Tag: "Boston"
Monday, April 2, 2018
Will Entercom Add News/Talk WTMJ, Milwaukee to its Brew City Cluster? According to industry rumors and now picked up by the Milwaukee Business Journal, Entercom is the leading contender to acquire Scripps’ news/talk WTMJ and sister country outlet WKTI-FM. E.W. Scripps recently announced that it is selling its 34-station radio group and will focus on its television business. Currently, Entercom owns three stations in the market: CHR WXSS “Kiss FM,” hot AC WMYX, and sports talker WSSP-AM/W289CB “105.7 The Fan.” The addition of WTMJ and WKTI would not violate the FCC ownership cap. If this rumor becomes reality, Entercom would add WTMJ’s play-by-play rights for Green Bay Packers football, Milwaukee Brewers baseball, and Milwaukee Bucks basketball to its sports offerings and be an excellent complement to the sports talk on “105.7 The Fan.”
WABC, New York Adds Juliet Huddy to ‘Bernie & Sid in the Morning.’ Journalist and television personality Juliet Huddy joins the cast of the “Bernie & Sid in the Morning” program on Cumulus Media’s WABC, New York. The show made its debut as the morning program replacing the “Imus in the Morning” show today. The station says that Huddy – former host of “Good Day New York” on WNYW-TV “FOX 5” and former FOX News Channel personality – joins Bernard McGuirk and Sid Rosenberg on the new morning show. WABC program director Craig Schwalb comments, “Juliet is a natural performer and is equally comfortable talking entertainment and life as she is talking politics. Juliet is an amazing addition to the show and to 77 WABC.”
Talk Pro Pete Mundo Joins KCMO-AM, Kansas City for Mornings. News/talk and sports talk pro Pete Mundo joins Cumulus Media as assistant program director and morning air personality on the “KCMO Morning Show” on KCMO-AM/K279BI. Mundo began his career in Woodward, Oklahoma. He moved to New York in 2013 and served with CBS RADIO at WCBS-AM, WFAN-AM/FM, and CBS Sports Radio. He also hosted shows on FOX News Radio. Cumulus Media Midwest
Regional VP and Kansas City market manager Donna Baker states, “In our extensive national search for the right talent to connect with our loyal KCMO news/talk audience, Pete emerged as the clear choice. We are excited to welcome him back to the Midwest to lead 103.7-710 KCMO to a new level of success for our listeners and advertisers.” Mundo adds, “I’m thrilled by the opportunity to return to the nation’s heartland to host mornings on the legendary KCMO and to assume programming responsibilities as assistant program director. Bringing a fresher perspective to news, political, sports and local topics and how they affect the Kansas City community on KCMO-Talk Radio 103.7/710 is something I’m very much looking forward to.”
Kevin Klein Remains MIA on KEGY, San Diego. As of Monday morning, it remains unclear just what the status of KEGY, San Diego “97.3 The Machine” morning personality Kevin Klein is. Though the station’s website lists Klein as the morning host, he was not on the radio today (4/2). His show was supposed to launch on MLB Opening Day (3/29), but the station has continued to air the mix of comedy bits and rock music in AM drive that is the overnight programming. As we reported previously, the San Diego Padres – for which the station serves as its flagship for play-by-play – took issue with Klein’s Twitter promotion that poked fun at the city’s Coronado Bridge and its history of being the site of hundreds of suicides throughout its history. The team is also reportedly not thrilled with the general tone of the station. It’s assumed that Entercom officials and the Padres are in talks about where the two sides go from here and Klein’s status may be part of that.
Alex Jones’ Son Rex Challenges Parkland Student to Gun Laws Debate. The son of Internet and radio personality Alex Jones is challenging Parkland, Florida shooting survivor David Hogg to a gun control debate. Hogg is a senior at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School and, along with fellow student Emma Gonzalez, has become the media face of students seeking gun control measures in response to the deadly shooting. Jones’ son Rex is 15 years old and, according to Inquisitr.com, has been provided by his father with “a platform to express an alternative view of gun control from a teenager’s perspective.” See the Inquisitr.com story here.
PPM Analysis: News/Talk. Managing editor Mike Kinosian presents a look at the performances of radio stations based on data from the February 2018 PPM survey from Nielsen Audio, today focusing on news/talk. Approximately 45% of news/talk stations in PPM markets saw their 6+ AQH shares rise from the January survey to February, while 28% are down and 27% remained flat. Year-over-year comparisons indicate that 42% of stations realized 6+ gains from the February 2017 survey to February 2018. Forty-eight percent saw their 6+ number dip. While 12 news/talk stations ranked in the top five in their respective markets in the February survey, just two stations – Cox Media Group’s WSB-AM/WSBB-FM, Atlanta and Townsquare Media’s WKXW, Trenton “New Jersey 101.5” – ranked #1 in their respective markets. See the entire report here.
TALKERS News Notes. Las Vegas conservative media figure Heidi Harris has a busy week of events that will feature her new book, Don’t Pat Me On The Head! Blowback, Setbacks and Comebacks in Vegas Radio. Harris says the new book “covers my various life experiences before radio, my nearly 20 years in radio, and 15 years as a cable TV talking head. I discuss how to pick topics, callers, and guests, and share some great behind-the-scenes stories, as well as how I’ve survived treacherous colleagues and the politically correct, who sometimes want to slit my throat.” This week, Harris is speaking at the Vegas Does Business luncheon at Gordon Biersch, Flamingo and Paradise on Thursday (4/5). Later that evening she’ll be signing books at the Sun City Siena Conservatives meeting. On Saturday (4/7), she’s doing a book signing at Avery’s Coffee. That evening she’ll appear on the “Jesus and Tim” show on KKVV, Las Vegas…..The Boston Globe reports that market news pro Rod Fritz exits iHeartMedia’s WBZ-AM, Boston “NewsRadio 1030.” The paper reports that an internal memo from the station’s Jon MacLean stated, “Rod Fritz is moving on and will no longer anchor here at WBZ. We thank Rod for his years of service and wish him all the best.
Trump DACA and NAFTA Statements, Russia Diplomatic Breaks, Trump-Russia Investigation, Author Claims Conway White House Leaker, Trump Tariffs, Parkland Students vs Ingraham/Nugent, Ready Player One Film, Final Four, MLB Season Opens, and NBA Action Among Top News/Talk Stories Over the Weekend. President Donald Trump’s statement on no DACA deal and the threat to NAFTA if Mexico fails at border security; Russia expels 59 diplomats from 23 countries; the Robert Mueller-led investigation into possible connections between Trump campaign operatives and Russian agents; author Ronald Kessler suggests Trump aide Kellyanne Conway is the biggest White House leaker; China hits back at U.S. with tariffs on U.S. goods; the feud between Parkland students seeking new gun laws and FOX News Channel’s Laura Ingraham and Ted Nugent’s attack on them; the new film Ready Player One; the weekend’s Final Four games; the opening of the Major League Baseball season, and NBA action were some of the most-talked-about stories on news/talk radio over the weekend, according to ongoing research from TALKERS magazine.
Music Radio News and Career Moves. As reported last week by Chicago media writer Robert Feder, Entercom names DreX, a.k.a. Kevin Buchar, and Nina co-hosts of the new morning drive show on its CHR WBBM-FM “B96.” The “DreX and Nina” show will also feature Gabe Ramirez, who was a cast member on the station’s previous morning program, “The J Show.” DreX says, “I’m honored, privileged, and humbled for this opportunity to come home to the Chicago audience. I’d like to thank Entercom, Jimmy de Castro, Todd Cavanah, Erik Bradley and the entire ‘B96’ crew for welcoming me with open arms. I am very much looking forward to teaming up with my two new partners Nina and Gabe in America’s greatest city.” DreX previously worked in Chicago at WKSC-FM from 2002 to 2010. Nina most recently worked mornings at WBMP-FM, New York City…..Radio pro Larry Wilson is the new morning host on Marc Radio’s country WPLL, Gainesville-Ocala “I Am Country.” Wilson will also serve the company as host of the afternoon show sister classic hits outlet WXJZ. Wilson had been hosting his “Livin’ Large with Larry” in the Billings, Montana market. He says, “After half of my 36 years on the air spent up north, Marc Radio is a ‘sunny’ change that I am looking forward to. My show will stream online, so I can still share the sunshine with my Montana friends.”
Tuesday, March 6, 2018
Will Tomorrow Be the Day iHeartMedia’s Future Becomes Clearer? On Sunday, iHeartMedia and Consenting Lenders entered into a Forbearance Agreement that put off iHM’s defaut on an interest payment on 14% Senior Notes until midnight tomorrow (3/7). That gives both sides more time to work out a solution to the company’s $20 billion in debt and avoid putting the matter into the hands of a bankruptcy judge. Analysts watching this case are taking note of the fact that John Malone’s Liberty Media purchased $400 million of iHM’s debt last week and now becomes a creditor in the event of a bankruptcy. Just how important Liberty’s involvement as a creditor becomes remains to be seen but, remember that Liberty came to the aid of SiriusXM when it needed cash and now controls a majority interest in that company. A lot of the consumer press stories covering the iHeartMedia debt saga that TALKERS editors have seen imply the company is on the verge of “failure.” But the reality – borne out by its quarterly financial reports – is that the company is making money. It’s just not making enough to cover interest payments on the massive debt. The latest term sheet from iHeartMedia summarizes a proposed restructuring of the company that would reduce its debt (in exchange for equity) to $5.75 billion. As part of the proposed terms, it would spin off Clear Channel Outdoor Holdings.
And ‘The Loop’ in Chicago Goes to…Educational Media Foundation! At first, today’s FCC filing to transfer classic rock WLUP-FM, Chicago from Merlin Media to non-profit Christian broadcaster Educational Media Foundation for $21.5 million seems surprising, but EMF did recently acquire KSWD, Los Angeles from Entercom and, unlike many secular, commercial broadcasting companies, it has money in the bank. If approved, it’s expected that EMF will install its “K-Love” Christian contemporary format on the station. Unfortunately, the deal means the current staff – including morning personality Erich “Mancow” Muller – will be out of work. The other Merlin Media station still on the block in Chicago is alternative rock WKQX.
Salem Media Group LMAs KPAM, Portland. In a press release issued Monday (3/5), Salem Media Group acknowledges that it is operating news/talk KPAM, Portland and adult standards KKOV “Sunny 1550” – both stations in the process of being sold by Pamplin Broadcasting to Intelli LLC. The presser is titled, “KPAM is Alive and Well” and notes that KPAM airs “live and local drive-time programs – ‘First Edition’ from 6am to 10am and ‘Afternoon Northwest’ from 3pm to 6pm – and syndicated programs such as ‘The Clark Howard Show,’ ‘The Schnitt Show,’ ‘The Michael Medved Show,’ and ‘The Joe Pags Show.’ Hourly news, weather, and sports as well as drive-time traffic are also featured.”
WRKO, Boston Adds Joe Pags Show for Evenings. The WOAI, San Antonio-based Joe Pags show – hosted by Joe Pagliarulo – is joining the program lineup of iHeartMedia’s WRKO, Boston. The Joe Pags show – heard in more than 100 markets across the country – airs in the 7:00 pm to 10:00 pm slot. WRKO program director Michael Czarnecki says “We are thrilled to have Joe join the WRKO weekday line up. Joe does so much more
than just political talk. He entertains, makes you think, makes you laugh, heck he even sings. This makes him the perfect addition to the WRKO family.” Pagliarulo states, “When you hear the call letters WRKO, you hear heritage – and a station most hosts can only dream of being on. I’m psyched beyond words that my show is coming to this amazing station. It’s an opportunity I cherish and simply cannot wait to talk with the great people of Boston on a daily basis. Thank you so much to the management team for the trust and support!”
Saga Communications’ Fourth Quarter Net Revenue Rises 2.3%. During 2017, Saga Communications executed the sale of its television stations and purchased radio stations in Charleston and Hilton Head, South Carolina. Those transactions resulted in net income increasing $9.9 million during the fourth quarter of 2017 and $36.5 million for the year. Saga reports that net revenue increased 2.3% to $31.5 million during Q4. For the entire year, net revenue decreased 0.7% to $118.2 million. For the fourth quarter, operating income decreased $433,000 to $5.3 million when adjusted for the $1.5 million charge for impairment of intangible assets. Station operating expense increased 5.4% to $23.2 million (station operating expense includes depreciation and amortization attributable to the stations) primarily due to the acquisition of the Charleston and Hilton Head radio stations. Free cash flow was $6.3 million compared to $7.6 million last year. Same station net revenue decreased 4.2% to $29.5 million primarily due to a decrease in gross political revenue of $1 million and same station operating expense decreased 2.5% to $21.5 million for the quarter.
Urban One Reports Q4 2017 Net Revenue Down 4%. The silver lining in this fourth quarter 2017 financial report from Urban One is that broadcast and digital operating income increased 2.8% compared to the same period in 2016. But overall, net revenue was approximately $109 million, a decrease of 4% from the same period in 2016. Adjusted EBITDA was approximately $38.7 million for the quarter, compared to $30.9 million for the same period in 2016, an increase of 25.6%. Urban One president and CEO Alfred C. Liggins, III says, “Overall, we produced a strong quarter from an Adjusted EBITDA standpoint, and as a result we were able to show full year Adjusted EBITDA growth, despite the challenging market conditions. Our core radio revenues were up slightly for the quarter, excluding the impact of political revenues. Our TV advertising revenues suffered from weak ratings delivery, which was somewhat offset by growth in affiliate revenues. Our digital business benefitted from the integration of our acquisition of the Bossip, Madame Noire and Hip Hop Wired brands, and was up significantly in both revenue and Adjusted EBITDA compared to prior year. We were able to control costs, most notably at TV One and Corporate. During the quarter, we repurchased a further $20 million of our 9.25% notes at a discount, and we remain strongly committed to reducing net leverage.”
TALKERS News Notes. Sports giant ESPN announces James Pitaro is the company’s new chief, taking over for John Skipper, who suddenly stepped down from his position in December in order to address what was termed a long-time substance abuse issue. Pitaro has been serving the Walt Disney company in an executive capacity in the digital realm. Pitaro will also serve as co-chair of Disney’s television segment…..JVC Media’s Long Island news/talk outlet WRCN, Riverhead “LI News Radio 103.9 FM” is presenting a “Spring Back to Business” event designed to be a “networking social get-together” on March 26 at its studio operations at Long Island MacArthur Airport in Ronkonkoma. Station personality Frank MacKay will introduce FOX News Channel and FOX News Radio personality Brian Kilmeade who will take part in a Q&A with attendees.
Bill Lally Dies After Battle with Cancer. Family, friends and the Southern California radio community are mourning the loss of Bill Lally, who passed away over the weekend after a long battle with cancer. Lally was a longtime operations manager and APD at KFI, KLAC and KTLK in Los Angeles who exited the company in 2009 during the massive round of layoffs that took place at then-Clear Channel that year. Prior to moving to Los Angeles, Lally had also served with WABC, New York; Westwood One; WMCA; and CBS RADIO during his career.
Trump-Russia Investigation/Sam Nunberg Subpoena, Financial Reforms Rollback, North Korea-South Korea Talks, Trump Tariffs/Trade War, Senate School Safety Bill, Netanyahu-Trump Meeting, the Oscars, and NBA Action Among Top News/Talk Stories Yesterday (3/5). The investigation into possible connections between the Trump campaign and Russian agents and the bizarre media tour by former Trump aide Sam Nunberg after being subpoenaed by special counsel Robert Mueller; Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell proposes rolling back reforms enacted after the 2008 financial crisis; North Korea’s Kim Jong Un meets with South Korean officials; President Trump’s proposed steel and aluminum tariffs and House Speaker Paul Ryan’s move to block them; the U.S. Senate proposes a school safety bill in the aftermath of the Parkland, Florida shooting; embattled Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s trip to Washington and his meeting with President Trump; Sunday night’s Academy Awards show; and NBA action were some of the most-talked-about stories on news/talk radio yesterday, according to ongoing research from TALKERS magazine.
Music Radio News and Career Moves. The morning show at iHeartMedia’s hip hop WUSL, Philadelphia “Power 99” adds Roxy Romeo to the cast. She’ll join the “Rise & Grind Morning Show” featuring Mikey Dredd and Mutha Knows, effective March 12. iHM Philly
director of urban programming Derrick Corbett says, “To be able to add a talent the likes of Roxy to our staff is phenomenal. She’s an incredible personality who has the ability to make you feel as if you’ve known her for years upon first listen. We’re excited to be able to share her voice with the city of Philadelphia, and that she’s chosen to make
‘Power 99’ her new home.” Romeo was most recently midday jock, APD and music director at the company’s “REAL 103.9” in Las Vegas…..Nate Bell is named program director at iHeartMedia’s hip hop WJLB and urban contemporary WMXD “Mix 92.3” in Detroit. EVP of urban/hip hop programming Doc Wynter says, “We are so excited to have Nate back in our urban programming brain trust. He was missed, but it was destiny for him to come back to
iHeartMedia. Things are about to heat up in Detroit!”…..In Charlotte, iHeartMedia names Brooke Morrison afternoon personality for CHR WHQC “Channel 96.1.” Station PD A.J. says, “We are very excited about what Brooke will bring to Charlotte. Her high level of engagement, work ethic and passion for music and entertainment make her a superstar on and off the air. I look forward to her joining the team as we build the next chapter of ‘Channel 96.1.’”
Wednesday, February 14, 2018
WEEI, Boston to Suspend Programming on Friday; Holds Mandatory Sensitivity Training for Air Staff. In the aftermath of two recent incidents in which WEEI, Boston air personalities made statements that offended some, Entercom is suspending the sports talk station’s Friday programming and all staff will complete mandatory sensitivity training. As regular TALKERS readers are aware, WEEI has been dealing with blowback – including lost advertisers – after a bit in which midday personality Christian Fauria used a phony Asian accent while imitating sports agent Don Yee (who, incidentally, speaks English without an accent). It’s being reported that Comcast, City of Boston Credit Union, the Massachusetts Lottery, and possibly others, have cancelled ad campaigns with the station. Fauria has been suspended by Entercom for a week and both the station and Fauria have apologized for the incident. The cancellations appear to have come on the heels of an op-ed piece by Boston Globe columnist Shirley Leung. This latest incident came almost two weeks after WEEI’s Alex Reimer referred to Tom Brady’s daughter as “an annoying little pissant.” Brady cut short a scheduled appearance on the “Kirk & Callahan” morning show because of Reimer’s comments. The station posted the following on its website: “Nothing is more important to WEEI than the close-knit and diverse Boston community we call home, and we are committed to actively contributing to its betterment. WEEI is in the process of closely reevaluating our policies and procedures in an effort to ensure that our programming is never intolerant or harmful to our listeners or our city.” This suspension of live programming for mandatory sensitivity training is, as far back as TALKERS editors can remember, unprecedented in the radio industry.
U.S. Trustee Has Issues with Cumulus Bonus Structure. More accurately, U.S. Trustee William Harrington has issues with the information Cumulus has supplied regarding its bonus structure at both the station level and for corporate executives. Harrington has filed an objection stating that, among other things, Cumulus has not identified the job titles of those at the station level slated for bonuses, has not identified all of the corporate executives scheduled to receive payouts, nor has Cumulus shown that its bonus plan is an actual incentive plan and not retentive in nature (i.e. solely designed to keep key employees on board during a time of uncertainty). What Harrington is saying is that actual incentive plans are allowed but Cumulus hasn’t satisfied him in showing its bonus plans are exactly that and not mechanisms to “enrich insiders” at the “expense of the creditors.” Cumulus issued the following statement regarding Harrington’s objection: “The objection filed last night has absolutely no impact on the authorizations the Court gave the company on February 8th to pay incentive compensation for employees who earned it in 2017, or will earn it in 2018. We will be making our incentive compensation payments to those employees, beginning with this week’s normal payroll cycle. The objection filed is common in these situations and applies only to a small number of senior executives whose compensation will be addressed at an upcoming hearing on March 12th.”
WGN, Chicago to Air White Sox Games. After 75 years, the Chicago White Sox are returning to WGN’s airwaves. As you’re probably aware, Cumulus asked the bankruptcy court to let it out of contracts that were onerous and the WLS-AM/White Sox deal was one of them. Now, for the first time since 1943, White Sox games will return to Tribune’s WGN starting with a spring training game on Friday, February 23. In the booth will be former Sox pitcher Ed Farmer handling play-by-play and former outfielder Darrin Jackson as analyst. WGN VP of content Todd Manley says, “What an honor it is to join the White Sox family. Summer starts TODAY on WGN Radio.”
WOR Names Ray Martel to Executive Producer Role for Mets Broadcasts. New York radio pro Ray Martel – currently the associate producer for WOR, New York’s “Len Berman in the Morning” show – is named executive producer for New York Mets radio broadcasts and “Sports Zone with Pete McCarthy,” effective March 1. Martel says, “I am extremely honored to be the next producer of the Mets broadcasts on 710 WOR. When I began in broadcasting 20 years ago, one of my first positions was as a board-op working on the Mets broadcasts. It’s amazing to think it’s come full-circle two decades later…I can’t wait for the season to start!” Prior to his arrival at WOR, Martel was a producer at crosstown sports talker WFAN for 13 years. He produced for Mike Francesa, Tiki Barber, Brandon Tierney and Dana Jacobson. He also produced for ESPN Radio. Martel takes over for Joe Curci, who is leaving on February 28 for a position outside of radio.
Lauer Named Director of Sales for Entercom Milwaukee. Radio sales pro Eric Lauer is appointed to the director of sales position at Entercom’s Milwaukee station group that includes sports talk WSSP/W289CB “105.7 FM/AM 1250 The Fan,” CHR WXSS “103.7 Kiss FM,” and hot AC WMYX “99.1 The Mix.” Lauer was most recently general sales manager at Scripps’ crosstown news/talk
WTMJ and country WKTI. Entercom Milwaukee/Madison SVP and market manager Chuck Sullivan says, “I have known Eric since he first arrived in the market and his passion, intellect and leadership skills were apparent immediately. We feel very fortunate to have him partner with us to lead the Milwaukee team.” Lauer has also held sales management roles with Cox Media Group in Florida and Georgia.
TALKERS News Notes. KIRO-FM, Seattle adds Gee Scott to the evening “KIRO Nights” program with co-host Zak Burns. Scott moves to the new position from Bonneville’s sister sports talker KIRO-AM “710 ESPN Seattle” where he hosted the evening program. He fills the seat vacated by Jason Rantz, who exited last fall to assume the morning drive show on the company’s local news/talk KTTH-AM…..The popular podcast from The New York Times, “The Daily,” is being produced as a 30-minute evening radio program distributed by American Public Media. Michael Barbaro will also host the radio version…..Also in Seattle, iHeartMedia is signing with the Major League Soccer club Seattle Sounders FC to serve as its flagship radio station for match play-by-play. Games and related programming – that used to air on Bonneville’s KIRO-FM – will now air on KJR-AM. Matt Johnson will call the matches along with rotating analysts Wade Webber, Danny Jackson, and Pete Fewing.
Cumulus Celebrates 40 Years of Steve Dahl with Billboard Campaign. Radio personality Steve Dahl has been a part of Chicago radio for 40 years and Cumulus Media is honoring Dahl’s colorful career with a billboard campaign in Chicagoland. Dahl is currently hosting afternoon drive on Cumulus’ news/talk WLS-AM. The image above is part of the creative for the campaign and shows Dahl with the late John Belushi.
audioBoom and Triton Digital Merge. This pairing is being termed a “reverse takeover” with Triton Digital merging with the UK-based audioBoom podcast network and technology provider. audioBoom will acquire all of the stock of Triton Digital Canada for $185 million. The new company will be called Triton Digital Group and will be publicly traded on the London Stock Exchange. The executive structure will effectively remain in place with president/CEO Neal Schore, president/market development John Rosso, EVP/CFO Mark Rosenbaum, and SVP/ product and technology Alex Fournier.
Current audioBoom CEO Rob Proctor becomes managing director of the audioBoom business unit. He also remains an executive director. Schore comments, “We’re proud of our position in the marketplace. We feel an enormous sense of responsibility to continuously innovate and to drive monetization opportunities. Our clients can expect us to not only maintain our leadership position, but to have the resources and the team to expand our technology and services meaningfully.” audioboom currently hosts more than 12,000 content channels, with U.S. content partners including: Cumulus Media, Westwood One, and the Associated Press. The transaction is expected to close in late March or early April.
Rob Porter White House Exit/John Kelly Status, Russia Election Interference, DACA Status/Immigration Policy, Trump/Stormy Daniels Matter, U.S. Strikes in Syria, Netanyahu Criminal Allegations, PyeongChang Winter Games, and NBA Action Among Top News/Talk Stories Yesterday (2/13). The aftermath of Rob Porter’s exit from the White House after allegations of spousal abuse and questions about chief of staff John Kelly’s job security; U.S. intel concerns about Russian influence in 2018 mid-term elections; a judge refuses to allow DACA to be shut down and the related Trump Administration policy on immigration; Donald Trump attorney Michael Cohen reveals he paid porn star Stormy Daniels $130,000 out of his own pocket; U.S. military strikes in Syria allegedly kill Russian mercenaries; Israeli investigators say Benjamin Netanyahu should be indicted on corruption charges; the Olympic Games in PyeongChang, South Korea; and NBA action were some of the most-talked-about stories on news/talk radio yesterday, according to ongoing research from TALKERS magazine.
Deborah Norville to Host BFoA’s Golden Mike Award Ceremony. Television’s Deborah Norville is hosting the Broadcasters Foundation of America’s 2018 Golden Mike Award honoring Graham Media president and CEO Emily Barr on March 5 at the Plaza Hotel in New York City. Also, at this event Pat McLaughlin will accept the Lifetime Achievement Award on behalf of her late husband, Ed McLaughlin, who is credited with discovering Rush Limbaugh and was the founder of EFM Media Management. Ed McLaughlin was chairman emeritus of the Broadcasters Foundation when he passed away last month. This annual event is one of the biggest fundraisers in support of the mission of the Broadcasters Foundation to provide aid to broadcasters in acute need.
WIOV, Lancaster’s ‘Murph’ Dies Unexpectedly at 61. Sad news out of Lancaster, Pennsylvania as Cumulus Media reports that WIOV-FM “I-105” morning personality Jerry Murphy – half of the “Murph & Casey” program with Casey Allyn – died unexpectedly at the age of 61. The duo had worked together on “I-105” for the past 19 years. Station PD Rich Creeger says, “Murph was not only one of the most charismatic personalities I had the pleasure of working with, but he was also a great friend. I will miss him tremendously.” The station has set up a tribute to Murph on the station website at wiov.com.
More Music Radio News and Career Moves. Appointed to take over management of Spanish Broadcasting System’s New York operations is Maire Mason. She’s the new VP/GM for Spanish music outlets WSKQ-FM “Mega 97.9FM” and WPAT-FM “Amor 93.1FM.” Mason, who most recently worked for Cumulus as VP/GM in New York, takes over for Eric Garcia who recently exited to join Univision…..Nate Reed is named operations manager for Cox Media Group’s Tulsa cluster. CMG market VP Cathy Gunther comments, “Nate’s commitment to strong programming will continue to set our stations apart from our competitors. He has been a natural leader at our radio properties and now, with all our platforms working together, he will be integral part of our new leadership team.”…..Yes, it happened on Valentine’s Day! Cumulus Media appoints Chad Valentine program director for CHR WBHT, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. Valentine was most recently with iHeartMedia as air personality, APD, and music director for CHR WHYI, Miami “Y100.” Valentine says, “I’m excited to be here and ready to make some great radio for Northeast PA. I’m proud to be part of the next chapter of WBHT’s evolution.”…..Mid
-West Family Broadcasting South Bend general manager Jim Roberts leaves the company after almost 22 years to become the national account manager at Cleveland-based Futuri Media. Roberts had served as GM of the South Bend station group since 2011…..Pictured at right are Premiere Networks president Julie Talbott (right) and Premiere’s SVP, talent and brand integration Rick Murray (left) chatting with country star Sara Evans (center) as she kicked off the “CMT Next Women of Country” tour at B.B. King Blues Club & Grill in New York City on February 12.
Friday, February 9, 2018
WTAQ, Green Bay Talk Host Jerry Bader Exits. And he tells the Wisconsin State Journal that his critical coverage of President Trump is the reason he’s out, but he’s rather sanguine about it. Jerry Bader doesn’t appear angry about his exit from Midwest Communications’ WTAQ, Green Bay, saying, “I’ve always known it was (their) microphone that I used each day. I have no regrets on how I’ve handled the show the past two and a half years.” He’d been with Midwest Communications for the past 14 years. Bader was one of a number of
Wisconsin radio talk show hosts critical of Trump’s personality and policies, going back to the primaries. Most of those hosts fell into line after the primary and general elections (or left the air like WTMJ, Milwaukee’s Charlie Sykes). But Bader tells the paper, “I have always tried to tell what I believed is the truth and more recently to comport my behavior, on and off the air with my Christ-following faith, after I was saved in 2016.” Bader’s late morning program was also carried on Midwest’s Wisconsin news/talk outlets WHBL, Sheboygan and WSAU-AM/FM, Wausau. He transitioned to a part-time role with the company in 2016 to work full time with MediaTrackers.org. Read the whole story here.
KSCO, Santa Cruz Launches New Show Dedicated to Improving Public Education. The program is called “Edulution” and is hosted by Juan Cabrera, a corporate technology attorney and former teacher and who currently serves as the Superintendent of Schools at El Paso Texas Independent School District. He is the co-founder of the Texas Council of Urban School Districts and serves on the executive board of the Council of Great City Schools. The show will air weekly on Sundays from 10:00 am to 12:00 noon on KSCO, Santa Cruz “NewsTalk AM 1080 and FM 104.1.” The call-in show is “designed to spark discussion on how to improve the quality of public education in the USA.” According to KSCO, “Cabrera believes that the success of our economy is predicated on
the quality of our American education systems. Thus understanding, analyzing and discussing our education systems and how to improve them is critical to our future success.” Cabrera says, “We will not maintain our position as a global leader in this 21st century knowledge economy unless our education systems are designed to meet our economic needs.” KSCO owner Michael Zwerling adds, “In these unprecedented, polarized times, the high cost and poor performance of public education and health care are two issues we can all agree on, regardless of our political perspective. It’s always baffled me that talk radio — which can be such a positive force for civil discussion and problem-solving — has not been harnessed in this manner, which is a shame. Rather than pitting people against each other to ‘divide and conquer,’ let’s all work together using today’s tools of technology, coupled with integrity to engage in courteous discourse to solve our problems and move our country forward.” Juan Cabrera or Michael Zwerling may be contacted via email at: edulution@ksco.com.
WW1 and SiriusXM to Bring Winter Games to Radio. The 2018 Olympic Winter Games officially get underway tonight in PyeongChang, South Korea and Westwood One, in partnership with U.S. Olympics rights holder NBCUniversal, is presenting live radio coverage of the games this evening through the closing ceremony on Sunday February 25. Westwood One will broadcast – via affiliate stations and via SiriusXM Satellite Radio – throughout the Games as live events unfold, with around-the-clock Olympic updates three times per hour; live Team USA Men’s and Women’s Ice Hockey play-by-play; live coverage of various Olympic Winter events, including figure skating, speed skating, skiing, bobsled and luge; and a daily live show, “Today In PyeongChang.”
Dow Correction Top News/Talk Story for Week of February 5-9. The Dow Jones Industrial Average’s loss of more than 2,000 points in a week was the most-talked-about story on news/talk radio this week, landing atop the Talkers TenTM. At #2 was Congress passing a new, $400 billion spending plan. Coming in at #3 was Nancy Pelosi’s marathon speech and the Trump Administration’s immigration policy, followed by the Trump-Russia investigation at #4. The Talkers TenTM 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 magazine. It is published every Friday at Talkers.com. View this week’s entire chart here.
Bill O’Reilly Visits ‘Bernie & Sid’ at 77WABC. Conservative media personality Bill O’Reilly (center) stopped by the WABC, New York studios to chat with late morning hosts Bernard McGuirk (right) and Sid Rosenberg (left). O’Reilly promoted his digital platform on which he broadcasts daily, saying he’s free from the constraints of commercial cable news/talk. He added, “Our audience is looking for analysis they don’t get on cable television – or on talk radio, to be frank.”
The Federalist Publisher Ben Domenech Is This Week’s Guest on the Newly Rebranded Michael Harrison Podcast. He is a self-described contrarian, libertarian, and conservative whose independent, articulate positions have gained him a significant following among Washington insiders and followers of public policy discussion across the nation. Ben Domenech, publisher of the online political magazine The Federalist and
host of the daily PodcastOne series “The Federalist Radio Hour” is this week’s guest on the award-winning series, “The Michael Harrison Interview” (formerly titled, “Up Close and Far Out with Michael Harrison”). Harrison and 36-year-old Domenech engage in a deep-dive conversation about the state of the American conservative movement during the age of Donald Trump. They share insights about the nature of Millennials as well as the rapid evolution of today’s media, publishing, and podcasting. Harrison describes Domenech (the son-in-law of U.S. Senator John McCain) as “one of the brightest, independent young voices in today’s political media.” To listen to the podcast in its entirety, please click here or click on the “Up Close and Far Out” or “The Michael Harrison Interview” player boxes located in the right-hand column on every page of Talkers.com.
Former Boston Talk Host Janet Jeghelian Dies at 83. In addition to hosting talk radio programs at WBZ-AM and WRKO in Boston, Janet Jeghelian also ran for several statewide offices, including lieutenant governor of Massachusetts. Bryan Marquad of the Boston Globe notes that Jeghelian was a “pioneering Republican woman” who sought statewide offices and won. Jeghelian also sought the Republican nomination to challenge Ted Kennedy for his U.S. Senate seat in 1994 but failed in that bid (Mitt Romney was nominated). Jeghelian was a trained physical therapist who ventured into local politics. During the 1980s, she co-hosted the “Ted and Janet” morning show on WRKO alongside Ted O’Brien.
Music Radio News and Career Moves. It’s now official that Frank Ski is returning to Entercom’s urban contemporary WVEE, Atlanta “V-103” to co-host the morning drive program with Wanda Smith on the “Frank & Wanda in the Morning” show,
effective Monday (2/12). Ski takes over for Ryan Cameron, who exited recently after choosing not to negotiate a new deal with Entercom. “V-103” says that Joe Taylor, a.k.a. Miss Sophia, is returning to the show with her signature “Girl Talk” segment and entertainment updates. As recently reported here, Ski and Smith co-hosted the morning show on the station from 1998 to 2012…..In the Norfolk market, iHeartMedia announces that
Michael “DJ Fountz” Fournier is promoted to the program director position at hip hop WOWI “103 JAMZ” and classic hip hop and R&B WHBT “92.1 The Beat.” He’s also hosting the midday program on “103 JAMZ.” iHeartMedia Norfolk market president Angel Brown says, “DJ Fountz is a part of the ‘103 JAMZ’ fabric. He’s served as the station’s assistant program director for many years and we are excited to have him at the helm of the number one urban station in the Norfolk market and lead programming efforts at ‘92.1 The Beat.’”…..Salem Media Group names Mike Blakemore VP/programming, CCM format. Blakemore is PD at the company’s contemporary Christian WFSH, Atlanta “104.7 The Fish.” Salem says that in this new role, Blakemore will provide leadership to the company’s contemporary Christian music outlets. Salem Media broadcast division president Dave Santrella adds, “Mike’s success in Atlanta has been confirmed by WFSH ranking consistently in the top-tier of stations in our target demo of Women 25-54, often in the top five.”…..Country air personality Vanessa Ryan exits Midwest Communications’ WDEZ, Wausau, Wisconsin after a 17-year tour with the station…..iHeartMedia country station WSIX, Nashville “The BIG 98” is presenting the 6th annual “Songs & Stories for St. Jude” fundraising event on Sunday, April 8 at the Wildhorse Saloon in Nashville. It’s a live concert and auction that benefits St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. It’s being hosted by WSIX personalities Amy Paige and Tige & Daniel and will include acclaimed songwriters Chris DeStefano, JT Harding, Jon Nite and Matt Jenkins.
PPM Analysis: A Closer Look at Holiday 2017. Managing editor Mike Kinosian takes a more in-depth look into the Nielsen Audio Holiday 2017 PPM survey and reports on some of the trends he’s noticed. In this report he delves into the myriad ups and downs associated with the annual Holiday ratings period. Check it out here.
Monday, January 8, 2018
Salem Media to Air Dino Costa-Hosted Sports Talk Show on ‘AM 970 The Answer’ in NYC. The New York Daily News’ Bob Raissman reports that Salem Media Group is bringing controversial sports talk personality Dino Costa to the Big Apple to host a sports talk show on conservative news/talk outlet WNYM “AM 970 The Answer.” The show will air from 12:00 midnight to 3:00 am and launches tonight (Tuesday, January 9). Costa tells Raissman, “Obviously there is a lot of great sports radio in New York. I feel
privileged to be a part of the New York sports radio scene and I hope I can do my part to provide another option for sports fans looking for something a little bit different.” Costa was most recently with Alpha Media’s sports talk KXTG-AM, Portland as afternoon personality. He joined the station on June 5 but exited two months later after blowback from his on-air comments suggesting motorists should hit Black Lives Matter protesters who block roadways. During his career, Costa also served with SiriusXM, hosting a program on the Mad Dog Radio channel.
PPM Analysis: Sports Talk. Managing editor Mike Kinosian presents a look at the performances of stations based on 6+ data from the December 2017 Nielsen Audio PPM survey, today focusing on sports talk radio. As the NFL regular season winds down toward the playoffs, it’s not unusual to see the flagship stations of playoff-bound teams benefit in the ratings, and that appears to be the case again this year. Comparing November 2017 data to December 2017, Kinosian says that “six of every 10 stations (60%) on this sports talk panel are down November 2017 – December 2017; 28% improve; and the remaining 12% are flat.” When comparing station performances from December 2016 to December 2017, “54% of these eligible sports talk stations are up year-to-year, while 34% regress; the remaining 12% are unchanged from a year ago.” Not a single sports talker ranked #1 (6+) in its market, but five stations ranked in the top five in their respective markets. Both Entercom’s WIP, Philadelphia and iHeartMedia’s KFXN, Minneapolis ranked #2. iHeartMedia’s WBZ-FM, Boston and Entercom’s WFAN, New York ranked #4 (WFAN achieved that in the New Jersey market of Middlesex-Somerset-Union counties), and Entercom’s WXYT-FM, Detroit ranked #5. See Kinosian’s complete report here.
Premiere Networks’ George Noory Celebrates 15 Years as Host of ‘Coast to Coast AM.’ This month marks the 15th year George Noory has been host of the Premiere Networks nationally syndicated late-night show, “Coast to Coast AM.” This broadcasting milestone comes on the heels of Noory’s renewed long-term contract with Premiere, signed last year. Noory comments, “I’m so excited about starting year 16 with my same, amazing staff, dedicated advertisers and, of course, our faithful listeners worldwide.” Premiere Networks president Julie Talbott says, “Entertaining millions of people in the middle of the night is no small feat, but George makes it look easy. His passion and dedication to delivering the best content for the ‘Coast to Coast AM’ audience is what drives the continued growth and success of the program. We’re proud to celebrate this special milestone with George, and look forward to many more.”
TALKERS News Notes. The 2018 Consumer Electronics Show gets underway this week in Las Vegas and iHeartMedia is announcing some new integrations for its iHeartRadio digital content platform during the show. The company says that now listeners will have the ability to access iHeartRadio through a bot for Facebook Messenger; Samsung’s new voice service, Bixby; Jibo, the first social robot for the home; Garmin’s new GPS running watch, the Forerunner 645 Music; and via Roku…..Speaking of the 2018 CES, media consultant Holland Cooke is in Las Vegas covering the show for TALKERS magazine and will be reporting all this week. Watch for his show notes here at Talkers.com and in our daily emailer…..Chicago media maven Robert Feder reports that former longtime WSCR, Chicago midday personality Dan McNeil has been sitting in on the Entercom sports talker recently. He appeared yesterday morning (1/7) co-hosting with the station’s Danny Parkins. Feder says McNeil will be back on WSCR next weekend with Tim Doyle. Feder says that McNeil has been hosting a sports-oriented podcast. He’s also been the voice of commercials for a Highland, Indiana Ford dealership where he’s on staff as a salesman…..Two former NFL players have been let go by ESPN after an investigation into allegations of sexual harassment. Donovan McNabb and Eric Davis – both of whom also have worked in sports talk radio since retiring from the NFL – were named in a lawsuit by NFL Network wardrobe stylist Jami Cantor in which she accuses McNabb of sending sexually inappropriate texts and Davis of groping her and making suggestive comments.
Hintz Named Marketing Director at Envision Networks. Syndicator and sales firm Envision Networks announces Dave Hintz returns to the radio industry to serve as the company’s new marketing director. Hintz has been away from radio for the past 12 years, mostly with Progressive Insurance. Envision CEO Danno Wolkoff says, “We are thrilled to have Dave join our growing company. He brings a wealth of marketing and PR experience to our expanding business. Dave will oversee our marketing team as well as manage additional sales initiatives debuting in 2018.”
Fire and Fury Controversy, Frigid Weather in Eastern U.S., Jeff Sessions vs Legal Marijuana, Computer Vulnerabilities, Golden Globe Awards/#MeToo Movement, and NFL Playoffs Among Top News/Talk Stories Over the Weekend. The controversy surrounding Michael Wolff’s new book, Fire and Fury, about the Donald Trump campaign and White House; the extreme cold that affected much of the Eastern United States; Attorney General Jeff Sessions’ move to have the Justice Department reverse the Obama era directive to not apply federal law in states where marijuana has been legalized; the vulnerability of all computers due to flaws in their microprocessors; Sunday night’s Golden Globe Awards and the activism of the #MeToo movement; and the NFL playoff games were some of the most-talked-about stories on news/talk radio over the weekend, according to ongoing research from TALKERS magazine.
Music Radio News and Career Moves. Pittsburgh country outlet WDSY “Y108” says it is bringing “Texas Country Music to Western Pennsylvania via a new weekly specialty program, ‘Red Dirt Revival.’” The new program is airing Sunday evenings from 9:00 to 12:00 midnight, hosted by Waynesburg, PA native and Nashville-based singer-songwriter Jackson Gardner. The program will feature music by artists such as Aaron Watson, Pat Green, and Eli Young Band. Entercom SVP and Pittsburgh market manager Michael Young states, “These artists are making great contributions to country music overall and we are pleased to bring their great songs to the airwaves of Western Pennsylvania.”…..Chicago media writer Robert Feder reports that Alpha Media’s country WCCQ, Crest Hill, Illinois is rebranding as a classic country outlet, using the moniker “Today’s Country & The Legends.” His report indicates that the station will emphasize artists from the 1990s and the early 2000s…..Saga Communications announces that Paul O’Malley is appointed president and general manager for the company’s Charleston, South Carolina cluster. O’Malley was most recently SVP/strategic sales partnerships for Westwood One. Saga CEO Ed Christian comments, “Paul’s world-class reputation and experience, coupled with his love for Charleston, made this a perfect fit for us and our outstanding team in Charleston.”
Wednesday, December 20, 2017
Beasley WMJX-WBZ-FM Exchange Is Complete. The asset exchange between Beasley Broadcast Group and Entercom Communications, in which Beasley gave hot AC WMJX, Boston and $12 million cash to Entercom in exchange for sports talk WBZ-FM, Boston “98.5 The Sports Hub,” is complete. Beasley CEO Caroline Beasley comments, “The addition of WBZ-FM to our broadcast portfolio highlights Beasley’s focus on premium local programming and content and is complementary to our five other radio stations and digital operations in the Boston market. Throughout Beasley Broadcast Group’s 56-year history, we have actively managed our station portfolio with the goal of serving the communities where we operate with the best local programming and brands, diversifying our operations, managing risk and improving financial results. The addition of WBZ-FM to our portfolio addresses all of these strategic objectives as it strengthens our company’s presence and commitment to locally originated content in the Boston market.”
WABC, New York’s Curtis Sliwa Says Goal Is to Be on the Radio for Christmas. The WABC, New York radio personality recently underwent an eight-hour surgical procedure for Crohn’s disease that resulted in the removal of half of his small intestines and half of his large intestines. Curtis Sliwa tells TALKERS magazine, “I am now taking fentanyl for the pain relief – which is 10 times more powerful than morphine. The goal – as I continue to receive blood transfusions and get fed through an IV – is to be home for Christmas. The surgeons all said that they would be home for Christmas with their families and they agreed that the goal for me should be likewise. Many of our listeners on Christmas have only their terrestrial radio as their friends. Many are older, single, or are shut-ins. Without radio they would be super-depressed. It is for some their only friend. This Christmas will mark 27 years in talk radio for me. I will do a live program with my family on air and in the WABC studios. I’m lucky to be alive and I want to share my Christmas with all those who have no one to share their Christmas with.”
CBS Sports Radio Network to Launch New ‘Taz and the Moose’ Morning Show. The new “Taz and the Moose” show will replace the current “Gio and Jones” program in the 6:00 am to 9:00 am daypart on the network. CBS SPORTS RADIO says the new block of “entertaining, energetic, and engaging sports talk” will be anchored by professional wrestling world heavyweight champion and popular podcast host Taz, a.k.a. Pete Senerchia, and CBS SPORTS
RADIO talent and TV host Marc “The Moose” Malusis. Gregg Giannotti of “Gio and Jones” is joining Boomer Esiason for mornings on WFAN, New York, effective in January. CBS SPORTS RADIO director of programming Eric Spitz states, “We’re extremely excited for the debut of ‘Taz and the Moose.’ As the host of an extremely successful podcast, Taz has done an amazing job of transitioning from a successful career as a professional wrestler into sports broadcasting. Moose has hosted two popular weekend shows on CBS SPORTS RADIO since our launch five years ago. I know he is ready for this opportunity.”
Michael Harrison Says “Radio Is Now a State of Mind” in TechRepublic Video. According to TALKERS founder Michael Harrison, the culturally iconic paradigm of “radio” being a closed system consisting of a production company that produces and broadcasts a linear procession of scheduled programs in standardized parcels of time from a local building via a transmitter and tower to a specialized appliance with the capacity of AM/FM reception on a specific frequency licensed by the government is a limited and archaic definition of the term as it applies to the process of popular news, sports and entertainment audio broadcasting in the modern era. In an exclusive video interview conducted by CBS Interactive senior reporter Dan Patterson for Tech Republic posted yesterday (12/19), Harrison says the aforementioned system still has some life in it in terms of audience and revenue but it is increasingly fading on both counts with each passing year in the digital era. It is being replaced by the digital extensions of the original concept that include podcasting, on demand programming and a multi-channel array of branded programs that enjoy the non-standardized and unlimited manipulation of space and time. Harrison says the traditional concept of “radio” that most of its practitioners and fans grew up with is now basically “a state of mind” that simply influences the spirit and flavor of a far more diverse set of products and listening methods. The challenge facing the radio business at this time is dealing with stifling debt accrued during the waning years of the analogue era while comfortably transitioning into a digital revenue model. “The digital age has made it difficult for all media that sells advertising to evolve into the new business model,” Harrison says. “It’s much more difficult to sell advertising for the same amount of money.” He adds, “We haven’t really come up with a way yet to comfortably embed advertising into the digital space. It’s very obtrusive. It’s annoying.” Harrison suggests, “For radio shows to be successful in today’s digital age, they must target an audience that is underserved and passionate about a particular topic and then gain credibility with them. All of the content must be pertinent, good, and credible for people to believe in it.” Harrison sums it up, “The good news for people looking to get into the radio business is that it’s easier than ever to get your foot in the door with the technology that is available today. However, the bad news is that it’s much more difficult to fight through the noise to make your voice heard and brand gain traction. For just engaging an audience, the bar has never been higher.” To view the interview in its entirety, please click here.
GOP Tax Reform Plan, Amtrak Crash, North Korea Nukes/WannaCry, Trump Approval Rating/Hillary Favorable Rating, Jerusalem Capital Recognition, Sexual Misconduct Cases, California Wildfires, and NFL and NBA Action Among Top News/Talk Stories Yesterday (12/19). The Senate passes the Republican tax reform plan; the investigation into the deadly Amtrak crash in Washington state; North Korea’s nuclear threats and the U.S. government’s blaming the hermit kingdom for the WannaCry computer virus; President Trump’s approval rating sinks to 35% and Hillary Clinton’s favorability rating dips to 36%; U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley warns nations U.S. is “taking names” of those voting for resolution against U.S. recognizing Jerusalem as Israel’s capital; the ongoing discussion about sexual misconduct; the status of the Southern California wildfires; and NFL and NBA action were some of the most-talked-about stories on news/talk radio yesterday, according to ongoing research from TALKERS magazine.
Music Radio News and Career Moves. Programming changes take place at Radio One’s Philadelphia operation as urban contemporary WRNB adds new drive time shows. Beginning January 4, “The Quincy Harris Morning Show with K Foxx” and “The DL Hughley Show” join the roster for mornings and afternoons, respectively. Radio One says Quincy Harris is returning to radio after 15 years. He’s been serving with WTXF-TV, Philadelphia “FOX 29” on the “Good Day Philadelphia” show. Now, after two seasons on that program, Harris is hosting his own “FOX 29” show “The Q” weekdays at 12:00 noon. A statement from the company says, “For the past two years, WRNB programming has ranked 13th to 16th in the 25-54 demo. Although we share in our listeners’ admiration for our impacted talent, as this change wasn’t easy for us either, it is critical that we take calculated risks to re-imagine and reposition this station for long-term success. Radio One’s commitment to the Black community is unwavering. In fact, it is the impetus for our changes and the passion that drives our work daily.”…..At Riviera Broadcasting’s adult contemporary KOAI, Sun City West/K235CB, Chandler “Oasis 95.1 & 94.9” (Phoenix market), Monica Nelson returns to the station to host the 12:00 noon to 5:00 pm show. Director of operations Marc Young comments, “We are excited to welcome Monica back to our company after a brief hiatus. Monica is beloved for her sincere connection to the community and her fans. Her wit, humor, and real-life experiences will once again be enriching the Phoenix radio airwaves.”…..WAY-FM, Louisville adds Ben Smith as community impact director/operations coordinator. Smith has most recently served with Thy Word Radio Network in Evansville, Indiana…..iHeartMedia names Pedro Javier González has been SVP of programming for iHeartLatino. González reports to Enrique Santos, chairman and chief creative officer for iHeartLatino and Brad Hardin, EVP and general manager for iHeartMedia’s national programming group.
Monday, December 11, 2017
WBUR, Boston Talk Personality Tom Ashbrook Suspended During Investigation. “On Point” is a public radio talk show produced by WBUR, Boston – owned and operated by Boston University – and syndicated to almost 300 NPR affiliate stations. As reported by WBUR.org, host Tom Ashbrook has been suspended while the school and the station conduct an investigation into allegations, the details of which are not being specified by the station. It released this statement on Friday (12/8): “Yesterday, Boston University and WBUR received some allegations against Tom Ashbrook. Tom will be on leave from his duties at WBUR while an outside organization hired by Boston University examines these allegations. We will decide a course of action after getting the results of this investigation.” In the WBUR.org story, Ashbrook says he’s “stunned at the situation” and says he respects the process the school must go through in this situation.
Mark Kaye Hosting New Daily Talk Show on WOKV, Jacksonville. CHR radio pro Mark Kaye is now hosting a daily talk show on Cox Media Group’s WOKV-AM/FM, Jacksonville. Kaye is the morning drive host on the company’s sister CHR WAPE. His new talk show airs from 11:00 am to 12:00 noon, in between the Herman Cain show and Rush Limbaugh on the program schedule. Kaye has worked for WOKV in the past, hosting a weekend show.
Former Nevada Broadcasters Association Founding President Admits to Improper Behavior. Radio personality and former Nevada Broadcasters Association president Bob Fisher admits to engaging in “improper behavior” with teenage boys back in the 1980s. This was reported in a piece in Jewish Week that reveals the details of allegations by two men who were 18 and 16 at the time Fisher was a leader of the Pacific Southwest Region of United Synagogue Youth. In the story, Fisher admits to the allegations and says he is ashamed of his behavior, though he says he never forced himself on anyone. He also tells the paper of his dysfunctional childhood and being raped as a child and as a college student.
Nielsen and Cumulus Renew Deal for Ratings Services. The ratings giant is owed approximately $6.65 million by Cumulus Media – that figure was released by Cumulus as part of its Chapter 11 filing. But, Nielsen Audio knows that Cumulus needs its services to help sell its radio stations and national programming on Westwood One. This renewal means
Cumulus continues to use the ratings service but will also have access to data from Nielsen Scarborough, enhanced talent analytics from Nielsen N-Score and national networks ratings from Nielsen RADAR. Cumulus EVP of operations Bob Walker comments, “Despite the abundance of media options, radio continues to lead the way in reach and ROI. We are excited to extend our agreement with Nielsen so that we can continue to leverage their vast datasets and analytical insights to provide the proof that we do indeed deliver the highest ROI of any local media to our advertisers.”
PPM Analysis: NBA Flagships. TALKERS magazine managing editor Mike Kinosian presents a look at the performances of radio stations that serve as flagship stations for play-by-play broadcasts for NBA teams. Note that this isn’t a review of PPM ratings for game broadcasts, but for weekly 6+ AQH shares for stations that serve as flagships. A number of these stations serve as flagships for NFL and MLB franchises, as well. In addition to charts comparing stations’ ratings in numerous ways, Kinosian reports the station ranks for the Nielsen Audio’s November PPM survey and the five previous surveys. At the top of the heap, WBZ-FM, Boston ranked #3 (6+) in November. WTMJ, Milwaukee ranked #4 and WFAN, New York and WXYT-FM, Detroit ranked #5 in their respective markets. See the whole report here.
News Pro Chuck Rich Dead at 65. News pro Charles “Chuck” Rich died suddenly on Friday (12/8) at the age of 65. Chuck Rich was married to Washington, DC public relations pro Rita Rich. During his career, he held positions with WTOP-TV (WUSA), WTOP Radio, AP Radio and for well over 25 years, Westwood One Radio Networks. He also spent many years with Voice of America. He also was a contributing editor for Washingtonian Magazine.
Trump Jerusalem Recognition Reactions, California Wildfires, Iraq’s ISIS Liberation, Roy Moore Campaign, North Korea Nuclear Program, Trump-Russia Probe, Bitcoin Activity, Sunday’s NFL Games, and NBA Action Among Top News/Talk Stories Over the Weekend. The violent protests in the Middle East over President Trump’s recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel; the raging California wildfires and authorities’ concerns there’s no end in sight to the Santa Ana winds; Iraq declares the country liberated from the ISIS forces that had held control over numerous Iraqi cities; the U.S. Senate campaign of former Alabama judge Roy Moore and allegations of his history of sexual predation; the North Korea nuclear program and the war of words between President Trump and Kim Jong Un; the Robert Mueller-led investigation into possible ties between Trump campaign operatives and Russian agents; the volatility of Bitcoin; Sunday’s NFL games and attendance figures; and NBA action were some of the most-talked-about stories on news/talk radio over the weekend.
Radio’s Greatest Storytellers. Pictured above at the Entercom broadcast center in Philadelphia are some of radio’s “greatest storytellers” gathered to appear on the Westwood One-syndicated “Sterling on Sunday” program starring Walter M. Sterling. From left to right are: Douglas Henderson Jr., Michael Tearson, Denny Somach, Gary R’Nel, Tommy McCarthy, Rasa Kaye, AJ Essington, Lee Harris, Ross Brittain, Sterling, and Allen Shaw. (Not pictured but on the broadcast were Tommy Woods and Dick Summer.) On the couch is Judy Anderson and Neil Pohl who had a major announcement: He asked her to marry him live on the air and she said “yes.” Sterling tells TALKERS that listeners heard how album rock radio was really invented by Allen Shaw. Michael Tearson revealed the early days of prog rock. Ross Brittain explained that HE was responsible for “Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer.” Doug Henderson described the work of his dad Jocko which aired on a Philly station and a New York City station thanks to a daily train commute. You can hear and download the show on www.waltermsterling.com Tuesday (12/12).
TALKERS News Notes. Radio executive Charlie Ferguson is retiring from Saga Communications where he’s been the VP and general manager at its Springfield, Illinois station group for the past three years. The 65-year-old Ferguson tells the State Journal-Register, “It occurred to me that I have not seen any of my seven grandchildren more than once a year for the last several years. This is probably the right time.” Saga operates news/talk WTAX and six other music formatted signals in the market…..CNN Money is reporting that SiriusXM is getting some “celebrity backlash” from Stephen K. Bannon’s return to the satcaster’s airwaves. As TALKERS reported last week, Bannon is back on the “Breitbart News Daily” morning program that’s part of the Patriot channel lineup and that has some celebs, including musician Melissa Etheridge, vowing not to appear on the radio service. Etheridge says she’s no longer going to do her “Melissa’s Basement” interview show that aired on the Volume channel. Actors Seth Rogan and John Leguizamo have also said they’ll not appear on SiriusXM anymore…..In Columbus, Ohio, sports talk host (and former NFL linebacker) Bobby Carpenter renews with RadiOhio’s sports talk WBNS-FM “97.1 The Fan” for a multi-year deal to continue co-hosting the midday “Carpenter and Rothman” show with Anthony Rothman.
Howie Carr Hosts NH Toy Drive. Regionally syndicated New England talk radio superstar Howie Carr held a special toy drive event in partnership with Two International Group in Portsmouth, New Hampshire on Friday (12/8). Carr broadcast his program from the lobby of Two International Group and collected toys for the Toys For Tots program. Carr is pictured here with four New Hampshire State Police Troopers who came by to donate toys. Howie Carr’s show is heard on more than 25 affiliate stations in New England and is seen nationwide on Newsmax TV.
Mitch Albom Radiothon Raises Record Dough for Detroit Charities. Pictured above, WJR, Detroit afternoon drive host Mitch Albom (second from right) celebrates the announcement of the record $1.25 million raised during last Thursday’s radiothon event to benefit Mitch Albom Charities (which benefits other Detroit charities). Post-radiothon donations have boosted that total to more than $1.8 million! The 15-hour show was hosted by Albom, with dozens of celebrity guests appearing, including: Dr. Phil, Hugh Jackman, Hank Azaria, Matthew Stafford and more.
Beasley NYC Holiday Bash. Last Friday (12/8), Beasley Media Group held its Holiday Soiree at the Park Central Hotel in New York City. The festivities included performances by SEAL and Brothers Osborne. Pictured above are (from l-r): Bruce Beasley, SEAL, Caroline Beasley and Brian Beasley.
KSFO, San Francisco Morning Host Brian Sussman is This Week’s Guest on Harrison Podcast. One of the nation’s hottest local morning radio talk show hosts, Brian Sussman of Cumulus Media O&O KSFO, San Francisco, is this week’s guest on the award-winning PodcastOne series “Up Close and Far Out with Michael Harrison.” Sussman discusses the challenges of doing
competitive morning news/talk radio which requires finding the correct balance between hard political issues and more general interest areas of pop culture and fun. He also talks about his fascinating transition from being one of the most popular TV meteorologists in the Bay Area for many years to becoming a radio talker. Don’t miss this interesting and informative conversation! To listen to the entire podcast 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. St. Louis CHR KSLZ “Z107.7” names Jordan host of the morning drive program. The iHeartMedia SVP of programming for St. Louis A.J. says, “Jordan is one of the best radio talents in the industry. Moving him
to mornings will help write the next chapter in ‘Z107.7’ history. During his time in St. Louis, Jordan has had tremendous success with afternoons and we are very excited for him to host a fun, compelling and local morning show for St. Louis.”…..In iHeartMedia’s Denver Region, changes take place in its rock radio formats. Effective today, KBPI, Denver “Rocks the Rockies” programming is being simulcast on KPAW, Fort Collins and KDZA, Colorado Springs. The station’s programming includes “Your Morning Show with Willie B” and air personalities Beardo and Colfax. At the same time, the KPAW, Fort Collins format will replace the adult contemporary format on KYWY, Warren AFB, Wyoming.
Former Radio Exec Perry Ury Passes at 91. Retired radio executive Perry Ury passed away at his home in Sarasota, Florida a week shy of his 92nd birthday. Ury led WRKO, Boston “Big 68” during its CHR days. He went on to manage all of the RKO radio stations. After serving with RKO, he managed WTIC-AM and WTIC-FM in Hartford until his retirement.
Monday, November 27, 2017
Peter Casey Exits WBZ-AM, Boston After 24 Years. Longtime director of news and programming Peter Casey exits all-news WBZ-AM, Boston. The Boston Globe reports that Casey has been let go by iHeartMedia, which is operating the station under an LMA until it closes on the station. WBZ-AM is joining iHeartMedia as part of a swap of assets with Entercom for the latter to comply with station ownership limits. Casey tells the paper he has nothing bad to say about iHeartMedia and calls the people he’s been dealing with “respectful and impressive.” Casey, who’s been director of news and programming for the past 21 years, wrote in a memo to staffers, “I will cherish the memories of this place, of all of you and those that came before you. I will keep those memories with me. I will keep them a part of me even as I walk out the door today on my very last day at WBZ NewsRadio 1030.” Assistant program director Bill Flaherty is serving as interim director of news and programming.
Lance Zierlein Returns to Houston Airwaves. Houston sports talk personality Lance Zierlein is back on the radio today at Gow Broadcasting’s KFNC-FM, co-hosting the 7:00 am to 9:00 am show with John Granato. The two will be joined by Raheel Ramzanali for the 9:00 am to 10:00 am hour that is being simulcast on KFNC-FM and KFNC-HD2. As part of his new gig, Zierlein will also write for the Gow-owned CultureMap and SportsMap digital publications. He exited iHeartMedia’s crosstown sports talk KBME back in July. During his tenure on Houston sports talk radio he also served with the former CBS RADIO station KILT-AM, where he worked with Granato for 10 years (1997-2007).
Westwood One Announces New Leadership Structure. National radio network Westwood One reveals strategic changes to the leadership and structure of its national sales team, effective immediately. The Cumulus Media-owned company says, “These organizational changes are designed to capitalize on Westwood One’s strong sales momentum, as well as to propel the organization to new heights in 2018 and beyond.” Bryan Forbes replaces the retiring Steve Shaw as president, sales at Westwood One. He’s
responsible for leading the network and national spot sales organizations and reporting to Westwood One president Suzanne Grimes. Forbes was most recently with Katz Radio Group as SVP and general manager of Westwood One national sales. Current EVP strategic partnerships Mark Wildman is charged with launching the Audio Active Group – a newly established, dedicated business development team responsible for “creating integrated, brand-focused solutions that leverage the vast
portfolio of assets across the company’s 446 radio stations and network platforms.” Pierre Bouvard continues in his role as chief insights officer at Cumulus/Westwood One. And Ari Molovinsky joins Westwood One as VP strategic planning & analysis, responsible for “supporting the leadership team with revenue-focused and general management initiatives.” Molovinsky was most recently with SiriusXM. Grimes states, “Westwood One has a top-notch sales organization in place, as demonstrated by our performance this year, and I am thrilled to welcome both Bryan and Ari to the team. With these new hires, as well as the exciting launch of the Audio Active Group and expansion of our actionable data and thought-leadership platform, Westwood One is poised to deliver significant growth as we continue to champion radio as the #1 mass reach medium that delivers exceptional results.”
Media Equality Project to Stage Event at National Press Club. The Media Equality Project is led by talk media pros Melanie Morgan and Brian Maloney. Joining them for Wednesday’s event at the National Press Club in Washington, DC is fellow talk radio pro Blanquita Cullum. A press release says the goal of the event is to pressure Senator Al Franken (D-MN) and Congressmen John Conyers (D-MI) and Joe Barton (R-TX) to resign. Organizers say, “…We’re taking the Media Equality Project straight to Washington. Dozens of women and other victims of sexual harassment are joining together this Wednesday with this message: #ShowUsTheList of representatives or staffers who received taxpayer funded pay-outs totaling $17 million dollars. The Media Equality Project is bringing Bill Clinton’s victims, other luminaries, including Dr. Alveda King, niece of the late Martin Luther King, and others to Washington to confront Franken, Conyers, and Barton. We believe that this effort should be in a spirit of bi-partisanship in order to end sexual harassment on Capitol Hill and across the country…joining us at the podium at the National Press Club are Kathleen Willey, Juanita Broaddrick, Paula Jones, [and former Fort Smith, Arkansas TV reporter] Leslie Millwee.” The event takes place at 10:00 am in the National Press Club’s First Amendment Room.
Mike Golic Breaks Silence on ‘Mike & Mike’ Breakup; New ‘Golic & Wingo’ Show. Speaking to the Coloradoan, Mike Golic tells the paper that he was blindsided by the decision to end the show because now-ex-partner Mike Greenberg was taking on a new role on the TV side of ESPN. “When I went into see the bosses, I thought it was to talk about the next deal since our contracts were ending. We had talked the previous year about moving the show to New York and I thought maybe it was about that. Instead, they told me the show was going to end and that Greenie was going to do a show in New York and I was going to do a show with my son.” As regular industry watchers know, ESPN Radio’s “Mike & Mike” morning drive show went on for about six months with the two knowing the show would wrap before the end of the year. Today (11/27), the new “Golic & Wingo” show launched (pictured above with NBA commissioner Adam Silver as their first guest) with Trey Wingo as co-host. Read the Coloradoan piece here.
DC Sexual Impropriety Allegations, Roy Moore Case, Thanksgiving Holiday, Mueller Investigation-Flynn Cooperation, Meredith-Time Inc. Purchase, CFPB Appointment, College Football Playoff Scenarios, and NFL Action Among Top News/Talk Stories Over the Holiday Weekend. The sexual impropriety allegations lodged against Al Franken and John Conyers; the sexual predation charges leveled at Alabama U.S. Senate candidate Roy Moore; the Thanksgiving holiday; special prosecutor Robert Mueller’s investigation into possible connections between Trump campaign operatives and Russian agents and reports of cooperation between former national security adviser Michael Flynn and the investigation; Iowa-based media company Meredith to buy Time Inc.; controversy over Consumer Financial Protection Bureau appointment; the weekend’s college football games and speculation about which teams will make the four-team tournament; and the weekend’s NFL games were some of the most-talked-about stories on news/talk radio over the weekend, according to ongoing research from TALKERS magazine.
KYW-AM, Philadelphia Awards Computers to Local Elementary School. This promotion was a partnership with Comcast which, along with Entercom’s all-news KYW-AM, Philadelphia, presented 10 new Dell Latitude Education Series laptops to General Philip Kearny Elementary School in Philadelphia. KYW director of news and programming Steve Butler states, “As the nation’s unrivaled leader in news, Entercom is committed to enriching the lives of local residents. KYW Newsradio’s partnership with Comcast, allows us to support local community organizations like General Philip Kearny Elementary School in their commitment to education.” Pictured above are KYW and Comcast representatives with students and teachers at the school.
TALKERS News Notes. National radio news service Westwood One News is reporting affiliate renewals for major market stations including: WINS, New York; KYW, Philadelphia; WBZ-AM, Boston; and WWJ, Detroit. The news network also announces its expanding reach as more than 70 new stations join the network, including: KKOB-AM, Albuquerque; KMJ-AM/FM, Fresno; and KOKC-AM, Oklahoma City…..SiriusXM announces former Cleveland Cavaliers general manager David Griffin and former Phoenix Suns front office exec Amin Elhassan are joining the roster of NBA experts on its SiriusXM NBA Radio channel. Griffin makes his debut tomorrow (11/28) from 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm ET alongside host Joel Meyers and can be heard multiple times every week. Elhassan joins the roster on Sunday, December 10 and will be on regularly with host Jason Jackson.
Small Business Guru Jim Blasingame Joins Michael Harrison on This Week’s Installment of “Up Close and Far Out.” Noted small business expert and talk show host Jim Blasingame is this week’s guest on the award-winning PodcastOne series, “Up Close and Far Out with Michael Harrison.” Blasingame is the tremendously successful independently-syndicated host of the long-running radio show, “The Small Business Advocate.” The
program is celebrating its 20th anniversary on the air. He and Harrison discuss various aspects of entrepreneurism as we accelerate from the analog era of the 20th century deeper into the digital age of the 21st century focusing on the increasing disconnect between Wall Street and Main Street in our economy and society. Harrison says, “Blasingame is a unique player in the talk industry and a fascinating, bright man. He proves on every level that independent media and business can still be viable in this brave new world.” 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. Classic rock WBIG and alternative WWDC, Washington program director James Howard is promoted to vice president of programming for iHeartMedia’s DC station group that also includes CHR WIHT “HOT 99.5,” adult contemporary WASH-FM, and country WMZQ. Howard will continue to program WBIG and WWDC. iHeartMedia SVP of programming Jeff Kapugi states, “James has been a rock star for years. Now he gets to be an AC star, a country star and a top 40 star. This is a well-deserved promotion for one of the most creative programmers I’ve had the opportunity to work with.”…..Cox Media Group announces on-air changes at urban contemporary WALR-FM, Atlanta “KISS 104.1” The new morning show is called “Morning Groove” with Art Terrell and Roy Wood Jr. with news and information from Condace Pressley. CMG Atlanta VP of programming Tony Kidd says the show will include commentary, opinions and humor from voices like Clark Howard, Corey “Zooman” Miller, and Aaron Paxton Arnold. “The changes we’re making represent a new day dawning in Atlanta R&B music. This new programming lineup reflects what Atlanta’s African-American listeners want most from their favorite R&B station.” Also, Sasha the Diva takes over the afternoon drive daypart.
Monday, November 13, 2017
Longtime ‘New Jersey 101.5’ PD Eric Johnson Joins Beasley for Philly Sports Talk Role. After spending the last 19 years as brand manager and program director at Townsquare Media’s talk station WKXW, Trenton “New Jersey 101.5,” Eric Johnson is joining Beasley Media Group to take on the director of sports content position at the company’s Philadelphia operations, effective
December 4. In this role, Johnson will be responsible for programming sports talkers WPEN-FM “97.5 The Fanatic” and WTEL “610 Sports,” as well as managing the related digital platforms. Beasley Media Philly VP and market manager Joe Bell states, “Eric Johnson has the perfect skill set and experience to help continue the growth of ‘97.5 The Fanatic.’ He’s a Philly guy who understands that Philly sports fans are the best in the country and he can deliver a product with as much passion and knowledge as they have.”
Frank Rush Exits WIBQ, Terre Haute. As reported by Blaine Thompson’s Indiana Radio Watch, program director Frank Rush exits Midwest Communications’ news/talk WIBQ/W250BZ in Terre Haute (also simulcast on WBOW, Paris, Illinois). The move appears to be budget related. In a story in the Terre Haute Tribune-Star, Dave Taylor reports that Midwest is producing news content for WIBQ at its Evansville operations. Read the Tribune-Star piece here.
Trump in Asia/Putin Election Meddling, North Korea Nuclear Program, Roy Moore Pedophile Allegations/Hollywood Sexual Assaults, GOP Tax Plan, Roger Goodell Contract Demands, College Football Games, and NFL Action Among Top News/Talk Stories Over the Weekend. The president’s trip to Asia and his statement about believing Vladimir Putin’s claim he did not meddle in the U.S. election in 2016; North Korea’s nuclear weapons program and the rhetoric between Donald Trump and Kim Jong Un; the allegations Alabama senate candidate Roy Moore pursued several minor women when he was in his 30s and the expanding allegations of sexual harassment against Hollywood players; the nuts and bolts of the Republican tax plan; NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell’s reported demands for his new contract; the weekend’s college football games; and Sunday’s NFL action were some of the most-talked-about stories on news/talk radio over the weekend, according to ongoing research from TALKERS magazine.
WRKO Raises $90k for Disabled Veterans. On Friday (11/10), news/talk WRKO, Boston presented a live radiothon from the Seaport Hotel from 6:00 am to 8:00 pm to benefit the Disabled American Veterans. “Boston’s Morning Show” with Kim Carrigan and Doug “VB” Goudie, “The Financial Exchange with Barry Armstrong,” The Kuhner Report,” and the Howie Carr show highlighted inspirational stories from veterans of all ages and the DAV members who assist them. Pictured above are WRKO PD Michael Czarnecki (second from right) and marketing director Adam Ralston (right) presenting the ceremonial check for $90,642. Czarnecki says, “The passion the WRKO listeners have for our veterans continues to amaze me year after year! It was an incredible day filled with energy and emotion and I am so thankful to the DAV and WRKO staff for all of their hard work.”
Broadcasting Veteran Dwight Douglas Pens Another Novel. Longtime radio programmer and marketer turned author Dwight Douglas has just written and published a new, topical media-related novel that makes great fodder for talk radio conversation. The book titled, If God Could Cry: The True Meaning of Mercy tells the story of a famous (fictitious) cable TV talk show host, Jonas Bronck, who leaves New York on his quest to find truth. He finds himself in the middle of terror and personal torment in the name of journalism. He
once again asks, “If God Could Cry, would he be crying for us, or with us?” Since retiring from his 17-year stint as vice president of marketing at broadcasting software giant, RCS, Douglas penned If God Could Talk… The Diary of a Broadcast Journalist followed by Donald Trump: Repeal, Replace, Impeach. This new book is his third. Many TALKERS readers will remember Douglas from his days in album rock radio when he programmed several major market AOR stations and served as president of the radio consulting firm Burkhart-Abrams & Associates. TALKERS founder Michael Harrison says, “I used to work with Dwight back in the golden days of FM rock radio and always though he was extremely clever and very much in touch with the nuances of popular culture. He was instrumental in the early career and rise of Howard Stern. Now many decades later, it is exciting to read his books and see how his keen feel for the issues and culture of the times has matured into touching and powerful insights. He makes a superb talk radio interview.” For more information and to book an interview with Dwight Douglas, please click here.
MIW Accepting Applications for 2018 Mentoring Program. The window to apply for the 2018 Mildred Carter MIW Group Mentoring Program is open now through January 12, 2018. This program from the Mentoring & Inspiring Women in Radio (MIW) Group “pairs up-and-coming women who currently work in the radio industry with female professionals recognized as leaders in all aspects of radio broadcasting and media.” MIW says that Beasley Media Group is committing to provide support as the lead sponsor of the 2018 initiative. A total of four candidates from the radio broadcasting industry – within the sales, marketing, programming and digital disciplines – will be selected for the 2018 program. Of those, at least one spot will be designated for a programming candidate and one spot designated for a digital candidate. For mentee criteria and instructions on how to apply, click here. WSCR, Chicago/Chicago Cubs Radio Network general sales manager Lindsay Cerajewski says, “This unique initiative provides a wonderful opportunity for mentees to gain valuable insight, knowledge and access to some of the most influential women in radio. It is very rewarding to watch our mentees grow professionally throughout the year.”
FOX Radio/TV Star Brian Kilmeade Guests this Week on Harrison Podcast. Multi-platform talk show host and best-selling author Brian Kilmeade of FOX News Radio and FOX News Channel is this week’s guest on the award-winning PodcastOne series “Up Close and Far Out with Michael Harrison.” Harrison and Kilmeade discuss a variety
of current topics including the NFL’s struggles with controversial politics and the resurgence of baseball as well as the view of the Donald Trump administration from inside the president’s “favorite” cable TV news talk show, “Fox and Friends” (co-hosted by Kilmeade). They also talk about the early decades of the fledgling American republic as chronicled in Kilmeade’s new history book, co-written with Don Yaeger, titled, Andrew Jackson and the Miracle of New Orleans: The Battle that Shaped America’s Destiny (Sentinel, 2017). 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. Weekend and fill-in jock Juline Jordan is promoted to midday personality at Beasley Media Group’s classic rock WCSX, Detroit. Beasley Detroit vice president and market manager Mac Edwards comments, “Juline
is an outgoing personality who thrives on listener engagement on-air and in live settings. She impressed us with an eagerness to share and assist in generating ideas for promotions and features that will continue to strengthen the WCSX classic rock brand! Additionally, her creative digital and writing chops will help grow our social platforms in midday and beyond.” Jordan has worked in the Detroit radio market for the past 20 years. She’s also been heard on sister rock outlet WRIF. She adds, “It’s my extreme pleasure to be given this opportunity and I’m more inspired than ever to give Detroit my very best. I
would like to thank my program director Jerry ‘JT’ Tarrants and our market manager Mac Edwards for believing in me and giving me this opportunity to rock Detroit every day!”…..At Entercom’s Denver cluster, oldies KEZW “Cruisin’ 1430” program director and morning personality Rick Crandall signs a new deal to remain with the station through 2020. Entercom Denver VP of programming Mike Peterson states, “Rick is one of the best broadcasters in the business, with an undeniable passion for the community. We’re lucky to have him!”
PPM Analysis: Urban AC. Managing editor Mike Kinosian presents a look at the 6+ performances of urban AC-formatted stations based on data from Nielsen Audio’s October 2017 PPM survey. Comparing the stations’ September and October numbers 6+ weekly totals, Kinosian notes that “for all practical purposes, half of this urban AC sample declines between September 2017 – October 2017 (51%); 43% of these stations are up; and the remaining 6% are steady.” However, looking at October 2016 numbers and comparing them to October 2017, “these urban ACs virtually flip the month-to-month stats, as 53% of them are up year-to-year, while 41% decline; the remaining 6% remain steady.” Seven urban AC stations ranked #1 in their respective markets in the October 2017 survey – all of them in southern cities – they were: KMJQ, Houston; WHQT, Miami; WWIN-FM, Baltimore; WFXC, Raleigh; WVKL, Norfolk; WQMG, Greensboro; and KJMS, Memphis. See Kinosian’s entire report here.
Friday, November 10, 2017
Entercom Announces November 17 Likely Day for Merger Closing. After yesterday’s ruling from the Federal Communications Commission approving the merger of Entercom and CBS RADIO, Entercom issues a statement that it “continues to expect the merger to close as early as November 17.” Entercom president and CEO David Field comments, “We are energized and excited by today’s announcement from the FCC. The Commission’s approval marks a significant milestone on our path toward completing the transformational combination of Entercom and CBS RADIO. This brings Entercom an
important step closer to our goal of delivering greater value for our listeners, customers and shareholders as a leading media and entertainment company with national scale and the No. 1 creator of live, original and local audio content.” As previously announced, CBS Corporation launched an exchange offer for the separation of its radio business as part of the agreement to combine CBS RADIO and Entercom, which is scheduled to expire at 11:59 p.m., New York City time, on November 16, 2017, unless the exchange offer is extended or terminated. On February 2, 2017, Entercom announced an agreement to combine with CBS RADIO in an all-stock transaction which is expected to be tax-free to CBS and its shareholders. The new Entercom will operate 235 radio stations.
iHeartMedia Recognizes WBZ-AM Union Representation; Will Employ Current Staffers. According to a report in the Boston Herald, iHeartMedia has altered its course with respect to the acquisition of all-news WBZ-AM, Boston in a swap with Entercom. Initially stating that the company would not take on the SAG-AFTRA-negotiated contracts of the station’s union staffers and that all employees would have to re-apply for their jobs, the company is changing its strategy. As part of an iHM and SAG-AFTRA interim agreement reached Wednesday night, the former “agrees to recognize the union as the exclusive bargaining representative for all full-time and regular part-time announcers, producers, editors, writers and production assistants employed by WBZ-AM.” iHeartMedia will also “offer employment to all current union represented employees of WBZ-AM…at their current salary or hourly rate of pay.” iHeartMedia could begin its LMA of WBZ-AM as early as next Friday (11/17).
FCC’s Pai Makes Case for Eliminating Cross Ownership Ban in NYTimes Op-Ed. Not that regular readers of TALKERS magazine need any convincing, but Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai’s op-ed in The New York Times makes an elegant case for eliminating the 42-year-old rule preventing cross-ownership of newspapers and broadcast operations. Democrat FCC Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel has publicly stated that she fears for the diversity of news sources and a reduction in news content overall if the ban is lifted. But Pai points out that in the few markets where newspaper-broadcast operations exemptions have been grandfathered for years, there’s no evidence of that diversity being affected. He writes, “Multiple studies have found that, on average, a cross-owned TV station produces more local news than comparable non-cross-owned stations. And a cross-owned radio station is four to five times more likely to have a news format. This makes sense, because a company that owns both a newspaper and broadcast outlet is able to gather the news and distribute it more cost-effectively across its multiple platforms.” Read his piece here.
Cox Names Four Execs for Atlanta Operations. These changes at Cox Media Group’s Atlanta operations are designed to allow these “highly talented and proven leaders” to “work together to fully integrate CMG’s portfolio of traditional and digital media platforms in the Atlanta area beginning in 2018.” First, Moya Neville is named the new VP of sales. She moves over from sister company Cox Communications. Donna Hall is CMG Atlanta’s new VP of marketing. She’s been VP and market manager for CMG Atlanta and Athens radio stations since 2014. Mark Medici is the new VP of audience and newspaper operations. And the new VP of content and broadcast operations (TV and radio) is Paul Briggs.
TALKERS News Notes. Sports Illustrated’s Richard Deitsch is reporting on the recent rumors that job cuts are coming to ESPN. In the piece published yesterday, Deitsch reports that sources say some 100 staffers will be let go after Thanksgiving. The cuts will “hit positions across ESPN including front-facing talent on the television side, producers, executives, and digital and technology staffers. The ‘SportsCenter’ franchise is expected to be hit hard—including on-air people—given the frequency of the show has lessened considerably on main network ESPN.” It was in April of this year that ESPN eliminated the positions of about 100 air personalities and journalists…..Former NFL and college football coach Charlie Weis is joining SiriusXM’s roster of NFL analysts for its SiriusXM NFL Radio channel. Weis will be heard every Friday on “Airing it Out” with co-host Bruce Murray…..Radio traffic pro Jim Battagliese joins iHeartMedia’s Total Traffic & Weather Network to serve as regional director of operations for the New York market. He moves up the East Coast from Washington where he’s been director of traffic and weather operations at Hubbard’s all-news WTOP since 2010…..ABC Radio says the ‘No Limits with Rebecca Jarvis’ podcast – a show that focuses on the most-impressive women in the world letting down their guard and sharing honest stories about what it really takes to build an empire – is launching a new monthly bonus segment titled, “RJ Answers.” Host Rebecca Jarvis – who serves as chief business, technology & economics correspondent for ABC News – will answer questions directly from callers during the segment.
President Trump’s China Visit Top News/Talk Story for Week of November 6-10. The presidential trip to China and Donald Trump’s meeting with Xi Jinping was the most-talked-about story on news/talk radio this week, landing atop the Talkers TenTM. At #2 was the rhetoric between President Trump and North Korea’s Kim Jong Un over North Korea’s nuclear program. Coming in at #3 was former interim DNC chair Donna Brazile’s criticism of Hillary Clinton’s 2016 campaign detailed in her new book, followed by the GOP tax reform plan at #4. The Talkers TenTM 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 magazine. It is published every Friday at Talkers.com. View this week’s entire chart here.
Music Radio News and Career Moves. At Las Vegas CHR KLUC, the morning drive program re-brands from the previous “Chet Buchanan & the Morning Zoo” to “The Chet Buchanan Show,” effective immediately. The program features Chet Buchanan,
Spence, and Kayla, with producer Davey the “Showkiller.” CBS RADIO Las Vegas operations manager JB King comments, “Chet’s work on air and in the Las Vegas community is second to none; coupled with Spence’s creativity and passion for radio, I am thrilled that they will continue to be an integral part of the KLUC lineup.”…..In Detroit, the Detroit News is reporting that classic rock WCSX afternoon personality Doug Podell has exited the Beasley Media Group cluster. He’d worked in the market for the past 23 years with WCSX and rock WRIF…..Hubbard Radio country outlet WIL, St. Louis “New Country 92.3” names “Stacey and Jonah” the new afternoon drive program, taking over for Bo Matthews. Stacey K. Boyer and Jonah Griss-Bush had been with Amaturo Media Group’s CHR KHTH “Hot 101.7” hosting the morning program for the past six years. Boyer also served as program director of the station. WIL program director Scott Roddy says, “Hubbard is the platinum standard for live and local talent. While most radio companies are reducing local talent, Hubbard is adding diversity and experience to our stable of show hosts. Stacey and Jonah’s charm, wit and humor make them the perfect companion while sitting in traffic on Hwy 40 during the drive home!”…..The “Greg & The Morning Buzz” show at iHeartMedia’s rock WGIR-FM, Manchester, New Hampshire “Rock 101” is holding a “Lend A Helping Can” radiothon on November 16 and 17 to benefit 11 New Hampshire charities working to combat local hunger and homelessness. “Greg & The Morning Buzz” is syndicated across the state on: WHEB-FM, Portsmouth; WLKZ-FM, Wolfeboro; WHDQ-FM, Claremont; and WRFK-FM, Barre, Vermont…..Beasley Media Group adult contemporary WPBB, Tampa-St. Petersburg “b98.7” announces that new morning personalities Chadd and Kristi Thomas will host their 17th Annual Toys for Tots Marathon Toy Drive on Friday, December 1 to benefit needy families. They’ll broadcast live and collect new, unwrapped toys at a Walmart Super Center…..During the month of October, Alpha Media markets across the U.S. raised funds for the American Cancer Society’s “Making Strides Against Breast Cancer” campaign. The company held an internal competition to see which market could donate the most to the cause. The total donated was $13,546 with Portland in the lead with $9,391. Mitch Elliot from 101.9 KINK FM joined the Real Men Wear Pink Campaign. “I was so frustrated that so many loved ones had been diagnosed with breast cancer and I wanted badly to do something, I just didn’t know what. When I heard about Real Men Wear Pink, I knew I could use my giant ‘megaphone’ at KINK to raise awareness and money. My initial goal was $2500, but our listeners came through in droves and we were able to raise over $9K! I am so thankful that folks responded in such a big way.”…..iHeartMedia’s alternative rock WRFF, Philadelphia “Radio 104.5” is presenting “Winter Jawn ‘18” at XFINITY Live on January 18 from 12:00 noon to 5:00 pm. It’s a free, outdoor show featuring live performances by: Dashboard Confessional, The Struts, J. Roddy Walston & The Business, and AJR. The event includes a New Music Discovery Stage featuring: SYML, The Glorious Sons, and Welshly Arms.
PPM Analysis: Alternative Rock. Managing editor Mike Kinosian presents an analysis of the performances of alternative stations based on data from Nielsen Audio’s October PPM survey. Looking at 6+ ratings from last month’s survey and October’s, “nearly as many stations on our alternative sample are up from September 2017 (41%) as are down (44%); the remaining 15% are flat.” A year-over-year comparison shows “slightly more than half the stations on this alternative panel are down year-to-year (52%), while 45% improve; the remaining 3% are unchanged.” Not being known as a high-cume format, it’s not surprising that no alt rocker ranks in the top 5 (6+) in its market. However, iHeartMedia’s KTBZ, Houston “94.5 The Buzz” and KTCL, Denver “Channel 93.3” ranked #6 in their respective markets in October. See the whole report here.
Wednesday, September 13, 2017
WFAN’s Craig Carton Professes Innocence in Ponzi Scheme Allegations. Making his first public statement since being arrested and charged with fraud in connection with an alleged Ponzi scheme, WFAN, New York morning personality Craig Carton said he is innocent of the charges against him. His statement read, “I want to thank my family, friends and fans and especially Boomer [Esiason] for the outpouring of public and private support I’ve received over the past few
days. As you can imagine, it’s been incredibly hard to be silent while there is an endless stream of vitriol being hurled my way, but I’m confident that when the facts come out, you’ll see that I am not guilty of these charges. My fight has only just begun and I know when this strange episode is over, I’ll be back, stronger than ever. Thank you for all the kind words and good wishes as I continue on with one of the greatest battles of my life.” Esiason spoke on WBZ-FM, Boston’s Toucher & Rich morning program saying he is “lost and heartbroken” over the matter. He said he spoke with Carton on Saturday and he is being supportive of Carton during this difficult time. Carton’s attorney, Robert Gottlieb, issued a statement saying Carton is a “victim who was deceived, manipulated and used by individuals seeking to gather assets for their own fraudulent schemes.”
Francesa Won’t Turn His Back on WFAN. Afternoon drive star Mike Francesa tells the New York Post that if WFAN is facing real programming trouble from the Craig Carton legal matter combined with his own pre-planned departure from the station in December he would not “turn my back on the company if I thought it was in trouble. That’s something that had to play out in the weeks and months ahead. And I don’t really know if it is [in trouble], so I don’t know if that’s going to mean anything.” Some industry watchers have speculated that Francesa’s exit combined with Carton’s absence from the morning show could affect the most lucrative dayparts, putting CBS RADIO’s New York sports talker in a difficult situation. Read the Post story here.
PPM Analysis: Sports Talk. Managing editor Mike Kinosian presents the first of four analyses of the performances of stations based on data from Nielsen Audio’s August 2017 PPM survey with today’s focus on sports talk radio. The MLB playoff push and the ramp-up to the NFL season appear to have been good for sports talk stations with “roughly two of three stations (65%) on this sports talk panel up (6+)” from the July survey to the August survey. But, a year-over-year comparison shows a different trend. Kinosian notes that “more than half of these eligible sports talk stations are down year-to-year (53%) while 34% improve; the remaining 13% are steady. No sports talk station ranked first in its market during the August survey – only CBS RADIO’s WXYT-FM, Detroit came close, finishing #2. See the whole report here.
Larry Glover Moves to Middays at WVLK, Lexington. Talk show host Larry Glover moves from the 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm show to the 12:00 noon to 3:00 pm daypart at Cumulus Media’s WVLK, Lexington, Kentucky. At the same time, the Cumulus-syndicated Chris Plante show moves to the 10:00 am to 12:00 noon slot. The daypart opened up after Lee Cruse — who also works at WLEX-TV — resigned his position with WVLK due to time constraints. He hosted the 10:00 am to 12:00 noon show. Glover was the radio voice for the minor league baseball Lexington Legends for seven seasons. In 2008, he was honored as the Kentucky Sportscaster of the Year. Cumulus Media Lexington VP/market manager Scott Frazier comments, “We are very excited to have Larry Glover join our midday lineup on News Talk 590 WVLK. I’ve always believed that Larry possessed the ability to reach beyond the world of sports talk to offer entertaining and informative commentary on a broad range of topics. He will now have that opportunity and I think our listeners will love what they hear!”
FCC Report Indicates 50 U.S. Mainland Radio Signals Still Off the Air. Due to the loss of power and flooding from Hurricane Irma, there are still a slew of radio stations off the air, mostly in Florida. The signals – including translators – are: In Florida — WMFM, WAXY, WDOZ, W227CP, W250BH, W274BB, W298BO, W300CL, WAQV, WFLJ, WJFH, W251BM, WROK, WAOA- FM, WHKR, WLZR, WIOD, WOLZ, WINZ, WBTT, WCKT, WZTA, WSVU, WSWN, WOTW, WMFQ, WXUS, WYGC, W240CI, W295BJ, W233AP, WMKO, WEAT, WMFL, WWFR, WJFR, WTIR, WMYR, WCNZ, W294AN, WNWF, WEJZ, WGNE-FM, and WJGO. Georgia stations off the air are: WLFH, WHFX, WBGA, WGIG, WEKL and WGCO. This report was as of yesterday at 11:00 am ET. Some of these stations may have returned to air by the time you read this.
WEEI Presents $4.2 Million Check to Jimmy Fund. This year’s 16th annual WEEI-NESN Jimmy Fund Radio-Telethon raised $4.2 million for the Jimmy Fund and the Dana Farber Cancer Institute. Pictured above presenting the ceremonial check at Tuesday night’s Boston Red Sox game are (from l-r): Entercom Boston VP/market manager Phil Zachary; WEEI, Boston program director Joe Zarbano; NESN general manager Sean McGrail; NESN coordinating director Rose Marakian; Arbella Insurance Charitable Foundation president Beverly Tangvik; and Jimmy Fund chairman Larry Lucchino.
Hofstra University’s Dr. Evan W. Cornog is this Week’s Guest on Harrison Podcast. For the second time in the past three years, Long Island-based Hofstra University’s WRHU (FM and .org) was presented the NAB Marconi Award for “Best Non-Commercial Radio Station” in the nation – a remarkable achievement. Dr. Evan W. Cornog, dean of Hofstra’s Lawrence Herbert School of Communication, which oversees the institution’s radio department, joins Michael Harrison as this week’s guest on the award-winning PodcastOne series “Up
Close and Far Out.” Cornog, a highly respected scholar with stellar credentials in both academia and professional journalism, brings a wealth of experience and insight to the conversation. Prior to joining Hofstra in 2010, Cornog served as an associate dean at the Columbia University School of Journalism for more than a decade during which time he was publisher of the Columbia Journalism Review. He was also press secretary to New York City Mayor Edward I. Koch and a freelance writer and editor whose stories have appeared in publications such as The New Yorker, the Los Angeles Times, Slate and the Boston Globe. Cornog also served as special assistant to the president of the New School in Manhattan. He earned his bachelor’s degree in history and literature from Harvard University, and his master’s and doctorate degrees in history from Columbia. Don’t miss this fascinating conversation in which Harrison and Cornog discuss the rapidly evolving state of media and its impact on society, as well as the future of journalism. 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.
Andre Fernandez Named to FCC Committee. Selected to serve on the new Advisory Committee on Diversity and Digital Empowerment (ACDDE) is CBS RADIO president and CEO Andre Fernandez. Fernandez was selected by FCC Chairman Ajit Pai on the committee that will “provide recommendations to the FCC on how to empower disadvantaged communities and accelerate the entry of small businesses, including those owned by women and minorities, into the media, digital news and information, and audio and video programming industries.” Leading the committee as chair is NetCommunications president Julia Johnson. ShootingStar Broadcasting president and CEO Diane Sutter is vice chair.
Irma and Harvey Aftermath, Sanders’ Single Payer Bill, SCOTUS Rules on Refugee Ban, Hillary Clinton Book, Cruz Porn Video ‘Like,’ Apple Unveils iPhone X, MLB Playoff Push, and NFL Action Among Top News/Talk Stories Yesterday (9/12). The effects of Hurricanes Irma and Harvey on Florida and Texas; Senator Bernie Sanders announces his bill to create a single payer system for health care in the U.S.; the Supreme Court upholds the ban on travel for certain refugees for the time being; Hillary Clinton’s book about her loss to Donald Trump; Ted Cruz says “staffing issue” responsible for his Twitter “like” of a porn video; Apple unveils new iPhone 8 and the iPhone X; Major League Baseball’s playoff push; and NFL action were some of the most-talked-about stories on news/talk radio yesterday, according to ongoing research from TALKERS magazine.
Music Radio News and Career Moves. This change was anticipated and now it happens as Hubbard Radio hot AC WTMX, Chicago formally changes the name of “The Eric & Kathy Show” to “Eric in the Morning with Melissa & Whip. Eric Ferguson leads the morning show with castmates Melissa McGurren and Brian “Whip” Paruch. Obviously, this comes on the heels of the official departure of Kathy Hart from the show. She’d been off the air since late April in what appears to have been a contract dispute. The station let her go last week.….Cumulus Media names Britt Rose afternoon drive personality on classic hits
WJTQ, Pensacola “Jet 100.7” She was most recently with the company in Oklahoma City on classic hits KQOB and rock KATT. WJTQ program director Chuck Whitaker says, “I am very excited to have Britt here as the new afternoon goddess in the ‘Jet 100.7’ cockpit. It’s so good to see one of our own at Cumulus get the opportunity to advance in their career. We look forward to Britt taking ‘Jet 100.7’ to new heights!”…..Lakes Media LLC flips WMPW, Danville, Virginia from its “MOREfm” adult contemporary format to classic country as “Country Legends.” The company says that the online audience for the “Country Legends” stream has more than tripled in the last year. That combined with the existence of sister AC WHLF already on the air, the decision was made to bring “Country Legends” to the FM airwaves on WMPW…..Sinclair Communications’ CHR KSXY, Forestville/Santa Rosa, California flips to alternative as “The 101 Modern Alternative.” Program director Dray Lopez and air staffers Ashlee Sleek, Natalie, and Will Styles remain with the station…..Cumulus Media’s WGNI, Wilmington, North Carolina adds the nationally syndicated “Intelligence for Your Life” program starring John Tesh to its evening program schedule…..Premiere Networks radio personality Nikki Sixx is launching a new weekly program feature on his nationally syndicated “Sixx Sense with Nikki Sixx” radio program. It’s called “My Favorite Riff” and it’s billed as “a first-ever multiplatform music and conversation series highlighting guitar legends and the hottest upcoming new artists.” It launches tomorrow (9/14) with guest Joe Bonamassa.
Tuesday, September 5, 2017
CBS RADIO VP Sports Programming Mike Thomas Signs Contract Extension. Programming pro Mike Thomas signs a multi-year contract extension with CBS RADIO to continue his roles with the company as corporate vice president of sports programming and VP of programming for the Boston cluster. CBS RADIO EVP of programming Chris Oliviero states, “Mike is an accomplished programming executive whose outstanding talent has led our company to success across both music and spoken word formats, which is a rare feat in our industry. I look forward to partnering closely with Mike for years to come on growing our Boston properties along with our industry leading sports platform coast to coast.” Thomas’ almost-20-year management resume includes work as PD for classic rock WZLX, rock WBCN and sports talk WBZ-FM “98.5 The Sports Hub.”
The Triad’s WSJS Officially Launches as Sports Outlet. The change from news/talk sports to full-on sports talk on Curtis Media’s WSJS, Winston-Salem officially took place on Friday (9/1). Curtis Media Triad general manager Al Bunch comments, “Local sports fans have been asking for a forum like this. ‘WSJS SPORTS’ is the Triad’s new destination for sports talk. Our roster of a local afternoon sports talk show, local high school football, NC college sports, NASCAR, and popular FOX Sports Radio hosts is unmatched. We’re excited to offer this untapped audience to local businesses market-wide.” The program schedule includes “Outkick the Coverage with Clay Travis” for mornings, followed by Dan Patrick. The regionally syndicated David Glenn show airs from 12:00 noon to 3:00 pm, followed by local personality Kyle Schassburger in PM drive. “WSJS SPORTS” airs on four stations and their FM translators: WSJS, Winston-Salem/W267AM; WMFR, High Point/W285EU; WCOG, Greensboro/W229CH; and WSML, Graham/W283BT.
Binnie Media and Gen Media Partners Announce Strategic Alliance. Station owner Binnie Media announces it is shifting its national ad sales representation to Gen Media Partners. The companies state that this move is “part of a unique strategic alliance to drive regional and national ad revenue.” As part of the agreement, Binnie Media’s Boston office will handle all national business for Gen Media Partners, giving both companies, as well as Gen Media Partners’ other station partners, expanded Boston and New England presence and increased regional opportunities. Binnie president Lee Kinberg comments, “Considering where national and regional business has been heading, we were looking for a partner open to a new kind of relationship that would capitalize on each company’s platforms to grow revenue. We needed a sales and marketing team that was open to breaking down the lines of the traditional rep-station relationship without the inherent conflicts of interest that sometimes arise in the national representation business.” Sales pro Jimmie Vereault will handle national ad sales for Gen Media Partners out of their Boston office and use the combined Binnie Media-Gen Media Partners’ platforms to drive regional as well as national business.
KJR-AM, Seattle Sports Talker Mitch Levy Nabbed in Prostitute Sting. A prostitution sting in Bellevue, Washington netted 110 “Johns” – among them was KJR-AM, Seattle morning drive sports talk personality Mitch Levy. According to The Seattle Times, Bellevue Police and the King County Sheriff’s Office orchestrated the sting in a condominium complex. Levy, who was arrested and charged with misdemeanor patronizing a prostitute, told the detectives he’d been playing golf earlier in the day was there to receive a massage. iHeartMedia has not issued a public statement on the matter.
TALKERS News Notes. The 2017 NFL regular season begins on Thursday and NCAA football season is already underway. This year, Focus 360 and Sports USA are again offering a slate of NCAA football games to affiliate stations. Focus 360 announces that it has partnered with Gen Media Partners for national ad sales. The Sports USA schedule includes 16 regular season games plus four bowl games: Sun, Outback, Las Vegas, and Independence…..Westwood One is airing this Thursday night’s matchup between the Super Bowl champion New England Patriots and the Kansas City Chiefs. In the booth are Kevin Harlan and Boomer Esiason with Tony Boselli. Jim Gray hosts the pregame and halftime with contributions from Pats’ quarterback Tom Brady and Cardinals’ wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald…..SiriusXM is offering subscribers comprehensive coverage of the NFL season, featuring live broadcasts of every game. In addition to live play-by-play, subscribers get daily NFL talk on SiriusXM NFL Radio.
North Korea Bomb Test, Threat of Hurricane Irma, Utah Nurse Arrest Incident, Trump’s ‘Dreamer’ Decision, Harvey Aftermath, Senator Menendez Trial, Elon Musk’s WWIII Prediction, Labor Day Holiday, MLB Action, and NFL Roster Cutdowns Among Top News/Talk Stories Over the Weekend. North Korea’s detonation of its largest nuclear warhead yet and threats to launch another ICBM test; Florida braces for a possible hit from Hurricane Irma; the viral video of a Utah nurse being arrested for following hospital procedure; President Trump to end DACA or the “Dreamer” act within six months; the aftermath of Hurricane/tropical storm Harvey; U.S. Senator Robert Menendez’s corruption trial; Elon Musk predicts World War III in the race to develop the most powerful artificial intelligence; the Labor Day holiday weekend; Major League Baseball action; and the cutdown to 53 for NFL clubs were some of the most-talked-about stories on news/talk radio over the weekend, according to research from TALKERS magazine.
National Radio Hall of Fame Recognizes 100 Years of American Radio. The National Radio Hall of Fame announces that it will debut its “100 Years of Radio” exhibit housed in Chicago’s Museum of Broadcast Communications in fall 2019 – the year leading up to the official anniversary in 2020. A press release says, “To create a tribute worthy of the medium, the current space will undergo renovation, creating an interactive experience through emerging technologies and architecture. Patrons of the museum will have access to audio performances and histories of inductees as well as valuable artifacts ranging from microphones of iconic personalities to instruments from live radio theater productions.” National Radio Hall of Fame chairman Kraig T. Kitchin adds, “This is an exciting time as we get to innovate and modernize the presentation of our medium’s rich history. Plus, we’re looking forward to bringing the ceremony to New York City, especially since we received great feedback when we brought it to Los Angeles in 2014.”
Deep in the ‘Hot’ of Texas. Broadcasters and netcasters are in Austin this week for the NAB + RAB Radio Show, and today’s RAIN Summit. TALKERS magazine conventionista contributore Holland Cooke (pictured above) reports all this week.
Music Radio News and Career Moves. Chicago radio personality Gary Spears revealed to his listeners on CBS RADIO’s classic hits WJMK, Chicago “K-Hits 104.3” that he’s leaving the station in mid-October to relocate to Florida. He’s been with WJMK since 2011 and had worked at a number of Chicago stations during his career, including CBS’ CHR WBBM-FM…..iHeartMedia names Nikki Corl
marketing director for the Charlotte market and the Carolinas. She was most recently with the company’s Richmond, Virginia cluster as promotions director. iHeartMedia EVP of programming for the Northeast Division Meg Stevens says, “Nikki is a proven leader.
She is the right choice to lead a very diverse and creative team in The Queen City.”…..iHeartMedia’s KVDU, New Orleans shifts from classic hits to adult hits as “104.1 The Spot.” The station says its core artists created hits during the 70s, 80s and early 90s and include: Madonna, Boston, Bon Jovi and Duran Duran. KVDU program director Joseph Sergio comments, “New Orleans has a classic rock station and we have an easy listening station, but ‘104.1 The Spot’ will take the best from those worlds, sprinkle in some more recent favorites and play all of the hits, non-stop, 24/7.”…..Alpha Media Dayton
installs the “Jack FM” format on former adult contemporary WGTZ as “92.9 Jack FM.” WGTZ had been airing a soft rock AC format. Alpha Media VP of programming Ronnie Stanton says, “What a fun day for Dayton! Turning on a new ‘Jack’ is always a happy day and we have high hopes for this one. A great new radio station in one of America’s great cities.”…..Blaine Thompson’s Indiana Radio Watch reports that DLC Media drops sports talk and the ESPN Sports Radio affiliation on WFNF, Brazil, Indiana/W258BA, Terre Haute, and begins airing the adult standards format from Westwood One. DLC changes the call letters of WFNF to WAMB and begins using the new brand, “Timeless 1130 and 99.5 WAMB.”…..Programming pro Deon Cole joins Music Choice as manager, urban programming. During his career, Cole has served with urban contemporary WGIV, Charlotte “Streetz 103.3”; hip hop WPEG, Charlotte; and Beasley Media Group in Charlotte.
Tuesday, August 29, 2017
KTRH, Houston’s Michael Berry Reports In; ‘Proud of Station’s Efforts.’ The radio stations that are on the air in Houston are all working around the clock to get information out to listeners, but iHeartMedia’s KTRH – the well-recognized news/talker in the market – is “the station the nation is turning to,” according to KTRH talk show host Michael Berry. He tells TALKERS magazine his personal story as a resident of the area with a family whose job is to be at the station keeping the public informed. “We’re going through what our listeners
are suffering also. I put my family up at the Omni Hotel. Then the Omni had to be evacuated. I was visiting our affiliate in Louisiana doing a fundraiser there. I couldn’t get back into the city due to road closures. My wife and kids had to be rescued by boat and waded in chest deep water. This is my whole world in the picture you see here – that’s my wife and my two kids on a boat driven by a good Samaritan who pulled them from the hotel and deposited them on the freeway. From there a volunteer put them in the back of a truck and drove them to high ground. Getting to be on the radio these last few days and help other people is actually cathartic. My own home flooded on the first floor and it took until today (8/28) to be able to get to see it. But despite all of this we are seeing the best of our people as we come together as a community.”
Broadcasters in Gear Raising Funds for Harvey Victims. Just a sample of the Harvey relief efforts underway at radio stations and radio groups across the country include the work of E.W. Scripps’ Milwaukee duo news/talk WTMJ and country WKTI (and sister television station WTMJ-TV) leading a fundraiser. Yesterday afternoon (8/28), the stations hosted a fundraising phone bank to collect donations for the American Red Cross. Vice president and GM for the
Milwaukee stations, Tom Langmyer, states, “People in Wisconsin are looking for a way that they can help the victims of the Hurricane. Using the power of local media, we can combine our efforts to enable giving on a large scale and truly make a difference to support the American Red Cross.” Urban One’s Reach Media has been using its radio talent to call attention to the needs of Harvey victims. Nationally syndicated personalities including Tom Joyner, Rickey Smiley, Willie Moore Jr., Darlene McCoy, Erica Campbell, Russ Parr and Ed Lover have been interviewing people affected, news people covering the storm, and elected officials. The “Tom Joyner Morning Show” launched the BlackAmericaWeb.com Relief Fund to provide financial support to families impacted by the storm Hurricane Harvey.
WDAE, Tampa Returns to Local Morning Show. Tampa sports talk outlet WDAE returns to live and local mornings, dropping ESPN’s “Mike & Mike” show and sliding late morning duo Ronnie “Night Train” Lane and Tom “TKras” Krasniqi into the daypart. The iHeartMedia station fills the late morning slot with FOX Sports Radio/DirecTV’s Dan Patrick. It was just last October that the station in what was seen as a budgetary decision, let Tampa Bay Times sportswriters Rick Stroud and Tom Jones go and installed the “Mike & Mike” program.
Boston’s Emerson College the Site of Next Summer’s Radio Talent Institute. Next summer, Beasley Media Group is partnering with Xperi and Marketron Interactive and the National Radio Talent System to present the 10-day Beasley Radio Talent Institute program at Emerson College in Boston. The immersion program will bring broadcasting students together with more than 30 radio professionals who teach classes based on their individual areas of expertise. Session topics will range from on-air, production, news, sports, interactive to social media, engineering, promotions and sales, and includes the Radio Advertising Bureau’s “Radio Marketing Professional” certification course. WERS, Boston general manager and Emerson adjunct professor Jack Casey states, “The Radio Talent Institute builds upon the quality education students are already receiving at their academic institutions and through working at their college radio stations. We are grateful to Beasley Media Group for providing this incredible opportunity, along with other forward-thinking companies such as Xperi and Marketron Interactive.”
TALKERS News Notes. Chicago media writer Robert Feder reports that longtime Chicago sports talk personality Mike North has announced he’s retiring from sports talk radio. North is famous for having been a hot dog stand owner who morphed into one of the first personalities on CBS RADIO’s sports talk WSCR. He exited “The Score” in 2008 and for a time co-hosted “FOX Sports Daybreak” with Andy Furman on the FOX Sports Radio Network. Feder reports that North told WTTW-TV, Chicago’s Phil Ponce, “I’m heading in another direction because I think the timing is right. I’m not leaving broadcasting. I’m leaving sports radio.” Read Feder’s column here…..Sports Illustrated’s Richard Deitsch is reporting that ESPN Radio personality Ryen Russillo is serving a two-week suspension after an
incident at a Wyoming condominium in which a drunk Russillo entered the unit of another couple and basically passed out on a bed in a state of partial undress. He was charged with misdemeanor criminal trespass and ESPN reportedly says he’ll return to the air on September 5…..CBS RADIO’s all-news KNX, Los Angeles is prepping for the NFL season with its daily “Pro Football Insiders Report” that will feature five pro football experts giving their reports four times per day. Former Chargers great Dan Fouts’ reports air on Mondays, FOX broadcaster Chris Myers airs on Tuesday, former Rams star Jackie Slater’s reports air on Wednesday, broadcast pro Andrew Siciliano’s reports air on Thursdays, and Rams great Vince Ferragamo’s reports air on Fridays…..Ed Esposito is retiring from Rubber City Radio where he’s been serving as vice president/information media. Esposito handled news duties on Jeff Kinzbach’s morning program on rock WONE, Akron in addition to his responsibilities managing the news and public affairs on sister stations country WQMX, and news/talk WAKR. Esposito is also a former chair of the Radio Television Digital News Association…..SiriusXM and ESPN announce their deal to serve college sports fans via ESPNU Radio on SiriusXM. The channel launches on Thursday (8/31)…..FOX Sports Radio’s NFL insider Jay Glazer is hosting a special three-hour football season preview tomorrow (8/30) during the Doug Gottlieb show. Glazer will be joined by FOX Sports Radio host Dan Beyer. Glazer recently renewed his multi-year deal with FSR to serve as its NFL insider and he’ll appear regularly across the network’s programs…..TuneIn is offering free coverage of live play-by-play of college football all season long. TuneIn features the home and away calls of every game for more than 140 schools. This programming comes via partnerships with ESPN, FOX Sports, IMG College, JMI Sports, Learfield, and Outfront…..AdLarge Media brings Gina Suarez aboard as director of affiliate marketing and promotes Frank DeSantis to SVP of business development…..iHeartMedia news/talk KALZ, “PowerTalk 96.7 and AM1400” is serving as the official Los Angeles Chargers affiliate for Fresno and Visalia. “PowerTalk” program director Jay Bohannon states, “We’re always looking for ways for ‘Powertalk 96.7’ to diversify our programming, particularly on a stage as large as the NFL. It’s a dawn of a new era for the Chargers franchise and their fans and we’re thrilled to be a part of it.”
WPHT’s Chris Stigall Hosts Sharyl Attkisson at Live Event. Pictured above are WPHT, Philadelphia morning personality Chris Stigall (right) speaking with Emmy award-winning journalist and author Sharyl Attkisson (left) before a sold-out audience at the Colonial Theatre. Stigall tells TALKERS the conversation was “a blunt assessment of journalism today.” Attkisson greeted fans and signed copied of her book, The Smear: How Shady Political Operatives and Fake News Control What You See, What You Think and How You Vote (Harper 2017).
Harvey Hammers Houston, Federal Flood Insurance Troubles, Trump’s Pardon of Joe Arpaio, North Korea’s Nuclear Threats, Trump-Russia Investigation, ‘Game of Thrones’ Finale, Mayweather-McGregor Aftermath, MLB Action, and NFL Pre-Season Activity Among Top News/Talk Stories Yesterday. Houston’s challenge dealing with the effects of Harvey and the threat of more rain; the shaky state of the federal flood insurance program; reactions to President Trump’s pardon of former Maricopa County sheriff Joe Arpaio; North Korea’s nuclear threats and the launch of a missile over Japan; the investigation into possible connections between Trump operatives and Russia including the recent allegations Trump was looking into building a Trump Tower in Moscow; the season finale of “Game of Thrones”; the aftermath of the Floyd Mayweather–Conor McGregor fight; Major League Baseball action; and NFL pre-season activity were some of the most-talked-about stories on news/talk radio yesterday, according to ongoing research from TALKERS magazine.
Music Radio News and Career Moves. WAXQ, New York morning duo Jim Kerr and Shelli Sonstein are celebrating 40 years together on the New York City airwaves. Kerr’s career began 50 years ago at the tender age of 21 hosting mornings on WPLJ. On August
29, 1977, Sonstein became Kerr’s morning drive partner. As Kerr puts it, one morning Sonstein surprised him by showing up at the WPLJ studios. “I saw this woman and I didn’t know what she was doing there. No one told me who she was and why she was there!” Sonstein says, “When people ask Jim and me when we plan to retire, we both respond the same way, ‘why would we ever want to stop doing what we love?’”…..Changes take place at Meruelo Media’s
Los Angeles operations as rhythmic AC KDAY/KDEY program director Adrian Scott resigns and hip hop KPWR PD Jimmy Steal becomes vice president of programming for KDAY/KDEY…..Purchased from the SLC Divestiture Trust for $1.1 million by Aerostar Communications is former Simmons Media Group signal KEGH-FM, Salt Lake City. With that station come four booster signals: KEGH-FM1, Ogden; KEGH-FM2, Bountiful; KEGH-FM3, Salt Lake City; and KEGH-FM4, Provo. Aerostar is operating KEGH-FM under an LMA airing a Spanish music format…..SiriusXM is debuting a new, monthly show called “Off the Cuff,” hosted by Keith Richards’ daughter Theodora Richards. The program will feature Richards chatting with musical guests and friends such as Sean Lennon, The Rolling Stones back-up singer Lisa Fischer and musician Peter Wolf, as they “discuss their love of music, latest obsessions and biggest musical influences.” She’ll play music from a diverse range of artists such as Howlin’ Wolf, Luther Vandross, Chuck Berry and The Rolling Stones.
Friday, August 25, 2017
WBZ-AM, Boston Names Josh Binswanger Morning Co-Anchor. Boston all-news radio station WBZ “NewsRadio 1030 AM” is announcing that television and radio pro Josh Binswanger is the new morning drive anchor, beginning in early September. Binswanger fills the post working alongside morning anchor Deb Lawler that was left vacant after the April retirement of Joe Mathieu. WBZ-AM director of news and programming Peter Casey states, “This is a homecoming that’s a perfect fit for WBZ and for Josh. He brings a wealth of local
knowledge and national news experience and needs no tutorial on how to pronounce Gloucester or Worcester.” From 1990-1995, Binswanger was the host and a producer of WBZ’s “Kid Company,” a live, weekly, two-hour radio talk show for children ages 8-15. In 1993, “Kid Company” won a Peabody Award. In 1994, while continuing his work on “Kid Company,” he joined the “News at Noon” on WBZ-TV.
Trump vs McConnell and Mexican Wall Threat Tie for Top News/Talk Stories This Week. The tensions between President Donald Trump and Senate Majority leader Mitch McConnell, tied with Trump’s threat to shut down the government if Congress doesn’t provide funding for the Mexican border wall were the most-talked-about stories on news/talk radio this week, landing atop the Talkers TenTM. At #2 this week was President Trump’s Phoenix rally and the accompanying protests. Coming in at #3 was North Korea’s ongoing nuclear threats against the U.S., followed by intensifying Russian military activity at #4. The Talkers TenTM 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 magazine. It is published every Friday at Talkers.com. View this week’s entire chart here.
iHeartMedia Alt Rock WXDX, Pittsburgh Re-Ups with Pittsburgh Penguins. The NHL’s Pittsburgh Penguins and iHeartMedia renew their agreement to have alternative rock WXDX “105.9 The X” serve as the flagship station for play-by-play through the 2020-21 season. The Penguins’ games have aired on the station since 2003. iHeartMedia president Pittsburgh Region Tim McAleer says, “I’m excited to continue our agreement with the Pittsburgh Penguins through 2021 in what remains a mutually beneficial relationship. iHeartMedia Pittsburgh will continue to bring the most comprehensive Penguins coverage that our community and fans can find.”
TALKERS News Notes. Chicago media writer Robert Feder reports that the radio play-by-play rights for Chicago Bears football are up after this season and “insiders say WBBM Newsradio’s bid to secure a renewal may fall short this time. It’s been the voice of the Bears since 2000.” Feder says that CBS RADIO could be challenged for the rights by Tribune Broadcasting’s news/talk WGN, which last broadcast the games in 1996. Read Feder’s column here…..Joining the broadcast team for Nashville Predators hockey games on Cromwell Broadcasting’s WPRT, Nashville “102.5 The Game” is former Predators defenseman Hal Gill. He’ll work in the booth alongside play-by-play man Pete Weber. Gill takes over for Brent Peterson who is moving to pre- and post-game duties…..WMVP, Chicago “ESPN
Chicago 1000” recently hosted its “12th Annual Fantasy Draft Convention and Championship” at Joe’s Live in suburban Rosemont – the event’s largest venue to date. It was hosted by WMVP’s David Kaplan and special guests included ESPN’s Field Yates and Stephania Bell, former Chicago Bears defensive tackle Steve “Mongo” McMichael and ESPN Chicago 1000 colleagues Tom Waddle, Marc Silverman, Carmen DeFalco, John Jurkovic and Jonathan Hood. The event had 49 leagues in total between on-site and online drafting. ESPN Chicago 1000 marketing director Elena Angelos says, “We had a wonderful opportunity to move to a new venue for our Fantasy Football Convention this year. Fans were listening so intently to the ‘Waddle & Silvy’ podcast, which demonstrated how significant our local talent are to the success of the event.”…..Meanwhile, on Sunday (8/27) ESPN-owned WEPN, New York “ESPN New York 98.7FM” will host its annual Fantasy Football Convention at 12:0 noon pm at Resorts World Casino in Queens. ESPN senior fantasy sports analyst Matthew Berry will headline the expert group which also features ESPN’s Stephania Bell and Mike Clay, plus 98.7FM’s Rick DiPietro, Chris Canty, Dave Rothenberg, Anita Adams and Alan Hahn…..Mentoring and Inspiring
Women in Radio Group will present “Growing Your Talent, Growing Your Revenue” at the 2017 Radio Show on Thursday, September 7. Produced jointly by the Radio Advertising Bureau and the National Association of Broadcasters, it will feature industry radio executives Caroline Beasley, CEO of Beasley Media Group; Ginny Morris, chair and CEO of Hubbard Radio; Weezie Kramer, COO of Entercom; and Mary Quass, president and CEO of NRG Media. The session will be moderated by RAB president and CEO Erica Farber…..SAG-AFTRA members elect two of the union’s top ranking officers to two-year terms – Gabrielle Carteris is president and Jane Austin is secretary-treasurer.
Ford Motor Company’s Scott Burnell Addresses Beasley Managers. Pictured above is Beasley Media Group CEO Caroline Beasley (left) and Ford Motor Company global lead for business development and partner management Scott Burnell (right). Burnell addressed the 2017 Beasley Media Group Managers Meeting yesterday (8/24) and discussed Ford’s impact on the future of autonomous vehicles and radio’s future in cars. Caroline Beasley says, “Scott provided an incredible wealth of insight and knowledge to our team regarding the future of where the auto industry is headed and radio’s place in that space. It was incredibly valuable and underscored our continued commitment to innovation as a company.”
Music Radio News and Career Moves. The nationally syndicated Bobby Bones show announces plans for the fourth annual Joy Week celebration taking place next week (8/28-9/1). With its goal of encouraging listeners to choose joy, spread happiness, and do good things for others, the program will present live studio performances by country music stars: Maren Morris, Brett Eldredge, Dustin Lynch, Rascal Flatts,
and a special surprise guest. For the first time this year, listeners will be treated to hour-long, full-band concerts with the artists. Limited edition neon #PimpinJoy apparel will be made available for purchase beginning Monday with all proceeds benefitting St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. The cast of the program is pictured at right sporting the cool
tees…..Todd Stach is named network program director for WAY Media. Chief content officer Faron Dice says Stach will assume his new post on October 1. Stach was most recently chief content officer and director of programming at River Radio Ministries’ WCVO, Columbus “The River.”…..iHeartMedia produces what it calls a “new, first-of-its-kind contest we’re doing with Snapchat.” Yesterday, the company began a promotion in which fans can win tickets to its August 29 “iHeartRadio Secret Sessions By AT&T ft. Lorde” in Los Angeles. Local fans can enter by finding iHeartRadio on Snap Map, represented by one of iHeartRadio’s Los Angeles on-air personalities’ Bitmojis (102.7 KIIS FM’s Tanya Rad and Freddy Rivera and ALT 98.7’s Harms). While in the same geo-fence as the Bitmoji, fans can take a snap and use iHeartRadio’s exclusive “iHeartRadio Secret Sessions By AT&T ft. Lorde” filter, then either send the snap to the iHeartRadio account with #iHeartLorde and #iHeartContest or post the photo on Twitter or Instagram with #iHeartLorde and #iHeartContest. iHeartRadio says it’s “the first brand to launch a social contest using Snap Map on Snapchat. Always trying to push the boundaries over here and find new ways to engage our users!”…..SiriusXM announces Grammy Award-winning singer, songwriter Maren Morris is performing an exclusive, intimate show for listeners on Tuesday, September 12. Morris, along with singer songwriter Ryan Hurd, made the announcement on “The Storme Warren Morning Show” on SiriusXM’s The Highway channel this morning. Hurd will open for Morris at the private concert.
PPM Analysis: Country. Managing editor Mike Kinosian presents the fourth and final analysis of station performances based on data from the July PPM survey from Nielsen Audio, today focusing on country. Compared to the June 2017 PPM numbers, Kinosian reports, “Virtually half the stations (49%) on our country sample are up (6+) between June 2017 – July 2017 (6+), while 38% experience decreases; the remaining 13% of the panel remains unchanged. Meanwhile “year-to-year fluctuations are fairly consistent with month-to-month changes as 47% of stations on this country panel are up year-to-year; 43% are down; and 10% are steady.” During the July survey five country stations ranked #1 in their respective markets: Cumulus Media’s KPLX, Dallas “99.5 The Wolf”; KPLX, Dallas; Bonneville’s KYGO, Denver; Beasley Media Group’s WSOC, Charlotte; iHeartMedia’s WCOL, Columbus and WQIK, Jacksonville. See the full report here.
Friday, August 18, 2017
iHeartMedia Extends Debt Exchange Offer. In a press release, iHeartMedia parent company iHeartCommunications, Inc announces it is extending the private offers to holders of certain series of iHeartCommunications’ outstanding debt securities to exchange the Existing Notes for new securities of iHeartMedia, Inc., CC Outdoor Holdings, Inc. and iHeartCommunications, and the related solicitation of consents from holders of Existing Notes to certain amendments to the indentures and security documents governing the Existing Notes. The company notes that as of 5:00 pm ET Wednesday (8/16), an aggregate amount of approximately $45.5 million of Existing Notes, representing approximately 0.6% of outstanding Existing Notes, had been tendered into the Exchange Offers.
Talent Shuffle at WEPN, New York. Programming brass at ESPN O&O WEPN, New York, “ESPN New York 98.7 FM” have made a few changes to the air talent lineup at the Big Apple sports talker. Alan Hahn exits the “Hahn, Humpty, and Canty” midday show and will take over
the 7:00 pm to 10:00 pm show, effective Monday (8/21). Leaving the night show and moving to the midday program is Dave Rothenberg. The 10:00 am to 1:00 pm show – starring Rick DiPietro and Chris Canty – is renamed “Humpty & Canty.” Rothenberg will continue to host his eponymous Saturday program on the station from 9:00 am to 12:00 noon. Hahn is quoted saying, “Hosting the show with Rick and Chris has been one of the most valuable experiences of my career. I’m excited about my new venture back at night where it all started. I can’t thank Tim McCarthy [senior vice president of ESPN New York 98.7FM] enough for working with me on this move to ensure I can keep developing as a radio host.”
WEEI-NESN Jimmy Fund Radio-Telethon Tops $4 Million Raised to Fight Cancer. On Wednesday and Thursday, Entercom sports talk WEEI, Boston again teamed up with regional sports cable TV network NESN to hold the 16th annual “WEEI/NESN Jimmy Fund Radio-Telethon” raised more than $4 million to fight cancer. Since 2002, the annual radio-telethon has raise more than $49 million to benefit the Jimmy Fund.
Harrison Podcast Examines Charlottesville from a Talk Radio Perspective. Charlottesville, VA was the home of two early U.S. presidents – Thomas Jefferson and James Monroe. It is also the home of two talented radio talk show hosts heard on two significant, separately owned news/talk stations. Joe Thomas is the PD and morning host at Monticello Media’s WCHV. Rob Schilling is the 12:00 noon to 2:00 pm host on Saga Communications’ WINA. Both are guests on this week’s installment of the award-winning PodcastOne series “Up Close and Far Out with Michael Harrison.” They discuss, in great detail, the talk radio perspective on the tragic and troubling events that took place in their city this past weekend, and then some. Don’t miss this. 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.
TALKERS News Notes. WPGG, Atlantic City morning host Harry Hurley takes home the gold award for Best Columnist in the 2017 Best of the Press awards from the Press of Atlantic City. The awards are based on votes from readers. Last year, Hurley won the silver award
in the Best Columnist category…..Talk show pro Steve Malzberg has been sitting in for WMAL-AM/FM, Washington afternoon drive personality Larry O’Connor all this week. Malzberg tells TALKERS magazine that this stint comes after nearly two weeks filling in for WMAL-based, syndicated talk personality Chris Plante. Malzberg can be reached via email at malzbergtalk@gmail.com…..The Danielle Lin show expands its affiliate base with the addition of BiCoastal Media-owned news/talk KMED-AM/K294AS in Medford, Oregon.
Aftermath of Charlottesville Protest Violence Top News/Talk Story for Week of August 14-18. Criticism of President Trump’s response to the death of a 32-year-old protestor and the violence at last weekend’s white supremacist rally in Charlottesville was the most-talked-about story on news/talk radio this week, landing atop the Talkers TenTM. At #2 this week was the destruction of a Confederate statue in Durham, North Carolina and the authorized removal of Confederate memorials in other cities. Coming in at #3 was the elimination of President Trump’s American Manufacturing Council after numerous CEOs resigned from the board in the wake of Trump’s Charlottesville comments, followed by the U.S.-North Korea tensions at #4. The Talkers TenTM is a weekly chart of the top stories and people discusses on news/talk radio during the week and is the result of ongoing research from TALKERS magazine. It is published every Friday at Talkers.com. View this week’s entire chart here.
Music Radio News and Career Moves. Programming pro Chris Clare is the new program director at Cumulus Media’s country WNNF, Cincinnati “NASH-FM 94.1.” Clare heads to the Queen
City from his most recent gig at Binnie Media’s country WTHT, Portland “99.9 The Wolf.” He previously worked in Cincinnati at Cumulus’ sister WFTK when it was “Star 96.5.” Cumulus Cincinnati operations manager Keith Mitchell says, “The team here in Cincinnati is excited for Chris’ arrival in September and the wealth of country experience and enthusiasm he brings to NASH-FM.”…..Neuhoff Media brings Chris Fleming in to its Lafayette, Indiana cluster to serve as vice president and market manager. Fleming has most recently been chief revenue officer and general manager at Ramar Communications’ seven-station Lubbock, Texas operations…..Air personality
Miguel “Mijo” Irizarry joins the air staff at CBS RADIO’s CHR WPOW, Miami “Power 96” to host the 7:00 pm to 12:00 midnight shift, effective August 28. He fills the daypart vacated by Ivy Unleashed when she was promoted to the afternoon show. About his new gig, Mijo says, “Excited doesn’t begin to justify the feeling of joining such an incredible team at CBS RADIO Miami and ‘Power 96.’”…..Programming pro Lance Ballance exits Cumulus Media’s adult contemporary WXLO where he’d been serving as operations manager and PD …..Christian broadcaster WAY Media names John Scaggs president and CEO. He succeeds company founder Bob Augsburg.
Dustin Lynch Stops By the ‘Ty, Kelly and Chuck Show.’ Country star Dustin Lynch is pictured here with the Ty, Kelly and Chuck show at their studios in Nashville recently. He talked about his new record Current Mood and even played games including “Strip or Strike” and “Who Wears the Pants?” Pictured (from l-r) are: Ty Bentli, Lynch, Kelly Ford and Chuck Wicks.
Monday, November 6, 2017
iHeartMedia Puts Three Stations in Divestiture Trust. The deal that iHeartMedia
struck with Entercom to swap stations in the Seattle and Boston markets is forcing iHM to put three stations in the newly created Ocean Station Trust LLC in order to comply with ownership caps. Those stations are: alt rocker KFOO, Centralia, Washington (Tacoma market); rhythmic CHR KUBE, Eatonville, Washington (Tacoma market); and news/talk WKOX, Everett, Massachusetts (Boston market).
iHM Will Not Assume WBZ-AM, Boston’s SAG-AFTRA Contracts. This is not the news that union staffers at CBS RADIO’s all-news WBZ-AM, Boston want to hear as they prepare
to become part of the iHeartMedia family, under an LMA until the deal closes (probably in January). That LMA could happen as soon as the 17th of this month. According to a piece in the Boston Globe, SAG-AFTRA has received notice from iHeartMedia that not only will staffers at WBZ-AM have to interview for their current jobs, but iHM says it will not assume the two collective bargaining agreements between SAG-AFTRA and CBS RADIO. SAG-AFTRA’s Boston-based official Tom Higgins tells the paper that iHM officials who visited the station said they want a “seamless” transition, but says that contract issue “doesn’t sound like seamless.” Higgins says the union plans to meet with iHeartMedia officials this week. Read the Globe piece here.
Salem Names Ed Martin Afternoon Host at ‘The Answer’ in St. Louis. He’s the co-author of The Conservative Case for Trump (Regnery 2016) and the former Missouri
Republican Party chairman. Salem reports that Ed Martin will assume the 3:00 pm to 5:00 pm show on KXFN-AM/K287BY “1380 AM and 105.3 FM The Answer” next Monday (11/13). It’ll be called “The Ed Martin Movement” and Salem St. LouisVP/GM Greg Lhamon states, “We looked at a lot of options for afternoons, but no other talk host had their finger on the pulse of national, statewide, and local politics like Ed Martin. He’s smart and savvy and will force politicians to stay on their toes. And as a CNN political contributor, he brings a global perspective to talk radio that is sorely missing in St. Louis.” The press release also states: “Formally trained as a lawyer and ethicist, Ed is the hand-picked successor of Phyllis Schlafly as head of her ‘Eagles.'”
Bill Handel Records Apology to Rep. Wilson. Under fire for referring to U.S. Rep. Frederica Wilson (in connection with the Trump–Myesia Johnson story) as a “cheap, sleazy Democrat whore” on his KFI, Los Angeles morning radio show, Bill Handel recorded an apology that has aired on the station. But lead critic Janmyne Cannick – a self
-described commentator – says it’s too little, too late. In a story published by LA Weekly, Cannick – who’s been leading the efforts to see Handel punished for his use of the word “whore” in connection with Wilson – tells the paper, “If KFI can suspend afternoon drive hosts John Kobylt and Ken Chiampou (John and Ken) for one-week following their calling Whitney Houston a ‘crack ho,’ then Bill Handel – KFI’s prized morning drive host who called a sitting member of Congress a ‘cheap, sleazy, Democrat whore’ on live air – should get nothing less.” Read the LA Weekly piece here.
‘Florida Sports Talk’ Duo Re-Brand as ‘Gainesville Ocala All Talk.’ The sports talk multi-cast that Florida Sportstalk LLC is operating in the Gainesville-Ocala market is re-branding and will take on a more “talk radio” approach. The stations that made up “Florida Sports Talk” are” WMOP, Ocala; WGGG, Gainesville; translator W221DX at 92.1 FM; and
WGOT-LP, Gainesville. The station is now called Gainesville Ocala All Talk “The GOAT FM.” On its Facebook page, the company says the change is being made “in response to [the stations’] growing voice in the region pertaining to news and social events and based on the feedback from followers and the fan base…[to assure that] our branding more accurately reflects our voice, impact, and prominence in the communities we serve.” Former WSKY, Ocala talk host Chip Morris is being added to the programming lineup for morning drive. Stations OM Don DePew Jr. comments, “We were thrilled to see our voice and impact grow as we provided a voice of calm and grace through recent social issues that crossed from sports to everyday life. Our adjustment in brand to this new reality is a step forward in this regard. We are further excited to have Chip Morris bring his experience and influence in our region to our team. We look forward to the days ahead as we bring Gainesville Ocala All Talk to you, our listeners.”
iHeartMedia Promotes Ashlock and Adkins. Executives Greg Ashlock and Hartley Adkins have been promoted by iHeartMedia in what the company calls “the next step in the evolution of the iHeartMedia Markets Group.” Ashlock, who has been president of
iHeartMedia Markets Group West Division, is upped to president of the iHeartMedia Markets Group. Adkins, who most recently served as president of Northeast Division and Corporate Operations for the iHeartMedia Markets
Group, is now president of Integrated Revenue Strategy. Ashlock is now managing the entire iHeartMedia Markets Group, including the company’s more than 850 radio stations in over 150 markets. The company says the consolidation under one leader will allow iHeartMedia to move quicker, be more responsive, communicate more clearly and best serve both listeners and advertisers based on each market’s unique needs. In his newly created role, Adkins will join the corporate group in New York and will be responsible for working with group heads and other corporate leaders to help develop innovative revenue initiatives that scale across multiple platforms, as well as new strategic solutions specifically for the Markets Group that utilize the unique assets of iHeartMedia.
Beasley Broadcasting Group Reports Q3 Net Revenue. The company says that its net revenue for the third quarter of 2017 at its legacy stations was “comparable to the net
revenue for the same period in 2016” – so we can read that as “flat.” However, Beasley’s acquisition of the Greater Media stations that took place in November of last year boosts the company’s revenue figures. Third quarter net revenue jumped from $27.7 million in 2016 to $58.9 million in 2017 because of the 21 new stations in the Boston, Charlotte, Detroit, Charlotte, Philadelphia and New Jersey markets (it also takes into account the stations it sold to Entercom and CMG Coastal Carolina).
Traffic Pioneer Rod Carson Dies at 75. Longtime KYW, Philadelphia traffic reporter and Shadow Traffic co-founder Rod Carson died over the weekend at his home in Pennsylvania at the age of 75. CBS Philadelphia reports that “before getting into traffic reporting, [Carson] was one of the ‘Wibbage Good Guys’ on the former WIBG, and also did the ‘Rock and Roll Roots’ show on WMMR.” Carson marked his 50th year in radio in 2007.
National Radio Hall of Fame Class of 2017. Pictured above at the November 2 induction ceremony for the National Radio Hall of Fame at the Museum of Broadcast Communications in Chicago are (from l-r): NRHoF chairman Kraig Kitchin, inductees John Records Landecker, Joseph Field, Bobby Bones, Tom Barnard, Bill Handel and MBC founder Bruce Dumont. Not pictured is inductee Sean Hannity, who did not travel to Chicago for the ceremony.
Donna Brazile Hillary Criticism, Mueller Investigation-Possible Michael Flynn Indictment, Trump in Japan, GOP Tax Reform Plan, Kevin Spacey Sexual Assault Investigation, Texas Church Slayings, Saudi Purge, Rand Paul Assault, Kaepernick Collusion Suit, NFL Attendance-Protests Among Top News/Talk Stories Over the Weekend. Former interim DNC chair Donna Brazile’s criticisms of the Hillary Clinton campaign in her new book; the Robert Mueller investigation and the possibility of charges against former National Security Adviser Michael T. Flynn; President Trump’s trip to Japan and statements about strong rhetoric regarding North Korea; the details of the Republican tax reform plan; the UK authorities’ investigation of sexual assault charges against actor Kevin Spacey; the Sunday slaying of 26 at a church in Sutherland Springs, Texas; Saudi Arabia arrests 15 ministers and princes in anti-corruption efforts; Senator Rand Paul suffers cracked ribs in assault at his home; Colin Kaepernick’s collusion suit against the NFL; the NFL anthem protests, declining game attendance, and Sunday’s action were some of the most-talked-about stories on news/talk radio over the weekend, according to ongoing research from TALKERS magazine.
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