WMAY, Springfield, Illinois to host the morning drive show. In the past, Lytle hosted a midday program on WMAY. He also served as morning host on the company’s sister rock station WQLZ for many years. About his new gig, Lytle comments, “I am really excited to return to mornings in Springfield. It’s going to be great to re-connect with my old friends and making a whole bunch of new ones. While we’ve all grown up some since the last time I was on morning radio, my show is still going to be a lot of fun while we reflect what the people of Springfield will be talking about as they face the new day.”
PPM Analysis: All-News. TALKERS managing editor Mike Kinosian presents a look at the performances of all-news formatted stations based on data from Nielsen Audio’s March 2017 PPM survey. WWJ, Detroit leads the pack of stations that saw an increase (6+) from February to March. Kinosian notes that “roughly four of 10 stations on the news panel are up February 2017 – March 2017 (41%); just over one in three (35%) are down and the remaining 24% remain flat (6+).” Comparing performances to the same period in 2016, “Approximately six of 10 stations on our eligible sample improves year-to-year (59%, 6+) while 41% show a decrease.” In the March 2017 survey, just one all-news station ranked #1 in its market – CBS RADIO’s WWJ, Detroit – but seven others ranked in the top five in their respective markets. See the entire report here.
Trump’s First 100 Days, Trump Tax Cuts Proposal, North Korea Military Threats, Trump vs NAFTA, Sanctuary Cities Controversy, Ivanka in Berlin, Ann Coulter Berkeley Case, and MLB, NBA, and NHL Action Among Top News/Talk Stories Yesterday (4/26). The review of the Trump Administration’s first 100 days in office; President Donald Trump’s proposed tax cuts for large and small businesses; ongoing concern over North Korea’s military threats; President Trump’s tariff on Canadian lumber and his desire to renegotiate NAFTA; the recent judicial block of Trump’s sanctuary cities order; Ivanka Trump appears in Berlin to jeers in first official White House role; Ann Coulter’s on-again-off-again speaking engagement at UC Berkeley; and MLB, NBA and NHL action were some of the stories discussed on news/talk radio yesterday, according to ongoing research from TALKERS magazine.
ESPN Layoffs Affect Radio Personalities. The official word about the parting of ways by sports media giant
ESPN with some 100 of its personalities, reporters and play-by-play announcers came yesterday and slowly the names of those affected began to trickle out. The “Rusillo and Kanell” show on ESPN Radio ends with the departure of former NFL quarterback Danny Kanell. The Hollywood Reporter says that Ryen Rusillo will remain with ESPN Radio in a diminished capacity. Robin Lundberg, who’d been co-hosting the early morning “First and Last” program on ESPN Radio, also tweeted that he’s exited the network.
TALKERS News Notes. There’s another winner of a regional Edward R. Murrow award from the Radio
Television Digital News Association to announce. Cumulus Media reports that its Dallas news/talk radio station, WBAP News/Talk 820 AM, has been awarded a 2017 regional Murrow award for Breaking News, Large Market Radio, for its coverage of the July 7, 2016, Police Ambush in Dallas…..The Society of Broadcast Engineers announces it has elevated three members to the membership rank of Fellow, including Frank Giardina, director of engineering/IT, Cumulus Media Birmingham. The SBE board of directors elected Frank Giardina, CPBE; Ted Hand, CPBE, 8-VSB, AMD, DRB; and Robert Hoffman, CPBE; at its meeting on Sunday, April 23, in Las Vegas. The Fellow honor is the highest membership level in the SBE.
Covering Trump’s First 100 Days. Pictured above is ABC News correspondent Karen Travers (left) interviewing Kellyanne Conway (right), Counselor to the President, about the president’s first 100 days in office.
KFI, Los Angeles Morning Host Bill Handel Interviewed by Michael Harrison. Longtime KFI, Los Angeles morning drive host Bill Handel guests this week on PodcastOne’s award-winning program, “Up Close and Far Out with Michael Harrison.” The two engage in a fast-paced conversation about political correctness, satire, news/talk radio, ego, social media,
surrogate parenting and even Broadway musicals. According to Harrison, “Bill Handel is one of the quirkiest, original thinkers on the air in American radio today – a true, one-of-a-kind performer. His humor is so nuanced and subtle that it takes a keen ear to know when he is kidding and when he is serious – the two tracks run simultaneously. He often offends the people and the groups that he is actually defending. It’s amazing!” To listen to the podcast in its entirety, please click here or click on the “Up Close and Far Out” player box located in the right-hand column on every page of Talkers.com.
Music Radio News and Career Moves. “Z100” New York-based personality Elvis Duran is staying with iHeartMedia for the foreseeable future after the company and Duran agreed to a five-year contract extension. Duran will continue his current role as host of the “Elvis Duran and the Morning Show” on WHTZ, which is also
syndicated nationally by Premiere Networks and is available on the iHeartRadio digital platform. iHeartMedia says that in addition to hosting the show, Duran will collaborate with iHeartMedia on a variety of joint ventures and events which includes hosting the events such as the iHeartRadio Jingle Ball in New York City, as well as continue to work with iHeartMedia’s talent and programming divisions, 
serve as a spokesperson for the company, and also consult on new creative ideas and projects……Cumulus Media announces it signs Bobby Novosad to a contract extension that keeps him in his brand manager/morning show host positions at CHR KSMB, Lafayette, Louisiana. Novosad joined 94.5 KSMB in November 1984 and has served the station and community for more than 32 years. Cumulus Media Lafayette VP and market manager Scott Chiasson states, “I am very excited that we are able to retain Bobby for the long term. I’ve listened to KSMB for decades. The station and Bobby have been a generational staple in the Lafayette metro area and will be for years to come. This is great for Bobby, Cumulus, our loyal listeners and the community we serve.”…..iHeartMedia Fresno is presenting the third annual Central Valley Taco Festival on Saturday June 4. Appearing at the event will be KBOS “B95” personality Carmen, KFSO “La Preciosa 92.9” hosts Velia and Pepe, and KFBT “103.7 The Beat” jock J. Cortez. They will also judge the “Central Valley’s Best Taco” contest. A portion of the proceeds will benefit Arte Americas: Casa De La Cultura, an organization dedicated to making Central California a flourishing place for Latino arts.
Tuesday, December 22, 2015
Jim Bohannon Guests with Michael Harrison on This Week’s ‘Up Close and Far Out.’ One of the longest-running major league stars in talk radio, Jim Bohannon of Westwood One, is the special Christmas-week guest on the new installment of the Podcast One international hit “Up Close and Far Out with Michael Harrison” posted today (12/22). Bohannon – who has been a radio broadcaster since 1960 — recently announced that he is
retiring from his 31-year morning job as host of the syndicated “America in the Morning” news magazine, but will continue at the helm of his 10:00 pm to 1:00 am ET iconic talk program, “The Jim Bohannon Show” which has roots dating back to when he took over the seat previously occupied by Larry King on the old Mutual Broadcasting network. Bohannon is also moving his home and base of operations from Washington, DC to a small town in South Carolina. Michael Harrison catches up with the Vietnam War veteran at this important juncture in his life and the two discuss a wide variety of issues from the secret to his remarkable longevity in broadcasting to the frenetic nature of contemporary politics and how it is covered by today’s media. To listen to the entire conversation, please click here or click on the “Up Close and Far Out” player boxes located in the right-hand column on every page of Talkers.com and RadioInfo.com.
Round One of December PPM Data Released. The first of four rounds of December 2015 PPM data from Nielsen Audio has been released for 12 markets including: New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, San Francisco, Dallas, Houston, Philadelphia, Atlanta, Nassau-Suffolk (Long Island), Riverside, San Jose, and Middlesex-Somerset-Union (New Jersey). The survey period was November 5 – December 2. TALKERS magazine’s sister publication RadioInfo has all of the 6+ numbers from subscribing stations here. In addition, managing editor Mike Kinosian presents his “Twelve Takeaways” from this batch of ratings on the main page at RadioInfo.com here.
Salem’s Twin Cities Business Talker Changes Frequencies. The recent purchase of the Radio Disney signal KDIZ, Minneapolis by Salem Media Group gives the latter another AM signal in the market and Salem is using the station to improve the coverage of the market by its business talker. The company is moving the format from KYCR at 1570 to KDIZ at 1440 and is re-branding the station “Business 1440.” KYCR’s daytime power is 3,800 Watts and KDIZ’ is 5,000 Watts. (We’re assuming Salem will also ditch the KDIZ calls soon.) Salem Twin Cities general manager Nic Anderson states, “By moving to AM 1440, we’ll service a larger portion of the Twin Cities with our exclusive business news and financial format. This allows us to reach more listeners with our on-air partners including Dave Ramsey, Bloomberg, Lou Dobbs, and ‘Bring Me The News Business Updates.’” As for KYCR, Salem is teasing a new format. “Salem Media Group Twin Cities has more exciting and groundbreaking news to come in early 2016 for its now-open AM 1570 frequency. Salem Media Group Twin Cities will launch the first-of-its-kind format in January of 2016. More details will be made available in the coming days and weeks.”
Brothers in Arms. Las Vegas talk radio host Alan Stock (left) enjoys a bro hug with singer Tony Orlando (right) in the studios of CBS RADIO Las Vegas. Stock hosts the afternoon drive program on news/talk KXNT and he reports he had a great on-air conversation with the Las Vegas performer.
Democratic Debate Analysis/2016 Presidential Race, Las Vegas Hit-and-Run Case, Miss Universe SNAFU, U.S. Refugee and Immigration Policies, Christmas Holiday, and NFL Action Among Top News/Talk Stories Yesterday (12/21). Saturday night’s Democratic primary debate and the activities of the rest of the candidates for president in 2016; the case of the woman who killed one and injured more than 37 in a Las Vegas assault with her car; the mix-up by host Steve Harvey that accidently crowned the wrong person in the Miss Universe pageant; the matter of U.S. policy regarding the acceptance of refugees from Syria and the related issue of immigration regulations; this week’s Christmas holiday; 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.
Tuesday, May 19, 2015
Limbaugh to Leave WRKO, Boston – Again. This is not the first time that Premiere Networks’ Rush Limbaugh might not be heard on the Entercom news/talk outlet. His show was heard on iHeartMedia-owned crosstown WXKS-AM for a little more than two years before returning to WRKO in 2012. Now, Premiere says in a statement that it and Entercom management were unable to come to terms on a renewal deal. “We were unable to reach agreeable terms for the Rush Limbaugh show to continue on WRKO. A final broadcast date will be announced in the near future. Rush Limbaugh airs daily in every measured media market in America, and we look forward to announcing exciting news for our Boston listeners soon.”
iHeartMedia flipped WXKS-AM to business news using Bloomberg after its time as a news/talker with Limbaugh and such local personalities as Jeff Katz. It will be interesting to see where the Limbaugh show pops up in Boston. Unless there’s a format flip to talk in the future for an iHeartMedia FM – and we doubt that’s likely – the list of potential quality AM signals that might be a home to the show are few. Still, it’s possible that this is just a stage of the process that will see the two sides come to terms eventually. It would be a shame to see Limbaugh’s show languish on an inferior AM signal – seems like a lose-lose situation for both sides.
Nielsen: Radio Gives ‘Brand Lift’ to American Family Insurance. From a study with the help of Katz Radio Group looking to prove the effectiveness of radio advertising, Nielsen Audio engaged in a study to measure the brand impact of a radio campaign on insurance decision makers (ages 25-64). The analysis included insurance decision-makers who tuned in to one or more stations airing American Family Insurance commercials and compared their engagement with the company to that of decision-makers who did not listen to those stations. Nielsen says, “The results of the study showed that radio increased brand health metrics, particularly among decision-makers seeking new insurance, in the areas of favorability, recommendation and intent to request a quote from American Family Insurance. The study found that insurance decision-makers who heard the campaign were 25% more likely to request a quote from American Family Insurance than those who didn’t hear it. And brand-switchers who were exposed to the campaign were nearly twice as likely to request a quote, highlighting radio’s ability to influence the insurance company’s best prospects.” Read more here.
Howard B. Price: For AM/FM Radio, Doing Good is Good for Business. TALKERS magazine publisher Michael Harrison speaks with the ABC Television Networks director of business continuity, Howard B. Price on this week’s installment of the international hit podcast, “Up Close and Far Out,” about the responsibility licensed AM, FM and television stations have to serve the public with timely and accurate information during both natural and man-made disasters. According to Price, “This is why we hold the license.” Aside from all the entertainment elements that radio provides and that Price says he “enjoys as much as anyone else,” he points out, “That is not, however, why radio stations are licensed – they are licensed to serve the public interest, convenience and necessity.” Price continues, “And while that definition can certainly include quality entertainment and
programming that stimulates and enlightens – at the end of the day, what it is all about is being there in times of crisis… making sure that our communities stay informed, that decision-makers have the information that they need in real time, and to be able to apply the necessary time and resources to be able to deal with emergent events. This is the role that radio was born to play.” Price explains what he describes as the essential element of this truth. “If you want to keep people focused on the idea that terrestrial radio is still relevant, that electrons flying out of tall sticks on a single channel is still a very important thing for us to preserve and enhance, then you not only have to talk the talk – you have to walk the walk. And ‘walking the walk’ means that when your community is in crisis, you’ve got to be there to inform them. You’ve got to be able to put people on the street, you’ve got to be able to go to the scene of wherever news is breaking, and make sure that people have the information that they need both to calm them and comfort them as well as provide them with the essential information that allows them to make the right decisions for themselves and their families and businesses.” Price adds, “The old line for radio still exists… you go to any old-time sales manager and he’ll tell you radio is a street business, it’s a retail business and nothing is truer about that than when it comes to reporting the news in local communities.” According to Price, nothing can be more important to the survival of terrestrial radio than remaining visible and relevant to their local communities. He also explains how this philosophy applies to music radio as well as talk and all-news formats, citing examples including how, in the wake of 9/11, Scott Shannon and Todd Pettengill flipped their WPLJ, New York morning music show around “on a dime” from being an entertainment show into serious news mode without the benefit of having a news department. They became “comforters in chief” and did an extraordinary job of rising to the occasion. Price points out that music stations that cede listeners to talk and all-news stations during a serious crisis are foolish to give their listeners reasons to punch out because they might not come back. Harrison and Price also discuss ways in which any radio station – regardless of budgetary and resource limitations – can be fully prepared to serve its listeners in this fashion during a severe emergency explaining that in this day and age of convenient digital communications and citizen journalism, there is no excuse not to be ready to go into action. Michael Harrison states, “Although many people still believe that the idea of radio rising to the occasion and super-serving its audience in times of crisis might seem idealistic, quaint, naïve, and unrealistic – even ‘boy scout’ – that it ironically might be THE answer to AMs and FMs maintaining their importance and relevance going forward.” Harrison concludes this fascinating podcast by suggesting that terrestrial radio should always treat its audience with compassion, empathy, and a deep-seated desire to be helpful and give anyone who might be listening the support they need just getting through the pain, rigors and hardship of day-to-day life as a human being in a highly pressured, dangerous world. To listen to the entire podcast please click here or click on the “Up Close and Far Out” player box in the right hand column of every page of Talkers.com. “Up Close and Far Out with Michael Harrison” is a presentation of Podcast One. Howard B. Price will be receiving the Gene Burns Memorial Award for Freedom of Speech at Talkers New York 2015 on Friday, June 12.
Bobby Bones EAS SNAFU to Cost iHeartMedia $1 Million. The Federal Communications Commission has laid down a $1 million fine for country WSIX-Nashville and Premiere Networks parent company iHeartMedia for the misuse of the EAS tones. The company admits to misuse of the tones and will pay the penalty. The agency writes in its ruling that the “FCC has long prohibited the transmission of actual or simulated EAS tones in circumstances other than a real alert or an authorized test.” WSIX-FM, Nashville – Bobby Bones’ flagship station – aired a false emergency alert during the broadcast of the nationally syndicated show and, as the FCC writes, “broadcast or transmission of 
emergency tones outside an emergency or authorized test violates FCC regulations designed to protect the integrity of the EAS system. False broadcast of an emergency signal can cause unnecessary public concern and undermine the urgency of real alerts. While commenting on an EAS test that aired during the 2014 World Series, Bobby Bones, the show’s host, broadcast an EAS tone from a recording of an earlier nationwide EAS test. This false emergency alert was sent to more than 70 affiliated stations airing [the show] and resulted in some of these stations retransmitting the tones, setting off a multi-state cascade of false EAS alerts on radios and televisions in multiple states.” In the last six months, the Commission has taken five enforcement actions totaling nearly $2.5 million for misuse of EAS tones by broadcasters and cable networks.
RTDNA: Technology in Newsrooms. The fourth part of a series from the Radio, Television, Digital News Association and Hofstra University professor emeritus Bob Papper focuses on newsroom technology and the plans news directors have to upgrade or add to current equipment. Though the bulk of the article deals with television news, radio is addressed. Papper reports that, according to his questionnaires returned by news directors, plans to acquire new technology have nosedived over the years. “Three years ago, 38% of radio news directors and general managers said they’d be making no technology purchases in the next year. Two years ago, the number rose to 44%. Last year, 69.3% said nothing. This year, the abstention crowd is up to an astonishing 78.6%.” Read more from the study here.
Odds & Sods. Jim Fronk exits Great Eastern Radio’s Concord, New Hampshire where he wore two hats as co-host of the “New Hampshire Wake-Up Show” on news/talk WTPL and as midday jock on sister classic rock WLKZ “104.9 The Hawk.”
Voice of ‘Letterman’ Visits CBS Sports Radio. “Late Show With David Letterman” voice Alan Kalter visited CBS Sports Radio’s “Gio and Jones” program to talk about the final three shows hosted by David Letterman. Kalter chatted about his favorite sports guests on the show and his first day on the job at Letterman. He also teased the surprises to come on the final show that airs Wednesday (5/20) on CBS TV. Pictured here are (from l-r): Gregg Giannotti, Kalter, and Brian Jones.
2016 Presidential Prospects/Iraq Policy Questions, Stephanopoulos Clinton Donations Scandal, Hillary Clinton Emails Case, Deadly Texas Biker Brawl, and Iran Nukes-Gulf Military Actions Among Top News/Talk Stories Yesterday (5/18). The potential candidates for president in 2016 and the issue of the U.S.’s Iraq policy being put before the Republican candidates; the scandal at ABC News over George Stephanopoulos’ donations to the Clinton Foundation; the continuing investigation into Hillary Clinton’s private email matter; the deadly biker brawl in Waco, Texas over the weekend that took the lives of nine bikers; and the Iran nuclear program questions and the Gulf nation’s current naval operations in the region were some of the most-talked-about stories on news/talk radio yesterday, according to ongoing research from TALKERS.
Tuesday, January 6, 2015
Bill McMahon: 14 Traits Inherent in Top Radio Personalities. In a piece published today (1/6) in TALKERS magazine, The Authentic Personality CEO Bill McMahon outlines what he calls “reasoned approach to evaluating talent.” McMahon says that in creating this list of traits he “wanted to create a framework to have a meaningful and productive conversation about why a prospective air personality will succeed or fail.” The traits fall into three categories: Personal, content, and performance. The personal traits predict listener appeal and talent motivation. The content traits predict the ability to generate distinctive, appealing and memorable content. The performance traits predict the ability to present attractive content with impact. Read McMahon’s full explanation here.
New Year’s Debuts from Westwood One and NBC Sports Radio. The first full week of the New Year marked the launch of new daily feature from former congressman and House Intelligence Committee chair Mike Rogers. Produced by Westwood One and titled, “Something to Think About with Mike
Rogers,” the three, daily, one-minute features “provide listeners with an insider’s way of understanding critical issues and the most-talked-about topics of the day.” On the sports side, the new midday show on the NBC Sports Radio Network hosted by Mike Florio launched Monday. “ProFootballTalkLive with Mike Florio” airs from 12:00 noon to 3:00 pm and, as its name implies, features Florio’s “critically acclaimed NFL insight and all-encompassing coverage of the league with the most current news, analysis, and thought-provoking debate.” Debut show guests included Denver Broncos EVP of football operations John Elway, NFL vice president of officiating Dean Blandino, and Tom Curran of CSN-New England.
WTMJ, Milwaukee Adds Daily Business Show. The program airs from 4:00 am to 5:00 am and is called “Wisconsin Business Today.” Hosted by Danny Clayton, the new program covers news on national and local business with special focus on agribusiness. Journal Broadcast Group Milwaukee Radio Operations VP Tom Langmyer says, “WTMJ is Wisconsin’s Radio Station and waking up to the business of our state and community is a good way to start the day. WTMJ is excited to add yet another hour of live and local programming to our daily lineup.” Clayton also serves as morning host at WTMJ sister classic hits outlet WLWK “94.5 The Lake.”
Odds & Sods. As tipped by Chicago media writer Robert Feeder, three of the former WGWG-LP, Chicago sports talk hosts – Jarrett Payton, Connor McKnight and Adam Hoge – have been given a weekend show on Tribune’s news/talk WGN. “The Game” airs from 3:00 pm to 7:00 pm on Saturdays and Sundays. Tribune shut down the sports talker after a year on the air…..SiriusXM announces the debut of a new channel called “SiriusXM Insight” that the satcaster says will be a “groundbreaking news, information, and entertainment radio channel offering listeners inspiring ideas and intelligent conversation with an edge. Designed to reach fans that enjoy the eclectic subject matter of public
radio, SiriusXM Insight will feature an array of fresh, diverse voices addressing a new era of issues in a lively, smart, and sometimes humorous approach.” Personalities appearing on the channel include: Pete Dominick, Margaret Hoover, John Fugelsang, Neil deGrasse Tyson, Karen Hunter, Dean Obeidallah, Alan Dershowitz, Perri Peltz, Bob Roth, and many more…..The Conclave board of directors elects Lori Lewis board chairperson. Lewis is director of digital & social strategies for Jacobs Media. She takes over for Mark Bolke who served as chair since 2009…..Former Connecticut governor and WTIC-AM, Hartford talk show host John Rowland’s sentencing on campaign law violations has been postponed as he mounts the claim that prosecutors withheld evidence. Read the story in the Hartford Courant here.
Report from the 2015 Consumer Electronics Show. The big, international trade show taking place in Las Vegas this week officially opens today and radio consultant Holland Cooke is on the scene reporting back for TALKERS magazine. Cooke says two major keynoters are Ford Motor Company CEO Mark Fields, who can be expected to provide an update on the “connected car,” and CBS Corp CEO Les Moonves. Read Holland Cooke’s story here.
NYPD-De Blasio Standoff, Bill Clinton/Prince Andrew Palm Beach Pedophile Controversy, Hoodie/Mask Ban Proposal, 2016 Presidential Prospects, New Congress, Mario Cuomo Dies, Winter Cold Spell, Sinking Oil Prices/Eurozone Fears, and NFL Playoff Action Among Top News/Talk Stories Yesterday (1/5). The ongoing feud between the NYPD rank-and-file and NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio; allegations of Britain’s Prince Andrew and former President Bill Clinton being involved with underage girls in connection with accused pedophile Jeffrey Epstein; the proposal to outlaw the wearing of hoods or masks in public; chatter about the potential presidential candidates in the 2016 race; the influx of 71 new members of Congress; the death of liberal standard bearer Mario Cuomo; the blast of arctic air hitting much of the U.S. this week; the effects of sinking oil prices and the tumbling euro on the world’s financial markets; and the weekend’s NFL playoff action were some of the most-talked-about stories on news/talk radio yesterday, according to ongoing research from TALKERS.
Wednesday, December 10, 2014
Betsy Morgan Succeeds Chris Balfe as CEO at TheBlaze. The departure of Chris Balfe from his CEO post at Glenn Beck’s TheBlaze ends a 12-year relationship between Balfe and Beck. Glenn Beck says in a press release, “Chris Balfe has been my friend and the CEO of Mercury Radio Arts for 12 years. He will be an incredibly hard act to follow. Under Chris’ watchful eye we have done things that no group of people our size has ever done, things that people thought were impossible. And I think that under the leadership of our
new CEO, Betsy Morgan, we will continue to prove that there is another way and we’ll confound the skeptics again.” Morgan moves up from her president and chief strategy officer position. Morgan joined TheBlaze from The Huffington Post where she served as CEO. Prior to joining HuffPo, Morgan was senior vice president for CBS Interactive and the general manager of CBSNews.com, where she was in charge of the network’s 24-hour broadband, on-demand news service. The press statement notes that Balfe helped Beck transform a “two-person company into a 300-person, multi-media business with a television network with more than 80 operators and hundreds of thousands of subscribers, a website with over 30 million unique visitors per month, a top-20-ranked audio streaming network, the third-highest rated radio show in the country and a book division that published more than 15 bestsellers.”
WVNN, Huntsville Personality Dale Jackson Stages ‘Die-In’ Protest. Morning drive personality (and WVNN program director) Dale Jackson writes on his blog that he didn’t think the police would allow him to block traffic in Huntsville in a “protest” of the recent student protest on the same city street. In short, Jackson (pictured here lying on the street holding a sign that reads: “Police Lives Matter” and “The Truth Matters”) was surprised when he not only wasn’t told he couldn’t hold his one-man protest, but even more so when a large number of police cars turned up to escort him to the site and block traffic during his brief protest. Read Jackson’s explanation for the stunt and see more pictures of it here.
USRN Begins Distributing ‘Something You Should Know.’ The long-running radio feature “Something You Should Know” is being distributed by United Stations Radio Networks. Radio pro Mike Carruthers hosts the program that is produced by his own Strand Media and “provides both radio stations and listeners with informational content that host Mike Carruthers describes as ‘wisdom and advice for life.’ The feature was started on one radio station in 1980 and after moving into syndication has grown to a substantial national network of features heard on roughly 140 radio stations all across the nation.”
Odds & Sods. Sitting in for WSYR, Syracuse morning host Joe Galuski this week through the 19th is talk radio personality Mark Wainwright…..A changing of the guard is taking place at Bloomberg News with John Micklethwait – formerly editor-in-chief at The Economist – taking over the same role at Bloomberg as Matthew Winkler steps down…..For the second year in a row, The Motley Fool (producer of the “Motley Fool Money” radio show) is named the #1 place to work in the small/medium business category by Glassdoor. In case you were wondering, Google takes the #1 spot for large companies.
Flint Radio Newsman Les Root Dead at 75. Flint, Michigan radio news icon Les Root died on Monday, December 8 in Fenton, Michigan after a brief illness. Root was the news director at WFDF-AM, Flint from 1970 until the station was sold in 2002. He then worked for Cumulus Media’s Flint operations until his position was eliminated in 2009 and he retired. Root worked in radio news for his entire 53-year career. In a story published at MLive.com, Genesee County Prosecutor David Leyton (who worked for Root as a young man) said, “He was like the local version of Walter Cronkite…We used to call him the dean of Mid-Michigan newsmen — a real pro. He was a throwback news guy who would make all the calls to police and fire departments in the morning, write his own news, edit the wire, and put together a newscast on the hour and the half-hour.” Read the MLive.com obit here.
Police Killings Protests, Gruber Testifies Before Congress, CIA Torture Report, Government Shutdown, and Rolling Stone Rape Story Among Top News/Talk Stories Yesterday (12/9). The continuing protests taking place around the country in response to non-indictments of police accused of killing unarmed blacks; Jonathan Gruber’s testimony before Congress about the Affordable Care Act; the release of a report investigating the CIA’s methods of interrogation; the work by Congress to avoid a government shutdown; and the backlash over the UVA rape story published by Rolling Stone were some of the most-talked-about stories on news/talk radio yesterday, according to ongoing research from TALKERS.
Tuesday, September 23, 2014
Bill McMahon: Perhaps We Should Focus on What We are Good at and That Which the Public Still Wants and Needs. In a new opinion piece posted in TALKERS today (9/23) by veteran radio consultant and talent coach Bill McMahon, the following questions are presented to radio broadcasters: What business are you in? Does your business have a future? He says, “These seem like fundamental questions radio broadcasters should be asking themselves right now.” In it McMahon adds his voice to the chorus of industry opinions supporting the preservation of audio-only media as one of — if not the — major products of “radio” in the emerging unified multi-media platform marketplace. McMahon sarcastically says, “This vision for the future seems perfect for radio broadcasters who create precious little content of any kind. It makes total sense to go compete with everyone in the entertainment business. Sure, why not? Go take on Disney and Live Nation. You have all kinds of talent and experience creating video entertainment. You’ll be great at creating and promoting massive concert events. This is the kind of stuff your current customers have come to expect from you. You have lots of resources ready to commit to these enterprises. They’ll no doubt drive lots of additional listening to your AM and FM radio stations. Like Nike says, you should ‘just do it!’” He concludes on a serious note, “Yikes! Let’s get real! What’s wrong with the business you’re in right now? What’s wrong with the audio entertainment business? Doesn’t it have a future? Audio entertainment is unique and powerful. It involves the consumer in creating the experience it provides. Sound generates pictures and emotions in minds and hearts. The effect is deeper and more memorable than anything on a screen. When you hear someone laughing or crying you don’t need to see them to fully experience their joy or sorrow. Music can change your mood instantly. The sound and the lyrics create a vibe. Music is mind altering, heart penetrating, and memory making. Audio entertainment can be consumed while you’re doing other things like walking, running, driving, or making love. Audio entertainment will never go out of style. Americans spend more than four hours per day with audio entertainment according to the “Share of the Ear” study from Edison Research. Audio entertainment has an enduring future as long as great audio entertainment is created. Radio broadcasters are in the audio entertainment business. Why not stay there? Why not focus your limited resources on creating extraordinary audio entertainment? Why not be really good – even exceptional – at something, rather than average or mediocre at everything. Your current consumers are predisposed to using and appreciating audio entertainment. Why not concentrate on creating new audio entertainment content that surprises, amazes, and delights them. Hire gifted artists who love creating content for the theater of the mind. Create content in all shapes and sizes and distribute it on the platform that fits it best. That’s a future that makes sense for radio broadcasters. To read Bill McMahon’s entire piece, please click here.
iHeartMedia Goes Business Talk with Bloomberg on KNEW, San Francisco. With the move of Premiere Networks talk shows Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity and Glenn Beck to Cumulus Media’s crosstown KSFO on Monday, September 29, the fate of the shows’ soon-to-be former affiliate station – KNEW, San Francisco – is now known. The station will begin carrying Bloomberg Radio programming on Monday. The station will also be simulcast on KOSF-FM’s HD2 channel. Bloomberg Radio’s Al Mayers comments, “As part of Bloomberg’s new consumer media strategy, we’re excited about expanding Bloomberg Radio into the San Francisco Bay Area, a vital market for those who create, move global business and shape conversations about the innovations of tomorrow.” iHeartMedia San Francisco market president Kathryn Wilcox adds, “Teaming up with Bloomberg was a natural fit. It provides high-quality content and aligns nicely with the local business talk on KKSF 910.”
iHeartMedia Takes on More Debt. The company formerly known as Clear Channel Communications – iHeartCommunications (and its radio-centric subsidiary iHeartMedia) – announces it is selling $250 million of 9.0% Priority Guarantee Notes (PGNs) that will come due in 2022. Rating agency Fitch Ratings reports that the “notes are being issued as part of the same series as the $750 million of PGNs due 2022 that were issued on September 10, 2014, and rated ‘CCC/RR4’. Proceeds from the offering are expected to be used to prepay $245.9 million in Term Loan B due 2016 and $4.1 million in Term Loan C due 2016 and to pay fees and expenses related to the offering.” The iHeartCommunications debt stands at approximately $21.1 billion according to Fitch but the rating company reports it believes that the company has “adequate liquidity (including cash on hand, monetization of repurchased and outstanding notes, and asset sales) to meet its debt service obligations,” although it does foresee free cash flow to be negative over the next few years.
Lionel to Make Return Appearance at The Cutting Room in New York City. Multimedia talker Lionel of LionelMedia.com has again been booked to play an evening of what he calls “Outspoken Word” sprinkled with bluegrass music at New York City’s famous nightclub, The Cutting Room. The iconoclastic radio performer presents his difficult-to-categorize brand of stand-up commentary/observations along with several musical numbers by his Americana roots trio, Lock-n-Load in a program described by TALKERS publisher Michael Harrison as “fascinatingly original and intelligently eclectic to the core.” The booking is set for Saturday, October 11 at 7:30 pm at the mega-hip showcase venue located at 44 East 32nd Street in the Big Apple. Tickets are on sale, $30 in advance, $35 day of show, with a $20 food/drink minimum. To reserve tickets, call 212-691-1900. To view a video of Lionel discussing the forthcoming performance, please click here.
Celebrating Success. Getting together to celebrate a year of success at Salem Communications’ New York properties news/talk WNYM “AM 970 The Answer” and Christian talk WMCA (and to celebrate the latter’s anniversary as a Christian talk station) are four talk hosts heard on the stations (from left to right): talk personality and XtreMedia CEO Kevin McCullough; Salem Radio Network host Mike Gallagher; GCN-syndicated host Dr. Joy Browne; and WNYM morning personality Joe Piscopo. McCullough comments, “While the style and content of the shows couldn’t be more different nor come from more diverse perspectives, the camaraderie instilled by GM Jerry Crowley and VP Phil Boyce could not be more clear! Fun people, doing fun radio, and having fun doing it!”
Odds & Sods. Houston sports talk personality Barry Warner joins Yahoo! Sports Radio where he’ll serve as a national contributor and host of the “Barry Warner Classic Minute” daily feature heard on KGOW and KFNC-FM in Houston…..WGN, Chicago announces the WGN Radio Walk of Fame Induction Ceremony honoring Chicago Cubs broadcaster Pat Hughes to take place on Wednesday, September 24 from 3:30 pm – 4:00 pm. The ceremony will include a live broadcast interview with Hughes conducted by host Dave Eanet…..Internet talk radio platform LA Talk Radio announces it is adding live streaming video to its content options. Founder Sam Hasson says LA Talk Radio “has waited until it could define how to deliver a polished radio broadcast that also appeals to the audience visually, with professional studios and eye-popping graphics. The results are great-looking as they are streamed smoothly in high-definition to any computer or mobile device.” The video function debuts October 1.
White House Intruder Case, Hillary Clinton 2016 Prospects, Mid-Term Elections/Congressional Majority, NFL Domestic Violence Troubles, U.S. ISIS Policy, Iran Nukes Talks, Ebola Pandemic Threat, and Lois Lerner Politico Story Among Top News/Talk Stories Yesterday (9/22). The man with a criminal past who hopped the White House fence and entered the building before being stopped; the prospects for a presidential bid by Hillary Clinton in 2016; the looming mid-term elections and discussion about the potential for majority changes in Congress; the NFL’s domestic violence issues; the U.S.-led coalition against ISIS, Secretary of State John Kerry’s nuclear talks with Iran; the threat of an Ebola virus pandemic; and the Lois Lerner Politico interview addressing the IRS scandal were some of the most-talked-about stories on news/talk radio yesterday, according to ongoing research from TALKERS.
Monday, December 2, 2013
WFAN-AM/FM, New York’s ‘Boomer & Carton’ to Simulcast on CBS Sports Network. The video simulcast of the morning drive sports talk show based at WFAN-AM/FM, New York and hosted by Boomer Esiason (left) and Craig Carton (right) had been airing on the Madison Square Garden cable channel in New York. That deal ended in early October and now CBS announces the video simulcast will appear on its
cable and satellite channel CBS Sports Network beginning in January. The company says, “Combining these two powerful assets within CBS will result in national exposure for the local radio program and premier weekday content for the 24-hour cable home of CBS Sports.” CBS Sports chairman Sean McManus states, “The addition of the ‘Boomer & Carton’ show significantly enhances our on-air lineup, adding hours of live and relevant programming to CBS Sports Network each morning. It is great to be able to welcome one of the nation’s top sports talk radio shows to the networks of CBS Sports.” It is believed the New York Yankees-owned YES Network also was involved in the bidding process as it simulcasts WFAN-AM/FM afternoon personality Mike Francesa’s show.
Bloomberg: Clear Channel Burning Cash to Delay Reckoning. In a piece published by Bloomberg, Krista Giovacco writes that Clear Channel’s recently announced desire to push the due date on $1.8 billion in borrowings from 2016 to another three to five years into the future and almost double the interest rate buys the company time, but also eats into its cash flow. Giovacco reports, “While the proposal gives Clear Channel more time to turn around a business that’s posted losses every year after Bain Capital Partners LLC and Thomas H. Lee Partners LP took control in 2008, it also raises the company’s risk of missing interest payments on $20.7 billion of debt, according to Moody’s Investors Service. After capital expenses, Clear Channel ran a deficit from operations in the year ended June, meaning the company had to eat into cash that’s declined more than 60% since the end of 2010 to $704.2 million. ‘Refinancing at a higher rate is never a positive,’ Scott Van den Bosch, a New York-based senior analyst at Moody’s, said in a telephone interview. ‘It’s not a cure-all, but it buys them time to improve the balance sheet.’” Giovacco further states, “Clear Channel is seeking to extend $1 billion of loans to 2019 from 2016 and is proposing to pay interest of as much as 7.5 percentage points more than the London interbank offered rate, compared with 3.65 percentage points more than Libor on the existing debt, according to CreditSights Inc., Clear Channel had a free cash-flow deficit of $69.4 million in the year ended June, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. On the trailing 12-month basis, the company burned cash for the first time since 2009, the data show.” Read the entire piece here.
CBS Radio Creates New Sales Role; Names Alan Blum VP. CBS Radio announces the unveiling of a new title within the company – vice president of branded content solutions – and announces Alan Blum is stepping into the role immediately. CBS states that Blum will report to Rich Lobel, executive vice president and CMO, Altitude Group, a team of local engagement experts tasked with helping Fortune 500 brands connect with consumers using CBS Radio and CBS Television Stations along with their digital properties, as well as CBS’s outdoor assets. It further states that in this new role, Blum will work directly with the nation’s leading marketers to develop cross-platform programs that build brand awareness and favorability for advertisers. He will identify unique and engaging ways to introduce clients into a range of broadcast and digital programming, as well as out of home media.” Lobel comments, “Local marketing is rapidly becoming the ‘new black,’ and given Alan’s considerable agency and branded content experience, he is the ideal partner to have as we enhance our commitment to delivering world class solutions to clients who want to own the local market landscape. He has a fresh perspective in looking at marketing solutions from a consumer point of view, and can see opportunities that have a chance to become sensational.” Blum comes to CBS Radio from Re:Vision, a New York-based advertising agency he founded in 1993.
WCPT, Chicago Adds Gay Programming. Newsweb Radio-owned progressive talk radio outlet WCPT, Chicago announces the addition of programming targeted to the gay community. As tipped by Chicago media writer Robert Feder, the station is adding a show called “Out Chicago” hosted by Scott Duff to air from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm on Sundays. In addition, the station will air a series of vignettes – also titled “Out Chicago” – to air daily on the station. Newsweb Radio consultant Michael Damsky says, “It’s an ideal content and branding overlay for WCPT’s progressive talk format. WCPT is the only radio station serving the needs of Chicago’s vibrant LBGT community and the only broadcast outlet allowing advertisers to directly target this important market segment.”
WIND, Chicago Names Mann GSM. Salem Communications’ news/talk WIND, Chicago has a new general sales manager as Michael Mann moves from crosstown WLS to “AM 560 The Answer.” WIND general manager Jeff Reisman states, “Michael is a proven, respected, and talented leader who has an outstanding track record of nurturing sales talent, driving growth, plus a keen understanding of both local and ad agency business. I am confident that under his leadership, AM 560’s sales department will rise to new levels.” Mann adds, “I am thrilled to join Jeff and the entire Salem Chicago team. I look forward to continuing to work with advertisers in delivering creative and effective campaigns.”
San Diego Sports Talk Host Lee “Hacksaw” Hamilton Joins U-T. Lee “Hacksaw” Hamilton, morning drive host at Broadcast Company of the Americas-owned sports outlet XEPRS, San Diego “Mighty 1090,” joins the San Diego Union-Tribune as a sports columnist. He’ll be authoring his “1-Man’s Opinion” column each Monday. Hamilton is a 26-year veteran of the San Diego market. He was the longtime voice of the San Diego Chargers. Last year, he was voted “Columnist of the Year” while writing for SDNN.com and SWRNN.com by the San Diego Press Club.
Clear Channel Steals Badgers Athletics from Journal. As University of Wisconsin director of athletics Barry Alvarez notes, Badgers football has been heard on Journal Broadcast Group’s WTMJ, Milwaukee since 1927, but that is changing next season as football, men’s basketball, hockey and women’s basketball and coaches shows will be heard on Clear Channel’s oldies WRIT and sports talk WOKY “The Big 920.” Alvarez says, “We appreciate the opportunity to move the needle in our history books with Clear Channel, yet at the same time, we’re extremely grateful to Steve Wexler and everyone associated with Journal Broadcasting for building an incredible radio heritage for the Badgers. We have high expectations for the Clear Channel affiliates and know our fans will continue to enjoy high-quality Badger broadcasts and programming.” Associated programming will also air on news/talk WISN. The deal was struck by rights holder Learfield Sports.
Lew Dickey, Sr. Passes at 86. Broadcaster Lew Dickey, Sr. passed away over the Thanksgiving weekend at age 86. In a statement, Lew Dickey, Jr. – CEO of Cumulus Media – states, “My dad was an enormously talented broadcaster and, more importantly, a deeply devoted husband, father, and mentor. He touched the lives of many people and will be dearly missed.” Dickey, Sr. got his start in radio at Storer Broadcasting’s WWVA, Wheeling, West Virginia and quickly rose through the ranks at the company. He was promoted within Storer to leadership positions at KDKA-TV, Pittsburgh followed by WAGA-TV, Atlanta. In 1958, Dickey left a successful corporate career to start Midwestern Broadcasting by acquiring WKWK in Wheeling. In 24 months, he turned around the failing station, and began to expand. In 1965, he bought WOHO-AM, Toledo and added WWWM-FM in 1973. Shortly afterwards, he bought WLIO-TV in Lima, Ohio in partnership with the Toledo Blade. In 1992, he purchased WALR-FM and WCNN-AM in Atlanta.
Icy Proposal Gets Warm Reception. That young man on his knee on the ice at a recent Fort Wayne Komets game is news/talk WOWO, Fort Wayne morning show producer Loren Gardner and the lovely young lady he’s just asked to marry him is country WQHK, Fort Wayne “K105” afternoon personality Heather Cruise. Cruise appeared at the hockey game to sing the national anthem and she had no idea that after she finished, Gardner would be there to pop the question. Needless to say, she was a bit surprised but she did indeed say, “Yes.”
Tuesday, July 23, 2013
Bid4Spots: Auction an Alternative to Unsold Inventory. In a piece published today (7/23), TALKERS managing editor and West Coast bureau chief Mike Kinosian profiles Dave Newmark’s successful Bid4Spots digital auction initiative. There was a time when numerous players were getting into the
business of using the internet to deal with unsold inventory on radio stations. Dave Newmark tells Mike Kinosian why the others failed and how he struggled to find the right business model that would eventually lead to success. It was during a casual conversation with a software developer when he had an epiphany. “I immediately thought of those ad exchanges and I realized what they all had wrong. They had the supply and demand equation backwards. Forward auctions work well only when the demand is high and the supply is low. If I could figure out when demand would be at its lowest point – when regular airtime buyers were pretty much gone from the store – it would be as close to ‘next week’ as possible.” Newmark’s road to success was not a smooth one. In this fascinating piece he details his trials and tribulations. He also explains why stations and advertisers are happy with his model of moving unsold inventory. Read it all here.
Are You a Thinker or a Feeler? More importantly, are your listeners and callers thinkers or feelers? In a new TALKERS column posted today (7/23) by branding specialist Dr. John Tantillo, he states that understanding the difference between these two approaches to the issues of the day can have an impact on your show and determine how effectively you orchestrate discussions of them on the air. Using the examples of the current Zimmerman verdict and Rolling Stone cover controversy, Dr. Tantillo examines the relationship between branding and controversy pointing out that the most important thing to focus upon is how the controversy directly impacts the customer’s (or fan’s) loyalty to the brand and nobody else’s. He says we should be less concerned about public relations and more interested in “targeted relations.” To read the entire column, please click here.
Emmis CEO Jeff Smulyan Named Among ‘Giants of Broadcasting’ Honorees. This is the 11th annual staging of the “Giants of Broadcasting” that is sponsored by the Library of American Broadcasting. It celebrates “distinguished leadership or performance in television and radio” and will take place October 16 at New York’s Gotham Hall. Smulyan is among 11 honorees this year including Anne Sweeney, Alex Trebek, Barry Diller, Morley Safer, Dick Cavett, Robert L. Johnson, David E. Kelley, Richard E. Wiley, Richard Leibner and Carole Cooper. The Library of American Broadcasting is located at the University of Maryland and the organization states it is “entering its 42nd year serving as the national information resource for the radio and television industries and the academic communities that rely upon it for depth and expertise. Its collections of historic documents, professional papers, oral and video histories, books and photographs are among the nation’s most extensive.”
Red Zebra Re-Tools Afternoons on WTEM, Washington. Recently retired Washington Redskins star Chris Cooley becomes part of the new “The Drive with Cooley and Czabe” afternoon program on Red Zebra-owned sports talk outlet 
WTEM, Washington “ESPN 980”. Cooley – who just joined the station for Washington Redskins game broadcasts with the company – joins Steve Czaban and WTEM weekend host Al Galdi for the new program that will debut August 1 and will air from 4:00 pm to 7:00 pm. Czaban currently hosts “The Sports Reporters” with Andy Pollin in the afternoon drive slot. Red Zebra says Pollin remains with the station and will sub for the vacationing Tony Kornheiser beginning August 5. About the new show, Czaban jokes, “I will work tirelessly to make Chris Cooley the second-most-beloved ex-Redskin tight end on radio in the DC market.”
MEDIA BROKER SPOTLIGHT: Mark Jorgenson of Jorgenson Broadcast Brokerage. In this week’s installment of Media Broker Spotlight, Sandi Bergman of RadioTVDeals.com interviews media broker Mark Jorgenson of 
Jorgenson Broadcast Brokerage of Greenville, South Carolina. Jorgenson was a 12-year veteran of television sales and radio ownership in Southeastern markets before deciding that he liked putting deals together better than he did operating stations. He says, “I enjoy matching people up with great opportunities and that’s what the brokerage business is all about.” Jorgenson describes today’s radio station market as “sluggish due to a lack of capital to finance deals.” He says, “There are plenty of potential buyers and even more potential sellers but without institutional financing to make the deals happen, we won’t see the volume of transactions we’ve seen in the past. Brokers have to be creative and persistent to make deals happen in today’s financial climate.” He continues, “There are even radio deals where some portion of the purchase price might be handled with a seller note. The key is for the buyer to have access to at least some cash. Private investors, family, and friends are the most likely source to finance new ventures these days.” To read the entire installment of Media Broker Spotlight, please click here.
Talkers Los Angeles 2013 Is Set for Thursday, October 10. The third annual installment of TALKERS magazine’s West Coast convention has been set for Thursday, October 10 and its outstanding agenda is shaping up to be a blockbuster. It is again being presented in association with the Los Angeles Press Club and held at the historic Steve Allen Theater on Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood between 9:00 am and 6:00 pm. TALKERS VP/executive editor Kevin Casey states, “We are very enthusiastic about the growth and positive impact of this Southern California gathering. It started out three years ago as an experimental LA regional get-together and blossomed into an exciting companion to our big New York convention.” The event – open only to members of the working media – will feature a power-packed day of panel discussions, keynote addresses, special presentations, technology and services exhibits, tremendous networking opportunities and abundant food and refreshments (lunch is sponsored by Premiere Networks and Fox News Channel star Sean Hannity who will address the attendees from New York). Speakers already set include (in alphabetical order): Robin Bertolucci, PD, KFI, Los Angeles; Phil Boyce, VP spoken word format, Salem Communications; Holland Cooke, radio consultant; Skip Essick, PD, KMJ-AM/FM, Fresno; Erica Farber,CEO/president, RAB; Ron Hartenbaum, president, WYD/WYM Media; Rusty Humphries, host, Talk Radio Network; Kraig Kitchin, CEO, Sound Mind, LLC; Tom Leykis, president, The New Normal; Don Martin, senior VP sports programming, Fox Sports Radio/Clear Channel Media and Entertainment; Kevin McCullough, CEO, XtreMedia; Mike McVay, senior VP programming, Cumulus Media; Harvey Nagler, VP, CBS Radio News; Norm Pattiz, CEO, Courtside Entertainment/Podcast One; Chris Pendl, creative director, Bonneville Seattle; Walter Sabo, CEO, Sabo Media; Eric Stanger, VP of operations and affiliate marketing, The Sean Hannity Show/Premiere Networks; Alan Stock, host, KDWN, Las Vegas; Paul Vandenburgh, president/GM/host, WGDJ, Albany; and Michael Zwerling, owner, KSCO, Santa Cruz with many more to be announced in the coming days. The latest broadcasting equipment and remote gear will be on display as presented by Broadcasters General Store and Comrex Corporation. Registrations – $149 per person – can only be taken over the phone and the event is expected to be a very early sellout. So don’t wait – avoid being shut out. For sponsorship information or to register, call 413-565-5413.
WFAS, White Plains Afternoon Host Lisa Wexler to Run for Judicial Office. Lisa Wexler is an attorney and currently the PM drive talk host on Cumulus Media’s news/talk WFAS, White Plains, New York. She tells TALKERS magazine she’s being nominated to run as a Republican for the Probate Judge of Weston and Westport (Connecticut) in November. “I’ve practiced this area of law for many years, and I’m very excited to run and be able to serve the people with knowledge and compassion.” Wexler notes the position is part time and, if elected, she will be able to continue her radio work.
WRSB, Canandaigua, New York to Flip to Business Talk. The station was purchased earlier this summer by Genesee Media Corporation and has been serving the area south of Rochester with a religious format. According to YNN.com, GMC will brand the station “Business 1310” and will use programming from Bloomberg, NBC News and Marketwatch. The report also indicates that Genesee intends to add the programming to other AM signals in the region.
Sonoma Media Group Announces Kevin Wodlinger Is New Local Business Development Manager. The company says Kevin Wodlinger comes to its five-station Santa Rosa, California cluster from his most recent position in Grand Junction, Colorado as market manager for the Cumulus Media cluster that is now owned by Townsquare Media. Wodlinger replaces longtime employee Jeriann D’Elicio, who recently announced her resignation. Michael O’Shea, president of Sonoma Media Group, comments, “Kevin is the real deal – a consummate sales executive with a great track record of teaching, coaching and leading in local business development. We are delighted to have his expertise and leadership in our building.” The company operates news/talk KSRO, country KFGY “Froggy 92.9,” classic rock KVRV “97.7 The River FM,” hot AC KMHX “Mix 104.9,” and CHr KHTH “Hot 101.7.”
New Motor Sports Network to Begin Operations. The Midwest Racing Radio Network announces it is preparing to begin operations and has named Brian Douglas vice president of broadcast operations. Douglas also serves as host. The company states it will initially feature one two-hour motorsports show via live audio stream and podcast in a format for broadcast stations to air daily five days a week. Also, the network will feature a live one-hour Sunday evening program and a national highlights podcast show containing results, interviews, and the upcoming regional racing schedules as submitted from tracks across the country.
Cigar Dave Goes Live on TV. Nationally syndicated media personality “Cigar Dave” Zeplowitz is pictured here (at right) hosting the first-ever live televised broadcasts from the 2013 International Premium Cigar & Pipe Retailers Convention at the Sands Expo Center in Las Vegas. The telecasts aired live on Sunday, July 14, Monday, July 15 and Tuesday, July 16. Cigar Dave reports his telecasts featured new premium cigar releases and accessories, interviews with premium cigar manufacturers and personalities, and presented viewers a behind-the-scenes look at the IPCPR Convention, that up to now, has been closed to the general public and only open to the trade. “Cigar Dave” says, “This marks the next evolution of the Cigar Dave Show as we transition into a digital, multi-platform provider of relevant content for Alpha Males. Eighteen years ago, I was the first broadcaster to host a radio show dedicated to cigars and the Alpha Male-lifestyle. This year’s live IPCPR telecasts commence a major expansion into televised and digital content that appeals to Alpha Males and a new generation of Millennial Males who enjoy cigars, spirits, manly pursuits, and the Good Life.”
Odds & Sods. Public radio station WKSU, Kent, Ohio drops some of the daily classical music programming to add NPR’s “The Takeaway” with John Hockenberry and “On Point” with Tom Ashford to the midday schedule…..Sun Broadcasting changes the news/talk trimulcast of WFSX-AM and FM and WNOG-AM in Fort Myers. It keeps WFSX-FM news/talk as “92.5 Fox News” and pairs up the AMs as a sports talk duo “The Fan.”
ObamaCare Implementation, Detroit Bankruptcy, Zimmerman Verdict Aftermath, 2016 Presidential Race, U.S. Syria Policy and British Prince Born Among Top News/Talk Stories Yesterday (7/22). The delay of the employer mandate and the implementation of the Affordable Care Act; the bankruptcy case of the city of Detroit; the aftermath of the George Zimmerman verdict; the potential candidates in the 2016 presidential race; the United States’ policy regarding Syria; and the birth of the son of Prince William and Kate Middleton were some of the most-talked-about stories on news/talk radio yesterday, according to ongoing research from TALKERS.
Monday, January 9, 2012
Talk Radio Hosts Invade New Hampshire. The New Hampshire Primary election is tomorrow (1/10) and in what has become a talk radio tradition – the New Hampshire Primary Radio Row – is putting the candidates and the issues on the air for local listeners and national audiences alike. The radio row event is organized by TALKERS magazine and the Talk Radio News Service and includes more than 45 programs broadcasting live from the Manchester Radisson. National programs include: Dial Global’s Neal Boortz, Thom Hartmann and Michael Smerconish; Radio America’s Roger Hedgecock; Genesis Communications Network’s Kate Delaney; Syndication One’s Al Sharpton and Warren Ballentine; Main Street Radio Network’s Alan Nathan; “A Touch of Grey” with Carole Marks; Michael Skoda; Dr. Gina Loudon; and Ed Morrissey. Local talk hosts include: WOR, New York’s John Gambling; WTKK-FM, Boston’s Jim Braude and Margery Eagan; WTKK’s Michael Graham; Stephen K. Bannon of KABC, Los Angeles; Marc Bernier of WNDB, Daytona Beach; Michael Berry of KTRH, Houston; Lee Davis of WYDE-FM, Birmingham; Scott Hennen of KNOX, Grand Forks, North Dakota; Mark Skoda of WMPS, Memphis; Lisa Wexler of WFAS, Westchester, New York; Ken Pittman and Phil Paleologos of WBSM, New Bedford; Richard Girard of WGAM, Manchester; Paul Westcott of WGIR, Manchester; Dan Mitchell of WKBK, Keene; George Russell of WSMN, Nashua; Mark Johnson of WDEV, Waterbury, Vermont; Steve West of WKVT, Brattleboro, Vermont; John Harper of WUVR, Dartmouth, New Hampshire; Tony Lopes of WVBF, Taunton, Massachusetts; and Jeff Santos of WWZN, Boston.
SCOTUS Hears Indecency Arguments Tomorrow. This day seems like a long time coming but tomorrow the United States Supreme Court will hear arguments about the FCC’s handling of broadcast indecency. The case comes to the Court with regard to television violations but the rules are the same for radio. Recent fines against ABC and Fox were overturned by the 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals after the court ruled the regulations are vague and unevenly applied – especially concerning the difference between how the rules are applied to over-the-air broadcast versus cable and satellite. That’s what ABC and Fox will argue tomorrow. The FCC will argue that even in the current era, most Americans expect broadcast TV (and radio by extension) to be “relatively safe” media for family consumption. Many legal observers believe that the likely ruling from the Supreme Court will be the request that the FCC make the indecency rules very clear and that its method of enforcement be just as clear. Interestingly, former FCC chairman Michael Powell – who now works for the National Cable & Telecommunications Association – is quoted by Bloomberg saying if he were voting on the cases in question again, he would dissent this time. “I’ve always been deeply troubled by the way the First Amendment changes when you change channels.”
Programmer Neil Larrimore Lands KFYI/KGME, Phoenix PD Position. Clear Channel Phoenix names former KMBZ, Kansas City program director Neil Larrimore PD for news/talk KFYI and sports talker Xtra Sports 910 (KGME). CC Phoenix director of operations and programming Smokey Rivers states, “Neil is the perfect complement to our Phoenix programming team. He is totally immersed in the flow of news and sports. In this ‘that’s so thirty seconds ago’ age, having a quality programmer focused solely on the output of our information products is essential to maintaining our quality edge.” Larrimore, who recently exited Entercom’s Kansas City news/talk outlet, says, “Information is the lifeblood of all media, now more than ever. The opportunity to work with these powerful brands and continue to evolve them on-air, on-site and online, is extraordinary! I can’t wait to get started!”
Rick Barber Retires from KOA, Denver. After 30 years on the air in Denver, Rick Barber retires from his late-night talk show on Clear Channel’s KOA, Denver. The Clear Channel station is filling the time with Premiere Networks’ “Coast to Coast AM.”
Drew Steele Takes Over AM Drive on WFSX-FM, Fort Myers; Trey Radel Exits to Run for Congress. Trey Radel announces his candidacy for Florida’s 14th Congressional District seat and exits the morning drive show at Meridian’s “92.5 Fox News” (WFSX-FM) in the Ft. Myers/Naples market. Meridian hands the reins of the morning drive show over to Drew Steele. Radel is a longtime media figure in the market serving as anchor on WINK-TV for years before joining “92.5 Fox News.” Radel is running as a Republican for the seat being vacated by Connie Mack who’s running for the U.S. Senate.
ESPN Radio Celebrates 20 Years in Operation. Once just a small part of the ESPN cable television-focused broadcasting company, ESPN Audio is now a major component of the ESPN brand. In January of 1992, ESPN Radio consisted of weekday drive-time commentaries on about 100 affiliates. The network now has 300 full-time affiliates and ESPN owns four stations in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago and Dallas. SVP of ESPN Audio Mo Davenport states, “In 20 years, we’ve gone from airing only weekday, drive-time commentaries on 104 radio stations, to the amazing success of “Mike & Mike,” “The Herd with Colin Cowherd,” Scott Van Pelt, Doug Gottlieb, and having ESPN Radio become the most-listened-to sports stream on the planet. Additionally, our local markets give fans the local angle on air and online. It is a tribute to our listeners and our team, which pushes us forward to greater success in serving the sports fan.”
Jim Rome Takes TV Show to CBS Sports Network. There’s no official confirmation from ESPN or Jim Rome’s camp but Big Lead Sports is reporting that Jim Rome’s “Rome is Burning” show will soon disappear from ESPN2 and Rome will begin a TV presence on the new CBS Sports Network. The site reports that Rome was offered a multi-year deal to remain with ESPN but he’s choosing to begin TV life anew with CBS’ new cable initiative. There would appear to be no affect on Rome’s radio program with Premiere Networks as a result of this.
KNX, Los Angeles Business Series Offers “The Business of Going Green.” The next event in all-news KNX, Los Angeles’ Business Breakfast Series is titled, “The Business of Going Green” and takes place Friday, January 20 at 8:00 am at the Los Angeles Convention Center. CBS Radio Los Angeles says “KNX Business Hour” host Frank Mottek will moderate a discussion that will explore how a sustainability strategy can be good for generating revenue and why being socially responsible doesn’t have to mean being fiscally irresponsible. The free event will include a resource expo, continental breakfast and expert panelists H. David Nahai and Paul Polizzotto. Nahai was senior advisor to the Clinton Climate Initiative and is president of David Nahai Consulting Services which advises and assists public and private entities involved in the environmental sector. Polizzotto is president of EcoMedia, a division of CBS Corporation, whose mission is to raise public awareness about environmental issues.
KIRO-FM, Seattle Debuts New Local Food Show. Hosted by local restaurateurs Tom Douglas and Thierry Rautureau and produced by Tina Cole, “Seattle Kitchen” airs Saturday mornings at 8:00 and Sundays at 10:00 am. As you’d expect, the program will feature restaurant reviews of Puget Sound eateries as well as recipes and, of course, fielding listeners’ questions. Program director Larry Gifford says, “Tom and Thierry are a natural fit and great addition. For the weekend chef, who better to learn from, laugh with and relax to than these guys?”
Thursday, September 15, 2011
Cumulus-Citadel Merger Gets DOJ and FCC Approval; Shareholder Vote Takes Place Today. The merger of radio companies Citadel and Cumulus has passed federal muster as both the FCC and the Department of Justice give their approval and the creation of the new radio company rests on shareholder
votes today (9/15). To make the deal happen, Cumulus is forced to put three stations in a trust. Those are: Citadel’s country WCAT-FM, Carlisle, Pennsylvania; Cumulus’ CHR WWKL-FM, Palmyra, Pennsylvania and classic rock WRSR-FM, Owosso, Michigan in the Flint market. WRSR-FM goes into the Potential Broadcasting trust and must be programmed by the trust’s operators. WCAT-FM and WWKL-FM were being moved to the Volt Radio trust and will be reassigned to the Potential trust and also must be programmed by that trust’s operators.
Bloomberg and ESPN Join in Partnership for New York Morning Sports Reports. At first blush it seems like an unlikely pairing but many of the men Bloomberg’s flagship station business news WBBR, New York reaches are sports fans as well. ESPN’s WEPN, New York will provide WBBR with live reports specifically targeted to the New York market by WEPN’s Jared Max beginning at 5:00 am on “The First Word” hosted by Ken Prewitt and “Bloomberg Surveillance” with hosts Prewitt and Tom Keene. Bloomberg Radio’s Al Mayers states, “”We’re pleased to offer our listeners in the New York City metro area with morning sports coverage by ESPN’s flagship station. In partnering with ESPN, we’re combining the best brand in business with the best brand in sports.”
“Troubleshooter” Tom Martino Files for Personal Bankruptcy Protection. Martino’s consumer advocate show is heard daily on KHOW, Denver. The filing lists assets of $1.37 million against liabilities of $78.6 million. Martino tells the Denver Post that his financial issues center on his real estate investments that have been affected by the economy. “There are so many people in this same boat. You’ve got millions of dollars in lost value and all of a sudden you can’t refinance your loans and you are just upside down. I just don’t know what I could have done.” Martino says his debt comes from taking on additional loans over the past few years to save his real estate investments and that his Troubleshooter Network, consulting business and the radio show are not affected by the bankruptcy filing.
Leslie Marshall Show Contracts with AdLarge for Sales Representation. The independently syndicated Leslie Marshall show signs a deal with AdLarge for the company to be the exclusive national marketing rep firm. AdLarge co-founder and CEO Gary Shonfeld states, “Leslie is a highly renowned pundit who knows how to engage both the left and the right. We are thrilled to have her show on our growing content platform and to represent her with the biggest national advertisers in the country.” Marshall, whose program is fed live nightly from 7:00 pm to 10:00 pm ET, says of the new deal, “Gary has done this before and very successfully. At AdLarge, I’m not just another show in a large roster of programs. My show is given personalized attention and the AdLarge team seems to have my best interest at heart. They work hard for me.”
Bill Press Show Adds Video Component. Bill Press’ Dial Global-syndicated radio show begins a video stream today (9/15) from his Capitol Hill studios. Press tells TALKERS the video will stream live via Ustream and then key excerpts will be posted on YouTube but he’s quick to note they are still doing a radio show, not a TV show. As a credentialed Washington correspondent and a nationally syndicated columnist (Tribune), Bill Press brings a unique level of journalistic credibility to his radio show that makes it stand out from most talk shows on either the left or the right.
KIRO, Seattle Debuts New Football Show. 710 ESPN (KIRO), Bonneville’s Seattle sports talk station debuts a new live football show tonight (9/15). The new weekly show airs live tonight from Joey Restaurant in Bellevue, Washington from 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm hosted by ESPN football expert John Clayton and co-hosted by former Seattle Seahawk players Dave Wyman and Mack Strong. Joining the trio on tonight’s show is current Seahawks player John Moffitt.
CBS Radio’s KDKA-FM Gets Pirates Baseball Back. That’s what the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette is reporting. After five years at Clear Channel’s FM talk WPGB, the paper says sources close to the deal indicate Pirates baseball, which aired for so many years on heritage news/talk KDKA, will come back to CBS but this time on its KDKA-FM sports outlet, “Sports Radio 93.7 The Fan.”
WBZ, Boston Prepares to Celebrate 90th Anniversary. CBS Radio’s venerable WBZ, Boston will celebrate its 90th anniversary on Monday, September 19 and will commemorate its place in broadcasting history as the first commercially licensed radio station in America. The station will air a number of 15-minute vignettes that chronicle and honor the station’s history. The station will also host a WBZ Hall of Fame induction ceremony. CBS Radio Boston SVP and market manager Mark Hannon states, “For nine decades WBZ NewsRadio has led the way in reporting historic news events on both a national and local stage, and the station has offered a forum for the community to discuss the news of the day and evaluate what it means to them. We are extremely proud of the staff’s reporting and programming over the years, as well as the station’s community outreach, and we look forward to being a positive influence in the market for many years to come.”
Early Ratings for Anderson Cooper’s Daytime Show Soft. The new, daytime TV talk show “Anderson” is not yet a week old but analysis of the early ratings is inevitable and so far the critics are not impressed. The Los Angeles Times reports the Monday premiere garnered a 1.1 household rating that put it behind the pack of such shows as “Regis & Kelly,” “Ellen,” “Dr, Oz,” and “The Talk.” But the syndicated show is expected to take time to build and Telepictures – the Warner Bros. arm syndicating the show – says the program was pre-empted in some markets and had to compete with coverage of the U.S. Open tennis tournament.
Insurgent Attack in Kabul, Obama’s Green Jobs Controversy, 2012 GOP Presidential Field and European Financial Crisis Among Top News/Talk Stories Yesterday (9/14). The violent attack on American interests in Afghanistan, the investigation into the Obama Administration’s support of a solar power company, the GOP field of candidates for president in 2012 and the tenuous state of the European economy were some of the most-talked-about topics on news/talk radio yesterday.
KDKA Feeds Pittsburgh. Well, at least several thousand Pittsburghers. That’s how many residents station officials say enjoyed the 28th KDKA Spaghetti Breakfast held recently in the Steel City. Pictured here are KDKA talk host Johnna Pro (l) and traffic reporter Kathy Berggren (r) as they prepare to feed the masses. This year, the station honored the late KDKA talk personality John Cigna who is credited with starting the popular local tradition as a station promotion 28 years ago.
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