Tag: "Dan Snyder"
Monday, November 23, 2020
Monday Memo: Blue Christmas, Bleak January, Big Opportunity. As every metric tells us this pandemic will worsen, consultant Holland Cooke describes how “smart stations will survive, even thrive.” Read it here.
COVID-19 Stats & Projections/Vaccines, Trump’s Election Results Challenges, Biden Transition, Georgia Runoff Elections, Thanksgiving Travel Warnings, and Israel-Saudi Arabia Relations Among Top News/Talk Stories Over the Weekend. The fast-rising number of COVID-19 cases in the U.S. and abroad, the projections for winter cases, and the vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna; Donald Trump’s refusal to concede the election and the legal challenges to the results in several states; Joe Biden’s transition process; the January runoff elections for Georgia’s two U.S. Senate seats; the Thanksgiving holiday and warnings about traveling; and reports of the first-ever diplomatic meeting between Israel and Saudi Arabia were some of the most-talked-about stories on news/talk radio over the weekend, according to ongoing research from TALKERS magazine.
Pending Business: This Time Next Year. Sales and marketing pro Steve Lapa, president of Lapcom Communications Corp, offers a five-step plan for radio sellers to evaluate their performance in order to help them get closer to their income goals. Read it here.
John B. Wells’ ‘Caravan to Midnight’ Enters Nightly Syndication Via Talk Media Network. The “Caravan to Midnight” program hosted by John B. Wells debuts as a live two-hour weeknight show beginning on December 1. Wells says, “The nightly show launch is like coming home in a way. Over-the-air radio is where I started. It’s my first love. It’s immediate, demanding, and therefore really exciting. Every show is a canvas waiting for the oil. Great radio is art, and I
treat every episode as such.” Wells has been hosting his live Saturday night program “Ark Midnight” since April 2016. He adds, “One night a week on radio with ‘Ark Midnight’ was just the beginning of something much bigger. Our fans can’t get enough, our affiliates want more, and quite frankly, talk radio needs this program to thrive at night in the New Year and beyond.” Talk Media Network CEO Josh Leng remarks, “In just over seven months, 50 radio stations have signed on as ‘Ark Midnight’ affiliates. The demand for John B. Wells-hosted programming by radio stations is undeniable. ‘Caravan to Midnight’ with John B. Wells will be a destination program in weeknights.” The show will air live from 10:00 pm to 12:00 midnight ET. Find more information at Talk Media Network here.
Three Let Go as Entercom Begins Operating WTEM, Washington Today. Ahead of today’s start of the LMA operation of sports talk WTEM-AM, Washington “Team 980” by Entercom, hosts Rick “Doc” Walker and Scott Linn, as well as program director Chris Johnson have exited the station. The Washington Post reports that the three were cut from the station on Friday (11/20). Entercom’s operation of and eventual acquisition of WTEM is part of a swap with Urban One which bought the station from Washington Football Team owner Dan Synder in 2018. Walker co-hosted the “Doc & Galdi” show with Al Galdi, who will continue as solo host of the late morning show. Linn was part of both afternoon programs, working alongside with Brian Mitchell in the early afternoon and with Steve Czaban in afternoon drive. The report indicated that Johnson will continue to produce Washington Football Team game broadcasts. He’s been doing so as an independent contractor for the last three seasons.
‘The Small Business Advocate’ Host Jim Blasingame Celebrates 23rd Anniversary. Last week, nationally syndicated talk host Jim Blasingame celebrated 23 years on the air. On November 17, 1997, Blasingame launched “The Small Business Advocate Show.” He says, “When we began, we wanted to provide Main Street entrepreneurs with the information, resources, and inspiration they need to start, run, and grow a small business. Thanks to the support of our audience, Brain Trust members, and corporate partners, we’ve accomplished that goal and continue to deliver multi-media content and resources for small businesses, including a mobile site and a video series.” Blasingame says he conducts more than 1,000 live interviews annually with his Brain Trust. From these live interviews, more than 2,600 podcasts are produced annually, resulting in a library of more than 50,000 podcasts available on-demand, without cost, to small businesses. Chuck Duncan, general manager of WCGO Radio, SmartTalk Radio Network, and the GAB Radio Network (which has produced Blasingame’s show since 2001) says, “Jim Blasingame is a true professional and one of the most dedicated talk show hosts I’ve seen in my more than 30 years in radio. Congratulations to Jim and his team on another awesome milestone.”
TALKERS News Notes. Seattle sports talker KIRO-AM “710 ESPN” announces that Pro Football Hall of Fame writer and longtime NFL analyst and radio host John Clayton will continue to have a presence on the station several weeks after he and hosts Jim Moore and Tom Wassell were let go as part of budget-related moves at the Bonneville station. Clayton’s weekday show is not returning by he is resuming his regular, daily appearances on the morning and afternoon drive shows. He’ll host his own show that will air Saturdays from 8:00 am to 11:00 am. Clayton also is maintaining his role as a sideline reporter on broadcasts by the Seahawks Radio Network, of which “710 ESPN Seattle” is the flagship station…..SiriusXM announces “Howard Stern’s Comics on Comics,” a new video special that will be available over Thanksgiving week. The video series showcases legendary comedian guests sharing stories about their fellow comedians. Some of the comedians featured include Jim Carrey on Rodney Dangerfield, Tommy Chong on Redd Foxx and George Carlin, and Marc Maron on Sam Kinison.
Entercom and Ad Council Partner for COPING-19 Mental Health Campaign. An audio public service campaign aimed at raising awareness of mental health challenges is being produced by Entercom in partnership with the Ad Council, as well as the CDC, the CDC Foundation, The HHS, and the White House. The campaign is called COPING-19 and as part of it, Entercom will develop and provide bilingual audio PSAs that help Americans address mental health, as well as donate time and space to support the campaign across its broadcast, digital, and social media assets. The campaign will also see the launch of the Coping-19.org website that will serve as a central hub where visitors will be able to access over 100 vetted resources in English and Spanish to help with their mental health needs. Coping-19.org will also feature a set of self-care best practices and principles in accordance with CDC and leading scientists, as well as links to more in-depth information by category. Entercom VP, social impact Sarah Harris says, “Entercom is dedicated to supporting the health and success of the communities that are the heart of our business. With so many Americans struggling with mental health, we are delighted to use the reach of our platform to share helpful self-care and coping tips with our 170 million listeners and so many more in partnership with the Ad Council. We know talk is a powerful tool in the struggle for mental health and are committed to using our voice to break the stigma and help people find the resources they need to thrive.”
Music Radio News and Career Moves. On-air pro Vanessa Hale joins Entercom’s hot AC KLLC-FM, San Francisco “Alice @ 97.3” as host of the midday show. Entercom San Francisco SVP and market manager Greg Nemitz says,
“I’m happy to welcome Vanessa Hale back to the airwaves to join Alice’s impressive slate of on-air talent. Her passion for her craft and willingness to engage with her audience will translate to a dynamic midday program for our listeners as they move through their days.” Hale was most recently afternoon drive host for the company’s former WODS-FM, Boston…..A deal between Alpha Media and Skyview Networks will put “Nick Cannon Radio” and “The Dana Cortez Show” on Alpha’s WE format stations in San Antonio; Amarillo, Texas; and Portland, Oregon. The shows will air in middays and afternoons. Alpha Media EVP of content Phil Becker says, “Our relationship with both ‘The Dana Cortez Show’ and ‘Nick Cannon Radio’ has always been a good one. I’m excited to lengthen our partnership as well as welcome them to some new stations. The work intensity, customization and team mentality of both ‘The Dana Cortez Show’ and ‘Nick Cannon Radio’ continue to impress me. Their expansion onto our WE stations is well deserved and I’m confident both shows will have a banner 2021.”
Monday, May 22, 2017
Brian Wilson Exits WMAL, Washington’s ‘Mornings on the Mall.’ Announcing via Twitter on Friday, DC talk radio personality Brian Wilson says he’s exited Cumulus Media news/talk outlet WMAL-AM/FM, Washington. Wilson wrote, “Today is the last day of a wonderful 6 year ride @WMALDC. Thanks everyone! I stand ready for the next great adventure. I’ll miss the awesome folks @WMALDC: B Hess, Larry, Chris, Mary, Heather H & M McKay. But won’t miss the 2:30 AM alarm!!!! More soon!” In the meantime, WMAL program director – and Cumulus news/talk VP – Bill Hess tells TALKERS magazine that Daily Caller editor-in-chief Vince Coglianese is sitting in as interim co-host while the station seeks a permanent partner for Mary Walter on the program.
TALKERS News Notes. WPGG, Atlantic City adds Fox News Radio’s “Kilmeade & Friends” starring Brian Kilmeade in the late morning daypart, replacing Premiere Networks’ Glenn Beck…..In Chicago, Matt Abbatacola leaves CBS RADIO’s sports talker WSCR where he’s been serving for the past 16 years as a producer, personality and sports update anchor. He was a longtime producer of the Boers & Bernstein show with the now-retired Terry Boers and Dan Bernstein (who’s now partnered with Jason Goff). Robert Feder reports that “The Score” program director Mitch Rosen says, “I wish him nothing but the best.” Read Feder’s column here…..More changes are taking place at Fox News Channel. According to report by CNN, Fox News Channel has let “The Five” personality Bob Beckel go “for making an insensitive remark to an African-American employee.” This move is apparently connected to what is being termed a “growing racial discrimination” lawsuit filed by a number of current and former Fox News Channel staffers. The story says Beckel allegedly told a black IT department employee that he would leave the room while the staffer worked on his computer because the employee is black. It further says that when the person filed a complaint, Beckel tried to intimidate the worker to withdraw it. The suit is being handled by attorneys Douglas Wigdor and Jeanne
Christensen…..If you missed it, former Fox News Channel star Bill O’Reilly wrote an op-ed piece published by USA Today on the passing of his former boss Roger Ailes. In the piece, O’Reilly says, “We are living in a rough age, with technological advances changing behavior and perspective. The downside of that is turning us into a nation where hatred is almost celebrated in some quarters. Roger Ailes experienced that hatred and it killed him. That is the truth.” Read the piece here…..Washington Redskins owner Dan Snyder, via his Red Zebra Broadcasting, is agreeing to sell sports talk WSPZ, Bethesda, Maryland to the new corporation AM 570 LLC – co-owned by Salem Media Group founders Ed Atsinger and Stu Epperson. The $2.1 million deal includes 58 acres of land. The towers also carry the diplexed signal of WMAL-AM on a lease.
Trump Visits Saudi Arabia, Russia Investigation/Comey Firing, China Kills U.S. Spies, Weiner Guilty Plea/Abedin Files for Divorce, More North Korean Missile Tests, Iranian Elections, O’Reilly’s USA Today Column, and MLB, NBA and NHL Action Among Top News/Talk Stories Over the Weekend. President Donald Trump makes his first stop in Saudi Arabia on an international tour, receiving a gold medal from the nation and signing a $110 billion arms deal; ongoing talk of the investigation into possible connections between Trump campaign figures and Russia and the related firing of FBI Director James Comey; the report that an intelligence breakdown led to China killing and imprisoning numerous U.S. spies; Anthony Weiner pleads guilty in the case of his sexting with a minor and the news former Hillary Clinton aid Huma Abedin will divorce him; North Korea conducts more missile tests; Iran holds elections, re-electing President Hassan Rouhani; former Fox News Channel star Bill O’Reilly pens a USA Today op-ed stating Roger Ailes died from the “hatred” cast at him by critics; and MLB, NBA and NHL 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. Taking over the afternoon drive show on iHeartMedia’s Dallas hot AC KDMX “102.9 Now” is Kannon. He was most recently working in the Dallas market at CBS
RADIO’s crosstown CHR KVIL as part of the morning show. KDMX program director Jay Shannon says, “Kannon is a familiar name that has been on the radio in Dallas/Ft. Worth for several years and he understands how to connect with listeners, as well as what it takes to be successful in this market.” He
also previously served in the market as morning show host at Cumulus Media’s CHR KLIF-FM…..From Blaine Thompson’s Indiana Radio Watch comes the reports that Federated Media active rock WBYR, Fort Wayne “98.9 The Bear” parts ways with evening personality Barry Thickk. The station replaces him with the United Stations Radio Networks-syndicated “Lou Brutus Hard Drive XL” at night…..SiriusXM announces that David Letterman and his former TV band leader Paul Shaffer will be guests on Elizabeth Cook’s “Apron Strings” show on the Outlaw Country on Wednesday (5/24). Letterman, a big fan of American roots music, will bring along a playlist of his own hand-picked performances that aired on his network television show over the years.
Adam Bomb and DNCE at the Billboard Music Awards. Yesterday (5/21) in Las Vegas, Westwood One Backstage at the BBMAs took place at the Lucky Live Lounge at T-Mobile Arena. The backstage radio row included more than 20 stations interviewing artists and celebrities. Republic Records recording artists DNCE performed at the event. Pictured here is Westwood One syndicated host Adam Bomb (left) with members of DNCE.
Wednesday, January 20, 2016
Time Magazine Recognizes Dave Ramsey Podcast. Dubbing it one of the top 10 podcasts on iTunes in 2015, Time magazine gives the Dave Ramsey podcast recognition for its popularity. The Ramsey podcast averages more than 2 million downloads per week. Numerous publications, including iTunes Charts, Digital Trends and Stitcher, list the Dave Ramsey show among the most frequently downloaded and streamed podcasts. Ramsey Media vice president Brian Mayfield comments on the news. “We are excited to see the development of a completely new audience in the digital space. Our roots are embedded in radio where we began, and our audience continues to grow. This recent success on the digital side allows us to introduce our show to the next generation of listeners. Our goal is simple: we want to be there for our listener when, where, and how they want to listen. Digital distribution allows those constantly on the go the ability to listen to their favorite programs on their time schedule. We offer a variety of solutions including podcast, a dedicated channel on iHeartRadio, online audio streaming, and an online video channel.” Mayfield says that these efforts combined with the existing radio audience reaches a total audience of 11 million listeners every week.
Mike Francesa to Leave WFAN, New York When Contract Expires. New York sports talk radio icon Mike Francesa tells Fox 1’s Katie Nolan that he will exit CBS RADIO’s sports talk WFAN, New York when his contract ends in December of 2017. On Nolan’s “Garbage Time” podcast, Francesa also tells Nolan that he has spoken with CBS brass about exiting early but the two sides haven’t found terms for an exit that are mutually agreeable. He also says it won’t be the end of his sports talk career, just the end to his time with WFAN. Fox Sports reports the news from the taping of Nolan’s video podcast that will be published tomorrow (1/21).
Cumulus Promotes McCann to Market Manager and Cohen to VP of Sales in Washington. Two are promoted in the executive ranks at Cumulus Media’s Washington station group. Jake
McCann moves up to vice president/market manager from his VP of sales post and Beth Cohen is upped from director of sales to VP of sales for the cluster. Cumulus SVP Gary Pizzati states, “Jake McCann and Beth Cohen are the leadership team needed to achieve our goals in D.C. In the past year, they’ve accomplished that and more. Both promotions are well deserved. We look forward to their continued contributions as they advance the growth trajectory of Cumulus DC.” Cumulus owns hot AC WRQX “Mix 107.3” and news/talk WMAL-AM/FM in the market.
Presidential Candidates Radio Ads Tracked by Media Monitors; Hillary Clinton Top Spender. Two of the nation’s earliest primary elections – the Iowa caucuses and the New Hampshire primary – are just weeks away and Media Monitors reports it is tracking the radio ads for candidates heard in markets within or near those states during the first 15 days of January. Media Monitors reports the following: Hillary Clinton numbers from Des Moines and the Quad Cities show a total of 482 spots run with none run in the adjacent Omaha market. Radio spots for Ted Cruz, whose numbers from Des Moines, the Quad Cities and Omaha totaled 218 that were part of the Cruz For President buy, however, his Super PAC – Keep The Promise ran a total of 26 spots in the three Iowa markets. Donald Trump radio spots that ran in Des Moines, the Quad Cities and Omaha totaled 187 ads. Bernie Sanders did not buy Omaha, but ran spots in Des Moines and the Quad Cities totaling 123 spots. Marco Rubio’s Super PAC – Conservative Solutions – also ran in Des Moines, Omaha and the Quad Cities to the tune of 74 units counted. And finally, Mike Huckabee’s Super PAC – Pursuing America’s Greatness – aired 50 times in Des Moines, the Quad Cities and Omaha. Targeting New Hampshire voters, Hillary Clinton ran 1,110 spots in both Boston and Portsmouth-Dover. Bernie Sanders was next with 899 spots in the two markets. Marco Rubio’s Super PAC aired 358 ads. Next was Ted Cruz with 109 spots appearing in Boston and Portsmouth-Dover. Donald Trump played 76 times in the Portsmouth-Dover and 10 times in Boston. Chris Christie aired 24 spots in Portsmouth-Dover, while his Super PAC – American Leads – ran 21 spots in Portsmouth-Dover and Boston. Mike Huckabee did not run any spots in Portsmouth-Dover or Boston.
Presidential Race, Hillary Clinton Emails Investigation, Oscars Boycott, Flint Water Scandal, 13 Hours Film, Sinking Oil Prices/Tumultuous Financial Markets, and Battle Against Islamic State Among Top News/Talk Stories Yesterday (1/19). The activities of the candidates for president; the FBI’s investigation into Hillary Clinton’s use of her private email server for sensitive State Department business; the Spike Lee and Jada Pinkett Smith-led boycott of the Academy Awards for the lack of black nominees; the lead water contamination scandal in Flint, Michigan; controversy surrounding the Benghazi film, 13 Hours; the continuing drop in oil prices and the activity in the world’s financial markets; and the battle against Islamic State were some of the most-talked-about stories on news/talk radio yesterday, according to ongoing research from TALKERS magazine.
Dan Zampillo Exiting WTEM, Washington. There are more changes coming to the Dan Snyder-owned sports talker WTEM, Washington “ESPN 980.” Program director Dan Zampillo – on the job since April of 2015 – is leaving the company, according to numerous reports, including one from the Washington Post’s Dan Steinberg. Citing an internal memo, the Post reports Zampillo will stay on as a search for his replacement commences. Recently, station manager Rick Carmean exited and the company has eliminated that position. Zampillo came aboard from SiriusXM’s sports programming division after Chuck Sapienza resigned the PD post during the bizarre “Man Cave” episode. To refresh your memory, “The Man Cave” show – co-hosted by Chris Paul and Jason Reid – got off to an inauspicious start in March. The launch of the show was delayed by two weeks during which there were reports Dan Snyder didn’t like the idea because Reid was critical of the Redskins while writing for the Post. Sapienza quit during this time. The show was eventually cancelled in October. Read Steinberg’s Post piece here.
Round One of Holiday PPM Data Released. The first of four rounds of Holiday 2015 PPM data from Nielsen Audio has been released for 12 markets including: New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, San Francisco, Dallas, Houston, Philadelphia, Atlanta, Nassau-Suffolk (Long Island), Riverside, San Jose, and Middlesex-Somerset-Union (New Jersey). The survey period was December 3 – December 30. TALKERS magazine’s sister publication RadioInfo has all of the 6+ numbers from subscribing stations here. In addition, managing editor Mike Kinosian presents his “Twelve Takeaways” from this batch of ratings on the main page at RadioInfo.com here.
Michael Harrison and ‘America’s Digital Goddess’ Discuss the Culture of Technology. Nationally syndicated radio star and newspaper columnist Kim Komando of WestStar TalkRadio Network joins TALKERS magazine publisher Michael Harrison as a special guest on this week’s installment of PodcastOne’s international hit, “Up Close and Far Out with Michael Harrison” (1/19). The two conduct an in-depth discussion about the state of the digital era as we are experiencing its unfolding in the early decades of the 21st century from
both technological and cultural perspectives. Highlights include a prognostication of where the technology is headed going forward. Will humans increasingly merge (physically, mentally, spiritually) with silicon technology as chips are increasingly embedded not only in our clothing and all around us in the “Internet of Things” – but in our bodies as well? How can parents, who are natives of the 20th century, exercise control and guidance over their digitally precocious children, who are natives of the 21st century? What is the present state and future of privacy? Komando, whom Harrison describes as a “remarkable woman,” discusses her early days as a teenage prodigy in New Jersey who graduated high school at 15, headed west on her own, and went on to build a multi-million dollar empire blazing new trails in radio and contributing greatly to the advancement of this amazing new era. To listen to the entire conversation, click here or click on the “Up Close and Far Out” player box located in the right-hand column of every page on Talkers.com.
Talk Host Kevin Jackson Named Fox News Contributor. Independently syndicated talk personality Kevin Jackson joins the Fox News organization as a contributor. The news was announced to Fox News Channel viewers on last night’s edition of “The Kelly File” with host Megyn Kelly. Jackson has made numerous appearances on FNC shows over the years, including “Hannity” and “Fox & Friends.” Jackson comments, “I am grateful and proud that Roger (Ailes) appreciates my talent enough to have added me to the Fox News family. What a great honor to have Fox News as part of my distribution platform. My message has been leaking through for some time and this should help me to extend that message a lot further.”
Odds & Sods. As reported by Blaine Thompson’s Indiana Radio Watch, Emmis Communications’ Indianapolis news/talker WIBC-FM names Chris Davis news director. Davis, who most recently was news director for the News Mississippi Network, takes over for Mike Wilson who left the radio biz…..Westwood One is providing radio play-by-play for this weekend’s NFL conference championship games on Sunday. WW1’s doubleheader coverage begins at 2:00 pm ET.
Monday, December 22, 2014
Legal Analysis: The FCC Properly Rules In Favor of Redskins. The Federal Communications Commission’s decision last week to grant license renewal to radio station WWXX-FM, Buckland, Virginia, despite objections filed with the commission centering around the team’s Redskins name, was greeted with approval from TALKERS legal editor Steven J.J. Weisman. In a column posted today (12/22), Weisman writes that – whether one agrees that the team name is offensive or not – the FCC’s decision was the correct one. “The objection to the renewal tried to twist legal terms totally beyond their meaning. The objectors argued that the term ‘Redskins’ was obscene. Obscenity is not permitted on the public airwaves and continuing use of obscenity on a radio station would legitimately be a ground for denying a renewal of license. Obscenity may be in the eye of the beholder to some people, but not in the eyes of the established law, and the FCC rules and regulations which limit obscenity to the depiction or description of sexual conduct.” Read Weisman’s entire explanation of the decision here.
Alpha Media Enters Shreveport and Tyler-Longview with Access 1 Acquisition. The nine radio stations owned by Access 1 Communications in the Shreveport, Louisiana and Tyler-Longview, Texas markets are being purchased by Alpha Media for an undisclosed sum. The stations – which Alpha will begin to operate under an LMA effective January 1, are: hip hop KBTT, gospel KOKA, urban contemporary KDKS, oldies KLKL, and classic rock KTAL in Shreveport; and country KKUS, adult contemporary KOOI, regional Mexican KOYE, and country KYKX in Tyler-Longview. Alpha notes that when all pending deals are complete, it will own and operate 83 stations. Alpha chairman Larry Wilson states, “I’ve known [Access 1 president and CEO] Chesley Maddox-Dorsey for a long time. She’s a great person with superb integrity and it’s a tremendous honor for us to be buying stations from Access 1. I’ve been continually impressed with the quality of people I’ve met and their passion for the industry; it fits right in our sweet spot for live and local radio and we are very much looking forward to the acquisition.”
Odds & Sods. The digital broadcast of “The Anthony Cumia Show” is being repped by AdLarge Media. Cumia – longtime partner of SiriusXM’s Gregg “Opie” Hughes – left the satcaster in August and recently debuted his digital video show…..WOAI, San Antonio-based Joe “Pags” Pagliarulo agrees to a new contract with iHeartMedia. He’s also heard on other iHeartMedia stations…..Oldies WVLZ-AM, Nashville will flip to sports talk on January 5 using programming from Yahoo! Sports Radio.
Remembering Bill Burton. Holiday festivities were dampened over the weekend by the news that the industry lost a genuine cheerleader. Particularly to those in Michigan radio sales circles, the name Bill Burton is legendary, as was his insistence that salespeople always “be fabulous.” Cause of death for the 85-year-old Burton was head injuries resulting from a fall at his home this past Tuesday (12/16); he passed away on Saturday (12/20). As president and chief operating officer of the Detroit Radio Advertising Group, Burton’s primary responsibility was to sell radio at the decision-making level. In fact, he preferred to be called a “radio cheerleader,” “professional product mover,” or “people builder,” rather than the aforementioned impressive title he held the past quarter of a century. “Why Radio” was the underlying theme to the countless presentations the Detroit native would make around the country. Credited with originating the line, “An automobile is a radio with four wheels,” Burton would stress 91% of drivers listen in their cars, making them a “captive audience” for advertisers. Radio is the “frequency medium,” he would insist and “frequency is paramount in selling.” Burton started his radio career as an AE at Eastman Radio, where he would eventually become president and chairman. A 2002 Michigan Broadcast Hall of Fame inductee, Burton entered the Adcraft Hall of Fame in 2005. He held a degree in business and economics from Michigan State University (MSU 10 years ago presented him the Lifetime Achievement Award from its Broad College of Business), and Burton attended law school at the University of Michigan, before joining the Army. Among Burton’s many non-industry accomplishments was successfully completing the Boston Marathon.
Nashville Broadcaster Teddy Bart Dies at 78. Nashville radio and TV legend Teddy Bart died on December 21 at age 78. According to his obit in The Tennessean, Bart’s shows were known for defining “the discussion of Nashville’s political and business heavyweights.” In addition to work on local television stations, Bart was part of the long-running “Waking Crew” on WSM-AM. He also hosted “Teddy Bart’s Round Table” with co-host Karlen Evins several stations in the market.
Cool Job Opportunity. Greater Media Charlotte is currently looking for a passionate and innovative individual to join our team in the role of Web Developer. This is a big year for Greater Media technology where you can be part of rolling out all-new, state-of-the-art brand experiences for some of the best radio stations in Charlotte: News/Talk 1110 WBT, 107.9 The Link, and The Bob & Sheri Network. You must have a solid grasp of and demonstrated experience with modern web technologies and standards such as HTML5, CSS3 and jQuery. You must also be a proficient developer in PHP and MySQL. Experience with WordPress and WordPress plugin development along with a minimum of 2 years’ experience is required. The daily activities of this position include: Designing and developing new digital experiences, features and functionality for our programming and promotions departments across our radio stations’ web and mobile app properties; Collaborating with our sales department to create and traffic engaging advertising opportunities for our clients; Talking to people. Seriously, you’ll interact in some form or fashion with just about everyone in the company so you’ll need to have “people skills.” So, if you’ve got a great eye for digital design and terms like responsive design, Node.js, git, Bootstrap and API integration get you excited, please reach out to us! Please send your cover letter and resume to: Greater Media Charlotte, WBT/WLNK Human Resources, One Julian Price Place, Charlotte, NC 28208. hired@gmclt.com 704-338-3079 (fax) No phone calls please. EOE.
Legal Analysis: FCC Properly Rules in Favor of Redskins
By Steven J.J. Weisman
TALKERS
Legal Editor
BOSTON — There has been much discussion in recent years about the use of the name “Redskins” for the NFL’s Washington franchise and I believe that such discussion is a healthy exercise of free speech. The propriety of the name “Redskins” was even determined last June to be inappropriate for continued trademark protection because the name disparages a group. That decision is presently under appeal.
However, one place that the discussion of the propriety of the name had absolutely no business being discussed was at the FCC during the course of an objection to the radio station license renewal application of Washington, DC radio station WWXX-FM. This radio station is owned by Dan Snyder, the owner of the NFL’s Redskins, and is part of the team’s radio network. An objection was filed by a law professor and others to the license renewal, as was his or anyone else’s right. However his reasoning was totally spurious as recognized by the FCC which showed a little political testosterone and rightfully rejected all of the professor’s objections and renewed the application of WWXX-FM.
Friday, December 19, 2014
Snyder Scores FCC Victory. Ruling that the name of the NFL‘s Washington, DC franchise does not fall under its definition of profanity and it is not equivalent to obscenity, the FCC on Thursday (12/18) refused to order radio and television stations to cease using the team’s Redskins moniker. George Washington University Law School professor of public interest law John Banzhaf is behind the challenge and he comments, “Virtually everyone seems to assume that no radio or television station which repeatedly and unnecessarily used racial slurs on the air would be allowed to continue broadcasting, much less have its valuable broadcasting license renewed. All we seek is that Native Americans be given the same protection as African Americans, Asians, and other racial and ethnic groups.” An appeal of Thursday’s decision within the agency and subsequently to the U.S. Court of Appeals is likely. Dan Snyder – who owns the Washington team as well as Red Zebra flagship WTEM – insists he will not change the franchise’s nickname.
Cumulus Media Expands Relationship with Dr. Drew. As part of a new, expanded relationship with Dr. Drew Pinsky and radio co-host Mike Catherwood, the “Dr. Drew Midday Live with Mike Catherwood” show will air on Cumulus Media’s KABC, Los Angeles beginning in early January. At the same time, the company’s Westwood One syndication division also will begin syndicating “Loveline” starting January 1. “Loveline” will now be airing on a total of 35 Cumulus-owned stations. According to Cumulus, the new KABC midday show will “offer LA listeners unique access to Dr. Drew’s comprehensive advice on a broad range of topics. Listeners will be encouraged to call in Monday through Friday and enter the discussion with one of the country’s most trusted physicians and media personalities.” Westwood One currently handles ad sales for “Loveline” and beginning January 1 will also be responsible for syndicating the nightly show to local radio stations nationwide. “Loveline” will continue to be available digitally via PodcastOne. Drew Pinsky comments, “I’m really looking forward to becoming part of the Cumulus family and proud to be on the air at the legendary KABC in Los Angeles. It will be a great platform to connect with listeners during the daytime. And while ‘Loveline’ continues to be anchored at KROQ, I am thrilled that the show is expanding into new markets at night. This is a tremendous opportunity and I am grateful.”
Business Rockstars Welcomes Andy Schuon as Investor, New Board Member. The multi-platform network Business Rockstars LLC announces media heavyweight Andy Schuon has made an equity investment in the company and has joined the board of directors. Schuon rejoins longtime collaborator Steve Lehman, chairman of the Business Rockstars, along with co-founder and president Ken Rutkowski, who hosts “Business Rockstars,” the company’s flagship daily radio and television program. The company says Schuon brings decades of experience to Business Rockstars. He is co-founder of REVOLT Media & TV with Sean “Diddy” Combs. Schuon previously programmed KROQ, Los Angeles and served as EVP, programming and production at MTV, MTV2 and VH1. He also was CEO of pioneering Sony/Universal online music subscription service Pressplay (now Napster). He worked with the world’s top artists as executive vice president/general manager of Warner Bros. Records, was the head of digital and president, Artist Services at Live Nation/Ticketmaster, president of Infinity Broadcasting and has served on the boards of Premiere Networks, Hot Topic Stores, iLike.com, and Coinstar/Redbox’s new ventures. Lehman says, “Andy and I have a long history of success together, so his joining our board is a homecoming of sorts. With Andy on our board of directors, our already rapidly growing entrepreneurial media, mobile and social platform will be kicked into overdrive. Andy is a world class visionary when it comes to building networks, so we look forward to his contributions as we amplify the culture around entrepreneurial content and programming.”
Odds & Sods. Sports talker KXTG-AM, Portland “750 The Game” is now being heard on the FM dial on translator K274AR at 102.9. Alpha Media EVP of programming Scott Mahalick says, “Adding the FM frequency to our sports station will not only help increase revenue and ratings but will play a key role in opening up new live and local opportunities.”…..Play-by-play for Houston Astros games will continue to air on iHeartMedia’s KBME, Houston for the next four years as the two sides agree on a contract renewal. KBME is also the flagship for the NBA’s Houston Rockets…..ESPN Radio continues its coverage of college football with a 30-game postseason bowl schedule that will include all matchups from the inaugural College Football Playoff and the College Football Playoff National Championship Presented to take place on January 12. Veteran play-by-play voice Mike Tirico will call the final alongside analyst Todd Blackledge, with reporters Holly Rowe and Joe Schad…..SiriusXM is also on board for college football as the satcaster will offer broadcasts of 35 bowl games including all three games of the College Football Playoff.
Pavlina Returns ‘Most Interviews’ Crown to U.S. Teen talk host Pavlina Osta (pictured here with Sean Hannity at Talkers New York 2014) has returned the “most interviews” world record to the United States interviewing 347 people in 24 hours to claim the Guinness World Records title. The record was set at the Walmart in Port Orange, Florida. Each interview consisted of a minimum of five questions and every question was unique. The entire 24-hour period (on 11/22-23) was broadcast live on Ustream.tv and via Live365. For each interview conducted, Pavlina donated one can of pet food to Sophie’s Circle. The previous record holder, Claudio Siepi of Italy had 256 interviews and had held the record since 2012.
Walking the Walk. Media consultant Walter Sabo posted a timely sentiment on his Facebook page for holiday season shoppers. Sabo’s message shows a picture of a portable Sony radio and the caption reads: “To those of you who love radio and talk about radio all the time I hope you are in fact giving something like this to every single person you know.”
Alan Stock Emcees Menorah Lighting. KDWN, Las Vegas morning personality Alan Stock is pictured here in downtown Summerlin, Nevada at the community’s Menorah lighting ceremony on December 16. Stock says almost 300 people turned out for the ceremony braving chilly temperatures.
North Korea-Sony Pictures Hack Case Tops Talkers TenTM This Week. The hacking of Sony Pictures Entertainment’s computer system – possibly by North Korean operatives – and the threats against the release of the new film The Interview, was the most-talked-about story on news/talk radio during the week of December 15-19. Coming in at #2 was the renewed Cuba relations issue. At #3 was the Taliban school massacre in Pakistan tied with ISIS violence followed by the Sydney café siege 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.