Tag: "Connoisseur Media"
Tuesday, January 5, 2021
Mike Luery Named Assistant News Director for KFBK, Sacramento. Radio and television news pro Mike Luery joins iHeartMedia’s KFBK, Sacramento “News 93.1” as 24/7 News and KFBK assistant news director for iHeartMedia’s Pacific region. iHeartMedia Pacific region news director Jayson Campadonia says that in this role, Luery will “help oversee news in California, Oregon, Washington, Hawaii, and Alaska. He’ll report on everything from breaking news to politics to state fairs. With his vast experience in the news business, he will
additionally play a critical role in developing young news talent.” KFBK program director Bill White states, “We look forward to Mike being an integral partner in contributing to the news content on ‘The KFBK Morning News with Cristina Mendonsa and Sam Shane’ as well as ‘The KFBK Afternoon News with Kitty O’Neal.’ Mike, with his decades of news experience in Sacramento, will be an excellent addition to our team of Northern California news veterans.” Luery served with Hearst Television’s KCRA-TV, Sacramento for 24 years. He began his career as news director at KZOZ-FM in San Luis Obispo, California.
WGY-AM/FM, Albany Adds Doug Goudie to Morning Show. Longtime Boston media figure Doug Goudie becomes part of the morning show at iHeartMedia’s WGY-AM/FM, Albany on Thursday (1/7), partnering with current air personality Kelly Lynch. Goudie assumes the role left vacant after Chuck Custer retired from the station in December following a 36-year career with WGY. Goudie, a.k.a. V.B. – short for Virgin Boy – got his nickname from Boston talk radio legend
Howie Carr during his time working on Carr’s show at WRKO, Boston where he began his media career back in the late 1990s. WGY program director Jeff Wolf says, “With Doug’s rich experience as a recent midday talk host on iHeartMedia Boston’s WRKO, TV commentator on WFXT-TV, and long-stint on The Howie Carr Radio Show, I’m confident that he will satisfy the expectations of WGY listeners for years to come. The heart of what brings so many Capital Region listeners to WGY in the morning will remain unchanged. Doug and Kelly will both entertain and inform with meaningful conversations on the important local and national stories of the day but having fun will continue to be part of the show as well.”
Steve Czaban Exits WTEM, Washington; No Change to WRNW-FM, Milwaukee Gig. Sports talk host Steve Czaban announced via Twitter that he’s exited Washington, DC sports talk outlet WTEM “The Team” as his contract was up and new owner Entercom took control of the station from Urban One. While he won’t be doing a daily show in Washington, he will remain with Entercom on a part-time basis and will host a Saturday morning program on sister sports talker WJFK-FM “106.7 The Fan.” The Milwaukee Business Journal reports that Czaban says the change in DC has no effect on his Milwaukee radio show heard daily in morning drive on iHeartMedia’s WRNW-FM “97.3 The Game.” Czaban calls his exit from WTEM a mutual one, telling the MBJ, “As my contract was coming to an end, I had been contemplating a change of pace and direction for some time now. This is the right move for me at the right time. I am very excited and thankful for this opportunity, and any others that may present themselves in the future.”
Beasley Media Group Begins 60th Anniversary Celebration. The logo you see here is being unveiled by Beasley Media Group to commemorate the company’s 60th anniversary. The company says, “On December 2, 1961, a young high school principal named George Beasley launched WPYB-AM in Benson, North Carolina with the vision of providing a voice for the voiceless in the local community! Today, Beasley Media Group is a multiplatform media company providing advertising and digital marketing solutions across the United States with 64 radio properties located in 15 large and medium markets across the country. Beasley also offers capabilities in audio technology, esports, podcasting, ecommerce, and events. Featured on the NASDAQ, BBGI is ranked among the publicly traded media companies in America.” Beasley CEO Caroline Beasley adds, “We are so thrilled to be able to celebrate the incredible legacy that our father, George, began back in 1961 when he built his very first AM station in Benson, North Carolina. It’s such a privilege to be able to build upon his forward-thinking vision and continue to blaze new innovative trails in today’s ever-changing industry with our outstanding employees and management team. Here’s to the next 60 years!”
Noted Record Producer and “Urban Philosopher” Robbie Stevens Rejoins TalkersRadio. The TALKERS editorial board announces the return of Robbie Stevens to the talent roster of TalkersRadio. Stevens, who was the first talent signed for TalkersRadio – a service of TALKERS magazine – when it launched in the fall of 2013, has agreed to perform as a commentator on the platform for a “limited engagement” that will run through June of 2021. The Bronx-based New York City native is well-known in the music industry for his years of innovative studio work with a wide variety of high-profile artists, most recently on behalf of the estate and fans of the late John Lennon, for which he has achieved critical acclaim for his “raw” remix of the legendary artist’s Imagine album. He also most recently executive produced 13 Billboard #1 Dance Chart singles in a row, for Yoko Ono’s innovative ensemble Ono. He also recently produced (with Yoko Ono) the “John Lennon Anthology,” a four-CD set of
unreleased material that was Rolling Stone magazine’s boxed set of the year. During his colorful career, he’s played on, mixed, or produced records by Herbie Hancock, Red Hot Chili Peppers, and other high-profile musicians going back decades. During this time, Stevens has developed an alternative career as a talk radio host and commentator heard occasionally via on-air and online outlets provided by heritage NYC stations WOR and WNYM (in addition to TalkersRadio). On the return of Stevens to TalkersRadio, TALKERS general manager of broadcast operations (and former WOR PD) David Bernstein says, “Robbie brings a real East Coast urban perspective that is reflective of both the street and academia to the news/talk radio conversation. His ‘tell it like it is’ style is a provocative blend of gruff ‘everyman’ street talk and intelligent, eclectic inquiry into the mysteries of the universe, combining politics with pop culture, science and down-to-Earth sociology. You don’t hear his progressive position that often on today’s terrestrial news/talk radio and frankly, regardless of your politics, it is amazingly refreshing.” For example, Stevens has served as vice president of the board for a well-known youth basketball/education program that’s won national championships and helps kids from diverse backgrounds reach their academic goals. To listen to Robbie Steven’s new series of commentaries on TalkersRadio, please click here. TalkersRadio is an “experimental” talk radio platform launched in 2013 by TALKERS magazine to provide the industry with a “work out space” and “showcase for new talk programming concepts.” Since its launch it has been a temporary home to a number of spoken-word talents – both high-profile and obscure – who’ve used it to work and showcase concepts that have gone on to achieve terrestrial radio exposure and even national syndication. In addition to Stevens, current TalkersRadio hosts include Claire Carter, Meg McDonald, and UK sensation, Graham Mack. At the time of his passing, Alan Colmes was working on a series concept called “Healed Planet” heard on TalkersRadio which offered a glimpse into the late FOX News Radio and FOX News Channel star’s metaphysical interests. Files of that fledgling show remain archived on TalkersRadio as a tribute to Colmes. For more information about TalkersRadio, call Barbara Kurland at 413-565-5413.
Radio Advertising Bureau Updates Board of Directors. With the new year comes an update to the board of directors for the Radio Advertising Bureau. Connoisseur Media CEO Jeffrey Warshaw is the vice chair and Townsquare Media COO Erik Hellum is the finance chair. The RAB also announces that Cumulus Media EVP corporate marketing and Westwood One president Suzanne Grimes joins the executive committee. Neuhoff Media COO Mike Hulvey continues to serve as chair and Univision president and regional radio general manager Sabina Widmann is serving as secretary.
New York Public Media Names Nsikan Akpan Health and Science Editor. Joining New York Public Media’s WNYC Newsroom is Nsikan Akpan, who begins his role as health & science editor on January 11. Akpan was most recently serving with National Geographic as science editor, overseeing COVID-19 coverage in addition to other types of science, health and technology news. Prior to that, he served for more than four years at “PBS NewsHour.” He and his team won a 2020 Emmy for the PBS NewsHour series “Stopping a Killer Pandemic” and in 2019 received a George Foster Peabody Award for the PBS NewsHour series “The Plastic Problem.”
Georgia Runoff Elections/Trump GA Appearance, Trump’s Call to GA Sec. of State, COVID-19 Stats & Vaccines, UK Lockdown, China and Pandemic’s Origin, Iran Seizes South Korean Oil Tanker, and the NYSE’s Chinese Telecom Delisting About Face Among Top News/Talk Stories Yesterday (1/4). The buildup to today’s runoff elections for Georgia’s two U.S. Senate seats and Donald Trump’s appearance to stump for the Republicans; the controversy over Trump’s call to Georgia’s Secretary of State seeking to overturn his loss in that state; the fast-rising number of COVID-19 cases and deaths in the U.S. and the rollout of vaccines; the UK orders a lockdown to stem the tide of COVID cases; questions about China’s stifling the investigation into the origin of the coronavirus; Iran seizes a South Korean oil freighter in the Persian Gulf; and the New York Stock Exchange reverses course on plans to delist three Chinese telecom companies were some of the most-talked-about stories on news/talk radio yesterday, according to ongoing research from TALKERS magazine.
Wednesday, November 18, 2020
NAB and FCC Challenge Third Circuit Court’s Action on Ownership Changes in the Supreme Court. In a brief filed with the Supreme Court of the United States, National Association of Broadcasters, the Federal Communications Commission (and fellow petitioners Bonneville International Corporation, Connoisseur Media LLC, Fox Corporation, News Corporation, News Media Alliance, Nexstar Inc., The Scranton Times L.P., and Sinclair Broadcast Group, Inc.) are asking the Supreme Court to reverse the Third Circuit Court of Appeals ruling that vacated the FCC’s ownership rules changes. As industry watchers are aware, after adopting a Reconsideration Order, the FCC repealed the Newspaper/Broadcast Cross-Ownership Rule, the Radio/Television Cross-Ownership Rule, and the TV Joint Sales Agreement Attribution Rule. It also established a modest presumptive waiver of the Local Radio Ownership Rule for parties seeking approval of a limited number of transactions involving radio stations in markets
that contain multiple “embedded” markets. In the brief, NAB and the FCC argue that Section 202(h) of the Telecommunications Act of 1996 directs the FCC to review its media ownership rules every four years and to “repeal” or “modify” any rule that is no longer “necessary in the public interest as the result of competition.” They note that no party challenged the FCC’s statutorily mandated competition analysis, nor did the Third Circuit question it on the merits. Yet, they argue, the Third Circuit concluded that the Commission inadequately considered the effect of those changes on minority and female ownership – even though Section 202(h) says nothing about that issue. On that ground alone, the Third Circuit vacated all the Commission’s rule changes (as well as other agency actions in these consolidated cases) and ordered the agency to collect additional statistics on ownership diversity. The same divided Third Circuit panel has repeatedly elevated its policy concerns over the statutory text and purported to retain jurisdiction over the FCC’s Section 202(h) orders, effectively blocking review by any other court for more than 15 years. The petitioners are asking the Supreme Court to rule on “whether under Section 202(h) the Commission must produce and consider statistical evidence or conduct an in-depth theoretical analysis regarding effects on minority and female ownership before repealing or modifying media ownership rules that it determines are no longer ‘necessary in the public interest as the result of competition.’” Oral arguments for this case have not been scheduled yet.
Michigan Station Owner Jamie McKibbin Dies in Boating Accident. The owner of McKibbin Media Group – Jamie McKibbin – died in a boating accident on Clendening Lake in Harrison County, Ohio on Sunday (11/15). McKibbin and James ‘Bud’ Miller were on a hunting trip when the accident happened. McKibbin and his wife Katina own the company that includes news/talk WKHM-AM/W268CA, sports talk WKHM-HD2/W270CJ “FOX Sports 101.9,” country WIBM-AM/W240DG and CHR WKHM-FM in the Jackson, Michigan market and adult contemporary WCSR-FM in the Hillsdale, Michigan market. On the WKHM-AM website the company posted his obituary that says, “Jamie achieved his lifelong dream of owning radio stations with the purchase of the Jackson stations in December 2019, followed by the addition of his hometown stations in Hillsdale in February 2020. He was also involved with the Michigan Association of Broadcasters and had recently joined its board of directors.” McKibbin is also survived by his 14-year-old son Walker.
TALKERS News Notes. News comes from NAB that the 2021 Audio Engineering Society fall convention will co-locate with NAB Show on October 11–13, 2021 in Las Vegas. NAB says, the co-location brings together the premiere convention for pro audio professionals with the world’s largest convention encompassing media, entertainment, and technology. The AES Show will take place at the Westgate Hotel, adjacent to the Las Vegas Convention Center where NAB Show will be held. The AES fall convention was previously co-located with NAB Show New York at the Javits Convention Center annually in October from 2017–2019. The two events were held virtually in 2020. NAB EVP of conventions and business operations Chris Brown says, “We are excited to be building the most significant, in-person media and entertainment event of 2021 and are ready to bring the industry together once again at NAB Show in October. Together with AES, we will provide unparalleled access to critical information, inspiration and solutions for audio engineers and content creators.”…..iHeartMedia and podcast network and production studio Cloud10 Media are partnering for a two-year production and distribution deal that will “leverage Cloud10’s diverse slate of curated celebrity-hosted audio programs and iHeartMedia’s national cross-platform network in order to reach a wider audience of consumers across the country.” As part of the deal, all existing and upcoming Cloud10 Media podcasts including “Busy Philipps is Doing Her Best,” “Daddy Issues with Joe Buck and Oliver Hudson,” “Work in Progress with Sophia Bush,” and more will be distributed by the iHeartPodcast Network and will be promoted across iHeartMedia’s
multiplatform network…..FOX Sports Radio reports record audience gains across multiple digital platforms for October 2020. FSR says it experienced its best streaming month of all time in October, with total listening hours increasing +28% year-to-year. Additionally, the FOX Sports Radio Podcast Network’s audience grew +123% year-to-year in October, marking FSR’s second-best month ever in terms of podcast listens. FOXSportsRadio.com also experienced its second-best month in history with October page views growing +46% year-to-year, and the network’s YouTube channel saw its views increase by +41% year-to-year in October…..SiriusXM announces a new long-term agreement with the NBCUniversal News Group under which the simulcasts of MSNBC and CNBC will continue to air on
SiriusXM, as will the TODAY Show Radio channel. TODAY Show Radio is a 24/7 channel dedicated to TODAY and is home to exclusive radio programs hosted by some of the morning show’s stars. Under the new agreement, SiriusXM also becomes the exclusive advertising representative and end-to-end ad tech platform for a broad slate of NBC News, MSNBC and CNBC podcasts. In addition to live airings of TODAY, the channel features exclusive weekly programs including “The Hoda Show” hosted by Hoda Kotb (Mondays from 1:00 pm to 2:00 pm ET) and “Off The Rails” (Tuesdays from 1:00 pm to 2:00 pm ET) with co-hosts Al Roker, Dylan Dreyer, and Sheinelle Jones…..Chicago media writer Robert Feder reports that Chicago Public
Media is naming Sasha-Ann Simons host of the 11:00 am to 1:00 pm “Reset” talk program on WBEZ-FM. Simons is currently a host and correspondent at American University’s WAMU-FM, Washington, DC. She takes over for Jenn White who left WBEZ to take on the hosting duties for the WAMU-FM-based “1A” program syndicated by NPR. Since her departure, Justin Kaufmann has been serving as interim host. Simon begins her duties on December 14.
WPG-AM, Atlantic City Morning Host Harry Hurley Makes ‘Insider 100 Power’ List. Calling it “a coveted, tough list to make,” WPG-AM, Atlantic City morning drive host Harry Hurley tells TALKERS magazine he is honored to make Insider NJ’s “Insider 100 Power” list. He adds, “It’s a real professional honor to be included and I’m so appreciative with what they wrote about me.”
Trump’s Continued Challenge of Election/Fires HS Official, Biden Transition, COVID-19 Stats & Projections/Vaccines, Holiday Get-Together Controversy, Georgia Recount/Runoff Elections, and Big Tech Senate Hearing Among Top News/Talk Stories Yesterday (11/17). The continuing rhetoric from President Trump about the election results and his firing of Homeland Security official Chris Krebs for vouching for the integrity of the vote; the transition of the Joe Biden administration; the fast-rising number of COVID-19 cases in the U.S. and abroad, projections for future cases, and the progress on vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna; the contentious issue of mandates against large gatherings for Thanksgiving and Christmas; the presidential election recount taking place in Georgia and that state’s January runoff elections for its U.S. Senate seats; and testimony from Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg and Twitter’s Jack Dorsey before the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee 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. Air personality Kasper joins Alpha Media Canton as evening host for its hot AC WHBC “Mix 94.1.” Cluster content director Gabriel Carrillo says, “It’s not often you get the opportunity to bring
in a talent with whom the audience is intimately familiar. When [OM] Bo Matthews and I had the chance to sign-on Kasper to the team it was a no-brainer. Finding someone with an instant connection to the market is very rare to find. We sound LOCAL and on the pulse of what is going on in our community. His experience in both Cleveland and Youngstown give our station a true Northeast Ohio feel.”…..Condolences to the family and friends of longtime classic rock WONE-FM, Akron air personality T.K. O’Grady, who passed away at the age of 66 from natural causes. WEWS-TV, Cleveland reports that O’Grady worked in radio for 40 years and joined Akron’s Rubber City Radio in 1998. WONE-FM posted on its website that there will no service or calling hours due to COVID-19, adding, “May his memory be eternal.”
Friday, April 24, 2020
NOW POSTED: New Installment of “The Michael Harrison Wrap: An Overview of the National Conversation.” The vibrant, one-hour weekend special, “The Michael Harrison Wrap,” that looks back each week at the hottest topics discussed in American talk media per the research of TALKERS magazine, is now posted. The new episode titled, “Between a Rock and a Hard Place!” looks back at this past week of April 20-24, 2020 and features guests (in order of appearance): Kevin Casey, executive editor, TALKERS; Dr. Renee Kohanski, forensic psychiatrist / contributor, “Psychcast-MDedge” podcast; Glenn Beck, talk show host, Premiere Networks; Michael Riedel, talk show host, WOR, New York; and Bob Flaherty, talk show host, WHMP-AM, Northampton, MA. This acclaimed news/talk radio show airs each week on its flagship, WONK-FM, Washington, DC, Friday evenings at 6:00 pm ET. It also airs throughout the weekend on WRKO, Boston; KSCO, Santa Cruz, CA; KDFD, Denver “Freedom 93.7”; KFNX, Phoenix; WVLY, Wheeling, WV; WVOX, Westchester, NY; KBDT, Dallas; KQSP, Minneapolis; KBKW, Aberdeen, WA; WGDJ, Albany, NY; WJFN-FM, Richmond, VA; WZFG, Fargo; KTGO, Tioga, ND; WPHM, Port Huron, MI; KSYL-AM, Alexandria, LA; the Virginia Talk Radio Network and Pioneer Valley Radio in Springfield, MA. To listen to this week’s episode (and the program’s complete archives), please click here. To view the latest TALKERS magazine topic research, please click here. “The Michael Harrison Wrap” is now available in syndication via Talk Media Network to stations across America on a market exclusive basis. For affiliation information, please click here or call 616-884-8616.
PPM Analysis: All-News. TALKERS magazine managing editor Mike Kinosian presents a look at the performances of radio stations based on data from Nielsen Audio’s March 2020 PPM survey, today focusing on the all-news format. For those following how all-news and news/talk stations have fared since the coronavirus pandemic hit the U.S., it won’t be a surprise that every all-news station in the U.S. saw its weekly, 6+ AQH share go up from the February survey. Comparing the March 2020 and February 2020 surveys, Entercom’s WBBM-AM/WCFS-FM, Chicago and KYW, Philadelphia led the gainers with each rising 1.9 shares. Taking a look at year-over-year data, 67% of all-news stations were up, 22% were down, and 11% remained steady. While Entercom’s KCBS-AM, San Francisco was the leader here (+3.5 for a 9.9 share and the #1 rank in the market), Sinclair Broadcast Group’s KOMO-AM/FM, Seattle’s 2.3 share increase pushed it from the #15 rank in 2019 to the #3 rank this year. Despite the ratings jumps, just two all-news outlets ranked #1 in their respective markets in March – WBBM-AM/WCFS-FM, Chicago and KCBS-AM, San Francisco. See Mike Kinosian’s entire report here.
Michael Banks to Lead Connoisseur’s Frederick, Maryland Duo. It’s a return to the general manager position at news/talk WFMD-AM and country WFRE in Frederick, Maryland for Michael Banks. He led the duo under iHeartMedia’s Aloha Trust that was created to divest of stations it couldn’t own due to ownership cap regulations. Now, Connoisseur Media puts Banks back in the GM chair. Connoisseur Media CEO Jeff Warshaw states, “Mike has been the general sales manager of our Long Island operation. He was a crucial part of our success and today we are excited to promote him into this important position.” Banks comments, “I’m excited to get back to Frederick. This is a perfect fit for my family and me. I look forward to working with a world-class staff and once again becoming a leader in the community.”
RAB’s ‘Business Unusual’ Series Continues on April 29. The RAB announces the next element in its “Business Unusual” initiative – a live video series titled, “Open for Business.” The RAB says it will bring together broadcasters and advertisers “to discuss proven programs they are leveraging on radio’s platforms during COVID-19. Each live presentation will feature several broadcasters and/or advertisers sharing success stories in their local markets including marketing promotions, community service programs, and ideas they have executed to drive revenue success for their stations and results for local businesses.” RAB president and CEO Erica Farber will moderate the event. Wednesday (4/29, 12:00 noon CT) will be the first live presentation featuring: Darrell Calton, chief executive officer, ILIAD Media Management, LLC; Erik Hellum, chief operations officer, local media, Townsquare Media; Beth Neuhoff, president and CEO, Neuhoff Media; Ron Stone, president and CEO, Adams Radio Group.
Former Affiliate Sales Reps Sue Cumulus Media and Westwood One. In a suit filed in federal court in New Jersey, Michael J. Capozzoli and Lee Napier allege that TM Studios parent Westwood One and company executives Kirk Stirland and William G. Clancy unlawfully discriminated against them based on their age. Capozzoli was an affiliate relations rep for TM Studios and Napier was a regional manager for affiliate sales. The allegations state that beginning in 2016, Stirland stated to Capozzoli his desire to “reinvent TM Studios to attract a younger demographic by hiring younger employees in the sales division. Stirland became obsessed with hiring young sales employees who he perceived to be ‘hip’ and compared Defendants’ sales employees with those of a competitor (Reel World) that employed younger individuals.” The complaint goes on to allege the two were treated differently with respect to their compensation despite meeting or exceeding sales goals. They were both terminated in November 2018. They are seeking back pay, compensatory damages and more.
The Economy and Lives vs Livelihood Top News/Talk Story for Week of April 20-24. The precarious state of the U.S. economy and the question of saving lives versus preserving the livelihoods of American workers was the most-talked-about story on news/talk radio this week, landing atop the Talkers TenTM. At #2 this week was the encroachment on civil liberties tied with the federal government’s relief packages. Coming in at #3 was the presidential race and politics, followed by the state of the country’s health care system 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. See this week’s complete chart here.
TALKERS News Notes. The New York Post’s Andrew Marchand reports on the spat between WFAN, New York’s Mike Francesa and Twitter user Funhouse that uses the handle @BackAftaThis to critique Francesa. For years @BackAftaThis has posted audio and video of Francesa, but recently Francesa and Entercom warned @BackAftaThis about its policy regarding use of its content that largely forbids it. Marchand reports that “Francesa reversed course in a tweet Thursday saying it is now going to be OK.” However, @BackAftaThis tells Marchand, “I have absolutely no plans to resume posting Mike’s clips. He let me out of jail and I’m not going back willingly unless I’m compensated handsomely for it.”…..iHeartMedia announces that it will present its first quarter 2020 financial report on May 7. It will also hold an investors conference call on that day. iHeartMedia is the first media company heavy with radio assets scheduled to announce financial figures from the quarter that ended with the first few weeks of the coronavirus pandemic.
Music Radio News and Career Moves. In San Antonio, Cox Media Group names Joe Pesh the new co-host of the morning show on country KCYY “Y100,” effective May 6. Pesh will work alongside current AM co-host Beth Chandler. He was most recently morning personality on Radio One’s CHR WNOW, Indianapolis. Cox Media Group San Antonio operations manager Jeff Garrison says, “We are very excited to have Joe join the team here in San Antonio! We can’t wait to see his talent in action – just one minute speaking with Joe, and you know he is committed to his work, passionate about his audiences, and dedicated to doing his very best every day.”…..Alpha Media’s country KUPL,
Portland “98.7 The Bull” adds the Premiere Networks-syndicated “Bobby Bones Show” for morning drive. The program replaces the “Tony, Jake & Jenn” show. Both Tony Russell and Jake Byron exited the station earlier this month and Jenn Hays moved to host of the midday show. Bobby Bones says, “I love Portland. I love the people of Portland. Every time I’m in PDX I beg to be put on the air there. And finally, I get that chance.”…..In West Palm Beach, iHeartMedia unveils a classic hip
hop and R&B format on translator W277CX. The previous country format heard on the signal was fed by WRLX-HD2. The new station is branded “Throwback 93.3 FM” and features core artists including: Usher, 50 Cent, Kanye West, Mary J. Blige, Jay-Z, Mariah Carey, Eminem, 2Pac and more. Air personalities include: “The Bushman Show,” Roxy Romeo, Lady Ray, and others…..Educational Media Foundation names Jim Houser to the newly created position of chief content officer. The Christian music pro will oversee content for the “K-LOVE” and “Air1” radio networks, which currently broadcast on more than 1,000 signals nationwide. Additionally, Houser will further develop EMF’s streaming strategy, oversee the upcoming podcast platform, all marketing strategy, and the integration of EMF’s digital assets with its programming initiatives…..Local Media San Diego received approval for the new call letters for KFMB-FM. The adult hits outlet branded “100.7 BIG FM” now carries the calls KFBG-FM. LMSD acquired the station from Tegna and part of the deal was giving up the KFMB calls that remain associated with Tegna’s KFMB-TV. LMSD spun KFMB-AM to iHeartMedia in a deal that has not closed yet and that station will also have to change its calls…..Condolences to the family and friends of Southern California disc jockey and voice over pro Jerry Bishop, who passed away on April 21. Using the stage name Bill Bishop, he worked at KCBQ, San Diego in 1963, moved to Los Angeles in 1965 and worked at such stations as KLAC, KFI, KKDJ, KIIS and KGIL. He moved into voice-over work and became known for his work on the syndicated “Judge Judy” show.
Monday, March 2, 2020
JVC Media’s ‘Florida Man Radio’ Makes Lineup Changes. The Orlando simulcast of WDYZ-AM and W288CJ – ‘Florida Man Radio’ – makes some changes to its daily lineup. Scott Ledger exits the midday slot and the station moves Attorney Justin Clark’s “You Have Power Radio” to 10:00 am to 12:00 noon and adds an hour to “The Ed Tyll Show” (now airing 12:00 noon to 3:00 pm) to fill the daypart. “The Shannon Burke Show” is now heard in PM drive from 3:00 pm to 7:00 pm. JVC Media Florida director of programming Stevie Demann says, “As this unique radio station continues to grow across the state, we will continue to find new ways to ensure we’re delivering the most off-the-wall, creative, and exciting ways to discuss today’s most relevant and relatable topics. Moving Justin to middays, giving Ed Tyll an extra hour, and Shannon Burke moving to 3:00 pm to 7:00 pm to super serve the busy afternoon commute, ‘Florida Man Radio’ will be better positioned to make our listeners laugh, cringe, think – and of course be ‘Unfiltered and Unafraid’!” ‘Florida Man Radio’ is also heard on WYGC-FM, High Springs in the Gainesville market.
Connoisseur Media Expands Digital Business. The expansion of Connoisseur Media’s digital business comes as the company acquires the digital marketing staff, a substantial portfolio of accounts, and key management platforms from Scorpion. Connoisseur says the combined digital operations will be known as Ferocious Media going forward. The assets purchased by Connoisseur are a portion of Scorpion’s 2017 acquisition of Driven Local, a nationally recognized, award-winning digital marketing agency and Google Ads Premier Partner. Kevin Szypula, Driven Local’s co-founder and most recently chief advertising officer of Scorpion, joins Connoisseur as COO of Ferocious Media. Connoisseur CEO Jeff Warshaw states, “This is a significant step for our company, it allows us to bring a crackerjack operating team and hundreds of additional accounts into Connoisseur. We started a digital marketing services company 10 years ago, then merged with Driven Local. We are so happy to welcome Kevin back to the family.” Connoisseur says Ferocious Media is a full-service marketing company that provides “cutting edge website design, search engine optimization, search engine marketing, media buying, display, video and audio advertising, social media content and more.”
PPM Analysis: Sports Talk. TALKERS magazine managing editor Mike Kinosian presents a look at the performances of radio stations based on data from Nielsen Audio’s January 2020 PPM survey, today focusing on sports talk radio. Almost 70% of sports talk stations in PPM markets saw their weekly, 6+ AQH share improve from the Holiday 2019 survey. Big gainers included iHeartMedia’s KXFN, Minneapolis, which shot up 1.6 shares to post an 8.4 share and the #1 rank in the market; and Entercom’s KDKA-FM, Pittsburgh, rising 1.5 shares to finish the survey with a 7.9 share good for the #4 rank. Comparing year-over-year, 53% of sports talkers were up while 35% were down and 12% were flat. KXFN, Minneapolis gained 3.5 shares from January 2019 to January 2020, rising from #8 to #1 in the market. Meanwhile, Cumulus Media’s KNBR, San Francisco added 1.9 shares to finish January 2020 with a 4.8 share; and Capitol Broadcasting’s WCMC-FM, Raleigh also added 1.9 shares to finish January 2020 with a 3.9 share. KFXN was one of three sports talkers to rank #1 in its market in January. The other two were Entercom’s WIP-FM, Philadelphia and WFAN in the Long Island market. See the entire report here.
Supporting the Prez at CPAC. Pictured above is Salem Radio Network syndicated talk radio host Sebastian Gorka with the social media stars “Diamond & Silk” – outspoken supporters of President Trump – at CPAC 2020 in National Harbor, Maryland. The sisters – Lynnette Hardaway and Rochelle Richardson – have close to 2 million Facebook followers and more than 250,000 YouTube subscribers.
Monday Memo: “On YOUR One Day…?” In this week’s column, consultant Holland Cooke outlines a call-in topic that has never failed to explode the phone lines. Warn your screener. Read about it here.
Coronavirus, Presidential Race/Buttigieg Drops Out, Financial Markets Activity, Selma March Anniversary, the Israeli Election Among Top News/Talk Stories Over the Weekend. The status of the coronavirus pandemic and how nations are dealing with it; Joe Biden’s win in Saturday’s South Carolina primary and Pete Buttigieg’s exit from the race for the Democratic nomination; the coronavirus’ effect on the world’s financial markets after the Dow loses almost 11% of its value in a week; Sunday’s anniversary march commemorating the 1965 “Bloody Sunday” Selma, Alabama march; and the latest Israel election were some of the most-talked-about stories on news/talk radio over the weekend, according to ongoing research from TALKERS magazine.
Premiere Networks and Dan Patrick Renew. Sports media personality Dan Patrick and Premiere Networks announce they have signed a renewed and expanded long-term agreement for Premiere to serve as the exclusive, global audio distribution partner for the Marconi Award-winning program. “The Dan Patrick Show” – heard on some 360 affiliate stations – will continue as part of FOX Sports Radio and is also available on FOX Sports Radio’s channel on the iHeartRadio platform, FOXSportsRadio.com, and other platforms. Patrick says, “I’m thrilled to extend my partnership with Premiere
Networks, FOX Sports Radio and iHeartRadio. This really isn’t a job for me, it’s a passion and I love working with the Danettes and the rest of my team to create a great experience for our fans. We never take for granted the loyalty our fans have shown us over the years, and I’m honored to keep at it for many years to come. I want to thank Julie Talbott, Bob Pittman and Darren Davis for their continued belief in the show, and a special thank you to my agent, Paul Anderson of Workhouse Media for doing his job to get this deal done while I focused on doing mine for our fans.”
TALKERS News Notes. Former WEEI, Boston morning drive personality Kirk Minihane announces he’s taking time off from his Barstool Sports podcast to enter a treatment program for depression. On Saturday, he tweeted, “The last month or so I’ve really been struggling with depression and suicidal thoughts. I’m going to enter a treatment program to fight this, so the show will be on hiatus. I’m scared that these thoughts and feelings are back, but this is life with depression. It’s a hard fight.” Minihane took leave from his WEEI show on two occasions in 2018 to seek mental
health treatment…..Broadcasting executive Mitch Dolan, currently chief operating officer of Great Lakes Media Corp., is being honored with induction into the Rhode Island Radio & TV Hall of Fame at a ceremony that will take place in Providence on April 30. Dolan is well known for his time as president of the ABC Radio Station Group. Earlier in his career, he rose through the ranks at then-ABC-owned WPRO-AM and WPRO-FM in Providence to become general manager. Dolan was the general manager as WPRO-AM flipped from hit radio to news/talk…..SiriusXM announces that its Doctor Radio channel and NYU Langone Health’s medical experts will launch 24/7 programming, live and on demand, dedicated to the latest news and updates surrounding the coronavirus. All programming will be presented by NYU Langone’s team of world-class infectious disease and medical authorities and curated by SiriusXM’s Doctor Radio channel programmers. The channel and NYU Langone Health have created a special informative guide titled, “Coronavirus: Everything You Need To Know,” that is available as a podcast on Pandora and an On Demand selection through SiriusXM’s app and streaming platform.
Music Radio News and Career Moves. Programming pro Lynn Barstow is adding programming duties for Waterloo Media’s Austin City Limits Radio to his responsibilities. The format airs in the Austin market on KGSR-HD2. Barstow serves as program director for Waterloo’s alternative KROX “101X.” Barstow takes over for Emily Parker, who exited the role for a position outside of the radio business…..Air personality and programmer Nathan Fast joins Iliad Media Group to lead the digital content and distribution efforts for its seven-station Boise cluster that includes country KQBL “101.9 The Bull,” CHR KWYD “Wild 101,” hot ACT KZMG “My 102.7,” and adult hits KSRV “96.1 BOB-FM.” Fast was most recently morning host at Cumulus Media’s country KPLX, Dallas “99.5 The Wolf.”…..Cox Media Group promotes Angelina Rosario director of sales for its Miami station group. Rosario was most recently general sales manager.
Tuesday, July 30, 2019
Hahn to Lead Townsquare Media’s Sedalia, Missouri Operations. In the Sedalia, Missouri market, Townsquare Media names Craig Hahn market president and chief revenue officer for the station group that includes: news/talk KSIS, country KXKX “KIX 105.7,” and classic hits KSDL “Awesome 92.3.” Hahn was previously general manager with First Media Radio of North Carolina. Townsquare regional vice president Kelly Quinn comments, “Craig’s incredible leadership experience in both digital and radio, combined with working in all sizes of markets make him a fantastic fit for Sedalia. Craig will immediately dig in with the community and find ways we can best serve our listeners and local businesses with our amazing brands and advertising solutions.”
Mendonca Named Digital Sales Manager at Frederick Duo. The duo of news/talk WFMD-AM and country WFRE-FM in Frederick, Maryland was recently acquired by Connoisseur Media from iHeartMedia. Now, Connoisseur announces that Patrick Mendonca is the digital sales manager for the stations. The company says Mendonca is a tenured member of the team and has served in several roles at the stations including on-air, marketing and promotions, and assisting the team with company-owned digital assets. He says, “I’m very excited about this opportunity and look forward to helping our clients and team achieve great success with their digital campaigns.”
TALKERS News Notes. WGST, Atlanta midday talk show host Dana Barrett recently launched a new podcast via the iHeartRadio Podcast Network and Stuff Media called, “Bizography,” a program that each week delves into the history of an iconic company. The July 24 edition is subtitled, “Sears: The Rise and Fall of the First Everything Store.” Check it out here…..In Panama City, Florida,
MyPanhandle.com reports about the new, monthly interview show being broadcast before a live audience on Magic Broadcasting’s news/talk WYOO-FM “NewsTalk101.” Titled, “Live from the Atrium,” the program features host Keith Kramer interviewing special guests. The first guest was attorney, author and motivational speaker Scott Mager. The live show takes place the last Friday of each month from 7:00 am to 9:00 am. Next month’s guest is Congressman Neal Dunn (R-FL).
2020 Presidential Race/Detroit Debates, Trump-Cummings-Sharpton Spat, California Festival Shooting, Capitol One Hacked, Immigration Policy/Border Conditions, Ratcliffe Nomination, and Hong Kong Protests Among Top News/Talk Stories Yesterday (7/29). The Democrats vying to challenge President Trump in 2020 and this week’s Detroit debates; President Trump’s war of words with Congressman Elijah Cummings and Al Sharpton over his Baltimore criticisms; the aftermath of the deadly shooting in Gilroy, California; Capitol One admits hacker accessed 100 million credit applications and accounts; the Trump Administration’s immigration policies and the conditions at the border detention centers; the nomination of John Ratcliffe for director of national intelligence; and the violent response by Hong Kong police to protests there were some of the most-talked-about stories on news/talk radio yesterday, according to ongoing research from TALKERS magazine.
Dave Ramsey’s New Studio. Yesterday, TALKERS magazine featured a photo of nationally syndicated talk radio star Dave Ramsey seated behind the desk in his new broadcast studio at his new facilities in the Nashville area. Since radio peeps love to check out new studios, we thought we’d share another pic sent from Dave’s crew at Ramsey Media. This shot above is from the perspective of the audience seating outside the studio’s glass walls.
Music Radio News and Career Moves. With the retirement of Sean McDowell, iHeartMedia rock WDVE, Pittsburgh announces a new air staff lineup. Chad Tyson becomes the afternoon drive personality (3:00 pm to 8:00 pm) and incumbent WDVE personality Russ Rose moves to the 8:00 pm to 12:00 midnight daypart. WDVE program director John Moschitta says, “We’re thrilled to have Chad join the WDVE family. Tyson’s charismatic personality, accompanied by his extensive knowledge of music and sports, make him the perfect fit for our listeners and having Russ Rose as evening host is the icing on the cake for our program lineup.” Tyson joins iHeartMedia’s Pittsburgh market from the company’s rock outlet WEGW, Wheeling, West Virginia “Eagle 107.5,” where he most recently served as the afternoon drive host…..Adams Radio Group appoints Nathan James to the program director and PM drive host position at country WUSX-FM, Salisbury, Maryland. James will continue to serve in his post as director of marketing partnerships and promotions for the Delmarva cluster’s five radio brands and digital products. Adams VP and general manager Lisa Layne says, “Nathan James is one of the greatest radio minds I have ever had the pleasure of working with. His awareness from the branding, the listener, to the clients is unmatched. Nathan is a huge part of the new dream team in the Eastern Shore market.”…..Programming pro Jay Michaels is promoted to operations manager for Cumulus Media’s Shreveport, Louisiana cluster. Michaels continues his PD/afternoon drive host duties for hot AC KQHN “Q97.3.” Cumulus Shreveport vice president and market manager Aaron Criswell comments, “I am excited about Jay’s expanding role in our station group. He brings the energy, enthusiasm, experience, and forward thinking needed to dominate in a competitive market. I am looking forward to working with Jay as my OM in Shreveport.”…..MaineInvests LLC closes on the purchase of WJYE, Gardiner, Maine from Blue Jey Broadcasting. It is flipping the station to oldies as “FUN OLDIES 1280.” The station says the format will feature all of the biggest hits of the 1960s and 70s with its 5,000-watt signal blanketing Central Maine. The new format is being overseen by consulting programmer Tom Lawler.